(a/n I changed this chapter and the next a bit, adding a scene to this one, so if you read these chapters right when they were posted, make sure you see the updated versions!)

That night I pulled the boy aside after we set up camp. As his apprehension was clear, I didn't mince words. "Forgive me if my wording offends in any way, but I believe I can coax your body into its true form," I said, the best I could explain it. At least I hoped I could. I felt sure the wild magic would lend a hand if need be.

The hope surrounding him was a sparkly forest green. "Really?" His dark eyes searched mine, brow knit into two lines.

I nodded. "I'm a healer," I said simply. Please, universe, do not let me disappoint this child.

"How did you know?"

"I learned when I was messing around in your brain," I joked, wanting him to feel at ease. "I can see how you view yourself, and how your present physical form doesn't line up with it."

"That's why you gave me a binding cloth, and allowed me to ride in the front."

I nodded; he wouldn't have wanted his chest pressed up against one of our backs.

"You are very kind," he said, choking up a little.

"Nonsense," I said, pleased that I hadn't messed up and made it all harder for him. "Would you like me to do it now?"

"Now?" he asked a little faintly. "Yes, okay. Now is good." He walked with me back to the fire. "Will it hurt much?" he whispered.

"No, it shouldn't hurt at all." A form of anesthesia accompanied any healings that would otherwise cause pain.

"Okay," he said again, sitting on the ground.

"Going to get a little extra healing in," I explained ambiguously to Sylvie, again keeping his business private. 

"Can I do anything to help?" she asked, setting her block of wood and knife aside. She had a pot of coconut milk simmering on the fire for cocoa, and Feebur sat in her lap chowing down on pieces of marshmallow.

"No, but thank you." I took a deep breath, nervous now that I wouldn't be able to do it.

She could tell, and reached out to catch my hand. "You've got this," she assured me, squeezing it. "We believe in you."

Yes, yes, and more importantly you'll never know unless you try, Grimmer sent impatiently. Now get to it. You'll do fine. I'll ready my ring but I doubt we'll have cause to use it.

Their confidence boosted mine and I moved to sit cross-legged in front of Sayid, placing my hands on his and closing my eyes. Immediately my magic began to address the things that needed changing, taking from here, adding to there, altering hormone levels.

I didn't need the wild magic though I did take a fair amount of Grimmer's strength to complete the healing, and when I was done I gathered the tendrils of my power from him and opened my eyes to find the boy was crying. "Did I hurt you?" I asked anxiously. "Are you in pain?"

He shook his head no, putting his hand over his face to try and collect himself. "I just--it just--I never imagined in my wildest dreams that such a thing was possible." His voice was thick with emotion and he sniffed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand even as more tears fell. "Thank you. From the bottom of my soul, thank you." 

I waved him off, not wanting the praise, nearly as thrilled as he was that it had gone as planned. "You're more than welcome. It's truly my pleasure." It was indeed.

He accepted a cup of cocoa from Sylvie. "I was born with girl bits," he explained to her, adding more marshmallows. "But I've always been a boy. My family knew and supported me in being myself, but when I lost them and went to live with my uncle, he forced me to live as a girl." Misery at the memory darkened his face.

"If we happen to cross paths, I shall definitely eat him," Grimmer said, trying to avoid unpleasant conversation. 

This made our guest smile. "He would deserve no less."

Sadly it was true of so many in the world, but that's why you had to keep searching until you were lucky enough to find the good ones and make them your people. "You're safe now, and need never worry about such things again."

He looked at me with something more than admiration, reverence maybe, which I certainly did not deserve. "I still can't wrap my mind around any of this," he said. "I feel I must be dreaming. Your magic is so powerful."

His attention embarrassed me. "It's just how I was born," I demurred. "I'm starving," I said pointedly at Grim.

"I'm going, I'm going." 

Something woke me in the night and I realized Sylvie was not at my side just as she called me again, her tone urgent. "I'm coming," I replied even as I ducked out of the tent and ran into Grim.

We both stopped short at the sight of her standing over a human's still form, knife in hand, splattered with blood from head to toe.

I rushed to her, ignoring the body at her feet, taking her face in my hands as I searched for injuries. "Are you hurt? What happened?"

She was trembling from adrenaline, the pale yellow of shock enveloping her. "Not my blood," she got out, looking down at herself. "It--I--"

"Shh, it's okay. Sit with me," I said, infusing her with some tranquility as we moved across the campsite to the log there, leaving Grim to examine the intruder after being joined by Sayid. I put my arms around her and spoke a short incantation to clean her clothing. Nothing is quite so upsetting as being covered in blood. "You're okay, I got you. Breathe with me."

She did, taking deep breaths as her shaking began to subside. 

Grim looked up at me. Deader than my love life, he sent. Good.

"I disabled the ward to go to the bushes, and when I returned I saw  a figure creeping around." She shuddered. "They stopped in front of our tent and were looking in. I snuck up behind with the meat knife and cut their throat before they knew I was there."

I was stunned. "That must have been terrible," I told her, tightening my arm to hug her to me. "I'm so sorry."

"Hardcore," Grimmer said in admiration. "Though not surprising."

Sayid couldn't agree more, his aura bright with reverence. "That took a lot of guts," he put in.

She shrugged off the praise, shaking her head. "It was my only course of action."

"Well it was a good one," Grim said. He kicked the body before reaching down to grasp it by the hands. "I"ll just do away with this, don't mind me," he told us, dragging the corpse away from camp with the boy on his heels.

"Thank you," she called after him, leaning into me. "I can't believe that just happened. I should have been more careful with the wards."

"No, you did fine," I said firmly. "Here, do you want to lay down with me?" Dawn wasn't for another five hours and it was cold.

She was still shaken but her heartbeat was returning to normal. "Okay," she said, allowing me to pull her to her feet.

We snuggled back under the blankets and she curled into me, her head on my chest, taking a handful of my shirt as if she thought I might disappear from beneath her. I stroked her hair. "You were really brave, and I'm so glad you're okay."

"It just happened so quickly." Another shudder went through her. "I took his life so quickly. Just as with the trafficker guard."

It was never easy, even when it was necessary. Or even deerved. "It's not something you get used to, warriors though we may be," I said gently. "And that's what makes us the good ones. Because those with dark souls care not for destroyed life, and upset the balance of our world."

She nodded against me, her hair soft under my caress as we listened to the boys return and settle back into their tents. Her breathing steadied and deepened, her grasp on my shirt relaxing as she slipped back to sleep. I lay awake for quite some time after, however, busy thanking every god I knew of for keeping her safe.