#cotl refractions

Takoda awakens with a sharp intake of air. They blink a few times before closing their eyes and slowly letting out a breath. Stars, their whole body hurts. An ache that throbs with any movement, a constant pounding that they just want to stop so they can have a clear thought for a moment. Some places hurt more than others, mostly the old wounds that had reopened like their neck, wrists, chest and back.

‘Takoda…’ They could hear someone say their name inside their head.

They open their eyes again, but only slightly, turning their head to the right to look at Mauve, their crown.

‘Where are we?’

Hmm, good question. Takoda begins to stretch, pointing their hooves and stretching their arms above their head. The head of the bed they lie in is against a wall and their hands touch it as they stretch. They can feel the wall is made of… leaves? Takoda plucks one from it and brings it in front of their face.

It’s a leaf alright, green with a waxy top and a soft underside. Is it real? They break it in half and see the glistening wetness of its internal water.

It’s real. And it's alive. Takoda’s eyes widened at this. They tilt their head up to look at the wall and see that it’s completely made up of lush green leaves. They try to prop themselves up on an arm to look at their surroundings but move too quickly, their upper back stings and their muscles feel tight. They wince, taking a moment for the sharp pain to subside before slowly taking in what's around them.

The walls and ceiling are all leaves, like they’re inside a giant bush. It's thick enough that no light from outside; if there is any; is getting in. The room is lit with candles in various spots, they glow bright, unnaturally so. There's markings carved into the base of them, Takoda recognizes as a very basic sigil to boost the light, something they also used in their cult. Across from the foot of the bed is a counter made of dark oak wood with a stone top. There were red flowers on it along with bandages, a mortar and pestle, jars with a thick oily paste in it, other flowers and plants, and medical tools. Takoda looks at their left arm to see it’s completely wrapped in bandages. They then bring the hand up to their throat and feel the same thing.

Ok, they’ve been patched up by someone and are now in a medical area that’s made out of a bush…a bush that’s alive… and a person that is also alive… what?! They’re scrambling out of the bed before they realize it. They have to get out, they have to see what’s outside. The pain makes it difficult to maneuver, they cling to whatever they can to make it to the exit.

Mauve changes into her lizard form, with a long tail and purple horns resembling Takoda’s and wraps herself around Takoda’s left arm. They make it to the curtain that seems to be cutting their room in half and throw it to the side. It slides on its track that’s attached to a long branch on the ceiling, scrunching up against the wall. Takoda stumbles to the other side of the room and grabs hold of another counter that resembles the one on their side. They can see sunlight seeping in from behind a thick drape that covers the door frame in front of them.

They're just about to stagger their way to the door frame when they happen to look a little to the left and do a double take. Apparently they did not have this room to themselves, as behind the sheet separating the room in half, was a cat. A three-eyed cat to be more precise with eyes red as blood, it's… very captivating, but Takoda knows mutations like that usually involve that of a crown, this cat is either a crown bearer or has been manipulated by one. He’s sitting up in a bed similar to the one they woke up in, bandages practically covering him from the neck down. It appears he was in the middle of reading, or maybe he was journaling?

Both stared wide eyed at each other, the cat occasionally glancing at Mauve, who has moved up to rest on Takoda’s shoulder with her tail wrapping around their arm, and is also in shock. Takoda tries to maneuver their way to the door, without taking their eyes off of the cat, he could still be a threat. Although, with the way his fur is starting to fluff up, it's hard to even feel threatened. So fluffy.

They just about make it to the door frame before they trip and fall. Everything but their lower legs make it outside. Takoda lands on their right side, letting out a grunt as they slowly roll over to their back. They can immediately feel a temperature difference, their legs in a comfortable warmth, while the outside has a cold bite to it. They know that feeling, the feeling of winter turning to spring. The ground is cold, some of it wet from melted snow, Takoda can actually feel a thin layer of snow on the ground with their left hand, their right, the lush green grass beginning to perk back up with the promise of warmer weather.

Takoda rotates to get a better look around, it's just as they thought, a light dusting of snow on the ground, but spring was popping up with a force. Green grasses, wild flowers, trees already budding with new leaves. The sounds of people laughing and talking catches their attention. They turn their head to see more buildings, covered in thick cloth that varies in colors but seems to have a strong theme with red. There’s some people, whom they're assuming to be followers, roaming around. Some are binding together firewood, others seem to be hauling in food, chatting as they walk down the large stone path.

What is this?

“Oh! You really shouldn’t be up yet, you’ll reopen your wounds! And you're going to get yourself all dirty, after all that time me and some followers spent getting you clean. Do you even realize just how dirty you were?” The Lamb, from before. The one looking to them after they had slain the beast, the one with the red crown… “Seriously, it was like all that dirt, blood, and ash was a second skin.”

The Lamb walks up to them, crouching down and gently grabbing their right arm to hoist them up.

‘Should we… should we slay them?’

‘No Mauve. We need answers and they seem to be playing nice, for now.’

Mauve moves to behind Takoda’s neck, their wild shoulder length hair seemingly hiding her as she watches the Lamb closely.

“C’mon. Let’s get you back inside, it's been a few hours anyway, your bandages probably need to be changed, depending on how they are we can add more…” The Lamb starts muttering to themselves as they guide Takoda back inside.

There’s a slight fog feeling in Koda’s head, like they’re just about to get a head ache, but it goes away quickly. It’s something many would just pass off, but Takoda knows exactly what just happened. They glance at the Lamb, who looks as though they are still muttering about fixing the Goat’s wounds.

Stepping inside, Takoda can see the three eyed cat is watching, glaring. Again, those red eyes, it’s captivating. Takoda tries to get a good look at him as they pass by the front of his bed. His fur was dark like fresh charred wood and it was somewhat short and would stick out in a few places. But when he had seen them earlier, he had fluffed up, mostly on his cheeks and neck, it had looked soft, but now it's obvious it's been a while since he had properly taken care of himself. They can tell that his arms underneath the bandages are practically bone, in fact, the cat is rather skinny almost like he’s malnourished, but his arms are definitely just bone.

The Lamb has guided Koda back to their side of the healing hut, reaching over to grab the curtain to separate the room again. The cat is still looking at them, his ears have actually started to pin back. What’s his problem? Takoda mean-mugged back at the cat just as the Lamb closed the divider. But, just before it had closed fully, Koda caught the appalled look on his face. A tiny victory, something to look back on later.

“Sit down on the bed please.” Lamb says, gesturing to the bed with its sheets still messed up. Lamb turns back to the counter messing with the contents on it. The Goat just stands there, they look back and forth between the Lamb and the bed before settling on watching the white wooled animal.

This Lamb has a crown, which is actually looking at Takoda now, observing, just as they are doing with its bearer. This red crown looks similar to Mauve, but Mauve has a gem between her two points, and her pupil was a horizontal squiggle compared to this red crown's vertical slit. And, obviously, Mauve was just better. Takoda can feel Mauve’s giddiness at that thought.

There's nothing strange about this Lamb, no extra eyes, no unnatural sharp teeth, no extra limbs, nothing. Which means they can't possibly be that red crown’s true bearer. Taking a wild shot in the dark, Takoda is going to assume that the feline on the other side of the curtain is its original holder. So why does this little lamb have it?

Takoda tilts their head to the side, allowing Mauve to poke out under their chin to also look at the red crown.

“My Lamb, you requested me?” They hear as another enters the healing hut. The curtain blocks them from seeing who, but that doesn't matter, they don't take their eyes off the red cloaked figure in front of them.

“Yes, please check our friend’s wounds while I tend to this one, it's about time for the bandages to be changed.” The Lamb calls out, continuing to get the bandages and salves ready at the counter.

“Mmmm…. Yes, my Lamb.” Takoda hears the person grumble.

“Thank you, Mana.” Lamb continues to cut up some gauze.

“Don’t come near me, filthy beast! I will-!”

“ Decay me where I stand? Yeah yeah, you're still too weak to do anything Dark Lord, just let me check your wounds, this will help with the pain.”

“No! Get off!”

Takoda can hear the two arguing, honestly it's hard not too, the curtain wasn't very thick to dampen the noise. But, they're busy, distracted, it'll do.

Mauve is quick, transforming into her snake form to wrap around the red crown, the Lamb turns, surprised, just as Takoda lunges, pinning them to the counter, using one arm to keep The Lamb still, the other to grip their jaw. Red is trying to get out of Mauve’s grip, but she’s using what little power she has at the moment to keep him from liquidizing to do so. She bites him hard and constricts tighter.

Lamb is about to try and fight the Goat off when they feel like a wave has rushed over their head, there's a strange coldness across their forehead, and it's like water is rippling over their brain, it doesn't hurt but it's a strange sensation. Lamb feels like they are just floating… on a calm open sea… soft blue sky above. What were they doing again? Suddenly, small glimpses of key memories flash in their mind quickly, their execution, seeing Narinder chained, their first follower, killing the bishops, and sparing Narinder after their fight. There's no words, it's like it's just pictures of those moments popping in and out.

Then, it's gone, and the Goats face is coming into focus again, their eyes are that black sclera and purple iris like before.

Takoda lets go of the Lamb, walks over to the bed and sits down like they were previously instructed to do, the left side of their back stinging, making them wince. Mauve follows suit, unravelling from the red crown and returning to her perch on Takoda's shoulder.

“What… What the fuck? Did you just read my mind?!” Lamb is leaning on the counter for support, an angry look of disbelief on their face.

“Like you didn't try to do it to me when we walked in.” Takoda says, rolling their eyes and leaning back on their palms.

“What? What are you talking about? I was discussing your wounds!”

“Look, I’m not dumb, we both have crowns and have both gained abilities from it. I could feel you trying to get into my head to see something, though, I'm guessing since I also have a crown, you were trying to do it as gently as you could without me knowing.” The Lamb looks away. “Didn't get anything out of me though, did you?”

“... No… I'm guessing you got something out of me?” Lamb looks back to them, crossing their arms.

“Just enough to curb my curiosity… for now.” Lamb looks at the Goat suspiciously. “... I'm ready for my check up doctor.”

Lamb huffs and hesitates for a moment before grabbing the tray they were working on and walking over to them. Lamb leans in to start unwrapping Takoda’s neck.

“...Don't do that again.”

“It goes both ways sweetheart.” Takoda side-eyes them. Lamb looks at their eyes as they finish getting the bandages off. Their back to that white sclera and dark horizontal elongated pupil, with just a slight gradation from white to silver in the iris’ as it gets closer to the pupil.

Getting back to looking over the wounds on Takoda’s neck, they're healing nicely, well, nicely enough. Lamb could tell the original wound was… gruesome. The flesh is jagged with multiple scars, it did not heal pretty previously. The scars are definitely from decapitation, but with how they look compared to Lamb’s own scar; one clean ring around their neck; it was safe to assume that it was not a swift and painless end for the Goat.

There are parts of the wound that still bleed black blood. Black blood, ichor, the essence of gods. Has this Goat ascended to godhood? How? Lamb still doesn't bleed ichor even after defeating Narinder. Did the Goat destroy their God to achieve this? They'll have to ask about it later.

Lamb begins to rub the camellia salve over the wounds and starts redressing the neck. Lamb notices that during the whole process of them redressing the neck, The Goat never looked at them. In fact, they were actively avoiding looking at the Lamb.

“What? Squeamish? Don't like doctors?” Lamb asks as they gesture for the goat to take off the medical shirt. It crosses over the chest and ties on the left side, with the sides having slits in them as well for easy access in case of emergency.

“I don't like the way people look at me when they see my neck…” Takoda says, untying the side and shrugging off the shirt.

“What? Pity? I get that, my followers look at me like that when I take my bell off–”

“Its not that.”

Lamb looks up at the goat, their head is turned to the side, staring straight ahead, not really focusing on anything. There's a pained grimace on their face.

“Then what is it?” Lamb unwrapped the last of the Goats chest and arms. Everything is healing up well, though the gash on their back seems to have been freshly opened, probably from that stunt they just pulled to read the Lamb’s mind. The only one that doesn't seem to be healing as fast is the one on Takoda’s chest, just to the left of their sternum, between the 4th and 5th rib. A long horizontal gash that still bleeds heavily despite being stitched up, Lamb has to put some gauze below it to keep it from dripping and getting everywhere while they assess and redress.

“... Nothing…” Takoda says quietly, they weren't ready to talk about it, not yet. Not to someone they don't even know. Lamb just hums as they continue their work, putting a glob of salve on the gash, causing Takoda to flinch. The rest of the patch up goes quietly, Lamb just finished wrapping The Goat up when a loud “Ow!” is heard from the other side of the divider curtain.

“OW! FUCK! That hurts you know!!”

“Oh suck it up you big baby, the salve will help, just stay still.”

The two still seem to be arguing over there, Lamb lets out a sigh as they look at the curtain.

“Here’s a new shirt since you got the other one wet and dirty from your fall outside, but you should take it easy for the next couple of days. Most of your wounds are healing well, but they can still easily reopen. I'm recommending you bed rest for the rest of the day and to stay in the healing hut. I will be around tomorrow to show you the cult grounds, there is a designated follower in charge of the healing hut in a personal tent next door should you need anything.” Lamb says, handing Takoda a new shirt and taking the old one with them as they clean up their tools and scraps.

“And I'm guessing they're also keeping an eye on me in case I do anything funny?

“Now you're catching on.”

“What, still don' t trust lil’ ol’ me after I saved your life?”

“Everyone that comes into my cult is always under surveillance for a little while to ensure they aren't spies, thieves, or dissenters attempting to poison my flock. However, that little stunt you pulled earlier granted you a longer watch time.” Lamb turns around with a smirk on their face, wiping off their hands with a rag before tossing it behind them onto the counter and leaning in close to Takoda. “And yes, I for sure don't trust you at this moment.”

Takoda tilts their head and puts on a smug grin. “Bummer.”

Lamb straightens back up, grabs the shirt and rag on the counter and walks to the curtain, yanking it open to reveal the cat, who is huddled up at the top of his bed, looking like he's about to pounce and attack the follower attending him. The follower, Mana, a blue teal monkey with fluffy fur that surrounds his face and sits on top of his head. He seems to have a slightly toned body underneath the red hoodie with a white upside down triangle on the chest and dark brown tapered trousers. Takoda recognizes him from the Lamb’s memory, their first follower. Takoda sits with their back to the three, but just barely looks over their shoulder at the unfolding interaction, still not having put their shirt back on. Mana bares his teeth at the cat.

“Oh knock it off you two. Narinder if you want to be in pain all day, be my guest, we don't have to make this easier for you.” Lamb states as they walk around the bed to Mana.

“Fine! I don't want your traitorous help! Just leave me be!” the cat yells at the Lamb. It looks like he's grabbing something from his side table and is about ready to throw whatever he has at the Lamb when glowing red chains seem to burst from the cat's back and restrains him. He lets out a yell, squeezing his eyes shut and flinching, before letting out a low growl and glaring at the Lamb with his ears pinned, teeth bared, and pupils thin slits. His tail is puffed up along with a little bit of the fur on the back of his neck.

Lamb just looks at him calmly with their hands behind their back. Mana had flinched back when the chains appeared, and now looked between the lamb and cat uneasily.

“Then I'll leave your recovery to you.” Lamb tilts their head slightly to the side. “My followers and I will not assist you in changing bandages, providing medicine, or stitching you up should your wounds reopen. It'll all be on you.” They turn to their follower. “Mana you may leave now, our friend will no longer be needing assistance.”

Mana faces the lamb as they speak to him. “Yes, My Lamb.” He side eyes the cat once more before turning to the exit and leaving.

It's quiet in the hut. Takoda can feel the tension. Lamb breaks the silence, speaking quietly.

“I don't wanna have to restrain you, Narinder. But you aren't the God of Death any more. You may still have some of your abilities, but I beat you fair and square, the crown is mine. I want to give you this second opportunity, but you will not hurt me or my followers in that process.”

Narinder and Lamb glare at each other intensely before the Lamb waves their hand. The chains around the cat release and recede back into his back. There's a grimace that forms on his face, but he doesn't break eye contact. The Lamb turns and leaves without saying another word.

A few moments after the blanket door falls closed, Narinder lets out a strained breath. He hunches forward, eyes squeezed shut, teeth clenched as he grunts in pain. He’s like that for a minute before steadying his breath and sitting back up. His face is steeled but his eyes hold a look of angry determination.

Suddenly, his attention snaps to Takoda, and they don't shy away from it. Still looking over their shoulder, Koda looks at those red eyes, it's like their vision darkens around the edges and all they can see are those eyes, practically glowing.

Red is not Takoda’s favorite color, but that red? Like bright holly berries that stand out against sparkling snow, they're beautiful.

Takoda turns their head to face in front of them. Their hands clasp together, their mind is racing with all the events that just took place.

“Mauve,” they whisper, a look of unease on their face. Their crown comes to rest on their lap, looking up at them with worry. “I can't tell if I'm dreaming right now. It doesn't feel like I'm asleep, am I being punished? Am I hallucinating before death?”

‘I don't know Koda. This feels real… just take it one day at a time.’

Koda cups their crown in their hands, letting out a sigh of breath before bringing Mauve close to hold. She snuggles into their neck to comfort them, but knows it won't be enough to help their troubled mind.

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