Tanny

Jora shook her head with disbelieve. Her eyes were wandering up and down at the children that was standing a little behind Jade. Jora couldn't tell how old this girl exactly was, she guessed it couldn't be older than eight years but she wasn't very familiar with children, she never had some and she also had never some sisters or brothers when she was still a human … she only lived for her job and to think about a family … well she always thought she would have enough time when she would become a professor or something in that direction.
Again she was examining the girl; she wore a green top and a green skirt, sandals were covering her feet, very unfamiliar because she never saw a giantess wearing shoes. Her hair was reddish, not that red like the human wizard Trisha had it seemed more like some leafs in the autumn were looking like. She had brown eyes and she was standing behind Jade quite, her big eyes were focusing Jora and again the blond giantess had to shake her head.

"A child! Jade … where the hell did you find a child?!" she still couldn't believe it while Viola, who was still sitting on her right shoulder, began to giggle but she didn't comment the situation anymore.

Jade was staring at Jora and the younger giantess had never seen this kind of desperation in Jade's expression. It was true, Jade was able to fight against every predator and probably she would win every fight … but this was a challenge out of her range … out of THEIR ALL ranges! For a few moments the eyes of the protector switched back to the girl "She appeared close to Safe Harbor … the inhabitants told me … she was just watching the settlement and when I came closer, she was starring at me …"

"What is her name? Did she told you her name?" Jora was blinking thoughtful at the girl who went silent all the time and as Jade shook her head, Jora wasn't very surprised..

"No, she didn't speak any word since she arrived there … she … just watched and listened to me and … well you remember Isham?" she sighed a little and for a few moments Jade looked a little angry down to the gril who lowered her head suddenly "He was a little toooo curious and she tried to eat him … don't worry she spat him out but well .. was a shock for him."

Jora blinked three times and she couldn't avoid that she suddenly began to giggle whens he tried to imagine how this would look like, but then she harrumphed herself and took a deeper breath. "Yeah this wasn't nice but … if she's a giantess like every other beside you, I think it's quite normal that she tried to eat him … you shouldn't scold her ..." she didn't know exactly why but she thought to know what the girl need and what she didn't need … and she didn't need a angry Jade.

Jora came closer to the girl, went down at her knees so that she was in the same height with the girls eyes. Viola was a little more careful and stepped back to Jora's neck, she didn't like the fact that she was so close to her mouth. Jora was smiling at the girl and she spoke with a soft tone.

"I think you understand me, huh? My name is Jora … and I'm a good friend of Jade. Would you tell me your name little Lady?"

The girl just stared at her and blinked, Jora could see inside her eyes that she understood her but for some reasons it seemed like she didn't want to talk. Jade was sighing and the desperation came back to her expression.

"I tried to talk with her for hours … and she understands us … she nodded to some questions but she didn't say any word. I don't know where she is coming from … or why she was exactly so close to Safe Harbor. But the most important question is … what are we going to do with her Jora?"

"We?!" Viola asked surprised

"WE?!" Jora echoed and stared at Jade "Jade I have absolutely no experience with children! I never had own children and when I was … well in my old state I tried to avoid children as good as possible … and I don't think Viola as a demigod had made some experiences …." and Jora was looking beside to Viola who just smiled.

"Well I have some experiences but no ones that would be healthy for a child … so .. no, no useful experiences."

Jora continued "I don't know how I could help you Jade ..."

"But … I don't know if I can take her back, the village is full of humans and I can't take always an eye on her … and I need your help more than ever … Jora I'm a warrior but not a babysitter." now Jade's tone became desperate too and Jora sighed deep.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay … let me think ...if she is like every other giant she will become hungry and then she shouldn
't be close to the village, that's right … but it's also difficult for her to stay here because the cave isn't very comfortable and there aren't very much creatures around for hunting …. maybe we could ask somebody for help … or ..." Jora was listening all the ideas she got in her mind and Jade was nodding and listening.

In the meantime nobody of both was really looking back to the child and when Jora sighed and lifted her left shoulder she just said "I have no real good idea … what do you think little Lady … sho … girl? Jade … where's the girl?!"

Jade was looking beside and she became pale. "What …? Where is she?!"

"It seems like she went away you two fools! I'm not surprised … if a stranger would take me to another stranger and both starting talking about me like I'm something dangerous and unwelcome and nobody is taking notice of me, I would go too … damn this is A CHILD, even I'm, a creature that is more far away than you from the humans now, know this!" Viola was now speaking and she shook her head.

"We have to find her … I don't want to know what happens when a bigger predator finds her or some Delurian soldiers … or worse … this strange Naga Malika!" Jora didn't like the idea that this … very exotic Naga could finde an innocent soul like this child … no, no, no.

Jade just nod. "Yes we have to find her … you will start in the north, I'm going into the south ..."

And so they parted and started their search for a child in the wilderness of Felarya.

Jade and Jora were walking through the bushes for hours, Jade had to look behind every rock and inside every cave and Jora even visited the great tree but there was no sign of the girl. Later they met again at the cave and Jade's desperation reached its highest level, the night was close and if she wouldn't find the girl until the sun went down, everything could be too late.

"Okay … we've searched everywhere … but no sign." Jora sighed but then she was blinking. Viola was very silent the last hour, she was just sitting at Jora's head. There were no sarcastic comments or anything else and before Jora could ask what was wrong, Viola spoke with a very monotone voice.

"Close to the southwest … a small glade ..." her voice was trembling a little and whatever she was doing right now, it was exhausting her. Jade blinked and only moments later both began to walk as fast as possible into the direction, but not without thanking Viola, but the human didn't hear her.
She felt asleep suddenly and Jora took her back into the safe cave, she knew that Viola had some special powers but she didn't know that she was able to track down creatures … but for these thought she had enough time later, now they had to find the girl.


Like Viola told them, the girl was really lying at a small glade not far away from the cave. Jade asked herself how she could overlook this place but she was glad to see the girl was fine. Her eyes were closed, her breath was slow and as Jora came closer she nodded with relief.
"She's sleeping" and only moments later Jade was lifting her up and they carried her back to the cave.
While they walked back, the gril woke up, her eyes opened and she looked up to both giantesses, her expression was a little ashamed but Jora was just smiling at her.

"It's okay … you are safe now … and well … sorry for ignoring you all the time" she said and stroke her one time over her head, Jade was just nodding to Jora's words and while they were walking the girl mumbled "I forgive you …" for Jades and Joras surprise.

Later when they reached the cave the girl started to explain everything. She was silent all the time because she feared that she could be in danger and so she didn't say any word.

"You are not in danger here, I promise you, nothing will happen to you … would you maybe tell me your name?" Jade asked friendly while they were sitting in front of the cave.

"My name is Tanaria … but all are calling me Tanny." the girl was still mumbling in a shy tone and her cheeks became a little more red.

"Okay, Tanny. Like we told you, I'm Jade and this is Jora … we want to help you. Could you maybe tell me where you are from? Where are your parents? Where is your home?"

The girl was silent and for a long time she was just staring at an empty space, a expression Jora knew perfectly from herself and so she could guess what Tanny's answer would be.
"Mommy and Daddy are … gone a few years ago. My sister told me that they went to paradise … she .. told me before we had to run … and then there was this light and … I was suddenly alone" tears began to flow down her cheeks and she sobbed and without warning she began to press herself against Jades chest who stared down perplex to Tanny but then she laid her arms around her shoulders.

"It's okay … you don't need to answer more now … schhhh" her strong arms where gently pushing the gril at her chest, protecting her for the moment while Jora was blinking thoughtful.

"A bright light … and then she was on her own … the same happened to me before I entered Felarya." pitifulness she was looking at the crying girl and a little more silent she whispered "but I don't think she was a human before like me … she tried to eat somebody … she wouldn't if she would be completely new in this body."

Jade just nodded in agreement while she was stroking the back of Tanny. "It's okay Tanny … look you have got a long day behind you … what do you think about sleeping a little in Jora's cave and tomorrow when the sun is shining we will think about what we will do to bring you back home, okay?"
Jade was surprised how soft her own tone could sound like but it seemed to work. Tanny was stopping sobbing for a moment, looked up and nodded a little. She was definitely tired and it became hard to hold her eyes open.

Jora wasn't very happy about the decision that the child would sleep all the time inside her cave but she also knew how this girl must feel like and she didn't want to let her go.
Together with Jade they carried Tanny inside the cave and dropped her at one of the big furs that were covering the ground. Viola was sleeping in her own corner and Jora was pretty sure that nothing would happen to her … if Tanny would try anything while Jora was sleeping, Viola would be able to defend herself pretty well. Only moments after the girl was lying at the soft furs she closed her eyes and began to coil up. Jade and Jora were walking outside the cave.

"You know that it could become very hard to bring her back home when she made such a dimension shift like me? What if her home isn't that close like Terra and ..." but before she could continue, a soft finger was lying at her lips and old memories came back to her mind again, memories she already forgot.

"Not today Jora … let us think about all this tomorrow. I need some sleep too … tomorrow will become a very hard and exhausting day … I promise to come as soon as possible. And … thank you very much for helping me in this situation … I wouldn't know what to do without you." she gave a short kiss at Jora's cheek and went then back into the jungle in direction to Safe Harbor.

Jora was looking after her, rubbing her cheek with one hand and a deep sigh came through her lips. Yeah … the future could become very confusing … in many points. She went back to the cave and laid herself beside Tanny on the fur and laid her arms around the girl who began to huddle at the blond giantess while she was sleeping. Why couldn't live in Felarya be just one time boring …?