Nightwalker

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The sun was coming up and I could hear the servants starting their chores.

I was sitting on the hay again with Athena in between my legs, asleep and laying her head on my shoulder. Her soft breathing hit my neck and it, for some reason, relaxed me. Anon was wrapped around us with his tail lying against the outside of my right leg and his head resting on top of both Athena's and my legs keeping my back warm.

Last night still played through my mind about how cruel I was to that woman and I still felt horrible. I know she deserved it. She hit Athena and disrespected Mistress, but... it hurts knowing what I said to her was by someone that isn't me and it scares me knowing that I can do it again if it meant protecting someone I care about.

I sighed softly and turned my head to look at Athena's careless sleeping face that has a bruise appearing on her cheek, near her lip and under her eye. I felt anger once again for the woman who did it but quickly let it go when I remembered how Athena had told me not to heal it, even though I could.

She told me not to because if that woman saw her uninjured by the Nightwalker that was just cruel to her it would be suspicious. She even suggested that I should bite her but that's where I drew the line and told her to go back to sleep.

We should wake her up so that she can get to work. Anon suggested as he lifted his head and looked at me.

I nodded in agreement but didn't say anything. I didn't want to open my mouth just in case something mean comes out.

He didn't say anymore and stood up. I looked down Athena again and felt my heart constrict. If Anon felt like my brother to me, Athena definitely feels like a younger sister I would do anything to protect. I placed a kiss to her forehead before shaking her softly.

"Wake up Athena." I murmured but all she did was groan, turn her face into my neck, wrapped her arms around me tightly and went back to sleep.

I looked at Anon, who has shifted into his human form and has gotten dressed. All he gave me though was a raised eyebrow and a challenging smirk.

I scowled at him before looking back down at the girl in my arms. I hmm'd in thought before remembering something I saw when I was on the streets. I wasn't too sure what was happening but the child was laughing uncontrollably while the mother was poking at her sides and neck. So I tried that.

I started rubbing her sides but nothing happened until while I was pulling my hands away I accidentally poked her under her arm. She flinched lightly before letting out a breathy giggle. I tilted my head away from her and looked down at her to see a smile on her face. I poked underneath her arm again and it made her jump and start giggling a bit more.

"Stop it." She whined softly keeping her eyes closed but her grip around me was softening as she tried to lower her arms to hind her armpits while at the same time not trying to let go of me.

I smiled for the first time since the incident last night and started to poke her rapidly at each armpit making her scream out in giggles and try to push me away.

"No! No! Stop it!" She cried out in laughter but I didn't having too much fun. "I'm gonna pee! Stop it! I'm awake! I'm awake!"

I laughed with her and finally stopped letting her get her breath back though she kept loosing it with more giggles here and there.

I leant back away from her as she whipped the tears from her eyes. "I've never done that before, and I don't think I've ever laughed like that either." I commented feeling an unusual happiness well up inside me.

"Me neither. The only person that has ever made me laugh was my sister." Athena agreed before her smile dimmed and then faded as she looked at the ground.