Felicity stared down at the young girl who now sat on a log.

Her stringy caramel hair was oily and unkempt. It fell in knotty ringlets over her shoulders. Her brown eyes were sunken and glossy, her cheeks hollow, her limbs thin and fragile. Her pale skin was covered with scars and bruises, old crusty blood and dried mud.

A cough escaped her cracked lips. It was pained and wheezing. She coughed and coughed. Motherly instincts kicked in and Felicity knew she had to do something.

"Hold on," she said, gently lifting the girl onto her shoulder, careful not to break her frail bones. "I'm going to get you some help."

Felicity moved through the forest as fast as she dared until the fort came into view. The girl wasn't coughing as much, but she did let out the occasional wheeze.

She fumbled with the lock and pushed open the gate.

"Jarrod? Amanda?" She called out. Nearby people noticed the girls and came over to help.

Two men brought over a stretcher and placed the sickly girl on it.

"What's going on?" Jarrod asked, poking his head out of the medical tent.

"Oh, my!" Amanda exclaimed upon seeing the girl. "Quickly! Bring her in."

* * *

It had been two days since Felicity brought the girl in. She had remained in the medical tent since then. Felicity had no idea how she was feeling.

She was worried about the girl. When Felicity found her, she was so close to death's door. 

Felicity sat at the river's edge washing her clothes, head filled with thoughts of the mysterious girl. Neither Jarrod or Amanda had contacted her to update her on the girl's status and she was just hoping she would live.

She threw another shirt into her basket and sat back to give her hands a rest.

"Felicity?"

And the sound of her name she spun around to see Amanda, her messy midnight ringlets spilling over her shoulders and her hazel eyes sunken and tired. 

Felicity stiffened up, prepared to hear whatever news she was inevitably about to relay.

"She's awake."

Felicity lept to her feet and sprinted towards the medical tent, determined to see the girl, leaving her basket of clothes behind. She darted between tents and jumped out of the way of shocked people. 

She finally reached the tent and threw aside the curtain. 

There, on a small hospital bed, the girl sat inspecting the crinkles in her thin white sheets. her caramel hair had been washed and was tied up in a neat ponytail. Her skin had been cleaned and covered in bandages. 

"You're ok!" Felicity breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for bringing me here," the girl said in a raspy voice.

Felicity smiled.

"No problem. I couldn't leave you alone out there." She made her way to her side and perched herself gently on the side of the bed. "I'm Felicity, by the way."

"Caroline," she smiled. 

Felicity reached forward and pushed a stray hair out of Caroline's face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Caroline." She gave her a warm and loving smile. The kind of smile a mother would give. The kind of smile that filled her weak body with strength and warmed up the chilly tent. The kind of smile that let the fragile girl know that no matter what dangers she was in, she would protect her with her life.

* * *

Hi guys! Sorry I haven't updated in ages, I just haven't gotten around to writing and had a huge authors block. With a lot of my stories. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter and sorry again for the wait!