The sun was low on the horizon when they finally stopped. They were maybe a half day's ride from Tanbarun now, but it was no good to keep going through the night. Zen halted his mount and slid down, surveying the slight break in the trees.

"We'll stop here for the night. Mitsuhide, Kiki, can you set up camp?" He moved towards Obi, arms stretched to help ease her down.

"Careful, Master," Obi said, supporting her as he slid her down towards Zen. The usually jovial guard had been deadly silent the entire trip. The hard set of his eyes was one that Zen had only seen years past after Shirayuki had been kidnapped by the Claw. As soon as her weight left his arms, Obi's eyes scanned the trees, his body angling towards them. The tightness in his muscles demanded a release and he ached to disappear into the trees.

"Go on, I've got her." Zen shifted the girl in his hold, settling her better and turning toward their camp for the night. There was barely a shiver in the branches as Obi dismounted and swung into their embrace.

At first, he went at a breakneck pace, barely feeling his hands gripping the bark as he fled. The familiar pull of his muscles did little to mute the anger and shame that raged in his mind. Again. He failed her again. Her blood under his fingernails burned like a brand and no matter how fast he flew through the trees, he couldn't silence her muffled screams in his mind. What sort of guard was he when he couldn't even keep her safe in their own country?

When he had finally gone far enough that his arms began to ache, he slowed. He was far enough now that even the fire of their camp wasn't visible. Landing softly on the packed earth, he crouched for a moment. Hands fisting in his hair, he closed his eyes, trying to scrub the memory of her, limp in his arms, from his mind.

He shoved the thought as far aside as he could and opened his eyes. There were small trails crisscrossing in front of him, and he bent to investigate them, determined at the very least to bring back something to add to dinner. He was, after all, a killer by nature. The fact that he had taken down three men with barely a thought had proved that, hadn't it?

Careful tracking unearthed a small group of quail. It wasn't much, but he brought down a half dozen of them with little issue. Though he knew he was just delaying, he sat and plucked the birds, torn between wanting to see her and make sure she was still alright and wanting to keep running into solitude. Before Shirayuki and the prince, nothing had held him. Every job was done with a brutal efficiency and then he moved on, concerned more with his next meal, next bed than the people he had worked for. When had that changed? When had his Miss and Master wormed into his heart? Even Kiki, Mitsuhide, and Ryuu held a piece of him.

Grimacing, he rubbed the small slice on his chest over his heart. He knew he should treat it, wash it and put on a poultice. But, a part of him felt he deserved it, didn't mind carrying a physical reminder that he needed to do better, be faster. Gathering up the now feather free birds, he straightened and began his journey back to their camp. His tired muscles finally released the tension that had plagued him since the attack.

When he finally arrived back near the fire, Zen and Mitsuhide were sitting nearby, talking in low voices. A faint light lit the inside of the girls' tent, revealing Kiki's shadow bent over the ground. Obi deposited the birds near the fire with a handful of sticks he had gathered on the way to roast them on.

"How is she?" His eyes lingered on the tent, unable to look away, hoping that he would see more movement inside.

"She's still resting. Zen got her settled and Kiki has been watching over her. She hasn't moved a muscle. That must have been some pretty strong medicine you gave her." Mitsuhide raised a brow at the smaller man, but Obi had no answer for him. He scoured his memory, it had just been three drops, right? Yes, he was sure of it. Then again, his Miss was petite. So often he felt like she'd blow away on the breeze like one of the flower petals in the gardens.

"I'll check her wounds." His back straightened as he walked purposefully toward the tent. Normally Miss Kiki would throw him out on his rear if he tried to enter the girls' tent, but tonight she only looked up at him, candlelight dancing across her face and illuminating the tense set of her face.

"She hasn't woken," Kiki said softly, concern etched on her features.

"She'll be fine, Miss is strong," he said, his voice sounding far more confident than he felt. Kneeling beside her bedroll, he slid the sling back. The splint was still intact and didn't seem to be chafing her hand or arm. There was a blotch of red on the bandage at the entry and exit wound. From his time in the clinic, he knew that changing the bandage too soon could restart the bleeding, especially since he had not been able to stitch it closed. In the morning, then, he thought, slipping the sling back up to cradle her arm. Using the back of his hand, he felt her forehead. No fever, good. That meant that infection was held at bay, at least for now.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to get some food and see to the horses before bed." Kiki stood and lifted the tent flap, ducking to get out. As she went to close it, she peered back at them. Obi had given no indication that he'd heard her, his gaze fully fixed on the sleeping girl. Her uninjured hand was clasped in his and he bowed his head, closing his eyes. She let the flap drift closed and made her way to the campfire.

"Well, boys, it looks like you're sleeping under the stars tonight. I'm taking your tent." Zen and Mitsuhide gaped at her. "He'll be monitoring her condition tonight and I'm not winding up with Zen's foot in my face in the morning." The boys meekly agreed and moved to get their things from the tent that she had masterfully commandeered.

Once they'd eaten and banked the fire, the prince and his knights settled in to bed. A glance over at the other tent showed the candle had burned down and all that could be seen was darkness against the canvas. If they could see inside, they would notice that the guard sat in the same position as before. He could not have been more still if he had been carved from marble.

At the sound of his friends turning in for the night, he opened his eyes. His Miss still rested. By his estimation it had to have been at least ten hours since she'd closed her eyes. How long was this medicine supposed to last? He cursed himself for not asking her that night. He had been so sure that it wasn't something they'd need. He'd learned so much by her side, pretending not to watch or care as she saw patient after patient, working tirelessly at the castle clinic. This was new, experimental. He was a fool for letting her take the medicine, even if he couldn't bear the thought of her riding in pain. He raised her hand up and his fingers ghosted over her wrist, feeling for her pulse. It was still steady as ever. Slow, but beating. His sensitive nose picked up a scent as he moved her hand. There was a hint of menthol mixed with her usual scent. He shook his head lightly, realizing she must have applied it that morning.

"Miss, if you had sore muscles, all you needed to do was let me know. I would have gladly had my hands all over you to help," he whispered, trying for his usual levity, even though his heart knew that he'd get no answer. "Goodnight, Miss." As he settled down to keep vigil through the night, he swore he heard a sigh issue from Shirayuki. His eyes flashed to her face, but there was no change. What he wouldn't give for her to wake and scold him. The sounds of the forest enveloped them as the night drew on.