She turned to both Blade and Ferry.
"If you possessed any love for me or my group you would never put us at risk in such a way, especially if it involved mating with a woman in heat. But like I said I love all of you, you two both." It only lasted a moment but her glare softened, her heart aching to the core but the moment passed, "but I'll kill you before I let any of you hurt anyone in this group because that is what the group is about. Protection. So, no more of this you hear me? We can't keep thinking about this."
"You're in heat right now, aren't you?" Ferry asked.
She glared.
"It's completely beside the point! Focus on what I say. And I say we go by foot from now on, we'll stop by night's end."
Ferry nodded. He extended both arms and took her into his embrace.
"I believe in your words and I personally will stand for you."
He took a long, heavy and drawn out sniff against her neck exhaling slowly. Fury watched as he pulled away and took the lead. Blade following closely behind.
She trembled; her whole centre of gravity rattled. Was she the only sane one in a group engulfed with madness?
That wasn't true, it took a very sane man to do what Ferry had done in so little time. If there was madness, it was in the part of their upbringing that told her that Ferry was right by the simple fact that he was bigger. Fury would be damned if it was true. Bigger would never be better, better being her, always.
A philosophy to die by. Something she'd have to prove.
The night came too quickly. Day's end fluttering away without a moment's hesitation. The fear had returned but it was not as debilitating. It was different but, only because she was different.
It was awkward, embarrassing, callus even, but she'd earned something thought lost. Something she could not name, but whatever it was, was related to love, little else could make her smile the way the word love did.
The fear twisted and squirmed inside but still she found strength to smile even as the night grew darkest. Little could be seen in the dark. When she felt they all could move no more, she stopped. The aching was heavy on her, the weight of her armour helped little. Fury looked up, the skies were no longer clear but invisible behind clouds heavy with rain, lightning and thunder. Fury picked a tree, thick enough to act as a roof over their heads. Ferry crashed down by roots next to her and drank from her water bottle, making an extravagant show of it. She watched in horror and mild respect. That was a lot of Jale–Jale.
"I am tired." Winter barked laying down next to Fury.
"You can make a fire if you'd like, it looks as though we're coming to the end of Nyandeni." Fury said sitting with her bag over her.
"I'll go check." Hawk said climbing.
She was gone before Fury could say a word. The atmosphere was somehow worse. She'd somehow managed to earn their backs… but not their hate?
She didn't complain, sinking deep into the soil, shutting her eyes and kicking her shoes and socks. She unfastened her gloves and sunk a small vial into the palm. Little time passed between her laying down and the others joining. Sleep fell over Fury at the height of her restlessness.