had
put them in that place of danger. The healer gingerly lowered two
finely pointed sticks into the wound and managed to grip the metal
object. As he began to lift it out, Ashan spluttered and tried to
wriggle from the searing burn in his chest.
Faron spoke calming
words as he restrained him, watching the healer the whole time,
willing the object to come out.
“ I’ve got it.” The healer lifted a
small, blood covered shard into the air.
“ Now, we need to stitch him up and
cover the area with dressings. He won’t be going out hunting for a
while though, I’m afraid.”
“ Will he
heal completely?” Faron felt guilty at the healer’s statement,
knowing that he hadn’t been out hunting at all.
“ I’ll keep an eye on him, but it’s
a good sign that he’s awake now, so remain positive.”
Camil
and Charin visibly relaxed at the news, but Faron stayed tense and
anxious.
“ Come
on, Faron. You need to get yourself mended. You’re of no use to
Ashan–or any of us injured.” Camil insisted.
Faron thanked the
healer and left the two men in the hut to keep watch over the
third. He glanced at Jillian as she sprang to him when he left, but
then kept his gaze forward while he marched towards Sennan’s
dwelling. He couldn’t look at her. He was furious at himself for
putting his men in danger, and furious with himself for putting her
in danger, too. What if they came looking for her now? It was his
role in life to protect, and he had let everyone down. He couldn’t
face Jillian until he’d made peace with himself.
She was desperate for him to at least look at
her. They had been so united last night, as one, and now she felt
more of an outsider than ever.
Sennan
opened the door to Faron and invited him in.
“ Mother. Can you tend to my
wounds? I want the healer to concentrate on Ashan?”
She
nodded and gave Jillian a quick glance as the two of them went
inside.
Jillian ’s brain was
reeling. Sennan was his Mother? She felt shunned by her new mate,
and shunned by his family, now. Not wanting to be alone, she went
into the large dining hall to see if she could find out what had
happened out there–and also to see if she could get some comfort
from someone. She was on the verge of tears at this horrible chain
of events, and needed to be around others.
It
turned out that the communal building was not the best place to go.
As she entered, she saw a group of females, huddled around the distraught Fenn. They looked up
to see her, and all instantly turned away. She thought she’d even
seen one of them scowl.
Jillian sat at one of
the more sparsely occupied tables, unsure as to where to go. She
wanted to make sure that Fenn was alright, wanted to offer
sympathy, but from the atmosphere of the crowd around her–she’d not
be welcome.
“ They’re
saying it’s all your fault, y’know.” Shana slid up to her, making
her jump. Infuriatingly, she couldn’t ask questions. She lifted her
shoulders and spread her palms in a shrug, hoping that Shana would
read her ‘what’s going on?’ signal.
Shana pointed to the
gathered females then to Jillian.
“ They
think it’s your fault. The men were hurt by weapons from your men.
This has never happened before–not since you arrived. Now, there is
a big problem.” She spoke as she jabbed the air. Jillian had a
thousand questions. Did Shana see that she had nothing to do with
it? Was she talking to her because she knew it wasn’t her fault?
Ok, they were her people–humans, but she didn’t order them to
attack. And why had they been near each other, anyway? Was this
usual on a hunting trip?
Jillian sighed and
bowed her head. It was useless. How could she defend herself when
she couldn’t speak? Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted
someone wafting up to the table where Fenn was crying. It was the
female who had brought her food, the one she had thought Sennan
warned her against. Her face was the picture of compassion as she
whispered softly to
put them in that place of danger. The healer gingerly lowered two
finely pointed sticks into the wound and managed to grip the metal
object. As he began to lift it out, Ashan spluttered and tried to
wriggle from the searing burn in his chest.
Faron spoke calming
words as he restrained him, watching the healer the whole time,
willing the object to come out.
“ I’ve got it.” The healer lifted a
small, blood covered shard into the air.
“ Now, we need to stitch him up and
cover the area with dressings. He won’t be going out hunting for a
while though, I’m afraid.”
“ Will he
heal completely?” Faron felt guilty at the healer’s statement,
knowing that he hadn’t been out hunting at all.
“ I’ll keep an eye on him, but it’s
a good sign that he’s awake now, so remain positive.”
Camil
and Charin visibly relaxed at the news, but Faron stayed tense and
anxious.
“ Come
on, Faron. You need to get yourself mended. You’re of no use to
Ashan–or any of us injured.” Camil insisted.
Faron thanked the
healer and left the two men in the hut to keep watch over the
third. He glanced at Jillian as she sprang to him when he left, but
then kept his gaze forward while he marched towards Sennan’s
dwelling. He couldn’t look at her. He was furious at himself for
putting his men in danger, and furious with himself for putting her
in danger, too. What if they came looking for her now? It was his
role in life to protect, and he had let everyone down. He couldn’t
face Jillian until he’d made peace with himself.
She was desperate for him to at least look at
her. They had been so united last night, as one, and now she felt
more of an outsider than ever.
Sennan
opened the door to Faron and invited him in.
“ Mother. Can you tend to my
wounds? I want the healer to concentrate on Ashan?”
She
nodded and gave Jillian a quick glance as the two of them went
inside.
Jillian ’s brain was
reeling. Sennan was his Mother? She felt shunned by her new mate,
and shunned by his family, now. Not wanting to be alone, she went
into the large dining hall to see if she could find out what had
happened out there–and also to see if she could get some comfort
from someone. She was on the verge of tears at this horrible chain
of events, and needed to be around others.
It
turned out that the communal building was not the best place to go.
As she entered, she saw a group of females, huddled around the distraught Fenn. They looked up
to see her, and all instantly turned away. She thought she’d even
seen one of them scowl.
Jillian sat at one of
the more sparsely occupied tables, unsure as to where to go. She
wanted to make sure that Fenn was alright, wanted to offer
sympathy, but from the atmosphere of the crowd around her–she’d not
be welcome.
“ They’re
saying it’s all your fault, y’know.” Shana slid up to her, making
her jump. Infuriatingly, she couldn’t ask questions. She lifted her
shoulders and spread her palms in a shrug, hoping that Shana would
read her ‘what’s going on?’ signal.
Shana pointed to the
gathered females then to Jillian.
“ They
think it’s your fault. The men were hurt by weapons from your men.
This has never happened before–not since you arrived. Now, there is
a big problem.” She spoke as she jabbed the air. Jillian had a
thousand questions. Did Shana see that she had nothing to do with
it? Was she talking to her because she knew it wasn’t her fault?
Ok, they were her people–humans, but she didn’t order them to
attack. And why had they been near each other, anyway? Was this
usual on a hunting trip?
Jillian sighed and
bowed her head. It was useless. How could she defend herself when
she couldn’t speak? Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted
someone wafting up to the table where Fenn was crying. It was the
female who had brought her food, the one she had thought Sennan
warned her against. Her face was the picture of compassion as she
whispered softly to
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