Shifter - Infinite Transformation-Chapter 66: Storytelling

It was the first time I saw Fern that vulnerable, and it only made me want to protect her more than ever before.

The protectiveness burning deep in my chest was so intense that it took me by surprise.

Fern did not calm down for quite a while. And when she did, her eyes were all puffy, and her nose was stuffed up.

"That’s so embarrassing." she whispered, her cheeks burning red.

I just caressed her cheek until I recalled that we weren’t alone. Clove was there as well. The fae stopped poking the campfire with the silvery branch in his hand and got up, back straightened. He looked a little confused even now, like he was struggling to figure out what he was supposed to do and where to look.

I felt like I had to say something, but my stomach growled aloud before the first word left my lips.

"That is embarrassing." I snickered, half dying from embarrassment, half playing around.

Fern glanced over and let out a chuckle, while Clove snorted out loud before handing me a meat skewer. Boar meat...although a little too charred for my liking.

I took a quick bite when my stomach twisted, begging me to eat something, and regretted it immediately. The boar meat was way too hot. Searing hot juices dripped all over my lips and ran down my mouth. After a pained yelp, more shame, and a lot of blowing, I tried a second bite.

It was burned, which added an intense flavor – charcoal, obviously – but it was good nonetheless. The skewer didn’t survive long, and Clove was already ready with a second one. He ate one himself and handed another to Fern, whose pained groans made my heart stir.

"Let me help you." I took the skewer, blew on it to cool it a little, and helped Fern eat it. Clove and Fern stared at me, but while Fern narrowed her eyes at me, Clove just turned to the boar carcass and skinned it.

"What? I’m not doing that because I pity you. Nor am I doing this because I think you are weak, because that is not what I think." I followed Fern’s example and narrowed my eyes at her. "I am doing this because I want you to recover faster. Moving around, hurting as much as you do, when you should be resting to heal faster, has nothing to do with pride. It’s plain stupid."

Fern’s narrowed eyes transformed into a glare. Her lips parted, but I was faster.

"Don’t look at me like that, Fern. You know very well that I don’t consider you weak. If anything, you’re incredibly strong for taking a dragon’s hit that well." Turning to Clove, I asked, "Dragons are usually Greater Beings, are they not?"

The fae looked back and grimaced. Clearly, he did not want to be pulled into our quarrel. He nodded nonetheless.

"You survived a Greater Being’s hit. Even more so, this was a dragon. A mythical being, which is considered to be superior to others at the same Tier, right?" This time, I didn’t ask Clove—although he did respond with a subtle nod.

"Anyway, you are strong, and we both know that. But that does not mean you need to be in this much pain when I can help you. Isn’t that right?"

Fern didn’t look like she fully agreed. Her lips parted again, yet that was already enough to make her grimace in pain. That was enough to force her into surrendering.

"Fine." she caved and allowed me to help.

The next hour or so, we spent eating. Fern ate the least among the three of us. She only ate a few skewers before closing her eyes. The ancient tree she leaned against rustled, and the emerald glow beneath her skin shimmered more brilliantly.

"The Eserian is healing her." Clove’s voice rang out from the side. I turned away from Fern’s resting face and looked toward the young fae.

"She can channel the energy of nature through her Lifeveins to recover faster. It doesn’t always work, but she’s being careful right now. Consuming only a little of nature’s energy, so you don’t have to worry about a relapse or other issues. You don’t have to worry."

Rather than worried, I had been curious. Fern had mentioned the Lifeveins once, but it had been more than a side remark rather than something important. Clearly, that hadn’t been quite right if the Lifeveins helped her recover faster.

"That’s the origin of her greatest strength. Control of nature." I muttered to myself. "And the Nature Dragon deprived her of that, didn’t it?"

"I think so. Her injuries should have healed on their own, but something blocked her until I..." Clove grimaced. "Until I fixed her limbs."

That required some explanation, which the young fae did. Hearing what Fern went through, I could only curse. The Nature Dragon really knew how to play with my emotions.

Clove went on to recount everything that happened, which only made me want to go back to the mother dragon and punch her. She’d probably kill me this time, but the least I could do was land one punch.

Who am I kidding here? She’d burn me to cinders from dozens of meters. I wouldn’t even be able to get close to the Nature Dragon once she sensed my intention.

"It’s your turn." Fern muttered, her eyes fluttering open. "What happened to you?"

Her half-open eyes flitted to the Insignia of Dominance and the newborn demon, which must have emerged from the Insignia at some point. It ran around curiously, jumped into the campfire, and squealed happily before treating itself to a nice skewer of boar meat as well.

Even after eating a dozen skewers, I was still hungry, so I joined the Trickster Demon. It looked at me and snapped its fingers. A moment later, the enchanted bracelet I’d stolen from Captain Anthea appeared in its elongated claws.

"Where do I start?" I muttered before starting at the very beginning.

"Elder Taria tasked me with the surveillance of the Hnoll movements north to the Eserian Grove. That’s what I did, but I didn’t find the Hnolls. Not at first, at least. I found a human camp centered around a dungeon entrance instead..."