A Chapter as written by Avienda

Visions danced in and back out of her mind, some familiar and some seeming to belong to someone else. She dreamt of landing in a thistle-bush and a thorn the size of her dagger pierced her shoulder joint. Next her ribs screamed at her as she emptied tankards of ale in a tavern. Men of all sorts filled the tables and she was trying to decide which scarred-up face was sexier. Her chair fell back and she was flying. She wore pale skin under a dark bloody robe and whispered to the long reeds growing in the riverbank. The robe kept bleeding till she felt dry and crumbly, her skin sloughing off at a touch. A storm came howling, trying to kill her. She fought back with her great axe and the bellows of her own rage. Rage which threatened to turn and burn her out from the inside. When the storm’s lightening finally struck, the pains that wracked her body ceased and she plummeted into a new dream.

When Avienda woke the sun was high. The sound of grazing made her turn her head to see the yale nearby. It looked up to meet her eyes before carrying on with his meal. Their packs along with her long handed axe were in the grass within her reach.
"I'm glad you finally woke. I was worried that I would need to have the yale drag you back home."
Avienda shifted her weight to see Mytherceria. She stood tall but looked just as tired as she had during the night. Avienda realized with surprise that she did not feel tired at all. In fact, she did not even feel sore. She rose to her feet testing herself.
"You healed me." Avienda stated. "Do not use your bloody magics on me Mytherceria. I can sew myself up just fine."
"Sew yourself up?" Mytherceria said coolly. "You had bled out from several wounds. You had an infection rotting your thigh and three cracked ribs among other things. You could not have come to conscious long enough to see a needle never mind sew with it."
Avienda thought back on the night and decided Mytherceria had a fair count of her injuries. Again, Avienda noted how tired Mytherceria looked and judged the effort she must have made in healing her.

"I will have you for my sister then." Avienda decided aloud.
"Excuse me? Are you feeling right in your mind?" Mytherceria asked sincerely.
Avienda rummaged through the packs finding her lost weapons. "I distaste your magic dabbling and worse, you have used it on me. I wouldn't mind killing others for that."
It seemed Mytherceria had found quite a few of her lost knives. There were only a few blades unaccounted for. Avienda left her axe in the grass but kept one short dagger in her hand.
"But we have bonded." She continued. "I know you. I dreamt your dreams. I owe you for reviving me. I haven't the skill of your magic to repay life on the brink of death. You will accept me as your sister."
Avienda drew closer to Mytherceria trying to look nonthreatening.

Mytherceria did not like the look on Avienda's face. It was too casual and friendly. Something put her hackles up and she turned to bolt. Avienda caught her hair in a firm grip and bent her neck back.
"What are you doing? You're crazy!" Mytherceria demanded through bared teeth.
Her heart beat wildly and she struggled against the person whom she had given up all her strength to.
"Accept me as your sister or I will cut off all your hair." Avienda's voice was firm.
Avienda's grip tightened further and her neck hurt. The blade got closer. The steel of Avienda's knife looked sharper than the pitted one she had used to kill with last night. She could taste her own panic.
"Ok, ok! I am your sister. Now let go of me!" Mytherceria cried out desperately.
Mytherceria straightened herself when Avienda released her. Her disposition was flustered and she smoothed her hair trying to calm herself. Mytherceria looked over at Avienda who, beyond all reason, looked relieved. She wondered if it was possible to wholly understand the mind behind those eyes.

"Good, now we just need to finish this bloody quest of yours and get Ikkari his damned ingredients. Then I will bloody well drown myself in the best barrel of ale I can find." Avienda finished.
Mytherceria grinned and picked up an apple from the ground to toss at her sister.
"First we need to eat then we will get back on the road."