Horse Eden : Chapter Two /!\

January 10, 2025 12:42 AM

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Gale’s legs buckled slightly as he made his way into the tent, the makeshift shelter feeling small and cramped compared to the expanse of the forest. He collapsed onto the cot, the thin mattress barely cushioning his body’s weight. His clothes were stiff with dried blood and dirt, and his muscles ached from both the physical strain and the toll of the constant tension that had held him together for so long. He didn’t have the energy to peel off his outer layers. The only thing that mattered now was the rest.

The soft glow of the campfire outside filtered through the cracks in the tent’s fabric, casting faint shadows along the stacked crates against the far wall—used for storage, but tonight, they almost seemed like barriers, keeping the chaos of the world outside at arm’s length.

Gale leaned back, closing his eyes for a brief moment, trying to shut out the weight of everything. But as his mind wandered, memories from the castle surfaced again, like flashes of broken glass. The tightness in his chest returned, a reminder that there were things he hadn’t dealt with. Not yet.

The pain in his body, the sheer exhaustion, made it almost impossible to think clearly. His eyelids fluttered, struggling to stay open, but they eventually closed, and his body surrendered. His breathing slowed, though his mind refused to still.

From the corner of his vision, he saw the faint silhouette of Lyssa outside the entrance. She didn’t enter the tent. She never did. But there was something about her presence that had always been grounding, a quiet strength in the way she moved. She wasn’t asking anything of him. She wasn’t pushing, not like the others sometimes did. She was just... there.

Gale's thoughts briefly flickered to her, the way she had always been by his side—steady, unwavering. She’d been one of the few who hadn’t treated him like a ghost, even when the weight of his past had threatened to drown him. She understood without needing to ask, without needing to pry.

But now, as he lay there, the weariness creeping in deeper, his thoughts turned inward. The tent, the crates, the cot—everything seemed to fade around him, slipping away as sleep began to claim him, gentle but insistent. The last thing he heard before his mind settled into the darkness was the distant sound of Lyssa’s quiet voice, drifting into the tent from outside.

“Get some rest, Gale. You’ve earned it.”

It was a simple command, but one that felt almost like a release. His body gave in, his chest sinking into the cot as the weight of the world grew lighter. And for a few hours, at least, Gale allowed himself to just be.

The night stretched on, the fire outside dying down, but the quiet in the tent was enough for now. Enough to let him fall into the heavy, fractured sleep he so desperately needed.

January 10, 2025 12:45 AM

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Kayla felt another pang of jealousy course through her as Lyssa spoke, making her jealousy flash in her eyes like her anger had during the fight with the guards

January 10, 2025 12:47 AM

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Gale lay on the cot, the weight of sleep dragging him under again. But the stillness of the tent was disrupted when he heard a faint rustling at the entrance. At first, he tried to ignore it, thinking it was just the wind or one of the others passing by. But then the sound came again, more deliberate this time—footsteps. Soft, careful, but unmistakable.

He opened his eyes, only for them to quickly squint against the dim light of the tent. There, standing at the entrance, was Lyssa. Her figure was framed by the weak glow of the campfire outside, her silhouette a familiar comfort in the darkness. She didn’t speak immediately, her presence enough to settle something in his chest that he didn’t realize was unsettled until now.

For a long moment, she just stood there, watching him as if she could see past the exhaustion, past the facade he’d put up since his return. Her expression softened when their eyes met, and then, without another word, she stepped inside.

Gale tried to sit up, but his body refused to obey. It was like he had no strength left to offer, no will to push through the aches. His arms didn’t have the energy to prop him up.

“Gale,” Lyssa said, her voice gentle but firm, the way it always was when she knew he needed it. She crossed the small distance between them in a few quick steps and crouched down next to the cot. Her eyes searched his face, a mixture of concern and something deeper—something he couldn’t quite place.

“Didn’t think you’d be the one to sleep through this,” she muttered, a small smile tugging at her lips as she gently shook his shoulder. The warmth of her touch was enough to make him flinch—no one had really touched him like that in a long while. Not since... well, not since the castle. He felt the instant rush of warmth and tension in his chest.

“Couldn’t help it,” he muttered, his voice barely more than a rasp. “The world’s still spinning, whether I’m awake or not.”

Lyssa didn’t respond to his half-joke. Instead, she knelt beside him, one hand resting against the cot, the other brushing a few stray strands of hair away from his forehead. Her gaze was steady on him, almost protective, though he hated the feeling of her seeing him this way.

“You’ve been through a lot,” she murmured, as if she could read the exhaustion and pain written across his face.

“I’ve survived.” His voice was rough, but his words were deliberate. He didn’t want pity. He didn’t want anyone to treat him like something broken.

Her fingers brushed against his arm, and for a moment, he couldn’t help but close his eyes. She wasn’t like the others. She wasn’t pushing him, demanding answers. She was simply there, offering the kind of quiet comfort he didn’t know he needed.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly. Her voice held a quiet certainty, and it made something inside him ease, just for a moment.

Gale turned his head to face her, eyes half-lidded, his heart hammering in his chest, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He wasn’t sure he could, not without betraying everything he’d been keeping hidden for so long. The last few days, the castle, the escape, the endless run—it was all still so fresh.

Lyssa sat next to him, waiting, patient, her presence like an anchor in the storm. And despite the pain, despite the weight of everything, Gale found himself drifting again, this time with her there beside him.

When he finally closed his eyes, his last thought was that, maybe for the first time in a long while, he wasn’t as alone as he felt.

January 10, 2025 12:52 AM

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Kayla silently walked out of the tent, unable to take the starry eyes being thrown between them any longer, and found where Gale had put the weapons. She grabbed a knife and walked about a hundred feet away from his tent before grabbing a trick and carving random notches and shapes into it mindlessly, her jealousy of Lyssa turning into anger

January 10, 2025 12:55 AM

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Gale’s body still felt heavy, like he was sinking into the cot, but the weight wasn’t just physical. It was the exhaustion from the past weeks, from the endless running, from the constant fight to survive. But Lyssa’s presence, steady and unyielding, was like a lifeline in the midst of all of it. Her closeness was a quiet reassurance, and though his body screamed for rest, he couldn’t quite allow himself to drift just yet—not with her sitting beside him, watching him in that way, as though she could see straight through the cracks he’d carefully built.

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the sounds of the camp outside muffled by the fabric of the tent. The faint crackle of the fire, the distant murmur of voices—everything felt so far away, like they were the only two people left in the world.

Lyssa shifted, her hand gently brushing his arm again, grounding him back in the present. Gale’s eyes fluttered open, just enough to catch the soft glow of the firelight flickering in her gaze. There was no judgment there, no pity. Just understanding, quiet and unspoken.

“I’m fine, Lyssa,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, more to reassure her than anything. “You don’t need to stay.”

Her lips quirked up into the faintest of smiles, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You don’t get to decide that,” she said softly, her voice a mix of affection and something else. “I’m not leaving you alone like this.”

Gale closed his eyes again, the pull of sleep stronger now, despite the turmoil in his mind. He couldn’t find the words to argue, and for once, he didn’t want to. Her presence, her warmth, made it easier to let go. Easier to let the darkness of sleep swallow him whole.

Just before he slipped back into unconsciousness, he heard Lyssa speak again, her voice like a soft murmur in the quiet of the tent.

“Rest, Gale. You deserve it.”

It wasn’t a command, but something more—a gentle push, a promise that things would be okay. That maybe, just for tonight, he could allow himself a moment of peace.

And with that, Gale finally gave in, his body sinking into the cot, the tension ebbing away as he let the sleep claim him fully. The last thing he felt before everything faded to black was the steady rise and fall of Lyssa’s breathing, her quiet presence a comfort that followed him into the dark.

January 10, 2025 12:57 AM

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Kayla continued carving with anger fully coursing through her now. She thought of running, but decided that would only make Gale worry and her get caught. She groaned quietly in frustration, the knife barely missing her hand

January 10, 2025 01:03 AM

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Gale woke with a start, his body still heavy with exhaustion, but his senses immediately alert as he scanned the inside of the tent. The absence of Lyssa hit him first. She had been there, just hours ago, but now the bedroll was untouched, the air still and warm around him. A low groan escaped him as he pushed himself up, his body protesting every movement. His muscles ached like they always did, but the fire of the morning sun outside cut through the tent’s fabric and made the space feel suffocating.

He glanced around, his eyes landing on the empty spot where Kayla had been. A quick, uneasy stir of worry flashed through him. He hadn’t checked on her last night, caught up in his own fatigue. But now, the silence seemed to press in harder, and the absence of her presence left him feeling more exposed than he liked.

He sat up slowly, pulling off his shirt and tossing it aside before standing up. The heat outside felt suffocating, the air thick with the weight of the day. Without the cloak, his skin was exposed to the sun’s harsh rays. He grabbed his knife, the familiar weight of it in his hand almost comforting, before stepping out of the tent into the blistering heat of the camp.

He squinted against the sun’s glare, the camp buzzing with quiet activity as people packed up their things. His eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of Kayla. He didn’t know why the sudden sense of urgency gripped him, but he couldn’t shake it.

He moved through the camp, past the crates and tents, his bare skin quickly becoming slick with sweat. The usual chatter of the camp seemed muffled now, distant. There was only a low buzz in his ears, the sound of the wind rustling through the trees, his boots crunching against the dry earth.

It didn’t take long before he spotted her. Not far off, beyond the makeshift tents and scattered supplies, Kayla was crouched on the ground. Her hands were working at something, carving a crude design into a stick with a knife. Gale’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stopped at the edge of the trees, watching her for a moment before deciding to approach.

He wasn’t sure why, but something about the way she was hunched over, focused on the task, caught his attention. There was a stillness to her that didn’t quite fit. She was trying to carve something, a distraction, he figured. Something to occupy her mind, just as much as his own mind had been occupied with the chaos of the past weeks.

Gale didn’t make any noise as he stepped closer, keeping his distance for now. He didn’t want to disturb her, but there was a part of him that wanted to check if she was okay. She had been through her own share of hardship recently, and though she didn’t show it in the same way he did, Gale could tell she wasn’t unscathed.

He just stood there for a while, watching her, before deciding it was time to get back to the others. He gave her one last look, making sure she was focused on what she was doing, before turning back toward the camp.

There was too much going on, too many things that needed his attention. But for just a moment, there had been an odd, quiet kind of peace in seeing her there, alive and fighting in her own way.

Gale took one last, quiet step forward, his boots barely making a sound against the dry earth. He was still watching Kayla, her focus entirely on the stick she was carving, when the faintest chuckle slipped from his lips. It was a low sound, born from the absurdity of the moment—something about her intensity, the simple act of carving, just felt almost normal.

He crossed his arms, standing a few feet away, and tilted his head slightly.

“Is that my knife?” he asked, his voice dry but with a hint of amusement, the tone easy and playful for the first time in a while.

January 10, 2025 01:08 AM

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Kayla shot up, knife pointed at him, before recognizing who he was and softening her expression. She tossed the stick to the side, walking over to him and handing him the knife to him handle-first.

January 10, 2025 01:19 AM

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Gale snatched the knife,shoving it into one of his pockets and took out a flask. "If your settling in alright,then your more then welcome to hit up the tavern with us tonight." He says over his shoulder,taking a sip from a flask.Gale walked over to the fire,quietly stealing a chunk of deer meat that had just finished cooking.He bit into it,savoring a actual good thing.Once he was done,he cleaned his hands and headed to their first aid station where he smeared pultice into his wounds and bandnged his side,the cut deeper then a eagle's talons could go.Gale winced slightly,stealing a needle and thing of thread before popping in two 'painkillers' and going back to his tent.He sat on his cot,threading the string through the needle before jabbing it into his side and sewing it shut.

He tossed the items into his pocket,heading out to find Lyssa. "Why am I not surprised?" He ask sarcastically. "Eh,probably because im the best sister,you just won't say it." Lyssa snapped,jabbing him with her elbow. "Shut up you hooligan.Have you seen father today?" Gale asks,wincing at his side as they walked. "No,have'nt seen him since sunset." she replied,looking down.Gale sighed,shaking his head. "Thanks anyways,not best sister." Gale teased,chuckling as Lyssa glared at him.

January 10, 2025 01:21 AM