The tension in the cave lingered long after Aurora’s words fell silent, thick and unmoving like the air before a storm. For a few drawn-out seconds, neither of them spoke. Their gazes were locked in a silent standoff that could tip either way. But then, almost imperceptibly, something in Asher’s posture shifted.
His shoulders eased, not in relaxation but in decision. "Start," he said at last. His voice was still cold but no longer laced with immediate violence.
Aurora didn’t move immediately because she knew better than to mistake that single word for trust.
"And don’t try anything," he added, narrowing his gaze once again. It looked sharp and unforgiving. "If you are playing tricks, I’ll know. And if you fail to cure me within two weeks..." His lips curved faintly, though there was no warmth in it. "You won’t get to live another day."
Aurora stared at him for a brief second with an unreadable expression. But internally, she was surprised to see the depth of his distrust in her. For a fleeting moment, she genuinely questioned it.
Was drugging someone enough to earn this level of hostility? Or was it something more?
As she thought about it further, she couldn’t help but wonder if he might have somehow learned of her - original owner’s - infamous deeds and personality. All those rumors when mixed with his own experience from the night before might be what really forced him to not trust her at all.
Right.
It wasn’t just what happened last night. It was everything.
She pressed her lips together faintly as the conclusion settled itself in her mind. Still, the thought only strengthened her resolve to get this over with as quickly as possible. Because the sooner she cured him, the sooner he would leave. And the sooner she could finally have some peace.
Aurora didn’t bother responding to his threat, even though several very creative replies crossed her mind. Instead, she turned away, her focus snapping back to the herbs laid out before her.
Work was all that mattered right now.
Behind her, Asher moved toward the far corner of the cave and lowered himself onto the large, flat rock that occupied the space. It served as a crude bed, if it could even be called that, and the moment he sat down a flicker of memory crossed his mind.
The night before - this was the same place and the same rock.
His jaw tightened slightly as the image of that woman straddling him flashed briefly, followed by the lingering sensation of restraint, of being drugged, and of anger.
He almost grimaced. But the moment passed quickly. Because now things were different.
His gaze lifted again and settled on Aurora. She was kneeling near the center of the cave, her attention fully absorbed in her task. One by one, she separated the herbs she had gathered, carefully distinguishing leaves from stems, roots from fibers.
There was no hesitation, no confusion, and no guessing in her movements. Her every action was intentional.
His eyes narrowed slightly. The longer he watched her, the clearer it became that she knew what she was doing. And not in a vague, uncertain way, but with the confidence of someone who had done this many times before.
Her fingers moved steadily despite their size, her expression was focused, and her breathing even. There was no trace of panic, no sign of someone stalling for time or pretending to understand.
It didn’t match the image he had of her at all.
Could she really... heal?
The thought lingered. It was uncomfortable and uncertain, but present.
Meanwhile, Aurora had already finished sorting the herbs she needed for the initial stage. She paused briefly and her gaze swept across the cave as she considered her next step.
And then, she frowned. Her eyes moved from one corner to another and she once again came face to face with reality.
The cave was completely empty, bare, and devoid of anything remotely useful. There were no containers, no tools, and not even a simple flat stone suitable for grinding.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she glanced down at the herbs in her hand, mentally calculating her options.
Crushing them manually would work, but it would be inefficient, messy, and far less effective than a proper decoction.
Still, it was all she could do for the time being.
Asher noticed the shift in her expression, the way her eyes scanned the cave, searching for something that clearly wasn’t there. And for the first time, he really found himself looking - not at her, but at her surroundings.
The cave. The space. The living conditions. And what he saw didn’t sit right with him.
There was nothing - no water, no proper bedding, no excess hides, no meat. There was nothing that suggested stability or care.
His brows drew together slightly.
This wasn’t normal. Not for a female. Even if she had no beast husband and no family, her tribe should have provided for her.
Basic necessities weren’t optional, they were expected.
So why did her situation look like this? Like she had been... abandoned?
The thought unsettled him more than he expected.
His gaze shifted back to her. She was still focused on her work, seemingly unaffected, as if this level of deprivation was something she had already accepted.
Asher’s jaw tightened as another though surfaced.
What if... what happened yesterday... wasn’t entirely what he thought it was? What if she hadn’t been acting out of malice? But desperation?
His eyes darkened slightly as the idea took shape.
A female who was all alone with no support and no provider in a world where survival depended heavily on bonds... that kind of situation was dangerous.
And for someone like her... perhaps unbearable.
He exhaled slowly as his gaze lingered on her a moment longer.
Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as vile as he initially believed. Maybe she had simply reached her limit.
The thought didn’t erase his anger, nor it justified what she had done. But it softened something in him slightly... enough to matter.
Across the cave, Aurora remained completely unaware of the shift occurring behind her. And right at that moment, a soft and familiar chime echoed in her mind.
[Ding.]
Her movements paused for a fraction of a second as Navi’s voice followed immediately, lighter than usual.
[Update: Target Alpha Asher’s hostility level has decreased.]