ALL NOVEL Apricot Village
Sayla was old. That's the first thing that came to mind, when one looked at her. Old. Her hair was gray, and had been since her fifth year, when the Magic illness known as Soulburn fever tore through the countryside, leaving her Prematurely aged, but magically gifted. That was 86 years ago. A goddess rose, a country fell, the Demons made war, and Dungeons were born, and she lived through it all, the Witch of the Orchard... They'd even built a settlement around her Orchard. She had thought there was nothing left to surprise her. Until that day, when a badly wounded Lizardman collapsed in front of her door, a small child in his arms, a wound on her tiny Back.
"Please... Help... Us..."
And help she did...
[Two days later]
An unfamiliar Bed... Where am I? Liss regained consciousness slowly, her mind filled with confusion.
"Let's shee... I wash wif Papa, an the Big Dogsh attacked ush. Sho... Wheresh Papa? An wheresh dis place? I hate my cute Voish. Itsh Annoying."
"Oh my, Don't say that, your voice is quite soothing, pet."
Liss only now noticed the old woman. And realized she couldn't move. Panic seized her.
"Now now, don't be afraid. You are safe, here. And stop trying to move, you'll tear the Bandages."
Realizing that she was indeed bandaged, and those bandages were the source of her immobility, Liss stop trying to move.
"Where ish papa?"
"He is in the next room, Pet. His wounds were no less serious than your own. Ran afoul of some Hellhounds, he said, being controlled by a Tamer. But don't worry, He's going to be just fine. Lucky you stumbled upon old Sayla, yes you are, pet..."
Liss Exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Aeon was okay, then... She had become so... Attached to him over the past three weeks it felt as if he had Always been there... Calling him Papa just felt... Right, for some reason. Probably the goddess meddling, or something. Mystery solved, Her stomach began to growl.
"Oh. Hungry are we? Well then, lie back, relax, and I'll go fix you some food."
"Ok. Fank you, Ma'am. For helping ush."
"Think nothing of it, Child. It's what I do, I help people. That's why Apricot Village was built, in fact, so people would be where I could help them. And don't call me Ma'am. Call me Granny, just like all the other children."
"Okay... Fank you, Granny Shayla." Damn this Lisp.
[Sayla POV]
I felt bad about lying to the Child. I didn't know if her father would make it or not. Had it been just Hellhound bites, sure, but it wasn't. The Hounds master had shot him with an arrow coated in Serpentsbane, A toxin Made specifically to slay Reptilian Creatures. She had gotten the toxin out of his body, but she'd treated the child first, and the toxin had caused much damage by the time she got to him. It was up to him now. She glanced at the Prone man lying upon her Couch. His once Dark Scales were pale, and she knew his body would be nearly as cold as a corpse... But he looked better today... After four days of constant Screaming, he was at least sleeping peacefully. She had contacted the Mayor of Apricot, and had him making inquiries of the hunters guild. If she found the Tamer responsible, she would see the man burn. To do something so inhumane to a sentient race... Monstrous.
"Enough of getting angry over a thing you can't change, old girl." She told herself "and get that poor baby some food. But if they find the fellow... Well, we DO have that Hydra Venom in storage... Yes... Indeed we do..."
The little old lady smiled, then walked into her kitchen...