~ SASHA ~

Sasha realized over two-hundred pounds of muscular male was tumbling for the forest floor just a split second before he whispered her name and his shoulder landed on hers.

Sasha cried out, bracing, trying to catch him, but only succeeding in slowing his progress to the dirt.

He grunted when he landed on his sore side, his breath stopping completely and eyes going wide.

Zev immediately rolled onto all fours, and started to push himself up, but Sasha caught his shoulder. "NO! No, Zev, if you fall again… You need to stay down. I might not catch you. You might get hurt more. Please… please…"

He groaned, but didn't answer her, except to drop his shoulder and roll onto his good side, eyes screwed tightly closed and lips tight and white.

His breathing was tight and shallow, and that worried her even more than the heat rippling off his skin. While he lay there, she tore his fur jacket open, exposing his body to the cold air.

He hissed and began to shiver. "Too cold!"

"We have to bring your temperature down, Zev," she growled, praying she was right. "If we don't the rest won't matter."

He winced and sighed as she laid his fur jacket behind his back, folding the hood and sleeves into something like a pillow, then urging him to shift back.

He grunted, moving like that, but soon he laid alongside the trail on his good side, his eyes closed, skin dry and hot as the desert, and his breathing rapid.

She didn't even think, just dug into his bag for a shirt and scrambled back up the trail to a snowbank under a patch where the trees had dumped snow, then kept it in shadows. Packing as much as she could into the center of the shirt, she tied it around the pile and ran it back to Zev to lay it on the back of his neck and head.

"I'm going to the village. It's about half an hour, right? Up this trail?"

"Sasha, just give me a minute to rest, and I'll go—"

"No, Zev. You need help and I'll be faster this way. Just… are there any turns off this trail, or spots where I need to navigate?"

Zev's brow furrowed, but he shook his head. "There's a few places it will open into clearings. Just keep going straight—and if you get turned around, look for the hooked peak of the mountain. Head straight for that and you'll run into the village."

Sasha took a deep breath, laid the waterskin down in front of him, along with another piece of jerky and some fruit, though she knew he wouldn't eat it.

"Okay, okay. I can do this," she said, her voice shaking. "Please, Zev. Just rest. Please don't… don't do anything stupid. I'll send them back—they can come a lot faster than me. And I'll get Yhet to get the bags, okay?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry, Sash."

"Don't apologize!" She dropped to the dirt in front of him, stroking his face, though he squinted when he opened his eyes to find her, gripping her arm. "An hour, Zev. That's all. Just hold on for an hour, okay?"

He nodded.

I love you, he said into her head.

I love you, too. Please… just rest. Be safe.

He nodded again, then she kissed his hot cheek and darted to her feet and began to run.

"Yhet!" she screamed into the forest, just in case their dear friend was somewhere near.

Don't, Sash, Zev said in her head. It's too risky someone else might hear.

I don't care she sent back, panting with relief when he growled.

She hadn't thought about being able to talk to him when she was distant. She wouldn't stop, she told herself, until she reached the village.

You don't move! She said firmly in his head. I'm going to find help as quickly as I can.

She yelled for Yhet again and resolved that she would every few minutes until she found him, or someone else who could help.

Can you reach anyone else this way? She asked him suddenly.

I'll try, he said. It depends how close they are.

So we'll lose this connection?

Honestly, I don't know, he said, and his voice sounded weaker. But she couldn't tell if it was because she was running away, or because he was fading in his mind. Her heart thumped uncomfortably.

Well, you listen to me, Zev. I love you. And you're not dying. You're sick. I'm going to get help and you're going to be fine. So you don't do anything stupid, okay? And if I disappear from your mind its just because I got a long way away.

I love you, too, he said wearily. Just… when you find them, you have to be confident, okay? Give orders, not suggestions…. They'll expect that. It won't throw them. This isn't time for manners. You can't be asking and polite… You have to tell them what you need and expect them to get it for you.

Okay. Yes. Okay.

And… if anyone questions you, just hold their gaze, no matter what. Don't back down. Ever. Find Kyelle… she'll help…

She continued reassuring him as much as she could while she ran, her breath tearing in and out of her throat, muscles burning, throat aching because she'd left all the water with Zev. But soon he was nodding off to sleep, telling her he'd be fine.

Then he didn't talk anymore.

Sasha sobbed and pushed harder, breaking through branches of the trees that had overgrown the path and screaming Yhet's name.

Where was he?

Where were all of them? Why weren't any of them on the trail?

Please, she prayed, tears in her eyes that she blinked away. She couldn't afford to have her vision blurred. If she tripped and hurt herself, Zev would be in real danger. Please keep him safe, she prayed. Show him that you do care about him. He thinks you don't. Please!

She choked out another sob, her throat on fire. But she forced herself to keep running.

Please.