"Divine bond." Narinder x The Lamb

Chapter 4: Leshy

Narinder pushed aside some leaves as he walked along the narrow path the injured scout had taken. The forest around them was eerily quiet. He glanced behind just in time to see Leshy get smacked in the face by the branch he had just let go.

"Ow! Shit!" Leshy exclaimed, pushing the branch away and sighing.

Narinder continued walking, the tension in the air thick and palpable. The silence stretched on until Leshy broke it. "Sooo... what's up with you and the Lamb?"

Narinder froze. "What?"

"You and the Lamb... the way he talks to you...." Leshy restated. "All the 'Hey Nari~'s. I can hear them, you know..."

Narinder sighed, "They like to taunt me ever since they beat me... damned Lamb..."

"So that is why you're small now... the same thing happened to you as it did to us." Leshy chuckled, "Serves you right."

"Shut it, Leshy! Before I claw whatever is left of your eyes out again!" Narinder threatened.

"Already blind, can't do much more in that area..." Leshy sighed.

Narinder's hand tightened, "Just because you're blind doesn't mean you're immune to pain, Leshy," he muttered.

Leshy suddenly stopped. Narinder turned around, "What are you doing?"

"I smell something... I feel... we're being watched.... and the air tastes... stiff..." Leshy sniffed around.

"What's your point? Is your eye near?" Narinder asked.

"No... it's not my eye... it's..." Leshy suddenly grabbed a stick and jabbed it into the darkness of the trees. They both heard a yelp and a group of heretics jumped out, weapons drawn.

"Shit! Leshy, run!" Narinder yelled. Leshy immediately dropped the stick and they both took off, running as fast as they could.

"Think I can calm them!? I'm their god, right?" Leshy yelled.

"Wrong. You used to be their god! They don't recognize you anymore!" Narinder yelled back as he ran off the path, pulling Leshy with him.

Narinder's legs were burning, but he pushed on when he heard Leshy yell. He turned to see Leshy had fallen. "Leshy!" Narinder looked back at the heretics. It wasn’t worth stopping, he needed to run. Forget Leshy, just run.

~*~

"Brother! Brother!" A little Leshy yelled as they ran over to Narinder.

Narinder turned his head to him, "What is it, Leshy?" he asked.

"I made you a flower crown!" Leshy replied as he lifted the flower crown up toward Narinder, a huge smile on his face.

Narinder looked and grabbed the crown, "Oh, well, it's very nice, Leshy...thank you, brother." He puts it on. Leshy had used a variety of flowers, all bundled together, "You're really good at this."

Leshy jumps happily as he walks off to play. Narinder makes sure to keep an eye on him, just to make sure he doesn't get lost or injure himself.

Narinder, for a second though, looks back down at the flower crown, it really was beautiful.

~*~

Narinder snapped back to the present. Leshy was still on the ground, struggling to get up, with the heretics closing in. Narinder grabbed Leshy's arm, hauling him off the ground and dragging him along.

They ran through the forest, Narinder's eyes scanning for any possible refuge. He spotted a stone building in the distance. "There!" He pulled Leshy towards it, throwing themselves inside and slamming the door shut. Narinder held it closed as the heretics banged against it, trying to break in.

After a while, the noise quited down and the heretics left. Narinder let out a relieved sigh, sliding down the door.

"Narinder... you saved me... You could have left me, but you didn't... you saved me... brother..." Leshy’s voice was shaky, still in shock.

Narinder turned to Leshy, his banged eyes looking up at him, and suddenly it felt as if time slowed. Narinder felt himself stumble, his tired legs folding finally. He heard screams in his head...Leshy screams....shit...he hit his head. Those bandages...

~*~

"Brother, stop! Stop!! Help, I can't see!!" Leshy yelled, crawling away, his eye sockets empty and bleeding.

"No one is going to help you... they're all too far away. Now stay still and take it!" Narinder grabbed Leshy tightly as more screams escaped his mouth.

"Heket!! Kallamar!! Shamura!! It hurts!! It hurts!!"

~*~

Narinder snapped back to reality on the floor. "Narinder!" Leshy called, shaking him. "Narinder! Snap out of it!"

Narinder grabbed Leshy tightly, shaking. "Leshy... I'm sorry... please... forgive me..."

Leshy was silent for a moment before nodding. "Of course I'll forgive you, Narinder. You're my big brother..."

Narinder smiled weakly, "Thank you..." He slowly got up and offered his hand, helping Leshy to his feet.

"Thanks... where are we?" Leshy asked.

Narinder looked around, realizing this place looked fimilier, "It's your temple..."

"Really?" Leshy felt around. "It's very... broken..."

"Well, it's probably been a while..." Narinder replied, noticing something on the floor. "Leshy, look... oh right..."

Leshy crossed his arms, "Look... really?"

"Sorry. But there's something on the floor..." Narinder moved closer and immediately stepped back, his stomach churning. "It's your eye..." Leshy walked over and picked it up, the squishy orb resting in his hand. "Ew man, put it down or I'm—"

Suddenly, the eye leaped out of Leshy's hand and forced itself into his empty socket. Leshy's screams echoed through the temple. "Leshy!" Narinder ran over, but stopped short, watching in horror as the eye reconnected. Narinder held back his nausea.

When it was over, Leshy sat up, holding his face. "What the fuck!? What the actual fuck!?"

Narinder's eyes were wide in disbelief. "Leshy, are you alright?" he asked cautiously.

"I... I think so... I-I can see... I can see!" Leshy jumped up, looking around in amazement. "I can fucking see!"

Leshy leaped onto Narinder in joy. "I can see, brother!! I can see!"

Narinder smiled and laughed, "You can see!!"

He.

Can.

See.