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Running through the forests now made Solstice smile. Ever since meeting her monster pair, she wasn’t as rigid making trips through these areas. Accepting the guild master’s offer of becoming a messenger between the main cities and villages, she was able to see them and even the few monsters she had befriended in the last months.
Leaping through the trees was the fastest route through the thick wood; dangerous though when Arachnids made their nests in the trees and lined branches with webs, Perceptor had taught her a few tricks to avoiding the webs, making her travels easier.
Coming to the edge of the thick woods, she smiled as she felt the sun on her face. Dropping from her tree, she ran out across the field, bow in hand in case she came across any Naga or spriggans. Though spriggans were more than likely to throw flowers at her than fight. They were tree spirits after all.
But movement caught the corner of her eye. She drew her bow, arrow notched and looking for the source of the movement. Slowly, she crept closer with arrow ready as she shifted into view. But shock snapped through her, her grip loosening and releasing the tension behind the arrow.
It couldn't be...
Out in the middle of the field was a large tree. And sitting on the grass and leaning back against the bark was a young woman around her age. She had a small basket next to her, which was filled with what looked to be herbs and fruit. In her hands was a small book, her eyes focused on the pages, as if she were in her own little world.
It was surprising to see a young woman out here alone, but... That wasn't what had thrown the messenger off. That girl... She looked like her friend. The one she had lost. The one who had been taken away by a monster three years ago. By an ogre, people had said, a large and terrifying ogre that had even frightened other monsters.
The villagers all thought for sure that the monster would have killed her. Eaten alive and they would one day find her bones somewhere in the forest.
But... That was Thornstriker. That had to have been Thornstriker sitting out there. She looked exactly like her! So... It had to be her, it just had to be!
"T-Thornstriker?!" Calling it, she hoped she wasn't seeing things. Please, she prayed, let this be Thornstriker.
The girl sitting under the tree jumped, dropping her book as she looked around, searching for the source of the voice. It was her! It was! Discarding her bow, Solstice bolted from her spot and ran. Her heart raced; it burned through veins as tears trickled and stun her eyes until she launched herself at the woman. Thornstriker, being the smaller of the pair, was knocked over by the excited girl.
"Thornstriker! It's you! You're alive! You're alive!!"
Thornstriker found herself on the ground, the slightly bigger woman hugging her tightly with her head pressed into her neck. She placed her hands down on Solstice's back when she felt tears trickle down onto her shoulder. Primus, it was Solstice... What was she even doing here?
"S-Solstice," she said softly, shocked to see her friend again. "Yes, I-I'm alive, I'm fine..."
"But...but how?" She sat up, still holding Thornstriker’s hands as she looked at her. She was afraid that if she let go, she would disappear. That this was just a hallucination. "They... They said you were taken from the village. You were taken as Tribute by an ogre, and yet… You're here! Alive!"
Solstice just couldn't understand how she was here after all she was told. Maybe...she escaped the ogre? Then why didn't she come back? Or maybe the ogre abandoned her?
Stopping her thoughts, she saw Thornstriker was blushing. Moving off her, helping her to her feet, she could see her properly. She wore a neat dress, green like her favorite color, but it looked new. It wasn't the same dress she wore the day she left. Her hair was well kept. Her skin looked clean. Everything about her now seemed to be as if she was living rather well.
"Thornstriker? What's wrong?"
"O-Oh! Nothing," she insisted. Taking a deep breath, she calmed down her red cheeks. Getting embarrassed about all the questions... She knew Solstice probably had to a lot to ask. It had been three years, after all.
Gently, she gestured Solstice to sit beside her on the ground. They sat next to each other, leaning back against the tree. Thornstriker gave a small sigh and looked up at the sky.
"Indeed, I was taken by an ogre," she said softly. "His name's Bloodshed. And he had been watching me for a long time."
"What?" Solstice asked, a little concern. They had traveled a lot together before she was taken… How could she not have known? "I don't remember seeing an ogre at all."
"He kept out of sight, staying close to the thick woods. Whenever we travelled between the city to the next settlement, he said he would watch me."
Solstice nodded, continuing to sit and listen. After all, she didn't want her friend to believe she was judging her. After meeting Drift and Perceptor, she now knew not all monsters were bad. Maybe this Bloodshed was like them too. Even though it did seem a little disturbing to know that he had been following her.
But it would explain why their trips were pretty uneventful. No one would want to get in the way of an ogre and have their wrath set upon them. They were vicious creatures, after all.
"Bloodshed... is very kind. He treats me well. We live in his cave together and he..." Another blush suddenly came to her face. "He tends to spoil me a lot."
"Spoils you?"
She nodded, her blush getting brighter. "Yes... He... likes to bring me gifts. New clothes or jewelry or books and flowers... Anything really. If he thinks I will like, he gets it for me."
And that was only half of it. Her room was exactly to her tastes. A soft and comfortable huge bed with warm blankets and fluffy pillows with bookshelves all over the walls. A desk and small work area of her own where she could practice her craft. Dressers and a vanity for her clothes and jewelry... All for her. All because he wanted to make her happy.
Because he loved her.
Solstice was starting to worry a bit. Her face was so red that she thought Thornstriker had a fever! But soon enough, the older girl took deep breaths to cool down the embarrassment and gave a small smile.
"I'm happy," she said. "I should have written to you, I know, but... The timing just never seemed right. Before I realized it..." She paused, her smile fading as she looked away. "Three years had passed."
Solstice couldn't help but smile. If it would ease her old friend's heated face, she leant forward and pulled her into a strong hug. She felt Thornstriker stiffen, no doubt wondering what she was doing.
"You know...a part of me always believed you would be alright," she admitted. "I mean, who could hurt you? Of all people? You're the kindest person I know."
Sure she had been mournful and sad what Thornstriker was taken, angry and hateful in the years after, but now… Now she realized it was just pettiness and stereotyped racism from her teachings that made her see this way.
Thornstriker, touched by her friend's words, smiled back and returned the tight hug. It was so familiar, despite the long years. Solstice was stronger though, making the hug a little harder to bear. Still, she continued to hug back. Three years was a long time to be without her friend… She could endure a tight squeeze for a bit.
But something surfaced in her mind. She always recalled Solstice having a certain... caution against monsters. Even the most docile that wandered into the city by accident had her on edge. It was strange to see her now, treating everything as if it were expected.
"Solstice?”
Solstice looked up at her.
“What happened while I was gone?" Thornstriker asked, pulling away a moment. “Your opinion on monsters seems… very different.”
A confused squint crossed her face before Solstice understood. Then she turned the same bright red had earlier, feeling embarrassed. Suddenly short on words, Solstice released Thornstriker and just sat there with a red face.
Thornstriker titled her head, a bit confused as to why she was blushing. "Solstice?"
"Well...you won't believe it, trust me."
“I’ll try.”
Giving a sheepish grin, Solstice tried to figure out where to start. "After you were taken...I'll admit I got low, really low."
Before Thornstriker could even start apologizing about the effects of her absence, Solstice smiled back to assure her the feelings were understood. She didn’t want her to blame herself. It wasn’t her fault the ogre had taken her.
"It didn't help when Blurr...went missing too. With both of you gone, I never wanted to leave the City. If monsters had no care out there, I didn't want to take any risks."
Thornstriker had heard something about Blurr, but she hadn't realized he had gone missing. He was the fastest runner she knew in the city; only something faster or smarter could have caught him… And perhaps someone had, if he was missing.
"But...” Solstice continued. “As luck would have it… After the tribute festival a few months back, they made me a messenger for a day, had to go through the webwood too."
Thornstriker’s eyes widened in horror. No one ever when through that overcrowded wood. Bloodshed had warned her from even going near the forest edge, knowing full well just what Arachne were capable of.
"I got caught too."
Thornstriker practically paled. Solstice had been caught in an Arachne's web... and played it off like it was a joke? People didn’t usually live after being caught in their webs. Solstice knew that too, maybe better than anyone else. It was part of her job to be vigilant and learn from other messengers past misfortunes. Sometimes their demises too.
"It was thanks to Percy that I got away."
"Percy?" Thornstriker asked, suddenly confused.
"Oh uh, Perceptor. He's an Arachne, lives in an old small shrine by the North side of the wood. He... He welcomed me into his home, served me tea and even invited me to dinner. Then... Then Drift came, and we all had dinner together."
Thornstriker could see right through that stubborn cheeriness. Solstice was keeping something back. She just continued to stare at her, keeping her gaze gentle, and waited for her to actually say what she seemed hesitant to.
It worked. With a sigh, Solstice turned away again and looked at the ground.
"I... I was scared, Thornstriker,” she muttered. “I... these monsters… They were everything I was afraid of, everything I hated. They took and didn't care about anyone. Not the pain they caused, the hurt. But... they were different."
Solstice suddenly looked up, her eyes teary but happy. Thornstriker couldn’t recall the last time she saw such an expression from her. And it had never in regards to monsters.
"I met them before. I helped them before... and they remembered me. I saved Drift's life when I found him behind the drug house. Perceptor bought my last embroidery piece for web candy. They remembered... They cared."
Thornstriker gave a soft smile, reaching up to pat her head. Poor Solstice... Overcoming her prejudice was no doubt a challenge for her. After all, it wasn't as if her worries hadn't been completely unfounded. Monsters could be dangerous creatures. Cruel even... But humans weren't that much different.
But she was glad Solstice saw that not all monsters were bad. It was even better knowing that she had gotten close to them too. It certainly helped with understanding what sort of people monsters really were... That, even if they were terrifying in terms of their appearance, they weren't bad people.
"I'm glad you've changed your mind about monsters," she said.
"It wasn't easy..."
Thornstriker giggled softly. "I'm sure it wasn't... But now you knew I was right."
Solstice gave a small nod. She could still remember back before Thornstriker had been taken at the festival. How she believed that monsters could be good people too. That they weren't all bad. That humans didn't need to be so afraid of them, that a peaceful and even friendly co-existence was possible, if prejudices were just put aside.
Experiences aside, the pair had three years to catch up on and decided to move right on to what had happened.
Thornstriker smiled and giggled as Solstice told of everything that happened in the city since she was taken. Rung had finally becoming an Elder and Riot joining the Guard with his best friend Strongarm. Turbocharge had finally asked Rodimus out. She talked about the falls and trips from trainee couriers as they tried to navigate the city. She even told her about how Wheeljack almost took out the temple with his experiment.
It wasn't really the stories that made her laugh more, but the estrange and flailing Solstice performed as she retold her tales, drawing emphasis to the funniest parts.
Thornstriker, in turn, told her about the times she spent with Bloodshed, meeting his friends and interacting with them. She wasn't too sure of it, but Thornstriker thought Solstice might actually like interacting with Novabomb. She could probably keep up with his energy with everything she was giving her storytelling. Nebula, she was unsure of, but anything was possible with Solstice. She could make even Ultra Magnus smile and that wasn’t an easy thing to do.
But all the while they were talking, something came from out of the trees. The hulking mass seemed to look again before eyes fell on the two women.
Thornstriker saw him first. She gave a small wave, signaling that she was in no danger and that the woman next to her wasn't a threat. Seeing that she was safe, Bloodshed relaxed his stance and walked over to the two of them. He was glad that he had left his kills from the hunt hanging behind him. He didn't want to scare Thornstriker's other friend... whoever she was.
Still, his bloody appearance wasn't that great either. And the fact he was an ogre... Whatever, it wasn't as if it really mattered.
Seeing Thornstriker wave and hearing loud thumping steps, Solstice turned to see if this was Bloodshed Thornstriker was talking about. Sure enough, an ogre towered over the pair. Solstice instantly froze. Not just because of his overbearing nine-feet height, but also the fact he was splattered with blood.
She had to keep calm. Thornstriker said he wouldn't hurt either of them... Well, at least he wouldn't hurt Thornstriker. Just what the hell did he hunt?
"So... good hunt?" she asked. Curse her shaky voice; she was hoping to come off at least a little unperturbed.
He only gave a small nod. Yep, his appearance definitely intimidated her. But it was to be expected, he supposed... Most humans were afraid of him.
He turned to Thornstriker, who smiled gently up at him. She stood up, helping Solstice stand up too. She still looked rather unnerved and couldn't look the ogre directly in the eye, but... if Thornstriker wasn't scared, she shouldn't have been either. Even though she knew that, he was just so... unnerving.
"Bloodshed," Thornstriker said. "This is my friend Solstice. We used to spend a lot of time together when we were younger. She escorted me around other cities too."
"Oh." He looked to her friend, studying over her a bit. Well, she did look a little familiar... Of course, his only focus had been on Thornstriker, so he didn't really notice anyone around her. "Nice to meet you."
Solstice was a little surprised by his manners, but the somewhat friendly - or at least civil - greeting put her nerves at ease. Sure, he may have been an ogre, a very large ogre, but if he took the time to actually be civil, she saw no reason to be scared.
"Pleasure." Offering a big smile, she turned to Thornstriker. "We might not have been speaking long, but Thornstriker spoke very highly of you."
She wanted to ask, but...to ask why he took her and made no attempt to show his interest in Thornstriker before was none of her business. Thornstriker was safe, even happy, with this ogre. So that was all she needed to know.
Bloodshed glanced at Thornstriker before coughing. "... I see."
Thornstriker giggled softly, pressing her hand to her lips. She expected Bloodshed to react like that. He would always get embarrassed if he heard her say anything good about him. He, for whatever reason, didn't think very highly of himself... She wasn't sure why, despite living with him for three years. He was such a good person and he always treated her kindly. How could he not be a good person?
Still, because Bloodshed was here, she knew it was time to go. If he didn't have the meat with him, it was probably somewhere else. They didn't want it to go bad.
She turned back to Solstice and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Solstice, but I have to go now."
Looking to Thornstriker, she wanted this encounter to last longer. The years had dragged since she left and their time together just wasn't long enough. She wanted to argue, even beg to stay longer but glancing to Bloodshed, she noticed the position of the sun. And she remembered her package, sitting in the pack she had set aside before their conversation.
"Well... it has been a few hours. I still need to get to the next city over for my delivery."
Collecting the pack, slinging it back onto her back, she pulled Thornstriker into a tight embrace. She wanted it to last between them and for the memory. Primus only knew when they would see each other again.
"Promise we can do this again? Maybe keep in touch?"
Thornstriker nodded. She knew that is might be far between their visits. But if Solstice came by this way, it would be easy to meet up.
"I'll even bring your books next time. I managed to save them when... they closed your store."
"Thank you, Solstice." She had always wondered what happened to her store and her books… She should have figured they would have got rid of everything. It was a little disheartening, but at least Solstice had saved something.
"Wouldn't happen to know a short cut to the nearest city, big guy?" Solstice asked, pulling back from Thornstriker to look at Bloodshed.
"Not unless you want to go through a monster-filled area alone."
"... Okay then, guess I'll just go where I was heading before." She turned back to Thornstriker. "We'll see each other again... Right?"
Thornstriker smiled and nodded. "I come out here to this field every other week. If you come by two weeks from now, I should be here."
"Yeah... Yeah, great."
Thornstriker gave her one last quick hug before moving away to grab her basket and book. "I'll see you again, Solstice."
She smiled. "Yeah... See you later, Thornstriker."
Thornstriker nodded and waved goodbye as she followed Bloodshed back towards the forest. Solstice watched as Bloodshed kept his pace slow, matching her walking speed despite having much longer legs. While she could hear Thornstriker's voice, she couldn't make out what she was saying. But she could see Bloodshed's face, his attention solely focused on her and her alone.
They actually made a pretty cute couple. It was just so sweet seeing how Bloodshed looked at Thornstriker. Weird, but sweet. Shrugging, and making a note to get out Thornstriker's books when she got back home, Solstice found the path she had taken and headed towards the city. Hopefully she could make it before dark.