Chapter 2

Ardeth and his motionless rider managed to make it back from the raided dig site in record time. Ardeth called out to his sister as he pulled his horse to a stop. Malik and Lilith came running out of the medical building and stopped dead in their tracks. There Ardeth sat on top of his horse swaying from the loss of blood holding onto a pale thin foreigner. Lilith was first to speak. "What the. Ardeth. where have you been? I needed you here."

Ardeth looked at his sister and snapped, "I had to clear my head, Malik please take young Jonathan from my arm and carry him inside. He is in desperate need of treatment."

Malik nodded and carefully plucked Jonathan's limp body from Ardeth's grasp. That action caused Ardeth to move just the wrong way. The pain was excruciating. The spots before his eyes began to blend together. He shook his head. The last thing he needed was to pass out on top of Sky Dancer.

"Malik just get him inside out of the sun. In my haste I forgot to staunch the blood flow to the wound on his thigh." Ardeth coughed a few times and felt the world spin off its axis. Seeing Malik still not moving into the building Ardeth said, "What the hell are you waiting for? I did tell you to do something didn't I? I am now leader of this tribe am I not? So get him inside NOW."

Lilith looked at Ardeth; "I do not have time to patch together that person when I have so many of our people left to treat YOU included Ardeth."

Ardeth's mood was getting no better between the pain and dizziness from loss of blood, "LILITH, he will be given the same respect that you give everyone else. DO I make myself clear? Go inside and treat his wounds. Then maybe I will let you treat mine."

She looked up at her pale and shaking brother and said, "Look at you. You are about to fall flat on your face and you can't deny it. Get in there with the rest. He will get treated after I tend to the more serious."

Ardeth cut her off with a loud, "IT'S an ORDER LILITH. Treat him or suffer the consequences." He was in no mood for her attitude all he wanted was to get Jonathan patched up so they could get his sister back. He knew what Loch-Nah would do to Emma if they didn't get there in time and the last thing he wanted was to fight with his sister. It would only hold things up.

Lilith glared at Ardeth and went inside to begin treating the younger man. She grumbled at Malik as she checked Jonathan over. "I lost my parents too, you would think he would be a little softer no?"

Malik said nothing only watched Lilith and helped when needed. The younger man started to move when Lilith touched his leg. She used her dagger to cut the pants off of him and winced when she saw the gaping wound in his leg. Looking up at Malik she shook her head, "This could take a long time to heal." She then carefully began to wipe the area around the wound. Jonathan screamed with pain and began to kick and jerk his leg away from Lilith.

Looking at some of the healthier warriors around her she said, "I need your help hold him down even in his weakened state he is very strong." Malik held his legs and one of the younger warriors held his head while two boys no more than 9 years old each took one of Jonathan's arms. Being held down only made Jonathan thrash about more. Lilith said in a calm a voice as she could muster, "Shhh boy. it will be alright I need to cleanse and close the wound. Try not to move about." All Jonathan knew was he was being held down and he had to get up to get Emma. "EMMA. HELP. I. NEED TO. GET. EMMA. MUM. DAD.. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Lilith worked as quickly as she could to cleanse the wound but it was no use. He continued to fight and pull at the people that restrained him. When Lilith used a spoon like instrument to clean the edges and insides of the wound out Jonathan felt pain like he had never before. The white-hot searing pain caused him to thrash hard but then he went limp. Lilith checked his pulse it was weak but there. Making quick work she finished cleansing the wound and disinfecting it. After she sutured it she wrapped it loosely in a bandage. She called out orders for people to gather the proper herbs to give him so the infection and fever would not take hold. Malik put his hands on Lilith's shoulders and said, "Kalila you need to breathe. You are but one woman. Please." She looked up at him and fresh tears were falling down her face. "I am 25 years old. my mother was head healer and she is gone Malik. I am not prepared for all this at once." He pulled her close and rocked her until her tears slowed.

Inside the small house he built with help from Hasim, Ardeth pulled off his blood stained robes and looked at his wound. He winced as he saw the angry red jagged wound. Sweat poured down his face as he did his best to flex his left hand. He was glad it was not his right arm that was stabbed. He could still function with just one arm. He had broken his arm on more than one occasion. He wasn't worried about that. He was however worried about infection and debris that may have gotten into his wound.

Malik left Lilith to finish up with the young man Ardeth brought in and headed for Ardeth's. He never knocked before entering and today would be no different. No matter what kind of mood Ardeth was in. He made his way to the back bedroom and saw Ardeth sitting in front of the mirror. His head was slumped forward and his body was shaking from the pain and sobs he was trying desperately to hold back.

Malik quietly called out, "Ardeth?"

Straightening up Ardeth said without looking up and turning around. "How is Jonathan? We need to get back out there. Malik it was Loch-Nah he killed Jonathan's parents and took his 15-year-old sister with him back to his tribe for his own personal slave. I need him up and on his feet as quickly as we can get him there. I know she will trust no one but him by the time Loch-Nah gets through with her. Then I promised Jonathan I would give his parents a proper burial. They are in the desert by the new dig site I told you about. Maybe you can send some of our healthier warriors out there to collect them and their personal effects. I will be fine. Do not worry my sister over this. I will have her stitch me up later."

Malik moved to the bed and said, "Let me. I may not have her touch but I can cleanse dress and stitch that wound so you can go. But as your second in command I am only allowing you to go if I go with you and the young man to get her back or better yet we go in kill that DOG and bring her back to her brother."

Ardeth nodded, "Fine. just make it quick I don't have all day." Malik went to the bathroom and pulled out a first aid kit that Lilith made for Ardeth. He opened it and pulled out a flask of the foul smelling antiseptic to cleanse the wound with. Both men winced when Malik opened the bottle. He headed back to the bathroom and grabbed a few towels from the cupboard.

Malik handed one to Ardeth and said, "Bite down on this. And do me a favor don't suffocate yourself." Ardeth bit into the towel and rolled his eyes. As soon as Malik touched the wound with the moist towel, tears ran from his cheeks. Malik rubbed a little harder and Ardeth cried out through the towel. It hurt more than he anticipated and it was all it took for him not to pass out from the pain. In no time Malik crudely stitched up Ardeth's wound and packed it with a salve that Lilith made.

Once it was bandaged Malik pulled the towel from Ardeth's mouth. "Rest an hour. I promise I will wake you. You can't go back out. You will drop dead before you find the girl."

Ardeth hated to agree but he knew Malik was right. Nodding he said in a hoarse voice, "One hour Malik." With that he leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes.