7

Ianto had his easel and backpack as he headed into the tree line, intent on at least getting some painting in before tackling the house. While everyone was gone he wanted to spring clean. Yes … he thinks he has been there long enough for that.

It was a warm day, the trees whispering to each other as he settled with his thoughts and he was just starting to set out the paints when he heard a distant cry. He paused and listened. That was not a fox. Or a bird. It seemed … close too.

Ianto rose from the little stool and walked to the water, looking at the bubbling ripples as he listened and it came again, short and sharp. A scream. Ianto looked up with horror as a human sized rag doll dropped over the top of the waterfall and came down, hitting the water hard and going under.

FUCK

Ianto dove in, swimming through the water to find her and he felt the traction and pull as he struggled to snag a limb as she was thrashed about like clothing in the washing machine. Her dress finally flicked close enough to seize and he pulled with all his might, bringing her up for air as he dragged her limp body to the bank.

She was pregnant. Very pregnant as the wet clothing showed the bump and Ianto coughed as he pulled her out of the water all the way and started to do CPR. He worked for a while and looked up as he heard someone call out but saw no one so continued to work on her.

After a while she flopped about and coughed up some water so he laid her on her side and reached for his backpack, calling the Sherriff as he did not know what the hell to do next.

Her clothing also said she was a Wilder.

The Sherriff arrived, driving across the field in his huge Prowler to stand and stare down at he drowned rat of a girl and puff his cheeks out.

"No one came for her?"

"No. Think someone was chasing her or something, they stopped up there but … then they left" Ianto pointed "It was weird. Why didn't' they come save her? Take her back?"

"No ring"

"Huh?"

"Her finger. No ring. They do wedding rings for bondings. No ring. She is pregnant out of wedlock. Probably cast out and driven to the water. They would have expected her to make her way into town like most of them do. Drop the baby and go home in disgrace, leaving the baby in a trash can or something. Some live. Some are dead by the time we find them."

"OH MY GOD!" Ianto was horrified, rearing back at the mere thought of such a thing "Are you sure?"

"Nope. Seems the logical thing. Come on, let's get her to the clinic. She looks ready to pop" he huffed moving to pick her up and Ianto ran for the door of the Prowler, helping get her in and then they went to the medial clinic where it was confirmed that the baby seemed full term, she was actually in mild pre-labour and also have several broken bones from the fall. Or … not.

"All those bruises on her .. some are recent. Some not. They have this thing called a box. Like a cage made of willow and birch. It's a punishment place where you are fed once a day and left to atone for whatever you did to piss off the elders. After it is done, you either get to return or fuck off. Kids poke you with sticks or throw stones and the adults don't tell them off. In the box you are fair game." The Sherriff sighed "With her being preggers they let her go."

"Jesus" Ianto sighed as he went to get out of his chair "So … they might be expecting her back after she drops the baby? Like … literally drops it in the garbage? Jesus."

"Well … she's not going anywhere now. They don't know if she will even wake up. Looks like maybe not. Clocked her head pretty good on the rocks … they are doing a scan soon to see the damage in there." The Sherriff said as Ianto sat back down with a thump.

It ws an hour later news came back that she was not going to make it. Ianto had got her out, got her breathing but she had suffered too much damage.

They had to focus on the child now, get that out in one piece. Salvage something.

The Sherriff dropped Ianto home and he watched the Prowler growl off then turned to look at the mountain with a frown.

Then he walked back to collect his things hopefully still there untouched, but found his pocket knife he used to sharpen his pencils gone. He started to track the grass wondering if it had fallen from his pocket, but he didn't remember putting it in there … maybe it's still at home on the big easel and he forgot to add it to the kit in the first place…. A foot print.

Ianto knew it wasn't his because it was a bare foot. He had his shoes on the entire time, man did they hold water. No. Someone in bare feet had walked around his little camp, someone had been here. Looking for her?

Ianto looked up at the waterfall and knew deep down they had come looking for her after all and with a soft sigh he started to walk up the side of the falls, up the little steep set of steps made from the stones.

At the top he paused, looking again at the footprints in the soft clay at the edge of the stream.

He was watching the water when he saw a flicker of movement and wondered if it was a fish, peering intently as he leaned over then the thought that it was a reflection caught his fancy moments before the strike to the back of his head that had him going face first into the stream.

Lights out.