When Harrier woke up well after the sun started trickling through the canopy, Kaia's arm wasn't doing any better; if anything it was doing even worse than the previous night. When he saw this, he had no idea how he would get her into a tree and didn't want to roll her under the bush again. He groaned. Loudly. He wanted to help her but he felt so completely helpless himself.

Harrier had no idea what to do. Kaia was barely conscious, and when he touched her forehead, he quickly had to remove his hand from the heat. Sweat stained her loose clothes.

Harrier started muttering strings of curse words under his breath. He had some understanding of herbs, but he was no healing magician. He doubted that his knowledge extended to Kaia's frail condition. For the first time in a long time Harrier was truly scared.

Running from the writh was nothing compared to this. He had slipped and stumbled through swamps and marshes, but no one he cared about was at stake. He couldn't lose Kaia. She was the sister he had never had. He had to do something, but he had no idea what that something was. He couldn't lose someone who meant everything to him. Not again.

He pulled material he had so carefully wrapped around her hands off, hoping to cool her down. The cuts were a dark red and oozing yellow pus. The stench of failure filled his nostrils and his mind. He shut his eyes. He had failed.

Calin hopped over to him and was crouched beside Harrier with his head on Harrier's knee. He suddenly sat up, his body tense, his ear spread as far as they would go. His nose twitched as a strange scent blew between the trees. The scent of something completely unknown.

Harrier glanced up, not caring what was coming. He had to help Kaia. That was all that mattered. As long as he could defend her from the intruder, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Not when Kaia was so badly injured. Not when Kaia was slowly traveling towards her death without even a Soul Animal to keep her company.

A young man walked into the clearing, his clothes long and dark. He looked down at Kaia. “She looks bad…” His wolf Soul Animal walked in behind him. It lifted its shaggy head to look up at the trees and let out a soft growl. A bright blue bird flew off, its long tail trailing behind it.

“Thank you for stating the obvious, sir,” said Harrier sarcastically.

“I could help her, but you'll need to bring her down to my hut. It's not too far that way.” He looked down at Kaia, his eyes the colour of the leaves below his feet. They were filled with a deep concern, but hope shone through like the sunlight filtering through autumn leaves.

“Do you think I'm a fool? Do you really think that I'd entrust my best friend's life to a total stranger?” Tears filled Harrier's eyes as a fearful rage welled up in his heart.

The two Soul Animals circled each other wearily, Calin uncertain of what to make of the large black wolf. The wolf slowly moved its tail from side to side while Calin kept his distance from the muscular beast.

“My name is Mikmar. There. Now I'm not a stranger anymore. I'm a healing wizard and can help your friend, but I need to get her to my hut. All my supplies are there. And she'll need rest. In a proper bed. Not out here. Being out here is only making it worse. We have no idea what kind of infections are floating around. What are you thinking keeping her out here? You should have taken her home immediately.”

Calin relaxed. He allowed the wolf to approach him and sniff him. Obviously whatever secret communication that had gone on between them had convinced Calin that the wolf was not a threat.

Harrier glanced down at his Soul Animal. “Well, Calin seems to think you are trustworthy, and I guess you're my only option right now. I have no choice but to follow you into the unknown. Any chance is better than no chance.” Harrier slumped his shoulders. “I just hope that you can help her. I have no idea where to start.”

“I know.”

“Is it really that obvious?” Harrier tossed a fistfull of leaves over his shoulder. Fregop jumped the the side to avoid getting hit by them, landing quietly on his padded feet next to Mikmar.

“Yes. Now, do you want to carry her or should I? The other can take the larger bag and Fregop can take the saddlebag.” He rubbed Fregop’s head between his ears.

“I'll carry her. Just tell me how. I don't want to make anything worse.” Harrier looked down at her pale face and gave a small smile. He whispered, “You'll be okay, Kaia. We're getting you help. You'll be perfectly fine, you'll see.”

“Carry her in front of you. You have the lowest chance of injuring her that way. And you can keep an eye on her. Tell me if she starts doing any worse or if she starts sweating anymore. That's a sure sign that we need to hurry up. Make sure you always keep an arm under her neck. You don't want her to pull a muscle there, or worse. Can you do that?”

Harrier simply nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. He gently took Kaia into his arms, worried that he was going to do something wrong and worsen her condition. Sweat coated his forehead and he had to resist the urge to swipe his damp fringe off his eyebrows.

“Yes, like that. Tell me if I'm going too fast. You need to be gentle with her. It shouldn't take too long to reach my house.

Fregop, run on ahead will you? Tell Pantara that we are coming. Ask him to tell Grejul to make sure that my room is clean and ready.”

The wolf ran ahead, jumping over branches and roots, flying across the forest like a shadow.

“Let's go shall we?” Mikmar picked up the bag and started walking through the forest, and to Kaia's best chance of survival.

Author's Note:
Thank you so much for 500 reads. It may not be much to some people, but I think it's incredible. Thank you so much for all your support and have a fantastic day.