GAHRYE

Gahrye estimated they were about an hour from the City when Elia's beast began to fail. Her already slowing pace began to falter. She'd started groaning in long, low huffs an hour earlier. But now she lay down suddenly on the path, her sides heaving with her rapid, deep breath.

"Elia?

" Gahrye whispered, scanning the trail before and behind them.

"I can run for help. I can—

"

But then she was back on her feet. Her head was low, her great shoulders rolling slower with every step, but her eyes were fixed and clear.

They walked another ten minutes, Gahrye at her side, scrambling to think of a way to help her, to comfort her, but coming up empty. He shifted the bags on his aching shoulders again and considered leaving them here. Once he had her back at the City, they could come back for them, or send someone else to… unless there was still a war being fought at the Tree City..

Or unless Reth had lost to Lerrin and they were about to walk into the wolves.

Gahrye pulled up hard on the trail, grabbing at the lioness's scruff to stop her. She huffed and turned her head to look at him, her eyes bright with pain.

"I'm sorry,

" he said, low and quick.

"But we don't know what we're walking into here. I think… I think I need to find a place to hide you while I go see who is leading the Anima and where—

"

The beast snarled, growling and baring her teeth at him. Gahrye flinched, but didn't give ground.

"I'm sorry, Elia, but we can't deny that there is a danger that Reth has been hurt or—

"

She hissed and raised a paw like she might cuff him—her claws partly unsheathed and glinting in the moonlight. Gahrye ducked and threw himself backwards, tripping to fall on his ass just as a breeze rose in the WildWood, fluttering through the trees and rushing dead leaves along the path ahead of them, then over them and they both froze.

Reth. Aymora. Other Anima…

Home.

Gahrye's mouth dropped open as Elia soundlessly took off down the trail, following the wind, her gait short and choppy, but she ran anyway—faster than Gahrye could on his human legs—disappearing into the dark before he was even back on his feet.

"Elia!

" he screamed.

"Stop! We can't be sure!

"

Throwing the bags to the side, Gahrye took off after her, pounding, pushing his aching and tired body as fast as it would go, praying that this wasn't a trap. Praying that Reth wasn't being used to bait them.

Praying that Elia wasn't going to kill herself by running when she was so obviously ill.

*****

RETH

Half an hour out of the City, Reth pushed the pace, despite his weariness and tired limbs. He'd helped in the burying that morning and his body hadn't done that kind of heavy lifting for a while. He was going to have to get back to training so he could work with his hands for more than an hour without muscles aching.

Aymora kept stride with him, despite the pace, her hair fluttering around her face in the chill breeze that was blowing up.

"The rains will begin soon.

"

"Then the snow,

" Reth replied.

"You need your family here and safe before they come.

"

"Just one more reason to get it done tonight,

" Reth said through his teeth, daring her to challenge him. But she didn't. After a minute Reth shook his head.

"What is a female doing out here alone? Surely she's scented the bears. I pray she isn't rabid.

"

"Be careful,

" Aymora said.

"I know the females aren't as big, but they're the true hunters. We need to be watching carefully… we should have brought the fist.

"

"I didn't need another thing to slow us down. And every time I've met a Silent One it's been alone in one fashion or another. I only brought you because I want to see if you know this scent. I wish I'd had you at the last one.

"

Aymora snorted.

"For more than one reason,

" she grinned, teasing him about his inability to stop shifting because he hadn't taken his mate and completed the bond.

Those days… they seemed so distant. Was it possible that was only a year and a half ago? Less?

"I know we've been advising you to wait, Reth, but I want you to know that I will be very, very relieved to have Elia back to us. All of us. But especially you.

"

Reth sighed.

"Thank you.

"

"Behryn's tense because he's afraid you're going to get reckless when he isn't there to caution you.

"

"Nothing new there.

"

"Actually, there is,

" Aymora said carefully.

Reth shot her a look.

"What are you saying?

" Aymora shrugged awkwardly, and Reth's jaw dropped. Aymora was never awkward.

"What is it?

" he asked.

"What are you saying?

"

Aymora sucked in a deep breath and opened her mouth, but just then they both caught the sound of feet, pattering on the dirt, galloping.

The scent of a female lion sucked down Reth's nose and hit him in the chest.

It was instinct. They'd been sighted and she was on the hunt.

"Get up a tree!

" he snarled at Aymora, poised on the balls of his feet, half-crouched, staring down the trail in the dark, preparing to shift as soon as the female came into view. As soon as Aymora got out of harm's way.

But the stupid female wasn't running, she was digging in her pouch.

"I have a dart,

" she said.

"Just in case. I can take her down.

" She pulled the long, thick straw of a hunter out of her bag and a tiny, feathered arrow that she hurriedly dipped in the top of a bottle she'd produced from the bag.

"We can't risk it, Reth—you said the last one that smelled like this attacked without warning too!

"

"No!

" A distant shout came and they both tensed as the lion hurtled into view, mouth open and her eyes, reflecting the light of the moon, fixed on Reth.

"Who—

"

"Get down, Reth!

" Aymora snarled.

"Give me a clear shot!

" and she put her mouth to the straw, drawing air in through her nose, preparing to blow the dart at the lion when she was close enough.

Reth hesitated. Everything happened at once. The lion, her paws scattering dirt and pebbles, sank onto her haunches mid-stride and launched for them.

Aymora blew hard into the straw and the lion snarled.

Reth powered into his beast to meet those massive, outstretched paws just as a familiar voice edged in panic screamed,

"Don't hurt her! It's Elia! RETH, IT'S ELIA! DON'T HURT HER!

"

******

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