Darin let the healer lead her back to the cabin where Ridahne was resting. She also let the healer take of her shirt. If the Eluri was shocked by the human’s bound chest nothing was said. She just carefully pulled out the stitches that were already busted. Then the healer carefully redid them. It was a sign of how exhausted she was that Darin didn’t even flinch. Her face twisted into a grimace of pain but that was the only outward sign that the needle piercing her skin was causing her any damage. At this point Darin knew that she was bound to scar. There was no avoiding it anymore. She would have to be more careful if she wanted to keep the mobility in her arms.

Konie voiced that thought out loud, “You need to be more careful. Breaking your stitches will not help you heal. I assume you want to be able to use your arms in the future.”

Darin’s small smile surprised even herself, “That would be ideal, yes. However, my life seems to be growing more and more dangerous and I have work to do.”

The healer sighed, “Be that as it may, even a small injury may become dangerous if ignored.”

Darin was forced to agreed, “True.”

Konnie continued, “I’m inclined to make you both stay until you are fully recovered.”

Darin let out a sigh as she considered that she would love to just stop and rest. It felt like she had been going nonstop since she left home forever ago. Had it really only been 3 months? It felt like so much longer and looking forward to the future Darin knew that the journey was going to be so much longer than she wanted it to be. She had to travel all of Astra. It was not going to be a short journey and if they had to stop to nurse injuries every two days the trip just became at least twice as long; if not longer. She wasn’t looking forward to it. Talyn entered the building to lock the door. What he had to say was discouraging. Darin wondered about that. They might not be able to stay here the way Konie wanted them to. They might have to leave as soon as Ridahne was awake. Darin didn’t want to stay in a place where there were disapproving elders and suspicious Eija. Then again, she might not have a choice. Ridahne still needed to wake up. Darin wasn’t going anywhere alone. That much was painfully clear.

Darin spoke quietly into the air, “Right now I think I’m going to rest. If I must deal with the Eija I will deal with them later.”

Darin laid herself out on the ground next to the cot with Ridahne on it. Darin looked up at her companion’s face as she reached out with her hand towards Ridahne. The human let it fall as she maneuvered into a position that would put as less stress on her stitches as possible. Anything either Talyn or Konie had to say to her would be ignored. Darin was not interested in talking to anyone for the rest of the night. The Seed-Bearer wondered why she was constantly reminded that she didn’t really like people. Soon enough she found a place and then she closed her eyes. Almost as soon as she had done that, she was asleep.

Her rest was not peaceful, but it wasn’t bad either. Darin found herself, or perhaps her spirit or mind, sinking into the ground towards The Roots. The Tree welcomed her gladly and Darin found herself wandering across Astra to the places that she knew and loved. She wondered if The Gardener had been able to do something like this. It seemed likely. It was a good way to travel across their island world. However, there was no way to talk to the people of Astra and that was what Darin needed to do. She needed to try and make friends. She wasn’t doing such a good job at the moment.

Maybe Darin did need to stay here. She might could try and impress the elders. Maybe not the elders but maybe she could talk to some of the other people of this village. She might could even talk to the Eija. Darin wouldn’t know until she tried. She just wasn’t sure that she wanted to try. She knew what she really needed to do. She could just do it now. The only problem with that was Darin didn’t just want to run from a challenge. Her entire life had been full of challenges, and she had never run from those. She was disinclined to run from trying to make friends. She was just going to have to learn on go. Darin could feel The Tree’s amusement and approval at that attitude. Darin drifted back to her body, but she didn’t wake up. Her mind needed rest just as much as her body, and here was relatively safe.