A/N~ Kyrette, my dear!

Kyrette~ *poking his head inside* :Get the problem fixed? Good! Now.. We left 'Flame just after she was attacked by Change-wolves. Nasty bastards. So, Cat and I own nothing, Lovely Lackey owns it all.:

Cat~ Thanks, sweetheart! *Kyrette disappears back outside* Don't worry my computer problem was nothing a defrag couldn't fix. So on with the story!

Chapter 26- Aftermath

Dusk was painting the western sky several glorious hues of red and blue, when 'Flame finally woke. Her entire body was stiff, and every pain she hadn't noticed before, now came to the fore. She stood, wincing a little, feeling the stitches in her leg stretch. She looked around. The bodyguard was not up yet. He lay, still snoring, on his blankets. The mage was hunched over his maps, muttering again.

It looked like most things were up to her. She was not able to hunt but mayhap she could snare something to eat. First though, she checked her bandages and added more salve to her stitches. After a quick bandage change, she was ready to start doing the things that needed doing. :Are you alright?: Darkfire's worried voice asked her.

'Flame patted his shoulder and checked him over quickly. Satisfied he was alright, she checked the others quickly, bending painfully to check legs and hoofs. They were all fine, probably due to Darkfire's quick thinking.

She rose very slowly to her feet, favoring her leg. She was on her feet and moving. As long as she kept moving, her muscles would not get so stiff. Looking around, she found a small game path and followed it, ready to set a few snares, a bit apart from camp. She looked back and sighed to see herself finally alone. Now she could rest a bit.

Leaning back against a tree, she took weight off of her bad leg and let out a sigh. The pain was horrible and she could block it only so far. Her leg was throbbing in time with her heartbeat, making it very hard for her to concentrate on anything besides the pain.

She stood there for a moment, hoping to catch her breath and regain her center. A shadow caused her to reach for her knife again. She relaxed when she saw it was only the kyree that had contacted her earlier. :Sorry to startle you.: The gray neuter said. :Are you alright?:

'Flame just let out her breath seeing no threat in the kyree now. :No, Change-wolves attacked last night. I'm sore, exhausted, and pissed off. And those are my good points!:

The kyree just snorted, in what she would have sworn was a laugh. :I smelled the bodies. For only two, you were lucky no one was killed. As for an injury, I have a small Healing ability….:

'Flame snapped upright, forgetting her injured leg. :NO!: She Shouted. :The mage could detect that. Then where would we be?: She bent to look the kyree in the eyes. :I thank you for your concern. But we cannot take the risk.:

He looked at her, the intelligence shining out of his eyes, so unlike the wolves from the previous night. His gold ones bored into her ice blue ones. :Still there must be something I can do.: He was certainly insistent.

"Flame thought for a moment. There was one thing he could do. She explained what she wanted him to do. Rrussin was quite happy to help her. :Wait. Why are you here?: She asked curious. 'Flame had assumed that he would be with the scout and Ayren.

:Ayren Felt your peril last night. I came to see if I could help.: Without another sound, he ghosted back into the forest. 'Flame lost sight of him quickly and limped back to camp.

There, the bodyguard was awake and moving as slowly as she. If he hurt as badly as she did, she understood. She limped to their provisions and pulled out the trail rations.

"I am not eating those." The mage stated imperially, seeing what she had in her hand. He stood and dusted off his robes (clean, she noticed). "I want some real food."

Smoke didn't say anything, biting her tongue to bite back her retort. It was the bodyguard that answered. "Sir, we are too injured to hunt. Neither Smoke nor I are able hunt. We need time to heal." He said it calmly, without inflection.

The mage crossed his arms and tried to look imperious and imposing. It looked sullen and sulking to Smoke. "I insist you find something else for me to eat."

Smoke and the bodyguard exchanged looks of commiseration. It was her that stood, painfully, to hunt up something for the mage to eat. He gave her a look of gratitude and continued to redress his wounds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mage was satisfied, Smoke had redressed her leg and the bodyguard had taken care of his own wounds. Night had fallen. Smoke sat at the fire, reflecthing her arrows from the pheasant she had caught. The mage was contentedly finishing off the pheasant.

Smoke's cold eyes watched him munch on the succulent bird. They reflected the firelight, somehow absorbing the light and glowing with the reflection at the same time. They made the mage nervous. Her eyes saw too much and said nothing.

She, unfortunately, was necessary. When he got the Hawkbrother, however, she would become obsolete. He had never truly tried blood magic, perhaps in this one instance, though, he would make an exception.

~~~~~~~~~~

Wanderstone sat and waited for 'Flame. He'd heard what had happened to her the night before. From Rrussin, he had heard she was fine, if slightly injured. Ayren had fretted himself into a mess during the fight. Only 'Flame's orders to stay with Wanderstone, no matter what, had held the eagle there.

He sighed and shifted again, glad to have a full belly and time to relax. His mind kept turning over plans and possible plans that she might have for stopping the mage. Quite frankly, he was stumped. As was Rrussin.

The kyree was lying down beneath his chosen tree, having caught his dinner, after getting 'Flame the pheasant she needed to keep the mage happy.

Ayren and Jaarthe were both asleep above him in the tree. He didn't worry about anything attacking them in the night. Especially, in a tree.

Around them, night sounds began to emerge. Birds had sung the sun to its rest. Now the night creatures, both small and large, began to rustle through the undergrowth. None disturbed the kyree, so Wanderstone was content to leave them all be. He took another shaving off the stick he was whittling down.

He worried that 'Flame would not make it to their rendezvous spot. Change-wolves had already attacked her once, probably drawn by the mage to them. Rrussin said she was only slightly injured. Here in the Pelagirs even a small injury could spell death.

Was her injury severe enough to hamper her movements? Limited mobility was a death sentence here. Could she fight with it? Then she might have a chance.

:You think too loudly, scout.: The dry MindVoice had him looking down to where the kyree was looking up at him, one golden eye open. :Why all this sudden concern?:

:Not sudden concern. Concern for a scouting partner, nothing more. I would feel this way about anyone in such a dangerous position.: Even to his own mind the words sounded slightly defensive. :The Pelagirs are a dangerous place after all.:

:Hmph!: The kyree's snort said he bought that not at all. :I knew of the physical dangers. Who knew of the dangers to the heart?: With that cryptic remark, he went back to sleep, blocking Wanderstone out.

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A/N~ BEWARE Fluffy bunny feelings!!! ACK!

Reviewer thankees~

Shahanna~ Meep indeed. Thankfully she relies on so much more than mere magic.

badgerwolf~ Wyrsa eh??? Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Wiazard116~ Ummm that's the point isn't it??

Hawk~ How I manage it? I give all credit (and blame) to my muses. Applaud and all hail the lovely muses!!