We touched down again several long hours later. Reilly said our best bet of getting to the safe haven safely was flying for long periods of time with little to no rest. Thankfully this was our second to last stop before we were free.

Again, we set up camp. This time in a large hay field, underneath the stars. It was amazing how easily seeing in the dark was when your vision wasn't clouded by so many city lights.

I could hear the sheep and goats running in the field to the left of us. Just the sound made all of our stomachs growl in unison.

"Okay Quinn, time for dinner," Michael said, laying back and relaxing in the long grass.

"Why me? I did it last time and the time before that!" I argued. Why was it always me?

"Because you're good at it. Reilly guards, I cook and you find the food."

It almost sounded like he was complementing me, but I dismissed it as him just trying to get me to go and get the food.

"Fine," I huffed, getting up and walking silently to the bleating sheep.

Making my way over the fence I noticed something shiny laying in the grass. It was a bear trap and there were hundreds of them surrounding the enclosed sheep.

I wanted to go back and tell Michael but I was sure he would call me a wimp and tell me to get over it. So instead, I took a few steps back and leapt over the fence with one long stride.

I made it over, landing on the ground with a soft thud, startling the sheep. They backed up, running toward the other side of the field. These sheep were different than the last. They were easily scared and then there were the bear traps. It was almost as if whoever owned this farm knew it was a Bloodwing hotspot.

My hunger taking over my rational thinking, I chased the sheep, earning louder bleats from each of them as I swiped at them. I only hoped the farmer wouldn't hear them.

Finally getting a good grip on one of the largest sheep, I hoisted it over my shoulders and began my way back to the other field.

The sheep shook itself, attempting to buck at me as I carried it. I almost lost my grip several times.

Nearing the fence, I held the sheep close and started climbing over. I didn't think I could jump over with the sheep shaking so much. But apparently I couldn't climb over either.

The sheep managed to clip my face with its hoof, making me lose my balance. I tried to kick myself far enough off the fence, but I didn't make it far enough when the bear trap I had landed on snapped closed around my ankle.

I let out an ear piercing scream before I bit down on my hand to keep myself from making anymore noise.

I could hear footsteps coming closer and I panicked, trying to drag myself across the ground. The bear trap dug further into my leg making me cry out in pain again.

"BLOODWING!" Someone screamed, charging towards me with a large pitchfork in the darkness.

I heaved myself up, trying to stumble back towards our camp, but the bear trap was latched onto the fence, so I only tore into my leg further making me cry out in desperation.

"Michael!" I screamed, seeing the farmer charge closer towards me. "Reilly!"

Before the farmer could reach me Reilly charged out of the grass, knocking the farmer to the ground.

Michael charged out too, crouching beside me to see the damage I'd done. In all this haste I hadn't realized the sheep had disappeared.

"I'm sorry," I croaked, as Michael looked at my leg.

"It's okay Quinn. I shouldn't have made you go by yourself. This is going to hurt."

Michael gripped the bear trap tightly so he could pull it apart.

"What is this stuff?" He asked, drawing his hands back and looking at them. Whatever was coated on the bear trap was now on his hands.

"Michael," I whined, "Just please get it off."

He gripped the bear trap, and pulled it apart, tearing more of my leg in the process. I screamed out and Reilly clasped his hand over my mouth to keep me from making anymore noise.

"You have to be quiet," he whispered, "there are more coming. We have to hurry."

I nodded and tried not to look at my torn up leg. In that moment I was very thankful for my quick healing even though it was one of things that got me in this situation in the first place. Being a Bloodwing was only great part of the time.

They lifted me up, each holding an arm. We walked slowly back towards our camp, stumbling as I could barely move my leg against the pain.

"Michael, somethings wrong," I whimpered, finally catching a glimpse of my leg. It wasn't healing. Something was terribly wrong.

"Hold on Quinn, we're almost there," he said, tugging me ahead.

The pain was now radiating up my leg, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying out.

Everything was starting to get fuzzy and my breathing became awkward. Now I could barely see through the dark.

I felt their grip on me loosen as they sat me down. I knew we were at our set up camp, but I couldn't really tell against the fuzziness. The details on their faces had become so fuzzy and it took me a moment to realize they were talking to me.

"Quinn?" Reilly said. "Earth to Quinn!"

"Huh?" I said quietly.

"Why isn't your leg healing?" Michael asked me again.

I was vaguely sure I shrugged as an answer. Again they were talking, but I couldn't make out an answer let alone what they were saying.

The fuzziness and lack of sound were too much and I fell asleep.

•

I woke up feeling a dull pain in my leg. My hair was thrashing around me and I bolted up suddenly.

It took me a moment to realize what was going on; I was on Michael's back as they were flying. This was strangely scary, being so high and still being in my human form.

Reilly was flying slowly now, his wings flapping heavily, as he stopped to look at me. He roared once toward Michael who craned his neck around to see me.

I almost thought he looked relieved, but it was hard to tell with his fiery dragon eyes.

Michael roared quietly towards me, ending with a louder growl. Even through their roars I could understand what they were saying.

"The trap was laced with poison," Michael said. "Those damned hunters finally found a weakness for us."

I growled in return, but because I was still a human it only came out as a distorted sound.

I had thought our only known weakness was the cold, but with so many hunters in the world they were bound to find, it not create, another weakness. And now they had, which meant we had to be more careful.

"We'll have to fully cut off contact with the human world," Reilly roared, flying closer so I could hear him above the wind. "That means no more food until we get there."

My stomach grumbled as if it understood the promise I was making. But I could do it. We all could. We would make it there alive.