Mir̃alai was very nervous about Narinder leaving. Of course, she was worried they'd be hurt while they were away. Logically, though, she knew that was hardly a possibility. Her biggest concern was the possibility that they'd never come back. They could easily survive in the Lands of Old Faith without her help, and she feared they would take this opportunity to abandon her cult. She did her best to put these concerns in the back of her mind and just focus on her recovery. The Lamb went to her temple and entered her bedroom. She laid down in the bed and attempted to get some much needed rest.

Given how anxious she was, she managed to fall asleep rather quickly. When she woke, it was to the sound of a knock on her door. She groaned softly, assuming it was Caxton ready to bother her with another concern. The Lamb stood up with a huff and approached her door. When she opened it, she saw a runty fennec fox standing on the other side. Her name was Veda, and she appeared heavily crestfallen. Mir̃alai glanced at the open temple doors, it seemed to be late in the evening, nearly sunset. She turned her attention back to Veda.

"Yes?"

"Leader, I have a confession." She said in a small voice, frowning. Mir̃alai nodded and stepped out of her room, shutting the door.

"Would you like to speak in the confessional?" She offered pointlessly, all anonymity had already been lost.

"No, it's okay." Veda cast her eyes down, seeming to be very troubled. Mir̃alai wondered what this could be about, Veda had never acted out in the past. "I've been keeping a secret."

"Oh? What secret, dear?" Mir̃alai asked.

"I overheard heresy, and I did not report it." The fox frowned.

"Was it Narinder? He is having a hard time adjusting, Veda. Do not worry–"

"No, not Narinder." This sparked some concern. Mir̃alai leaned down to be eye level with her.

"Who, and what did they say?"

"It-..." She looked away, fidgeting nervously. Mir̃alai used a hand to gently lift Veda's head, having the fox look her in the eyes. "It wasn't... wasn't one Follower. There was a group, Leader."

"A group? Who, Veda?"

"I... I am too frightened to say."

"I will not let anything happen to you, I promise to protect you. Please, it is of the utmost importance."

"Okay..." Veda took a breath, "Perpetuos, Caelen, Miralla... I- Ishanti." Understandably, she gave up Ishanti's name with great difficulty. Most followers found Ishanti to be intimidating. Surely Veda, a runt, was terrified of him. "And... and..." She whimpered, tears welling in her eyes.

"Go on." Mir̃alai said gently along with an approving nod.

"Niamh." She began to cry, hiding her face in her hands. Niamh was Veda's best friend, the two were nearly inseparable. They were one and the same, Niamh was small for an otter, and they both were equally soft spoken

"Oh my." Mir̃alai sighed, giving Veda a hug. "You are doing the right thing, dear. What were they saying? Was Ishanti leading them?"

"Y- Yes." Veda sniffled, hiding her face in Mir̃alai's shoulder. "They are upset you allowed Narinder and his servants to join the cult. Ishanti said you were weak, Leader." Veda pulled back a little, getting control of her sobs. "He said you are a traitor, I think he's trying to stage a coup d'état."

"Surely not, Veda. Ishanti is not foolish, he would not strike against me. It would mean his end."

"Please heed me, Leader. They were having a meeting while everyone else was asleep. I pretended to sleep, but I heard everything... They want to take control of the cult themselves, they think they can run it on their own. Ishanti has stolen weapons from the missionary." At this, Mir̃alai released Veda and stood. As foolhardy as this plan sounded, the fact remained that Ishanti posed a serious danger to the other Followers as long as he had weapons.

"What will you do?"

"I will take care of it." Mir̃alai stepped out of her temple and looked out over the cult grounds, Caxton was at the far end, lecturing Attiscesus at the lumber mill. She waved a hand, and a red light appeared before the rabbit's eyes. It began floating back towards the temple and Caxton dropped what he was doing to follow it. When he was within earshot, it disappeared.

"You summoned me, Leader?" Caxton asked with big, eager eyes.

"Yes. I need you to look after Veda for me."

"Of course!" He nodded, glancing to the runt who timidly peered out the temple doorway. "May I ask why?"

"She has divulged a plot against the Crown, heretics among us."

"What?" Caxton asked with a gasp.

"They have weapons, and I don't think it wise that she be alone until I've handled the situation."

"Weapons?!"

"Yes." Mir̃alai confirmed. "You are to take Veda into Narinder's cabin, and wait until I come back for you. Do not let anyone else in, I do not want her to fall victim to retaliation."

"Yes, Leader." Caxton took Veda by the wrist and pulled her along towards Narinder's cabin. Mir̃alai watched them until the door was closed, then made her way towards the stone mine where Ishanti worked. The black bear was at his post inside, ramming his pickaxe against the stone with great force, breaking away large rocks.

"You think I am weak?" She asked in monotone as she stopped before the gaping cave entrance. Ishanti's ears twitched and he turned to look at her. The large bear scowled at her, holding the pick to his side.

"Of course not, Leader..." He spoke in a low, growling tone.

"Do not lie to me." She glared. "You have stolen from the missionary." Ishanti lumbered out of the cave, he towered over Mir̃alai, but she did not flinch. Other Followers noticed this and stopped to look. Attiscesus, who was working in the lumber mill next door, leaned against the massive stump, watching curiously.

"You are the one who lies." He glowered at her. "We were made to believe you would defeat that tyrant. Yet you bring him here with hardly a slap on the wrist." Ishanti growled. "Now you treat him better than all of us, better than little baby Caxton. You allow him servants, you allow his servants weapons. Well. If he is allowed protection, I should be allowed the same."

"They are trustworthy, you are not. You are temperamental, and aggressive. You are to hand over your weapons immediately."

"Ha! Very well." Ishanti grinned.

"Damn... Leader!" Attiscesus yelled, suddenly sprinting towards them. Mir̃alai looked at Atti in confusion just before feeling an intense, sharp pain in her back. She gasped as the dagger was ripped free from her flesh. She turned her head to see Perpetuos, a large alligator, holding a blood soaked dagger in his hand. Ishanti lifted his pickaxe, and just as he was about to swing down onto Mir̃alai, Attiscesus jumped up onto the bear's back, hooking his arms around his neck to stop him.

"Let go!" The bear roared, clawing at Atti's arms. The ox winced and grunted, but tightened his grip further. Mir̃alai had no time to watch the scene, she was too focused on the Alligator who was poised for another strike. He yelled as he swung down upon her again. She was ready for it this time, and caught his arm. Her crown zipped down her right arm and shifted to the form of a sword which she used to ram the gator through the gut. When she ripped the blade out, he fell to the ground gripping his stomach as he quickly bled out. Panting, she raised a hand, and Ishanti was lifted off his feet.

"Release him, Atti!" She ordered and Attiscesus let go, dropping to his feet. His arms were dripping heavily with blood from the deep wounds Ishanti had inflicted. Aurelia nearly ran over, but Atti yelled at her to stay put. The doe screamed in warning as eight more Followers went running towards Mir̃alai, all bearing weapons. The grounds fell into chaos. Throughout the cult, screams rang out as still more Followers drew hidden weapons. This plot had spread its roots much further than Veda had alluded. Mir̃alai looked around in panic as she witnessed the heretics begin attacking her Followers. Within a few seconds, she witnessed four slaughtered before eyes. Worst of all, the temple went up in flames. Three Heretics had set it ablaze. The bear erupted into laughter as he watched his plans unfold. Mir̃alai's panic dissolved into a fury, and she growled, clenching her fist. Ishanti went silent as his neck snapped with a sickening crack and his corpse fell to the ground, issuing a great thud. The Lamb's eyes glowed and she raised up. A burst of power released from her body in the form of a curse. Five blades of red light shot from her, skewering a few of the heretics who had been running towards her. They fell to the ground, killed instantly. Mir̃alai dropped to her feet again, breathing heavily. She hadn't recovered fully from her crusades yet, her powers were far too weak to handle such a mass attack with curses alone. Attiscesus picked up a short sword off the ground that had been dropped by a dead Heretic. He joined the attack, swinging his blade down upon a pig who had gotten too close. Mir̃alai ran forward, swinging her sword to kill a heretic, and killing another with a skilled upswing. Attiscesus yelled as Miralla, a dog, had focused her attack on Aurelia. He rammed his sword through the dog's gut and stood resolutely in front of his lover to protect her.

Despite Mir̃alai's best efforts, friendly Followers were dropping like flies. They were helpless, their only hope was to hide in their cabins. She wanted desperately to protect them, but there was little she could do as wave after wave of heretics kept her thoroughly occupied while others picked off Followers. The Lamb, unable to ignore the dying Followers any longer, ran past her attackers, focusing her attack instead upon those Heretics who assaulted the defenseless. This was a mistake. No longer paying mind to the heretics after her, she did not see Mathis' approach until it was nearly too late.

"You best protect yourself, Lamb!" They shouted as they swung their blade upon Mir̃alai. She jumped up to dodge the attack, and while she avoided the worst of it, he left a nasty gash upon her thigh. She winced, and poised her sword for attack. When she dropped, she brought her blade down in a mighty swing, cutting the Unicorn through his chest and killing him. Mir̃alai stumbled as the wound in her thigh screamed. She was left immobilized just long enough for the red panda, Caelen, to ram a spear through her shoulder.

She yelled in pain, her sword shifted to a spear and she thrusted it through Caelen's gut before they could do more damage. Mir̃alai had to stop to rip the spear out of her shoulder. She tossed it to the side and gripped the wound, panting. In this moment of defenselessness, she could do little to stop a heretic from swinging a club at her. She could only perform a weak dodge, preventing the blunt force weapon from hitting her head. Instead, it slammed her side. She could hear a crack as her rips fractured under the force of it. Mir̃alai released the last of her energy in the form of a final curse, the heretic was thrown back with explosive force, landing limply upon the ground. She was completely vulnerable now. She had no more energy to use curses, and she was too badly injured to stand, let alone defend herself. All she could do was watch as the timber wolf known as Corbett ran towards her, sword in hand. He raised the blade high, a sick grin on his face. The wolf swung down, aiming directly at the Lamb's neck. Just before he could make contact, a scythe seemed to manifest out of nowhere. It sliced expertly through the wolf's body, cutting him cleanly in half. His corpse fell to the ground in pieces revealing Mir̃alai's savior. Narinder stood there, panting hard as he held the Scythe tightly in his hands. Behind him, Mir̃alai could see Aym and Baal going after the heretics. The two expertly and effortlessly slaying them one by one with their staves. Narinder rushed towards her as Mir̃alai tried to stand despite her injuries. He knelt down and forced her to stay down.

"Don't, fool! You'll bleed out if you keep it up!" He growled, pressing a hand against the wound on her shoulder to slow the bleeding.

"But-!"

"Shut up!" He hissed, glaring down at her. "Aym and Baal can handle it!" Atti ran over, sword in hand. Narinder looked up, and seemed like he was ready to attack the ox.

"No!" Mir̃alai yelled, grabbing his arm, "Atti is an ally!" Narinder gave a small nod, remaining down with her.

"Leader!" Atti yelled, looking down at her in horror.

"I'm fine! Check on the others, Atti." She insisted with a wince. The adrenaline that had been blocking most of the pain was wearing away. The ox hesitated a moment before running off to check on the survivors. The cult grounds had become deathly silent as Aym and Baal killed the last of the heretics. Night had fallen then, the only light coming from the still burning temple. The flickering red flames illuminated the bodies that littered the grounds. "You should tend to the wounded..." Mir̃alai insisted, looking up at Narinder.

"I am, fool." He glared. The twins returned to Narinder, both looking down upon the Lamb.

"Is she alright?" Baal asked, eyeing the blood that soaked her once white wool.

"Obviously not." Narinder growled. Aym handed his staff to his brother and knelt down.

"I will take her to the cabin." Narinder nodded and released Mir̃alai, Aym gently put his arms underneath her for support. He stood, easily lifting her off the ground. The Lamb winced, the movement causing her extreme discomfort.

"Ah... thank you, Aym." She managed despite her pain. The three started across the grounds, towards Narinder's cabin. Mir̃alai looked at the lifeless bodies they passed, tears burning at her eyes. She, of course, recognized every one of them. She loved every one of them. This was a catastrophe beyond anything she could have imagined. "How could this have happened?" She muttered, her voice wavering.

"It happens." Narinder said shortly as he stepped around the large corpse of a horse Follower. "We have all seen this. Dissenters gather a following of their own, turn as many of the flock as they can, and attack. It is simply a tragic part of the process, Mir̃alai. You did nothing wrong. All you can do is start again." Mir̃alai did not reply to this, she was too heartbroken.

By time they reached the cabin, the temple fire had gone out on its own. All that remained of the temple was scorched stone, and blackened, ash covered beams. Luckily, the cabin was unaffected by the fire, it had been just far enough away to avoid catching. Baal opened the door, letting the rest of the group precede him inside. Caxton and Veda were cowered together on Narinder's bed. Veda was clinging to the rabbit, trembling violently.

"What- What happened?" Caxton asked with wide eyes. When he saw Mir̃alai cradled in Aym's arms, he gasped. "Leader?!"

"I'm okay, Caxton." Mir̃alai assured him, though it wasn't very effective. Her voice was weak from pain and sorrow, and she couldn't hide the near constant wince. Even speaking was causing her pain. Narinder shooed the two off of his bed so Aym could carefully deposit the Lamb onto it. Narinder untied his robes, looking over at Caxton.

"Caxton, go to the medical tent and bring me the red box." He said, tossing his robes to the side.

"Okay..." The rabbit nodded before running out of the cabin.

"You two, go take care of the bodies. The remaining Followers shouldn't see that."

"Yes, Master." The twins said in unison, leaving the cabin.

"Fox, there is a water pump in the kitchen. Get two buckets of water, and plenty of rags." Veda was still shaking badly, but walked off to the kitchen wordlessly.

"You do not need to do this, Narinder." Mir̃alai muttered.

"Shut up." He huffed as he reached down to unfasten her fleece, gingerly removing it so he could tend to her wounds. Narinder looked over her body, "Two wounds?" He asked, noting the stab in her shoulder, and the gash in her thigh.

"Three, I was stabbed in the back as well."

"Wonderful..." He sighed and glanced over once Veda returned with the first bucket and a pile of rags. Narinder motioned for her to put the rags on the bed. Veda did so before leaving for the kitchen to fetch a second bucket. Narinder took one of the rags, dunking it in water. He used the wet rag to dab at her shoulder wound. Mir̃alai gasped, the pain of the rag touching her was remarkable. "If that is how you react to me cleaning it..." Narinder muttered, continuing to dab the bloody wound despite her grunts of pain. "You really won't like having it stitched." Caxton returned, panting and clutching the large, red, wooden box in his hands. He was shaking just as badly as Veda now, apparently having seen the carnage beyond the cabin. Narinder glanced at him, tossing the bloody rag to the side. He grabbed another, dunked it in water, and dabbed off the wound on her thigh. The pain was not as severe, but caused her to jolt. "Hold still." Narinder warned with a sigh. Veda entered the room again with the second bucket of water. She sat it beside the first. "Inside that box, there is a mortar and pestle, give it to the Fox." Caxton nodded and set the box on the nightstand. He opened it and took out the white marble mortar and pestle. He handed them off to Veda who seemed confused, but she dared not argue. "There is a jar of poppy seeds, grind the seeds in the mortar until they resemble a paste." Caxton found the glass jar in question, he poured the seeds into Veda's bowl and she set it on the table, grinding them as instructed. "I need to put you on your side so I can clean the stab wound in your back." Narinder said to Mir̃alai. She nodded a little and tried to turn over with his assistance. She gasped and yelled out in pain as the weight was put onto her side. Narinder halted what he was doing, having her lay back again. "What...?"

"I-..." She panted, the pain making it hard to speak, "I think I have broken ribs."

"You should have said that, I asked." Narinder huffed in irritation and gently pressed her side, trying to feel the best he could given her poofy wool. She winced and grunted in response to his touch. "Yes, they are." He took his hand away, "There is not much that can be done for broken ribs. You'll be bedridden while they heal."

"Damn it all..." Mir̃alai huffed, holding her sore ribs with a hand.

"Caxton, there is a vial of alcohol in the box, I need it first."

"This?" The rabbit asked, taking out the vial containing clear liquid. Narinder nodded, taking it from him. He uncorked it, and took hold of Mir̃alai's hand with his free one.

"Go get a spoon from the kitchen." He ordered the rabbit, who looked confused but went anyway. Narinder turned his attention back to Mir̃alai. "This is going to hurt." He warned her, "Try not to bite your tongue..." Before the Lamb could question this, Narinder tipped the vile. The clear liquid poured over her shoulder wound. The pain was excruciating, burning as if she had been stabbed once again with a red hot blade. Unable to contain it, she screamed, gripping Narinder's hand tightly in a desperate attempt to relieve the pain. Despite her attempt to hold still, her legs kicked and tears of agony forced from her eyes. Narinder handed the vial back to Caxton who had returned with the spoon. The rabbit looked horrified. "Is that paste ready yet?" He asked with urgency in his tone.

"I- I think so..." Veda said as she showed Narinder the black paste within her mortar.

"Good enough." He sighed and looked at Mir̃alai who was sobbing weakly. He released her hand. "You need to eat that, it will ease your pain."

"Why not wait to clean my wounds then?" Mir̃alai asked, her voice cracking.

"You are still bleeding, Mir̃alai, I need to close these as soon as possible." He motioned for Veda to take the spoon and feed the paste to Mir̃alai. The Lamb made no objections to this. Meanwhile, Narinder looked at Caxton. "There are sharpened fish bone needles in the box, thread them with spider silk." He used a clean, wet rag to dab off Mir̃alai's thigh gash that had been pooling while he focused on her shoulder. The Lamb grunted in response to this, but kept her focus on finishing the medicinal paste

"Here..." Caxton muttered, handing Narinder one of the needles. Narinder sat on the bed, and leaned over Mir̃alai to have a better angle.

"Fox, keep an eye on her thigh wound. Use a clean towel to dab it if it becomes too bloody."

"Okay." She nodded and moved to stand closer to the bed, she dunked a fresh rag in the clean water and kept a watchful eye on Mir̃alai's thigh.

"You must hold still while I do this."

"I... I am trying." Mir̃alai huffed.

"How are you feeling? It should take effect soon."

"Dreadful, there are no words I can use to describe this." Mir̃alai muttered, trying to relax.

"My apologies, but I need to begin whether it has taken effect yet, or not."

"Very well..." The Lamb muttered, exhausted from the pain. Narinder nodded and leaned down, he carefully pushed the needle through her skin at the edge of her already screaming wound. The Lamb winced and gripped the sheets tightly. Her body shuddered, and she had to clench every muscle tightly to prevent herself from thrashing.

"You are doing fine..." Narinder muttered, focusing intently on what he was doing. Pushing the needle through to the other side. Mir̃alai grunted hard, and a sob escaped her. He chuckled under his breath, glancing at her face. For a moment, she feared he was taunting her, but his expression showed subtle signs of sadness. "Come now... you single handedly defeated all the Bishops, my servants, and me. This is what does you in? You are stronger than that, Mir̃alai."

"That was different." She said through clenched teeth as he pushed the needle through again.

"Oh? Well, had I known a single needle was the ultimate weapon against you, I might have picked a different strategy." Mir̃alai managed a weak laugh. He bit the thread and tied off the first stitch. He handed Caxton the used needle in exchange for a threaded needle. "Clean it, and thread it again." When Narinder pushed the fresh needle through, she yelped in pain.

"I never properly thanked you for erecting those graves." Narinder said rather abruptly. Mir̃alai looked up at him, panting softly.

"Ah, I... It was no trouble..."

"It was a thoughtful act. I appreciate it." He pushed the needle through again and a sob escaped the Lamb. The pain was too much to bear. Narinder spoke again, "I have always thought Dark Wood was beautiful... Leshy was a being of chaos. The unordered beauty of his realm was breathtaking. I had wondered if the flowers would still grow with him gone. I am pleased to see that they live on." Mir̃alai looked up at him, panting softly. Listening to him speak calmed her, it gave her something to focus on aside from the pain, and she wondered if that was his point. Narinder tied off the stitch, switched needles, and pushed it through again. She cried out, but he continued, "Anura, on the other hand. The land itself is hostile... It is a testament to my crown that you manage to traverse it and emerge unscathed." He had a slight smile as he said this. He pushed the needle through, and Mir̃alai winced hard. "Heket and I rarely saw eye to eye. She was always a dominating force, and she knew how to anger me with words alone. Even after I cut her throat, her words were more toxic than the mushrooms that grow in her Domain." He tied off the stitch and switched needles with Caxton. He pushed the needle through yet again, "It was Kallamar who taught me everything I know of combat." He pushed the needle to the other side, the Lamb huffed, sweat dripping down her forehead. "Despite his vast armory, he grew to fear me. He often hid away from me in his temple. I will admit though, his temple was a thing of beauty once. I can recall even now how the crystals glistened in the light." He tied off the stitch, this time though, he had gone silently as he began the next. Mir̃alai winced and huffed. She didn't like the silence, it made the pain difficult to ignore.

"What... What about Shamura...?" She pressed, desperate for distraction. Narinder seemed to have a bit of an inner conflict before he continued.

"Ah... well... Shamura was the wisest of us all. Their vast library contained thousands of books hidden underneath veils of spider silk." He threaded the needle through the other side of her wound. "Shamura and I shared a close bond. I spent countless hours with them in that library. They had a talent for reading multiple books at once, absorbing their contents with each of their eyes. It fascinated me, and I enjoyed listening to them go on about the things they learned from those books." He tied off the stitch and switched needles. "One more..." He muttered, pushing the fresh needle into her skin once more. "They taught me much of what I know now." Narinder continued, "They comforted me through my sorrow and frustration. They tried to assist me when I became discontent with my role. They searched through hundreds of books on my behalf, trying to find a solution. Little did they know, they were feeding a monster. It was a fruitless pursuit... Death is absolute. It is ever present, unchanging, irrevocable. Stagnant..." He sighed, "Unlike my siblings who were ever changing, the nature of their Domains was fluid. I became extremely bitter. Every time one of Shamura's solutions failed, it fueled my rage. Until eventually, I snapped." He bit off the last thread and tied the stitch off. "There. Bandages, Caxton?" He looked to the rabbit who seemed to have been listening just as intently as Mir̃alai. He had to shake his head to regain focus, digging through the box to pull out a roll of bandages. Narinder helped the Lamb to sit up so he could wrap her wounds. He did so expertly, wrapping her shoulder tightly. The wrap went over shoulder, once over her chest, and around her bicep.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked, glancing at her thigh.

"I think... better." Mir̃alai muttered as he laid her back down. The pain in her ribs seemed to have mostly dissipated. She also came to the realization that the last few stitches weren't bothering her nearly as much as the first. "Odd though." She commented, noting the foggy sensation in her head. An inexplicable bubble of happiness had appeared inside her as well.

"Good..." He nodded with a sigh and shooed Veda away so he could look more closely at her thigh wound. It was nearly six inches long, and spanned from the front of her thigh, along to her inner thigh. Narinder had her shift her leg over, so he could get to it more easily. He took the clean rag from Veda and dabbed at the wound. "I need the vial again." He motioned to Caxton who quickly grabbed it for him. "Brace yourself." He warned the Lamb, and poured the contents over her wound. It still hurt like Hell, stinging violently. Though, not as badly as her shoulder had. Mir̃alai winced and huffed softly, gripping the sheets. "There, not as bad, yes?" He asked, handing the bottle to Caxton and taking a threaded needle.

"I- I suppose not." She huffed. Narinder nodded and pushed the needle through, he used his free hand to rest on her upper thigh, holding her steady as she threatened to jolt. Mir̃alai grunted and Narinder glanced up at her. "Take deep breaths, Mir̃alai... It will help." He pushed the needle in again, and she forced herself to take a deep breath, exhaling it shakily. The poppy paste had definitely helped, this wasn't nearly as unbearable. He tied off the stitch and began the next. He moved much faster this time, this gash was cleaner than the wound in her shoulder, stitching it was simple. Narinder had swiftly tied off six stitches within ten minutes. By the time he finished, Mir̃alai hardly felt anything anymore. The downside to this, she could not hold a steady thought either.

"Mir̃alai?" Narinder asked, waving a hand before her face. She jumped a bit, she had been so dazed she hadn't heard a word he had said.

"Hm?" She glanced at him, having to squint to see him clearly. He chuckled a bit, wiping his bloody hands off with a clean rag. He had apparently gotten her leg wrapped without her even noticing.

"It is time to stitch the wound on your back, I need to turn you on your side."

"Okay..." Mir̃alai muttered vaguely. She lifted herself up on her good arm, trying to help Narinder turn her over. She did little to assist in this, she felt oddly limp. Narinder began working on her back, which felt very strange. The pain she once felt had been replaced with a fuzzy, prickling feeling not unlike the sensation when a limb falls asleep. Now able to work quickly without worry of overwhelming her, Narinder finished up the stitches within minutes. He wrapped her wound a final time, adding extra bandages over her waist to compress her broken ribs. He stood up, looking at Caxton.

"Caxton, retrieve Aym and Baal for me." The rabbit nodded and ran off to get the twins. The servants returned swiftly, Caxton at their heels.

"We need to change the bed clothes. Aym, lift her carefully. Baal and I will change the sheets. Come." He motioned for Baal to follow him to the spare room to get the fresh bedding. Aym scooped up the Lamb once more, and she had no objections this time. Mir̃alai felt nothing, her mind seemed almost vacant.

"Is she... okay?" Aym asked with a raised brow once Narinder returned.

"Opium." He replied plainly. Caxton and Veda had taken it upon themselves to remove the bloody bed clothes. Making it easier for Narinder and Baal to fit the new ones on.

"Ah, I see... She will survive, yes?"

"I hope so." Narinder shrugged, tossing plenty of pillows onto the bed. "She'll be bedridden while her ribs heal." Once Aym had laid Mir̃alai down, everything went black.

When Mir̃alai woke, it was midday. Her head was pounding, the blood loss and opium having taken a heavy toll on her. She huffed and opened her eyes, looking around the room. Aym and Baal were sitting on the floor in front of the door. They were leaning against each other, fast asleep. Narinder had apparently pulled up a chair, he had his arms folded on the bed, with his head resting on them as he slept. He had changed clothes, his bloody tunic and trousers switched out for fresh ones. She tried to sit up, but winced hard. Unfortunately, all the pain had come back. She ached terribly. Her movement had woken Narinder. He blinked and sat up slowly.

"Damn..." He muttered, popping his back. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore... My apologies, I took your bed. That chair must not have been comfortable to sleep in."

"Indeed, but I had not intended to sleep." He looked back to the twins and rolled his eyes. "Aym, Baal." Aym perked up to look at them, he nudged Baal roughly to rouse him.

"We fell asleep." Baal said stupidly when he caught Narinder watching them.

"Really? I hadn't noticed... you were supposed to keep me awake." He glared.

"My apologies, Master." Aym said as he stood up and looked out the window at the blinding daylight. Mir̃alai glanced back and had a sickening realization.

"Oh, the Followers, they must be so distraught...!" She tried to sit up again, but the intense ache stopped her. Narinder put a hand on her good shoulder, having her lay back again.

"You are too damn stubborn." He glared and got up. "I am sure Caxton and Attiscesus have things under control."

"They need me, Narinder." Mir̃alai pleaded, her eyes welling with tears as she thought of how scared they must be.

"If it will appease you, I will have Caxton come and speak with you. But you are not leaving until your ribs have healed. You should not move more than absolutely necessary."

"Very well..." She muttered.

"Thank you." Narinder sighed, letting her go. "Watch her, make sure she does not do anything stupid." He said to Aym and Baal as he left the cabin. The twins nodded and stepped to her bedside in Narinder's place.

"He does not understand." Mir̃alai huffed, "I love them, I cannot just sit here while they are hurting."

"You are worth much more to your followers alive and well." Aym said passively.

"Yes, but he is treating me like a child."

"He is only worried for your safety." Baal assured her. "He refused to leave your side, we tried to persuade him to take one of our beds while we watched over you, but he would not listen. In honesty, he–" He was cut off when Aym elbowed his side roughly. "Brother!" He glared.

"Silence, you speak too freely, Baal." He sneered. "Master would be displeased."

"Ah, very well..."

"What?" Mir̃alai asked, looking between them. "What were you going to say, Baal?"

"I cannot, Lamb." Baal shook his head.

"That is not fair." She glared. Baal had an apologetic look on his face, and Aym rolled his eyes. Before she could press further, the door opened again. Caxton walked in, the once gray rabbit was absolutely filthy, coated in soot so thoroughly his fur appeared almost black. Attiscesus followed behind him, his arms had been bandaged, and Aurelia tailed the group. The couple was also covered in the black ash. Narinder stayed back, watching from the doorway. Caxton rushed to Mir̃alai's bedside, pushing the twins out of the way hard enough to cause them to stumble. They blinked, surprised by the rabbit's boldness. Aym glared, but Baal patted his back and shook his head silently.

"Oh, Leader, are you okay? I've been so worried!" He frowned and grabbed her hand.

"I am okay, Caxton, I just need to rest for a little while... Why are you so filthy?"

"Oh, we've been cleaning." He explained with a sort of sad smile, "We have all been clearing away the remains of the temple to rebuild. Well, what's left of us anyway..." His ears drooped a bit.

"I see... that is very kind of you." Mir̃alai smiled sadly in return, squeezing his hand. "Is Veda alright?"

"Yes, she is still shaken, but she will be okay." The Lamb nodded and looked up at Atti.

"Was anyone else hurt?"

"Ah, two." Atti answered hesitantly, "Minor injuries. Aurelia has been taking care of them."

"Good, I'm so glad you weren't killed, Atti. Thank you for helping me."

"Do not thank me." The ox smiled.

"I feel terrible, all of you must be so upset. I wish I could be of more help."

"We are just glad to know you survived, Leader." Caxton assured her. "Do not lament... Take the time you need to heal."

"How... How many of you are left?" She asked, fearful of the answer. The room fell into a very uncomfortable silence. Caxton looked away from her, seeming unable to answer. Attiscesus took the burden upon himself.

"Twelve." He sighed, "Twelve, counting the six of us..."

"Wh- what?" Mir̃alai asked, her voice barely audible.

"It seems the dissenters had a mission to take out as many friendly lives as they could, I can say with certainty that many of the lost were not heretics." He continued regretfully.

"But- No, no there were fifty... fifty-four." The realization that forty-eight Followers had all died within the span of a half-hour was too much to bear.

"I'm sorry, Leader..." Aurelia said softly. Mir̃alai took her hand away from Caxton, needing it to bury her face as she sobbed. The room remained silent, filled only with the Lamb's mournful cries. Narinder stepped out of the cabin and onto the porch, unable to watch any longer. Attiscesus walked over to Mir̃alai's bedside, placing a firm, assuring hand on her good shoulder.

"Do not blame yourself..."

"It is my fault!" She sobbed, "I- I should have handled it differently, I shouldn't have challenged him in the open, I was foolish."

"You did what you thought was right, there is nothing to be done, Leader. No one blames you for this, it was Ishanti's fault. Not yours." Mir̃alai just shook her head. Aurelia took her partner by the arm.

"Come, let her mourn in peace." Atti nodded and stepped back. The doe took Caxton's hand. "Come now." The rabbit stood and followed them out of the cabin, ears drooped low. Aym and Baal looked at each other just a moment, and came to a silent agreement. They stepped out of the cabin and onto the porch.

Narinder gave her some time alone before finally returning. He picked up a roll of bandages from the nightstand quietly and sat by her bedside. Mir̃alai tried in vain to contain her sobs. He helped her to sit up and he began to remove the bandages that secured her shoulder and back.

"It... It is not fair." Mir̃alai muttered weakly, looking off.

"I know." He replied softly, tossing the dirty bandages aside. He inspected her stitched wounds for a moment, then began to wrap it once more.

"How did I let it go so far? I should have seen something... Surely there were signs."

"These things happen." Narinder said as he pulled the blankets off of her. He leaned over, unwrapping the wound on her thigh. "What can be said? They expertly hid their dissent until the right moment arose. I hadn't noticed it either... It is lucky Veda spoke up, they could have easily killed everyone had they struck in the night. If it hadn't been for her, their plan would have succeeded." The cat said wisely as he wrapped her thigh. Mir̃alai looked at him incredulously.

"Forty-eight Followers died..."

"Yes, and tragic as that may be, you still survived. I can only assume their main goal was to kill you. They failed."

"Hardly, I had to be rescued." She muttered, looking off.

"Irrelevant. You survived, those beasts failed." He glared as he set the rag aside. Mir̃alai watched him.

"I am... thankful for you and the twins. If you hadn't arrived when you did..."

"Shut up." He hissed. Mir̃alai stared at him, surprised by the sudden vicious attitude. "I do not want your thanks." He sighed, calming down a bit and pulling the blankets over her again. "We should have been back sooner. If I had been there, that fucking bear would have never attacked." Narinder glared, though not at Mir̃alai. She realized his anger was not aimed towards her, instead it was at himself. Her expression softened.

"Narinder... you saved my life. Do not be hard on yourself." Mir̃alai spoke gently.

"You nearly died..."

"But I didn't." She insisted, resting her hand upon his forearm. "Do not be so stubborn, and accept my thanks. You saved my life, and you tended to my wounds. I am thankful."

"I-... Ah, very well. Be more careful, and stop pushing yourself so damn hard. I cannot revive you anymore." He stood up. "You need water." Narinder muttered and left for the kitchen. When he returned, he had a cup of water for the Lamb. He handed it to her and sat down in his chair beside the bed, leaning back in it. "I have Aym and Baal helping the others clear away the ruins."

"Thank you." She smiled faintly, sipping her water. It was hard to hold a happy expression when the burden of grief weighed so heavily on her heart. Narinder seemed to notice her struggle to seem happy.

"Mir̃alai..."

"I do not need to remain in this bed, I could be moved elsewhere, I'd hate to keep you from your own bed." She interrupted him, knowing that she could not maintain her composure if they spoke of the loss any further.

"Nonsense, the Follower beds are not suitable for your recovery. In any case, there are two beds in the spare room. Aym and Baal do not mind sharing, they are close. Often, they fall asleep in the same bed anyway." He shrugged.

"Very well... How long will I be stuck here?"

"I think in a month, or two. It depends on how quickly your ribs heal. It could take some time."

"What?" She frowned, "I cannot be stuck in bed for so long. There is too much to do."

"Relax, Mir̃alai... you have Caxton, my servants, and me. We can manage things in your place. Simply give the word, and it shall be done." He waved a hand dismissively. "The harder you push yourself, the longer it will take to heal." Mir̃alai nodded a little, sipping her water again.

"Alright..."