Chapter 23 Lyn was supposed to be the strong one, the Hero

Suddenly, Lyn slowed her pace and glanced back over her shoulder. Her sharp eyes softened just a little as if she could sense the turmoil brewing inside me.

 “Hey, Little Green, you okay back there? You’re awfully quiet,” she teased, her voice a little gentler this time, though still playful. 

"You’re not hurt, are you? Can't tell with all that mud on you." 

She turned fully toward me, walking backward as she faced me, her tail flicking playfully.

 "You act weird, are you fine? Did that stinking golem hurt you?" 

She asked casually, but the way her lips curled into that sly smile made it feel like she was enjoying watching me squirm.

My mouth opened, but no words came out. What could I say? My legs were trembling, and I couldn’t tell if it was from exhaustion, was injured, or just the overwhelming fact that this beautiful cat-girl was… was treating me like I mattered. Like I wasn’t just a goblin slave. I stumbled on a rock and nearly face-planted into the mud again, but Lyn caught me at the last moment, earning a soft giggle from her.

She placed her hands on her hips, tilting her head. 

“You’ve really gotta work on those clumsy feet, Greenie. Keep that up, and you’ll be slipping and sliding your way right back to that flesh golem’s leftovers." 

Her voice was mocking, but not in a cruel way. It was light, teasing like she was trying to get a laugh out of me. 

"Maybe I’ll start calling you Slippy. Has a nice ring to it, huh?"

I finally managed to find my voice.

 “I-I’m sorry! I… I’ll be more careful. I'm fine, I am. No ouchies or ouwies. You saved me before that monster could hurt me.” 

My face was hot from embarrassment, but there was a little flicker of something warm inside me too. She wasn’t treating me like garbage. No, she was treating me like… like a friend? Was this what friends did? All my friends were slaves as wretched and suffering like me, I wasn't friends with anyone else. I had never had a cat girl as a friend before, but it felt nice. It felt like something I never wanted to lose.

Lyn took a few graceful steps toward me, closing the distance between us. She was so much taller than me, and as she loomed closer, I felt even smaller. But not in a bad way. Her presence wasn’t intimidating like the goblin masters or any other evil goblin. It was different. There was warmth in the way she moved, even though she was making fun of me. Her fingers gently tapped my shoulder.

 “Come on, Hermit, relax a bit. It’s not like I bite… unless I’m hungry. But even then, don’t worry, you don’t look tasty enough for that.”

She paused for a moment, pretending to think, her eyes narrowing playfully as she looked me up and down.

 "Then again, you are covered in mud. Maybe you taste better than you look. Ever been nibbled by a cat?"

 Her grin widened, and she made a playful biting motion in the air, her sharp teeth glinting for a moment.

I let out a nervous laugh, unsure whether to be terrified or amused, but the laugh felt good. It was a sound I hadn’t made in a long time. 

“W-we should… find that spot you were talking about. The safe one.” I muttered in a shy voice.

Lyn straightened up, her grin softening into a smile. 

“Yeah, we probably should. I am starting to feel tired. Let’s move before some other monster sniffs us out. Stick close, Little Green. You’ve got a long way to go before your cat-people material." 

With that, she turned, her tail flicking behind her as she led the way deeper into the forest.

As we trudged through the forest, I couldn’t stop my eyes from trailing over her every move. Her lithe, graceful form seemed to glide between the tall grass, her every step beautiful and full of the natural elegance that only a cat girl could possess. But something wasn’t right.

At first, Lyn had been full of life - her playful voice teasing and light, her confidence so radiant it felt like she could take on the world without breaking a sweat. But now… she talked less and less, her voice growing faint. I noticed something. Her strong posture, once upright and sure, started to slump ever so slightly. Her movements, once quick and agile, now seemed a little sluggish. And the more I looked, the more obvious it became.

Her beautiful face - oh, how I marveled at that face earlier - had changed. It wasn’t the same confident, playful expression she had worn just minutes ago. No, now there were faint lines of strain at the corners of her eyes, and her delicate features twisted in discomfort. The way her sharp eyes narrowed told me she was fighting something - a battle inside herself. The beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, glistening in the dim light, caught my attention next. Cold sweat.

Her breathing was no longer steady either. Every breath seemed labored, heavier than it should have been. The sound of her panting mixed with the forest’s natural noises, and I realized her chest was rising and falling faster as if each breath was a struggle. She was trying to hide it, but even her perfect composure couldn't mask the toll her earlier fights had taken on her. I hadn’t noticed before, lost in my awe of her, but now it hit me like a cold slap across the face.

Her steps, which once moved so swiftly through the underbrush that I could barely keep up, had slowed drastically. Earlier, I had been scrambling just to match her pace, tripping over roots and scrambling through mud. Now, I was walking side by side with her - no, I was walking ahead of her at times without even realizing it. It wasn’t right. Lyn was supposed to be the strong one, the hero. The one who saved me from that flesh golem without breaking a sweat. But now? Now she looked like she was barely holding on.

A knot of worry formed in my stomach. My fascination with her was beginning to fade, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread. What if something happened to her? What if she collapses right here in front of me? What if - what if she was in danger, and I was too stupid to realize it?

I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing with uncertainty. Should I say something? Should I ask if she was okay? What if she thought I was being annoying, or worse - what if she got angry with me for even suggesting she wasn’t well? I swallowed hard, my mouth dry, but the words tumbled out before I could stop them.

“U-Umm, Lyn?” My voice trembled as I forced out the question.

 “Are… are you alright?”

It sounded so pitiful, so small, and I immediately regretted speaking up. I half-expected her to snap at me, shoot me a sharp glare, and tell me to mind my own business. But she didn’t.

Lyn’s ears twitched at the sound of my voice, and she glanced over at me, her expression softening. For a second, it looked like she was going to give me one of her usual teasing replies. But then, she faltered. Her lips parted, but no witty remark came. Instead, she just gave me a tired smile, her eyes betraying the exhaustion she was trying so hard to hide.

“Ah… so you noticed, huh?”

 Her voice was still playful, but the edge of it was dulled, as though the energy to mock me had drained away. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, smearing sweat across her brow.

“Guess I’m not as tough as I look.”

The sight of her faltering hit me harder than I expected. Lyn, this magnificent cat-girl, who had seemed so untouchable, so beyond anything I could ever be - she was struggling. She was in pain. And I had been too wrapped up in my awe of her to see it until now. The thought that she was hurting because she had fought to save me made my stomach churn with guilt. The same guild I felt when Kaka died and I could do nothing to save him.

“I-I’m sorry!” I blurted out, the words tumbling from my mouth before I could stop them. 

“If I wasn’t so useless, you wouldn’t... if I wasn’t...”

She raised a hand, cutting me off with a weak but genuine chuckle.

 “Whoa there, Little Green, no need for that.” 

Her tail flicked behind her, though even that seemed to have lost some of its energy.

 “I’m not some fragile kitten, you know. I’ve been through worse. Just… bit off more than I could chew today. Happens sometimes. A few hours of cat nap and I'm fine. Don't worry.”

Her words were casual, but I could hear the strain beneath them. She was trying so hard to stay strong, but I could see it - she was running on fumes. And yet, despite her exhaustion, she was still standing tall. Still worried about keeping me safe. I was the one slowing her down, I was the dead weight as usual. 

“But… we should keep moving. It's not too far now.” Lyn said, her voice a little quieter now.

Even in her weakened state, she was trying to keep the mood light, to joke with me, to keep me from worrying. But it wasn’t working. I couldn’t shake the image of her struggling to breathe, of her faltering steps, and the cold sweat on her forehead. My admiration for her had turned into something else. Concern. Genuine concern. I wanted to help, but I didn’t know how.

As we continued walking, the silence between us grew heavier. The more we moved, the slower she became. I kept casting glances her way, afraid that at any moment she might just collapse. My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear for myself, but fear for her.

She wasn’t invincible. She wasn’t the untouchable goddess I had imagined her to be. She was strong, yes. But even someone as incredible as Lyn had limits. And she was pushing them.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she slowed to a stop, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.

 “Alright… alright, here.” She pointed to a small cavehole just ahead, nestled between a cluster of trees.

 “That’s the spot… it’s… safe enough.”

Without thinking, I rushed to her side, reaching out with my trembling hands as if to steady her, but I hesitated, unsure if touching her would be too forward. Would she even want my help? I was just a pathetic goblin. But seeing her like this, so worn down, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.