[Legend of the Seeker] The Dinosaur Detour
or, Is That A Dinosaur In Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy To See Me
Title: The Dinosaur Detour
Author: hibernate
Characters/pairing: Cara/Kahlan
Rating: R / mature
Wordcount: ~4,200 words
Summary: A heartwarming story in which Cara and Kahlan adopt a baby pterosaur.
Note: Written for the Female Character Trope Fest: forced co-parenting. (And you doubted my commitment to putting dinosaurs/pterosaurs in all my fandoms.) Much thanks to commoncomitatus for the beta!
Also archived on AO3.
Of all the ridiculous ideas that Kahlan has ever had, Cara is fairly certain this is the worst one.
"You are not bringing that beast with you," Cara says sternly when Kahlan picks it up, cradling it in her arms with far more gentleness than it deserves. It makes a small squeaking noise, wings moving uselessly, before settling into the embrace.
Kahlan doesn't even look up. "We can't just leave it here."
"You do realize what that thing is?"
"Yes, Cara," Kahlan replies, as if she's speaking to a small child. "I know what it is, but it's just a baby."
"It's a bloodthirsty beast that will grow up to eat you."
Kahlan looks at Cara, then, sighing patiently. "We killed its mother. It'll die if we leave it here."
That doesn't even make sense. Cara puts her hands on her hips, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "We killed its mother because she tried to rip us apart with her teeth," she points out. "And this one will grow up to be just like her."
"I don't think she's going to try to kill us any time soon."
"How," Cara asks, shoulders rising in exasperation, "could you possibly know it's female?"
Kahlan just smiles, and Cara feels a muscle in her cheek twitch.
*
It starts like this:
There is a magical portal.
There is also a magical amulet, and Sister Nicci, not having the decency to stay dead, it seems, and suddenly helping Darken Rahl gain power.
"Are they gars?" Kahlan asks when they first look through the portal, seeing a handful of strange creatures flying across the sky.
Cara squints, leaning forward to peer through the portal.
"No, not strictly," Zedd says, looking over Cara's shoulder. "This portal stretches back in time, to before man reached the New World. I have heard it said that wondrous lizard animals walked these lands. It seems they were right."
"And let me guess," Cara starts, turning around so they all can see her rolling her eyes. "You want us to go through the portal and pay a visit to these creatures."
"All signs point toward the Amulet of Amaranth being hidden somewhere on the other side," Zedd tells her patiently.
He might even be right; magic portals through time seems entirely like the sort of dramatics Nicci is so fond of.
Richard nods. "Zedd and I have to stop Darken Rahl from reaching Westwood. But I have faith that you two will find the Amulet."
"We should stay together," Cara says. "I'm here to protect you, not chase after jewelry."
"Cara," Richard says, in that way, soft and firm at once, that means Cara can't argue. "It's the best way."
"Fine," Cara replies through clenched teeth. Then she stalks through the portal without another word, so she won't have to see Richard and Kahlan's tearful goodbye.
*
And now they are here, far from Richard and Zedd, on an important quest, and Kahlan wants to adopt a ferocious beast that will probably grow up to eat them.
Cara had not enjoyed the last occasion she traveled in time, and this one has not been much of an improvement.
"We're on a quest," Cara says, as she stalks ahead of Kahlan. "You don't have the time to play nursemaid."
If her Agiels had worked in this unpleasant place, the pain could have given her some reprieve from the annoyance of their situation. As it is, all she has is one of Kahlan's daggers, and it's an obviously inferior weapon in every way.
"It's only until we go back through the portal." Kahlan sounds slightly winded behind her, but Cara does not slow her pace. "At least we can give her a chance. I'm sure if Richard was here, he'd want you to do this."
Cara stops walking, turning around abruptly. "Richard would spend all his time rescuing kittens if I weren't around to remind him of what needs to be done."
"You know, we did get by just fine without you for quite some time."
Cara scoffs, eying Kahlan and the bundle in her arms up and down for a moment. "If I let you keep it, will you stop mooning over Richard all the time?"
Kahlan actually gasps at that, momentarily speechless. Cara resumes her quick pace again, hearing Kahlan scrambling to catch up behind her.
"I don't... moon. Cara, I don't!"
*
At night, Kahlan slides in closer.
Cara sighs, as Kahlan's shoulder nudges hers. She doesn't particularly enjoy such closeness, not unless it's for more intimate amusements, but if it will keep Kahlan from thinking about Richard and doing that irritating thing with her face, it's a small price to pay.
"I don't moon about Richard," Kahlan whispers, and when Cara looks at her, her eyes are bright in the moonlight. "I just worry about him and Zedd."
"It's a miracle if they survive on their own," Cara mutters. The scent of Kahlan's hair reaches her nose and it's possible she doesn't sound as annoyed as she had intended. "We're not going to name that beast," she adds, warning clear in her voice.
"All right," Kahlan says.
The response is quick enough that Cara suspects Kahlan has already named the creature in secret.
*
It gets even worse: after a few days, the little monster starts to follow Cara around like an overgrown insect, making squeaking noises and butting its head against her legs.
"Get it away from me, or I will put your dagger to good use," Cara tells Kahlan, over and over, and Kahlan always looks like she's about to laugh when she picks the thing up.
Cara might have been willing to run through a forest to get a Night Wisp to a cave, but that had been to save the world. Night Wisps, prone as they are to indulge in chattering about pointless things, are not entirely awful when it comes down to it. They might even make the very short list of things worthy Cara's time.
There is no purpose to keeping this monster safe and fed.
It truly is a pitiful creature - small and scrawny, looking like the unfortunate result of a romance between a bird and a lizard - and Cara can just tell that it appeals to all the weakest parts of Kahlan.
"It's not getting any of my food," she says, scowling. She means it, too, but Kahlan keeps feeding it from her own portions, even though the supplies they brought are already thinning.
The only reason Cara eventually relents is because Richard is probably going to be displeased if Kahlan starves to death.
*
The worst part of it all is her Agiels. They're dead in this strange jungle, devoid of power, and completely useless. It's only happened once before, for the brief time that Richard was dead before Denna put another man's spirit in his body.
Richard isn't dead this time, not that Cara would know if he was. It's the portal cutting her off from Lord Rahl, leaving her without focus. Kahlan always notices when she fumbles at her hip for an Agiel, finding only the handle of Kahlan's dagger. The looks Kahlan shoots her, full of concern and sympathy, do not help.
Mord'Sith are meant to be powered by pain and pleasure - lately it seems both have been entirely missing from her life. What she needs is a brothel or a tavern wench, or at least a good fight. Instead, it's all discomfort and small annoyances, like little itches she can't reach.
It provides her little patience for the fruits of Kahlan's bad ideas.
"If that thing is going to stay this close to me, you need to do something about the smell," she snaps one morning.
Kahlan looks skeptical. "I don't think their kind takes baths, Cara."
"This one will."
Cara grabs the creature roughly with two hands by its scrawny bird-lizard body, holding it at arm's length as she carries it quickly to the stream close to their night camp.
It flaps its wings pathetically, squealing in protest when she throws it in. The stream is not deep enough for it to drown, probably, but by the way it shrieks, it's obvious that water is not among its favorite things.
Cara crosses her arms and watches it. "Stop acting like a newborn," she yells at it when the whining doesn't stop.
It doesn't make any difference.
"Everyone takes baths," she continues. "Even I take baths, and you don't hear me complaining about the cold. Kahlan likes nice-smelling things, you know. Why do you think I--" Cara cuts herself off quickly, returning to glaring at the creature. "I don't know why I'm talking to you."
The bird-lizard flaps its wings again, peddling with its little feet, until it lifts out of the water. It flaps two unsteady laps around Cara, before ungracefully crashing head-first into the ground.
"Great. So now you can fly." Cara sighs. "Kahlan is going to love that."
*
(Kahlan does. It's insufferable.)
*
One night, the image of Zedd appears in the fire, flames slicking along his robes. Cara's hand is on the dagger at her hip in an instant, prepared for anything.
Kahlan rushes up, bringing a hand to Zedd's arm, only to have it move right through him. "I'm afraid this is nothing but a projection of myself, dear child," Zedd says. "I created a small portal through time, just large enough to send this image through. Not an easy feat, I should add."
Cara relaxes back against the cave floor. "Is there any reason for this visit, besides boasting about your magical prowess?"
"Nice to see you too, Cara," Zedd says, and Cara scowls, because that is not at all what she said.
"Is there anything wrong?" Kahlan asks. "Is Richard all right?"
"Everything is fine, Kahlan." Zedd smiles. "We are just wondering about your progress, and- what in the Keeper's name is that?!"
It's the bird-lizard that has made its appearance, strutting closer to Cara and letting out a demanding squeak. "Dinner," Cara says, glaring at the creature.
Not reacting to Cara's words, Kahlan tells Zedd: "We had to kill her mother. We couldn't just leave her."
"Kahlan," Cara demands. "Get it away from me."
Kahlan picks it up quickly, without protest, putting it in her lap, where it flaps its wings and squeaks again. "She seems to like Cara a lot."
"I guess that means congratulations are in order," Zedd says, poorly-hidden amusement in his voice. "I'm sure she will grow up to be a fierce warrior, just like her new mothers."
Cara scowls. "Our progress, Wizard, is non-existent, because we don't even know what we're looking for."
"It's as I said before," Zedd replies calmly. "Nicci will not have counted on us finding the portal. The Amulet of Amaranth will not be well-hidden. Look for anything out of the ordinary, especially anything bearing signs of magical origin."
That is extraordinarily helpful, Cara thinks, though she says nothing, because Zedd and Kahlan have moved on to other topics, pointless things not relating to the quest or Lord Rahl.
At least when they were chasing the Stone of Tears they had a compass, detours notwithstanding. The plan this time appears to be walking back and forth through a jungle filled with bird-lizards and similar creatures, hoping for the best.
A lesser Mord'Sith would have given up a long time ago.
*
It starts to rain, and it doesn't stop for days. The bird-lizard disappears, no doubt hiding somewhere dry, catching up to them every so often. It's fast like the wind in the air, while Cara and Kahlan have to struggle through the mud one step at the time.
The bird-lizard doesn't come to them one night, even though Kahlan found a dry cave and roasted a small rat-like creature that Cara killed for her.
Kahlan worries.
She worries by yawning and laying their bedrolls close, even while Cara is still standing at the mouth of the cave, staring into the darkness.
"It's cold," Kahlan says meaningfully.
"My leathers are wet. I'll make you colder."
"You can take them off. I mean," Kahlan adds quickly, when Cara turns over and raises an eyebrow. "The blanket is almost dry."
It's not the sort of discomfort that Cara would even take much notice of, but if Kahlan is cold, she will not sleep well. Now that they travel alone, Cara has no wish to endure a morning of Kahlan in a bad mood.
She removes her leathers, pealing off the wet material that sticks to her skin, and wraps herself in the damp blanket. Kahlan is dressed only in her shift, stripped out of her dress since hours before, leaving it to dry over a few rocks close to the fire.
Cara lies down next to her, shoulder to shoulder. "You must be very worried."
"About what?"
"Your bird-lizard, of course. You're very worried about it, no doubt."
"Oh." Kahlan inches closer, rolling onto her side with her back pressed to Cara's side. "I'm sure she'll be back."
"I hope it's been eaten by a bigger bird-lizard," Cara mutters. "It would save us a lot of trouble."
It is quite cold in the cave, the rain turning the night damp and chilled, so Cara fits herself against Kahlan's back, wrapping the blanket around them both. Kahlan's skin is hot through her shift, against Cara's naked front. She feels Kahlan grow tense against her, breath hitching when Cara pulls them closer together.
It is some time before Kahlan falls asleep, and Cara allows herself to drift off.
*
The bird-lizard is back in the morning. Cara rolls over to glare at it, as it sits, squeaking, on a tree branch hanging over the cave opening.
"If you're expecting breakfast, you'll be sorely disappointed," Cara calls quietly, after making sure that Kahlan is still asleep and unable to hear her talking with the creature.
She reaches for her boot and throws it towards the tree branch, to emphasize her words.
*
Most of the creatures leave them alone, doing nothing more than eying them with varying amounts of curiosity. Kahlan makes delighted little sounds every time she spots a new kind, even though Cara thinks they look more or less the same - walking on two legs or four, they all seem like overgrown lizards, and not even tasty ones.
A group of small lizards, walking on two legs, starts to follow them one morning. At their full height, they just about come up to Cara's midsection, and Kahlan laughs at the way they cock their heads when they walk.
One of them struts closer, nudging its brow against Kahlan's side. Another one inches closer to Cara, stretching its head towards her, only to sink its teeth into her leather glove.
Cara jumps back, reaching for Kahlan's dagger. "The little bastard bit me!"
"Did you scare it?"
"Kahlan, no animal has teeth this sharp if it doesn't enjoy ripping other animals apart."
Sometimes Cara almost resents being right all the time. The little lizard beasts don't seem to need any more incentive than the smell of blood from Cara's hand - they all attack at once, circling around them like wolves, snapping against their legs.
They're back to back; Kahlan slashes out with her dagger, and Cara kicks at the creatures closes to her. "What are you doing?" Kahlan calls, lashing out with her dagger again.
"I don't want to kill them. You'll just find their children or nephews or elderly grandparents and insist we take them with us."
"Funny," Kahlan says, elbowing Cara not entirely gently.
There's a sudden loud shriek from above them, and a large shadow falls on them. The bird-lizard swoops down, claws and teeth bared.
Somehow, Cara hadn't realized before how big it has grown to be.
It's not long before the little lizard animals have all run off to safety. Kahlan laughs, grabbing Cara's arm. It's been a long while since the bird-lizard allowed her to pet it, and it seems Kahlan has taken to petting Cara instead. "Look at what she did!"
"Perhaps it can be trained after all," Cara says.
The bird-lizard somehow manages to look quite smug.
The grip on Cara's arm tightens, suddenly. "Cara," Kahlan says urgently, eyes fixed on the horizon. "I don't think that belongs here."
*
It looks like some sort of pompous temple, out of place and obviously made by magic that radiates off the building in waves, raising shivers along Cara's spine.
It's one of Nicci's less subtle ideas.
There is something odd about the place, when they step inside. Cara stays on edge, ready for an attack, but nothing comes.
Zedd was right - the amulet isn't hidden, it’s placed on a pedestal in the middle of the temple, and it would seem far too easy if they hadn't spent the past month and a half trudging through a muddy jungle.
Kahlan's hand is suddenly on her arm again, gripping hard, and when Cara looks at her, Kahlan's eyes are very big. "Cara, I... I can't feel my magic."
Cara attempts to call on the magic inside her, imagines letting the Breath of Life flow through her into the body of someone dead, or raising a hand to control someone else's magic, but there is nothing. It explains the sense of oddness, the strange hollowness where a Mord'Sith's magic usually dwells. The power of her Agiels and the bond to Lord Rahl has been stripped away since weeks before, since they stepped through the portal, and now the last trace of it is gone.
"Perhaps Nicci made this place to suppress magic, so that the amulet could not be traced with magical means," Cara suggests.
She has only encountered such magic once before, in the Margrave's Palace, but if anyone had enough magic to accomplish something like it, it was Nicci.
"That must be why Zedd couldn't track it."
Kahlan sounds unusually subdued. A Confessor without her magic is a strange thing, and Kahlan has always, as long as Cara has known her, been a Confessor above everything else.
"We should hurry."
They will be heading back now, and Cara feels a thrill run down her back at the thought of her Agiels, brimming with power once again. She would give anything for her Agiels back, and to be able to see with her own eyes that Richard is still alive.
Other things, like pulling her leathers off at night and the warmth of Kahlan's back against her, are not important.
"It's raining again," Kahlan says, looking away from Cara. "We should stay here for the night."
*
Cara strips off her leathers, because the air is hot and humid, and as long as they are inside this magic building, there are no insects to bite her.
Kahlan lies close, as is her habit. It's hours later when Cara wakes, sleep still weighing heavy on her mind.
"It's too warm," Kahlan says, shifting and sitting up. Cara watches the silhouette of her back in the dark, hears more than sees how she slides her shift over her head.
It's not true, it's not so hot anymore, not after the sun has gone down, and Kahlan seems content to fall back against Cara and the warmth of her body.
The drowsiness is gone in an instant, as Kahlan's naked backside fits against Cara's thighs and hips.
Want builds inside her in a rush, and she puts her hand on Kahlan's elbow, breathing against her naked shoulder, feeling goosebumps rise there. She drags her teeth across Kahlan's skin, pleased when Kahlan's breathing stutters and turns shallow.
It's more of an invitation than she needs, and she inches closer until she's pressed tightly against Kahlan's back, breasts cushioned to her shoulder-blades.
"Cara," Kahlan starts when Cara sneaks a hand around the curve of her hip, splaying her fingers over her stomach.
"Your powers don't work here," Cara replies against her shoulder, making no effort to hide the way arousal has made her voice low and scratchy.
Kahlan is quiet then, and Cara takes advantage, putting her hand on Kahlan's breast without preamble. She smirks when Kahlan's nipple tightens against her palm, pressing the heel of her hand against it as Kahlan groans quietly, hand coming up to cover Cara's.
Cara buries her face in Kahlan's hair, licking up the shell of her ear. "Pretend it's a dream," she whispers, biting down as Kahlan shudders. "Or pretend I'm Richard, if you want."
"Cara, I--"
"Don't speak."
If this is the only chance she'll get, she has no intention of letting it get away from her, or to have it ruined by Kahlan's talking. Cara doesn't care what fantasy Kahlan indulges in, if she needs that sort of thing to enjoy herself.
She trails her fingers down Kahlan's stomach, knowing she'll find wetness when her hand reaches its destination. Her own hips buck against Kahlan at the thought, and once again when Kahlan's thighs close around her hand, keeping her close.
Rocking against Kahlan's buttocks is not enough, but the little sounds Kahlan makes - choked back, as if she's trying to be quiet - and the way her hips shift against her hand, make Cara burn hot, wetness turning her thighs slick. Kahlan reaches her hand back to grab Cara's hip, sinking fingers into her skin. Her nails are short, but it still stings, delightfully so.
It's a disappointment when Kahlan eases her grip, instead pressing her palm down in a gentle grasp. Without her Agiels, Cara is thirsty for that sharp sensation, and with the hand not occupied between Kahlan's legs, she digs her nails into the skin over her ribs, with enough force for it to burn.
It seems better than it should, grinding against Kahlan's back, as if it's something she's been craving. It makes her push her thighs together, seeking pressure, and when Kahlan reaches her peak, back arching as she gasps over and over, Cara slides her left hand from her ribs down to where she needs it.
Burying her face in Kahlan's hair, not even attempting to be quiet, she rides the waves until the very last shudder.
*
In the morning, Kahlan looks at her, while they eat breakfast in silence, as if she's trying to figure something out.
The memory of Kahlan's naked body against hers is still sharp, as if branded into her skin. There is something eerie about it, in the way it lingers, and Cara does not like it. Forcing a smirk to her lips, she asks: "Were your dreams pleasant, Mother Confessor?"
There's a rush of red rising on Kahlan's cheeks, but she doesn't look away, like Cara had anticipated. Instead, her gaze is steady and calm, unreadable. "They were. How about yours?"
Cara stands up, smirk gone as she pulls her gloves on with a snap. "I've had better."
*
They are almost back at the portal when the bird-lizard takes off for good.
It's been taking increasingly long flights for some time, returning less and less often, and it's a few days before they realize it's not coming back.
After hours of looking at the sky while they walk, Kahlan sighs, a little sadly. "I guess she's big enough to get by on her own now."
Cara stalks ahead of her, putting her feet down hard on the forest floor. "Not a particularly loyal sort," she huffs. It's not that she cares, but Kahlan has fed and coddled the creature for weeks, and it seems quite ungrateful to Cara that it would just up and leave.
"It's okay to miss her, you know," Kahlan says, catching up and putting her hand on Cara's arm to stop her.
Cara does stop walking, turning to Kahlan and crossing her arms. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Well, I am going to miss her."
Of course Kahlan is going to miss the creature. Cara rolls her eyes, because it's all very obvious. "You just liked that thing because you missed Richard."
That makes Kahlan raise her eyebrows, surprise marking her features. "Why would you think that?"
The answer is too obvious to put into words. Cara just looks at her, waiting for Kahlan to relent and admit she's right.
But Kahlan smiles instead, tilting her head. "She's a predator," she says. "All she knows is how to hunt and kill, but... she has the potential to be so much more than that. She doesn't remind me of Richard at all."
Kahlan looks at Cara as if she expects a response, and her face is all full of all sorts of soft things. It would be quite sickening, had it been anyone but Kahlan.
"Did you just compare me to a bird-lizard?" Cara asks finally.
Kahlan's eyes sparkle with something very mischievous. "Maybe," she says, walking past Cara.
Gripping the straps of her backpack, Cara stares at Kahlan's back. There's something undeniably springy in her steps.
Cara breathes in deeply, rain-fresh air filling her chest.
If Kahlan likes bird-lizards, there are worse things to be compared to.
Title: The Dinosaur Detour
Author: hibernate
Characters/pairing: Cara/Kahlan
Rating: R / mature
Wordcount: ~4,200 words
Summary: A heartwarming story in which Cara and Kahlan adopt a baby pterosaur.
Note: Written for the Female Character Trope Fest: forced co-parenting. (And you doubted my commitment to putting dinosaurs/pterosaurs in all my fandoms.) Much thanks to commoncomitatus for the beta!
Also archived on AO3.
Of all the ridiculous ideas that Kahlan has ever had, Cara is fairly certain this is the worst one.
"You are not bringing that beast with you," Cara says sternly when Kahlan picks it up, cradling it in her arms with far more gentleness than it deserves. It makes a small squeaking noise, wings moving uselessly, before settling into the embrace.
Kahlan doesn't even look up. "We can't just leave it here."
"You do realize what that thing is?"
"Yes, Cara," Kahlan replies, as if she's speaking to a small child. "I know what it is, but it's just a baby."
"It's a bloodthirsty beast that will grow up to eat you."
Kahlan looks at Cara, then, sighing patiently. "We killed its mother. It'll die if we leave it here."
That doesn't even make sense. Cara puts her hands on her hips, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "We killed its mother because she tried to rip us apart with her teeth," she points out. "And this one will grow up to be just like her."
"I don't think she's going to try to kill us any time soon."
"How," Cara asks, shoulders rising in exasperation, "could you possibly know it's female?"
Kahlan just smiles, and Cara feels a muscle in her cheek twitch.
*
It starts like this:
There is a magical portal.
There is also a magical amulet, and Sister Nicci, not having the decency to stay dead, it seems, and suddenly helping Darken Rahl gain power.
"Are they gars?" Kahlan asks when they first look through the portal, seeing a handful of strange creatures flying across the sky.
Cara squints, leaning forward to peer through the portal.
"No, not strictly," Zedd says, looking over Cara's shoulder. "This portal stretches back in time, to before man reached the New World. I have heard it said that wondrous lizard animals walked these lands. It seems they were right."
"And let me guess," Cara starts, turning around so they all can see her rolling her eyes. "You want us to go through the portal and pay a visit to these creatures."
"All signs point toward the Amulet of Amaranth being hidden somewhere on the other side," Zedd tells her patiently.
He might even be right; magic portals through time seems entirely like the sort of dramatics Nicci is so fond of.
Richard nods. "Zedd and I have to stop Darken Rahl from reaching Westwood. But I have faith that you two will find the Amulet."
"We should stay together," Cara says. "I'm here to protect you, not chase after jewelry."
"Cara," Richard says, in that way, soft and firm at once, that means Cara can't argue. "It's the best way."
"Fine," Cara replies through clenched teeth. Then she stalks through the portal without another word, so she won't have to see Richard and Kahlan's tearful goodbye.
*
And now they are here, far from Richard and Zedd, on an important quest, and Kahlan wants to adopt a ferocious beast that will probably grow up to eat them.
Cara had not enjoyed the last occasion she traveled in time, and this one has not been much of an improvement.
"We're on a quest," Cara says, as she stalks ahead of Kahlan. "You don't have the time to play nursemaid."
If her Agiels had worked in this unpleasant place, the pain could have given her some reprieve from the annoyance of their situation. As it is, all she has is one of Kahlan's daggers, and it's an obviously inferior weapon in every way.
"It's only until we go back through the portal." Kahlan sounds slightly winded behind her, but Cara does not slow her pace. "At least we can give her a chance. I'm sure if Richard was here, he'd want you to do this."
Cara stops walking, turning around abruptly. "Richard would spend all his time rescuing kittens if I weren't around to remind him of what needs to be done."
"You know, we did get by just fine without you for quite some time."
Cara scoffs, eying Kahlan and the bundle in her arms up and down for a moment. "If I let you keep it, will you stop mooning over Richard all the time?"
Kahlan actually gasps at that, momentarily speechless. Cara resumes her quick pace again, hearing Kahlan scrambling to catch up behind her.
"I don't... moon. Cara, I don't!"
*
At night, Kahlan slides in closer.
Cara sighs, as Kahlan's shoulder nudges hers. She doesn't particularly enjoy such closeness, not unless it's for more intimate amusements, but if it will keep Kahlan from thinking about Richard and doing that irritating thing with her face, it's a small price to pay.
"I don't moon about Richard," Kahlan whispers, and when Cara looks at her, her eyes are bright in the moonlight. "I just worry about him and Zedd."
"It's a miracle if they survive on their own," Cara mutters. The scent of Kahlan's hair reaches her nose and it's possible she doesn't sound as annoyed as she had intended. "We're not going to name that beast," she adds, warning clear in her voice.
"All right," Kahlan says.
The response is quick enough that Cara suspects Kahlan has already named the creature in secret.
*
It gets even worse: after a few days, the little monster starts to follow Cara around like an overgrown insect, making squeaking noises and butting its head against her legs.
"Get it away from me, or I will put your dagger to good use," Cara tells Kahlan, over and over, and Kahlan always looks like she's about to laugh when she picks the thing up.
Cara might have been willing to run through a forest to get a Night Wisp to a cave, but that had been to save the world. Night Wisps, prone as they are to indulge in chattering about pointless things, are not entirely awful when it comes down to it. They might even make the very short list of things worthy Cara's time.
There is no purpose to keeping this monster safe and fed.
It truly is a pitiful creature - small and scrawny, looking like the unfortunate result of a romance between a bird and a lizard - and Cara can just tell that it appeals to all the weakest parts of Kahlan.
"It's not getting any of my food," she says, scowling. She means it, too, but Kahlan keeps feeding it from her own portions, even though the supplies they brought are already thinning.
The only reason Cara eventually relents is because Richard is probably going to be displeased if Kahlan starves to death.
*
The worst part of it all is her Agiels. They're dead in this strange jungle, devoid of power, and completely useless. It's only happened once before, for the brief time that Richard was dead before Denna put another man's spirit in his body.
Richard isn't dead this time, not that Cara would know if he was. It's the portal cutting her off from Lord Rahl, leaving her without focus. Kahlan always notices when she fumbles at her hip for an Agiel, finding only the handle of Kahlan's dagger. The looks Kahlan shoots her, full of concern and sympathy, do not help.
Mord'Sith are meant to be powered by pain and pleasure - lately it seems both have been entirely missing from her life. What she needs is a brothel or a tavern wench, or at least a good fight. Instead, it's all discomfort and small annoyances, like little itches she can't reach.
It provides her little patience for the fruits of Kahlan's bad ideas.
"If that thing is going to stay this close to me, you need to do something about the smell," she snaps one morning.
Kahlan looks skeptical. "I don't think their kind takes baths, Cara."
"This one will."
Cara grabs the creature roughly with two hands by its scrawny bird-lizard body, holding it at arm's length as she carries it quickly to the stream close to their night camp.
It flaps its wings pathetically, squealing in protest when she throws it in. The stream is not deep enough for it to drown, probably, but by the way it shrieks, it's obvious that water is not among its favorite things.
Cara crosses her arms and watches it. "Stop acting like a newborn," she yells at it when the whining doesn't stop.
It doesn't make any difference.
"Everyone takes baths," she continues. "Even I take baths, and you don't hear me complaining about the cold. Kahlan likes nice-smelling things, you know. Why do you think I--" Cara cuts herself off quickly, returning to glaring at the creature. "I don't know why I'm talking to you."
The bird-lizard flaps its wings again, peddling with its little feet, until it lifts out of the water. It flaps two unsteady laps around Cara, before ungracefully crashing head-first into the ground.
"Great. So now you can fly." Cara sighs. "Kahlan is going to love that."
*
(Kahlan does. It's insufferable.)
*
One night, the image of Zedd appears in the fire, flames slicking along his robes. Cara's hand is on the dagger at her hip in an instant, prepared for anything.
Kahlan rushes up, bringing a hand to Zedd's arm, only to have it move right through him. "I'm afraid this is nothing but a projection of myself, dear child," Zedd says. "I created a small portal through time, just large enough to send this image through. Not an easy feat, I should add."
Cara relaxes back against the cave floor. "Is there any reason for this visit, besides boasting about your magical prowess?"
"Nice to see you too, Cara," Zedd says, and Cara scowls, because that is not at all what she said.
"Is there anything wrong?" Kahlan asks. "Is Richard all right?"
"Everything is fine, Kahlan." Zedd smiles. "We are just wondering about your progress, and- what in the Keeper's name is that?!"
It's the bird-lizard that has made its appearance, strutting closer to Cara and letting out a demanding squeak. "Dinner," Cara says, glaring at the creature.
Not reacting to Cara's words, Kahlan tells Zedd: "We had to kill her mother. We couldn't just leave her."
"Kahlan," Cara demands. "Get it away from me."
Kahlan picks it up quickly, without protest, putting it in her lap, where it flaps its wings and squeaks again. "She seems to like Cara a lot."
"I guess that means congratulations are in order," Zedd says, poorly-hidden amusement in his voice. "I'm sure she will grow up to be a fierce warrior, just like her new mothers."
Cara scowls. "Our progress, Wizard, is non-existent, because we don't even know what we're looking for."
"It's as I said before," Zedd replies calmly. "Nicci will not have counted on us finding the portal. The Amulet of Amaranth will not be well-hidden. Look for anything out of the ordinary, especially anything bearing signs of magical origin."
That is extraordinarily helpful, Cara thinks, though she says nothing, because Zedd and Kahlan have moved on to other topics, pointless things not relating to the quest or Lord Rahl.
At least when they were chasing the Stone of Tears they had a compass, detours notwithstanding. The plan this time appears to be walking back and forth through a jungle filled with bird-lizards and similar creatures, hoping for the best.
A lesser Mord'Sith would have given up a long time ago.
*
It starts to rain, and it doesn't stop for days. The bird-lizard disappears, no doubt hiding somewhere dry, catching up to them every so often. It's fast like the wind in the air, while Cara and Kahlan have to struggle through the mud one step at the time.
The bird-lizard doesn't come to them one night, even though Kahlan found a dry cave and roasted a small rat-like creature that Cara killed for her.
Kahlan worries.
She worries by yawning and laying their bedrolls close, even while Cara is still standing at the mouth of the cave, staring into the darkness.
"It's cold," Kahlan says meaningfully.
"My leathers are wet. I'll make you colder."
"You can take them off. I mean," Kahlan adds quickly, when Cara turns over and raises an eyebrow. "The blanket is almost dry."
It's not the sort of discomfort that Cara would even take much notice of, but if Kahlan is cold, she will not sleep well. Now that they travel alone, Cara has no wish to endure a morning of Kahlan in a bad mood.
She removes her leathers, pealing off the wet material that sticks to her skin, and wraps herself in the damp blanket. Kahlan is dressed only in her shift, stripped out of her dress since hours before, leaving it to dry over a few rocks close to the fire.
Cara lies down next to her, shoulder to shoulder. "You must be very worried."
"About what?"
"Your bird-lizard, of course. You're very worried about it, no doubt."
"Oh." Kahlan inches closer, rolling onto her side with her back pressed to Cara's side. "I'm sure she'll be back."
"I hope it's been eaten by a bigger bird-lizard," Cara mutters. "It would save us a lot of trouble."
It is quite cold in the cave, the rain turning the night damp and chilled, so Cara fits herself against Kahlan's back, wrapping the blanket around them both. Kahlan's skin is hot through her shift, against Cara's naked front. She feels Kahlan grow tense against her, breath hitching when Cara pulls them closer together.
It is some time before Kahlan falls asleep, and Cara allows herself to drift off.
*
The bird-lizard is back in the morning. Cara rolls over to glare at it, as it sits, squeaking, on a tree branch hanging over the cave opening.
"If you're expecting breakfast, you'll be sorely disappointed," Cara calls quietly, after making sure that Kahlan is still asleep and unable to hear her talking with the creature.
She reaches for her boot and throws it towards the tree branch, to emphasize her words.
*
Most of the creatures leave them alone, doing nothing more than eying them with varying amounts of curiosity. Kahlan makes delighted little sounds every time she spots a new kind, even though Cara thinks they look more or less the same - walking on two legs or four, they all seem like overgrown lizards, and not even tasty ones.
A group of small lizards, walking on two legs, starts to follow them one morning. At their full height, they just about come up to Cara's midsection, and Kahlan laughs at the way they cock their heads when they walk.
One of them struts closer, nudging its brow against Kahlan's side. Another one inches closer to Cara, stretching its head towards her, only to sink its teeth into her leather glove.
Cara jumps back, reaching for Kahlan's dagger. "The little bastard bit me!"
"Did you scare it?"
"Kahlan, no animal has teeth this sharp if it doesn't enjoy ripping other animals apart."
Sometimes Cara almost resents being right all the time. The little lizard beasts don't seem to need any more incentive than the smell of blood from Cara's hand - they all attack at once, circling around them like wolves, snapping against their legs.
They're back to back; Kahlan slashes out with her dagger, and Cara kicks at the creatures closes to her. "What are you doing?" Kahlan calls, lashing out with her dagger again.
"I don't want to kill them. You'll just find their children or nephews or elderly grandparents and insist we take them with us."
"Funny," Kahlan says, elbowing Cara not entirely gently.
There's a sudden loud shriek from above them, and a large shadow falls on them. The bird-lizard swoops down, claws and teeth bared.
Somehow, Cara hadn't realized before how big it has grown to be.
It's not long before the little lizard animals have all run off to safety. Kahlan laughs, grabbing Cara's arm. It's been a long while since the bird-lizard allowed her to pet it, and it seems Kahlan has taken to petting Cara instead. "Look at what she did!"
"Perhaps it can be trained after all," Cara says.
The bird-lizard somehow manages to look quite smug.
The grip on Cara's arm tightens, suddenly. "Cara," Kahlan says urgently, eyes fixed on the horizon. "I don't think that belongs here."
*
It looks like some sort of pompous temple, out of place and obviously made by magic that radiates off the building in waves, raising shivers along Cara's spine.
It's one of Nicci's less subtle ideas.
There is something odd about the place, when they step inside. Cara stays on edge, ready for an attack, but nothing comes.
Zedd was right - the amulet isn't hidden, it’s placed on a pedestal in the middle of the temple, and it would seem far too easy if they hadn't spent the past month and a half trudging through a muddy jungle.
Kahlan's hand is suddenly on her arm again, gripping hard, and when Cara looks at her, Kahlan's eyes are very big. "Cara, I... I can't feel my magic."
Cara attempts to call on the magic inside her, imagines letting the Breath of Life flow through her into the body of someone dead, or raising a hand to control someone else's magic, but there is nothing. It explains the sense of oddness, the strange hollowness where a Mord'Sith's magic usually dwells. The power of her Agiels and the bond to Lord Rahl has been stripped away since weeks before, since they stepped through the portal, and now the last trace of it is gone.
"Perhaps Nicci made this place to suppress magic, so that the amulet could not be traced with magical means," Cara suggests.
She has only encountered such magic once before, in the Margrave's Palace, but if anyone had enough magic to accomplish something like it, it was Nicci.
"That must be why Zedd couldn't track it."
Kahlan sounds unusually subdued. A Confessor without her magic is a strange thing, and Kahlan has always, as long as Cara has known her, been a Confessor above everything else.
"We should hurry."
They will be heading back now, and Cara feels a thrill run down her back at the thought of her Agiels, brimming with power once again. She would give anything for her Agiels back, and to be able to see with her own eyes that Richard is still alive.
Other things, like pulling her leathers off at night and the warmth of Kahlan's back against her, are not important.
"It's raining again," Kahlan says, looking away from Cara. "We should stay here for the night."
*
Cara strips off her leathers, because the air is hot and humid, and as long as they are inside this magic building, there are no insects to bite her.
Kahlan lies close, as is her habit. It's hours later when Cara wakes, sleep still weighing heavy on her mind.
"It's too warm," Kahlan says, shifting and sitting up. Cara watches the silhouette of her back in the dark, hears more than sees how she slides her shift over her head.
It's not true, it's not so hot anymore, not after the sun has gone down, and Kahlan seems content to fall back against Cara and the warmth of her body.
The drowsiness is gone in an instant, as Kahlan's naked backside fits against Cara's thighs and hips.
Want builds inside her in a rush, and she puts her hand on Kahlan's elbow, breathing against her naked shoulder, feeling goosebumps rise there. She drags her teeth across Kahlan's skin, pleased when Kahlan's breathing stutters and turns shallow.
It's more of an invitation than she needs, and she inches closer until she's pressed tightly against Kahlan's back, breasts cushioned to her shoulder-blades.
"Cara," Kahlan starts when Cara sneaks a hand around the curve of her hip, splaying her fingers over her stomach.
"Your powers don't work here," Cara replies against her shoulder, making no effort to hide the way arousal has made her voice low and scratchy.
Kahlan is quiet then, and Cara takes advantage, putting her hand on Kahlan's breast without preamble. She smirks when Kahlan's nipple tightens against her palm, pressing the heel of her hand against it as Kahlan groans quietly, hand coming up to cover Cara's.
Cara buries her face in Kahlan's hair, licking up the shell of her ear. "Pretend it's a dream," she whispers, biting down as Kahlan shudders. "Or pretend I'm Richard, if you want."
"Cara, I--"
"Don't speak."
If this is the only chance she'll get, she has no intention of letting it get away from her, or to have it ruined by Kahlan's talking. Cara doesn't care what fantasy Kahlan indulges in, if she needs that sort of thing to enjoy herself.
She trails her fingers down Kahlan's stomach, knowing she'll find wetness when her hand reaches its destination. Her own hips buck against Kahlan at the thought, and once again when Kahlan's thighs close around her hand, keeping her close.
Rocking against Kahlan's buttocks is not enough, but the little sounds Kahlan makes - choked back, as if she's trying to be quiet - and the way her hips shift against her hand, make Cara burn hot, wetness turning her thighs slick. Kahlan reaches her hand back to grab Cara's hip, sinking fingers into her skin. Her nails are short, but it still stings, delightfully so.
It's a disappointment when Kahlan eases her grip, instead pressing her palm down in a gentle grasp. Without her Agiels, Cara is thirsty for that sharp sensation, and with the hand not occupied between Kahlan's legs, she digs her nails into the skin over her ribs, with enough force for it to burn.
It seems better than it should, grinding against Kahlan's back, as if it's something she's been craving. It makes her push her thighs together, seeking pressure, and when Kahlan reaches her peak, back arching as she gasps over and over, Cara slides her left hand from her ribs down to where she needs it.
Burying her face in Kahlan's hair, not even attempting to be quiet, she rides the waves until the very last shudder.
*
In the morning, Kahlan looks at her, while they eat breakfast in silence, as if she's trying to figure something out.
The memory of Kahlan's naked body against hers is still sharp, as if branded into her skin. There is something eerie about it, in the way it lingers, and Cara does not like it. Forcing a smirk to her lips, she asks: "Were your dreams pleasant, Mother Confessor?"
There's a rush of red rising on Kahlan's cheeks, but she doesn't look away, like Cara had anticipated. Instead, her gaze is steady and calm, unreadable. "They were. How about yours?"
Cara stands up, smirk gone as she pulls her gloves on with a snap. "I've had better."
*
They are almost back at the portal when the bird-lizard takes off for good.
It's been taking increasingly long flights for some time, returning less and less often, and it's a few days before they realize it's not coming back.
After hours of looking at the sky while they walk, Kahlan sighs, a little sadly. "I guess she's big enough to get by on her own now."
Cara stalks ahead of her, putting her feet down hard on the forest floor. "Not a particularly loyal sort," she huffs. It's not that she cares, but Kahlan has fed and coddled the creature for weeks, and it seems quite ungrateful to Cara that it would just up and leave.
"It's okay to miss her, you know," Kahlan says, catching up and putting her hand on Cara's arm to stop her.
Cara does stop walking, turning to Kahlan and crossing her arms. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Well, I am going to miss her."
Of course Kahlan is going to miss the creature. Cara rolls her eyes, because it's all very obvious. "You just liked that thing because you missed Richard."
That makes Kahlan raise her eyebrows, surprise marking her features. "Why would you think that?"
The answer is too obvious to put into words. Cara just looks at her, waiting for Kahlan to relent and admit she's right.
But Kahlan smiles instead, tilting her head. "She's a predator," she says. "All she knows is how to hunt and kill, but... she has the potential to be so much more than that. She doesn't remind me of Richard at all."
Kahlan looks at Cara as if she expects a response, and her face is all full of all sorts of soft things. It would be quite sickening, had it been anyone but Kahlan.
"Did you just compare me to a bird-lizard?" Cara asks finally.
Kahlan's eyes sparkle with something very mischievous. "Maybe," she says, walking past Cara.
Gripping the straps of her backpack, Cara stares at Kahlan's back. There's something undeniably springy in her steps.
Cara breathes in deeply, rain-fresh air filling her chest.
If Kahlan likes bird-lizards, there are worse things to be compared to.