Rude Awakenings

I smirk. "You're partially right on the first point, wrong on the second. But you're bleeding and we don't have time to chat." Grabbing the gash in the robe, I pull, and the thin silk tears. I suck a breath between my teeth. The wound is long and nasty, but not too deep, though it went unpleasantly close to vulnerable veins. "Okay. Just hold still...this may feel a little odd."
I close my eyes, place my hands on the girl's side, and raise my voice, singing of muscle moving easily beneath strong skin, of blood running in unbroken courses like rivers in their beds. I sing until I can feel the harmony of my body, and hers with it.
There's no scar when I open my eyes. I smile. Nice and neat, just the way I like it.
"You'll be okay now. Don't sit up too fast; you'll still be dizzy. Lily, go in the kitchen, get some orange juice."

I growl at Lily as I push by her and return from the kitchen with the juice. Slowly, I help the girl sit and pour it gradually into her mouth, a mother bird caring for her chick.

Lily returns Kaija's growl as she comes back, but then slouches against the wall next to Djehuty. Watching Kaija mother the foundling, she eyes the newcomer with suspicion.

The moment I feel my sword leave me sheer terror rips through me. Not that this girl knows it, but she has taken both my honor and my family in removing my blade. I sit up only to feel the magic of my savior being worked into my body and my head swims. My vision flickers a moment and I get the distinct feeling I am falling.

I catch myself before I fall back and tilt my chin up a bit in a threatening manner toward the girl holding my blade. "Eh, little spirit, that's my blade you're holding. Give it back and I'll let you keep your hand." My eyes glimmer with an unbridled anger and a twinge of insanity as I stare the girl down.

"do not threaten my sister little one, for now you are guest in this house and to bare weapons without them peacebound is not honorable." My voice is a low growl "we are here to help not to harm as we have shown."

I sit back, blinking. The girl's emotions just...changed. Not an emotional change. It's more like someone shook a kaleidoscope and put it into a new pattern. That was just...off. All wrong."
"No need for that, Liam." I say softly, my tone a fascimilie of calm, "Kaija, give her the sword."
The minute the blade is in her hand, the gentler, cooler colors are back in her head, the pattern back as I had seen it. I cock my head. Something is going on here...

I kiss my brother's cheek as gratitude for my protection. "Bite her, Tremilee." I say with a violent glare on my face.

My eyes never leave the form of the girl they called Kaija as she brought the sword home to me. Before I take it I make my voice heard. "Do not take this without permission. It is everything to us." That said I take the blade and close my eyes.

Opening them I see that the Kaija girl has teleported from where she was before. "I..." The weight of my sword in my lap calms me and and bow my head to her. "Thank you for returning it."

"Lay off Kaija." I snap, "I think the kit- the kid's in shock, or something close. Hysterical. Look at her, you'll see it, her emotions are all off."

Almost before I can say a thing Aimee is there between the girl and tremilee making the odd trills they use to communicate, puffing up and trying to look bigger even though she is the youngest. "Kaija, go do forms ok? I want to spar later and see how quick you really have become" My eyes don't leave the girl, her body language is off and her scent changed "no Liv scent was wrong for shock"

Lily pulls a face as Kaija retreats, and stands up again, moving to Liv's side and look at the new woman. "Where are you from?" she demands, examining the sword with and expert eye.

I sigh. "Lily, you lay off too." I say, infusing my words with calm and patience, "It's been a bad day for all of us and we're all tense. Let's all relax." I help the girl onto the couch. "You can call me Liv, and I think I have a shirt that will fit you until you've got something of your own." I realize as I touch her that she's shaking.
"Hey," I say, catching her eyes. "I know this is all strange, I know you're scared. But you're going to be okay. Nobody here is going to hurt you." I reinforce the words with a glance at everyone else that clearly said 'got it?'

"Liv when have i ever hurt anyone" I ask smiling and blinking "and no the Nazi doesn't count I was not in my right mind"

Djehuty shrugs and takes Lily by the arm, pulling her toward the hall, before turning to Liv. "I'll leash this one, if Liam watches the other," he smile and leads her to her room. Lily grumbles but finally gives up, returning to her room with a clatter of tumblers.

I hugged the sword closer to my body as I am having trouble to stopping my body from shaking. "Where.... Where am I? Last I remember I was running from some men from Owari. They... They chased me into the sacred cave... Then I woke up in the alley." I swallow hard as I try to prepare myself for whatever the woman might say. "And what is a na... nassi?"

"Evil and misguided men," Djehuty bows to their guest, "The type best forgotten."

I smirk as kaija stalks to her room, you can tell she is trying to be mad but the reason is something she looks foreword to "Dejhuty" I say "if anyone ever figures out how to leash that one I will die of shock and come back a saint"

I share a long look with Djhuety and Liam. She's fallen through a time slip. The poor kit.
"Okay, little one." I say, leaning forward, "That sacred place was like a doorway. The place it opened into was here. This place is called the Nightside, and it is full of many things. There is a great deal of magic, and strange things, but there are also many dangers. It's not wise to wander around out there until you have learned more about it."

"Night....side?" I try to grapple with the idea of a scared cave actually being a doorway. i grew up with tales such as these with brush paintings backing up their validity... However, i never imagined that I would be lost in a painting as grand as this. "How do I get back? My mother will be looking for me. Ever since father preserved our honor, I have been the only thing to keep her smiling. Without me..." I didn't dare finish that sentence; already fearing that I had said too much.

I meet her eyes. "We'll try to help you get home, but it may take time." I hold her eyes when she starts to look away. "What do we call you, little one?"

I start to open my mouth, Liv taking the words right out of it " Wish we could give you a simple answer but this place doesn't have them"

Djehuty frowns as he listens, shifting uncomfortable at the mention of her father. The assurances of the others feel hollow to his ears and he thinks them the same to the girl. Biting his tongue, he suppresses more platitudes and moves to stand next to Liv.

"How long will it take?" Worry seeps into my voice despite myself. My mother is all I have left now and I'm terrified of the idea of losing her.

"If you were to leave to day, it would most likely be to lay flowers and sake at your mother's grave," Djehuty sighs, looking down at her. "This isn't the spirit world or something that works along side the world you left behind; We can't simply find a hole and push you through. Its all too easy to move out of step with time, but I only know of a few that have," He pauses as he remembers a headline from the paper, "Or had the ability to control where and when they went. You would be better off making a home here."

I glare up at him with a growl. "Do yo practice tactlessness, or is it an innate trait? Damn it lad the girl is hurt and terrified, she did NOT need that right now."