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A Runaway Hiding

Kanna

Kanna

Supernova
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Koli finished packing all she could possibly carry with her. Several changes of clothes, a little food, and several of her books were all that the nineteen year old girl planned to take with her. She knew she would most likely have to run as she made her way outside the town. Once in a while, she would sniff, thinking about how much she would miss her friends, and more than once gave a second thought to running away. But then she would hear her father say something to one of their neighbors about the upcoming wedding, and those second thoughts would be gone in a flash as she remembered why she was running away in the first place. Sure, sometimes she agreed with her father, but most of the time it might as well be a war between the two of them. Her mother had done quite a bit to field their arguments, but when she had died several months earlier, it had been constant war between them. Now, not only was she fighting with her father relentlessly, he was pushing her to get married. Of course, she wanted to choose the person she was going to marry, and have it be for love. Her father had not only shot down that dream, but he had chosen someone for her. She knew this person, but she hated him quite a bit. Sure, he and his family were very wealthy, but he was a spoiled jerk that was likely to cheat on her on their wedding night. Her father didn’t care. He just wanted the money.

She sighed and shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her head. She wrote a quick note saying that she was leaving and not coming back. Then she wrote several more to give to her friends, apologizing for leaving so suddenly without a proper goodbye, but she had to get out. Her father was downstairs, so she couldn’t go out the front door. She left her note on her pillow, grabbed her things, and climbed out of the window. She landed lightly on her feet and quickly ran to her friends’ houses, leaving their notes under their doors. She then pulled her cloak over her auburn hair and hid her face as she slipped out of the town gates, small enough to hide among the merchant wagons that were leaving. She broke off from the caravan, and headed for the hills, to see where she could run off to. She just ran east, as long as she could, until she grew too tired. Then she sat under a large oak tree, curling up to keep warm in the falling night, and drifted off. She didn’t plan to sleep all that long, only wanting a few hours’ nap to recharge.
 
Korinos trotted through the hills and valleys making good time. He was just out to be out not with any real mission in mind though he knew that he was getting very close to human lands and that he a Centaur would be very unwelcome if he was found. He was young for a centaur but even as young as he was he had already been mated once. He sighed thinking back about his wife. She had gone out into the night in the middle of a blizzard worried about him because he had not returned from a hunting trip. He still cursed himself for staying that night at his brotherâ??s long house. They had found her half frozen in the snow, she lived for another two days but she would not survive. Before she had died she had whispered to him, â??There was another that you were destined to love and though you tried to love me I know that you were not meant to.â? She sighed nuzzling closer whispering her love once more before she lay back and was gone.

He rode over the hills enjoying the crisp autumn air but it wasnâ??t long before he felt the same chill as that nightâ?¦a blizzard was coming.
 
Koli shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around her, trying to fight off the chill. It wasn’t just going to be a cold night. The wind was bitter and cutting through her clothes. So much for a nap. If she didn’t get moving again, her hands and feet would go numb. Maybe running away wasn’t such a good idea at this time. But then again, she couldn’t picture herself staying behind to live with her father, or that rich prick of a boy. She looked up in the sky for the directional star, not really holding out much hope for getting to another town before it really started to get cold. What little hope she had was quickly dashed when she noticed that, not only could she not see the stars, but she couldn’t even see the light of the moon through the thick clouds. She stood and gathered her things, keeping her hands inside her cloak to keep them warm a little longer. She started running once more, toward the direction of the next town.

She didn’t make it that far in the run before her now numb feet ended up tripping over a rock she could have easily avoided any other day. She fell to her hands and knees and tried to get back up, but the pain in her ankle prevented that. She touched it lightly and hissed when a sharp pain tore through the quickly swelling area. It looked like she had sprained it. Suddenly, she feared for her existence like never before. She had left home at a bad time, it was freezing, she was too far away from a town that she could get to before it started snowing, and now she couldn’t stand, much less run to find shelter.
 
The winds had picked up and Korinos could already smell the heavy flakes as they began forming. He turned toward home hurrying quickly over hill and valley. His long centaur legs carrying him quickly through the country side. He felt the first touch of snow on his back and reached into the side bag pulling out a heavy cloak that covered his body totally. He doubled his pace knowing he needed to hurry if he was going to make it before it got too bad. The snow was already coming down hard and getting heavier by the second.
 
It suddenly got icy cold as the wind picked up. She whimpered softly, trying once more to stand and get somewhere warmer. Her cloak wasn't going to do anything to keep her from freezing to death. Her whimper turned to a sharp cry of pain when she put the slightest pressure on her injured foot, and she dropped back to the ground. Several snowflakes stung her cheeks, and she started crying. At least at home she would have had a fire, blankets, and even something to wrap her ankle in so it wouldn't hurt so badly. Now, she knew there was little hope of her surviving the night alone.
 
Korinos stopped looking around his sharp ears listening for a long moment, he was sure that he had heard a scream. his ears picked up the gentle sobbing and he started off toward it. Not moments later he found her all curled up on the ground whimpering and crying. He looked up at the sky sighing, she would never survive out here on her own and he couldnâ??t leave her even though he knew that the others wouldnâ??t like it. He reached down and without asking pulled her up lifting the cloak and pushed her onto his back settling her down and covering her with his cloak he stroked her hair smiling before he started off again.
 
Koli hadn’t heard the footsteps approaching her, and she was shivering violently. The cold had finally started to dull the pain in her ankle, but that meant she couldn’t even feel her feet. She had never expected to find herself being picked up in warm arms, set on the back of a horse and covered with a cloak that was much heavier than her own. Her body started to thaw a little as she rested there. Before he even started moving again, the girl was fast asleep. Her arms slipped around her rescuer’s waist, and she sighed happily.
 
They made it to his house before the worst of the storm set in. he lived in a long low hut made close to the ground and a little under it to keep the worst of the cold out. It was nearly thirty feet long and six feet high with a lower level that acted as a cold storage area for meats and other food. He laid her down on the long bed covering her close with his blankets. His hand brushed her auburn hair back from her face. His dark blue eyes nearly black looked her over before he turned and walked up near the door where he normally slept since his mate died.
 
She sighed and curled up in the bed as he tucked her in. She had no idea where she was or how she got there, but it was warm, which was better than being out in the middle of a blizzard. She could have been home for all she cared. She woke up several hours later, thinking that she needed to leave. At first, she did believe she was at home, but once she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings, she bolted upright. “W-where am I? How did I get here?” She vaguely remembered being picked up and set on the back of a horse, but she had no clue otherwise.
 
The fire had died down so everything was still cloaked in shadow when she sat up. Korinos heard her and came over standing next to the bed kneeling down so he was on about the same level as she was. â??Shhh its ok I found you out in the blizzard you were nearly frozen I brought you back to my home to stay warm.â? He moved over to the fire and added some logs making it flare and brighten to reveal everything as he started to put some water on to boil. â??I mean you no harm just safety from the weather.â?
 
She blinked when she saw him move in the shadows. At first, she could have sworn that he wasn’t completely human. But then again, he did have a nice body from what she could see. His words were kind, so she relaxed a little more. But when he moved to add more wood to the fire, her eyes widened. She noticed that he was a centaur. At first, she had no idea what to say. She vaguely remembered a person picking her up, and a horse carrying her, but she had never imagined them being the same person. “Y-you’re a centaur...” she whispered. She had heard stories about centaurs kidnapping young women and carrying them off, but she had never thought she would be rescued by one. The stories had always said they were evil.
 
He looked back over his soft coat brushing his large hands over his flanks then smiling. â??Last time I checked I was.â? He turned back adding some herbs and vegetables to the pot before adding in some beef. â??I hope that wonâ??t be a problem for you?â? he knew what was said about centaurs in the human lands but he had never heard his wife complain after the first night together, and even then it was a complaint that he couldnâ??t all fit inside her. he smiled feeling a stir in his cock that he hadnâ??t in a long while. Looking over at her, â??It is still late though with the blizzard you couldnâ??t tell but would you like some broth to help you back to sleep?â?
 
Koli blinked for a moment as she looked over his body, in awe of him. She shivered and pulled the blankets around her shoulders, wanting to hide the fact that she was enjoying watching him move. “Uh...n-no...i-it’s not a problem. I just wasn’t expecting you—a centaur—to come rescue me. I had been expecting to just be left out there and die.” She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest, smiling when he offered her some broth. “I would love some broth. It smells great.”
 
He smiled stirring the broth slowly. â??Give it a moment and it will be done.â? His body was lean but well defined as his job as the village bowyer made it so. The horse part of him was large and muscled much like a war horse and his coat was black just like his wind tossed hair that fell to his shoulders. He was taking great care with the pot and the moment it began boiling he pulled it away from the fire and dished a small amount up for her. he held it out to her smiling, â??Here this should warm your insides too.â?
 
She watched him cook the food, smiling as she took note of his silhouette. He looked wonderful, and she did want to enjoy watching him a little longer. She took the bowl of broth from his hands and thanked him, savoring just how good it smelled. It had her mouth watering in no time, and she brought it up to her lips. Carefully, she sipped it, taking care not to burn herself. Just the first few drops of the broth sent a cascade of warmth through her body, spreading from her core to the tips of her fingers and toes. By the time she had finished drinking it down, she was ready to curl up and sleep a little longer.
 
He smiled seeing she was once again tired, he pulled the heavy furs up draping them around her shoulders gently brushing her hair back from her face smiling. â??Sleep my dear, sleep and regain your strength.â? He walked over to the door pulling back the flaps, he was struck by the cold wind but it didnâ??t penetrate deep into the longhouse thanks to the entry way designed with a wall to hold it back. He knew that he was going to have a lot of explaining to do when the elders found out about her, but he would cross that bridge once the snow stopped. Dropping the flaps he turned back into the longhouse moving into the small forge at the back in a side room. He began his work working the iron and carbon infusing the adamant dust into the mixture making it stronger. He worked throughout the day the sound kept down so as not to wake her.
 
Koli wanted to touch him once before she fell asleep again, but every time she reached her handout, he was already gone. It wasn't long before she was curled up and passed out cold, her hand curled up under her chin. She had no nightmares, which was more than she could say for most nights when she was at home, at least since her mother died. She sighed in her sleep, absently listening to his footsteps as he walked past her as well as the gentle clang of his working. She felt more at home here, in a strange bed, than anywhere else she had been. She woke up every once in a while, but the steady rhythm of his strikes, as well as the warmth of the bed, lulled her back to the warm comfort and safety of sleep.
 
He worked all through the night forging different things of all different shapes. He wasnâ??t making them for anyone or a certain order he just made for the joy of making. It also let him lose himself in something other than memory. He noticed that the sun was finally raising out the small window that was in his forge even with it half covered in snow. He went back to the common room setting a pot on full of snow to melt and start breakfast for them. He let the mixture melt and start to boil the scent quickly filling the house before he moved over to the door pushing the flaps back and moving out into the three foot deep snow.
 
Koli started to wake up as the sun began to rise, and pulled the furs over her head as though to sleep more. However, that didn't last long as the smell of breakfast also starting to hit her nose. With the smell also came the inevitable, her stomach started to growl. She started to sit up and shivered slightly, so she wrapped the furs around her shoulders. She was dying to see what was he was making, but she quickly scrapped the idea when she barely put any pressure on her injured foot. Instead, she stayed in the bed, curled up under the blankets again, where it was warm. She did happen to notice that her rescuer was no longer there. She kinda wished he had told her where he was going.
 
He wasnâ??t gone long only going out to the smoke house to pick up some of the preserved meat he had curing there. â??Ah I see you are awake.â? He crossed back over to the fire hanging the meat on a hook to one side of the hearth. He came over to the bed smiling leaning down brushing a strand of hair back from her face, â??How are you feeling this day?â?
 
Koli smiled when he came back in, still enjoying the sight of him, now that she could see him in the better light. There was definitely something she hadn't expected, though. She shivered and blushed as his hand lightly brushed her hair away from her face. To her, it seemed like an intimate, yet innocent gesture. "I-I'm fine. Nice and warm and rested. My ankle's really hurting though, cause I tried to see what you were making for breakfast."
 
He knelt down next to the bed first his front legs then his hind ones. â??Breakfast isnâ??t quite ready yet but it will be soon. till then let me take a look at your ankle.â? He moved her blanket up her legs a little moving down to lightly explore her lower leg and foot not touching the ankle. â??hmmmâ?¦I fear you may have broken it but I canâ??t tell I am not a healer and with the heavy snow I doubt you will see ours soon.â? he stood back up and disappeared into his workshop for a moment before coming back out with some boards and leather. â??I will need to wrap it to keep it steady.â?
 
She whimpered when raised her blanket to take a look at her ankle. Her whole body was tensed when she saw just how bad it looked, and she was a little afraid of him touching it. But he took care to avoid touching it while he looked at it. To her, it certainly looked worse than an average sprain, so she was a little receptive to his statement that she possibly broke it. Of course, that meant she would have to stay put for quite a while, though staying with the centaur didn't seem like such a bad idea. She gritted her teeth when he came back with the boards and leather. This, she knew, was going to hurt...but she was willing to bear it if he was going to stabilize her ankle.
 
He came over to her and taking a rag he soaked it quickly from a vial. â??Here hold this over your nose and mouth it will make you pass out and not feel pain for a few moments. Long enough to let me fix your leg.â? He started measuring out the things he needed breaking the wood down a bit. Finishing he looked at her, â??Whenever you are ready just breath deep through the rag.â?
 
Just the fumes from the vial started making Koli dizzy, so when he handed her the soaked rag, she had to hold it a good distance away from her. She watched him work, breaking the wood so that it was smaller and better sized to her leg. When she saw that he was ready to splint her leg, she nodded and held the rag over her mouth and nose, breathing it in deep. At fist there was the dizziness the had felt before, then she blacked out, giving him a chance to work.
 
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