Rise Above

Chapter Five

Amira stopped in the middle of the area they'd found themselves in. It was the first one they hadn't been attacked in for what felt like days.

"I need to rest." She studied her siblings who both looked as tired as she felt. "Let's check to see what we have here and then I think we're going to have to get some sleep."

"I'll take first watch." Samuel looked like he was holding his side. "It's nothing, Mira. Just a scratch."
"Let me look at it. You have no idea what they had on their blades.

There might be poison."
For a long time he stared at her, before nodding. "It's not as though you're going to drop it until I let you look, so I might just as well get it over with now, because the last thing I want to deal with is your nagging."

He smiled as he lifted his t-shirt over his head. "I am going to be fine."

"Of course you will." At least he was right about it being just a scratch. Amira cleaned it with water from the stream they'd been following, before gathering what looked like the herbs she needed to make a poultice for it.

When they were packed against the wound she looked up at Samuel. "Tell me if it feels weird. Tell me if it feels weird a week from today. I don't want to lose you, Sam, so I'm going to be keeping a very close eye on that."

"Mira, you're worrying about nothing."
"Here no one's worrying about nothing. We don't know anywhere near enough about the beings we're coming across here and that is a bad thing.

I want you to wake me if you feel uncomfortable. Or Savanna. We were both taught basic medicine by one of the teachers we had, so she's just as capable of dealing with it as I am."

"I promise." He smiled. "What do you want me to do next?"
"Sit down. Don't move for a little while."

Amira didn't have any real reason to worry, but she couldn't help thinking there was something more wrong than they could see. "I can sit with you, if you want." She yawned. "I really don't want you to be up alone."

"Go to sleep. You need it the most."
"How can you say that?"

"You're the one looking after both of us and it shows. Every time we come out of a fight you check us over to make sure we're okay. All the stress of dealing with this is getting to you, so get some rest before you fall apart altogether.

We need you too much for that to happen." Sam reached out and took her hand. "I don't think we would have survived as long as we have if it wasn't for you, so just do as I ask, please."

Smiling, Amira nodded. "Okay. I can do that."