Why The Rivers Run Red

Going Back Where We Belong

It felt like they had been walking for hours. Clem struggled to put one paw in front of the other. She panted heavily as she walked across the wooden bridge. AJ hung on her back barely hanging on. What little sleep they had gotten last night did nothing for their energy. AJ was basically dead weight added to her already tired body. His body was hot against her already thick coat.

James, who was in front, stopped walking and turned to wait for her to catch up. "Is he awake?"

"Yeah. But he's burning up." Came Clem's reply.

"Here, let me carry him. You should rest." James told her.

But Clementine was stubborn and she didn't want AJ to leave her side. "That's okay. I've-I've got him."

James wasn't one to argue so he dropped it. "We're almost there."

Clem panted but pushed through her tiredness. "Just keep moving forward." She told herself.

AJ groaned in pain. "Hang on. We're almost there." Clem said to him.

They were approaching the gates when a voice shouted out. "Wolf!"

It was Willie up in their lookout tower. He released an arrow nearly hitting James. But his eyes widened when he caught sight of AJ on Clem's back. "Violet! Louis! They came back!" And he ran to get the older kids.

Clem panted hard but she turned to James. "Look, you live out there alone, right? You could stay with us."

But James looked to the ground thinking, his eyes landing on the arrow. "Not ready." He replied before walking off.

Clem watched him leave before she quite literally dragged herself towards the gate. A few seconds later she could see Louis walking up. She felt her heart drop that it wasn't Violet. Louis had wanted them gone so she didn't know if she'd get the help that she desperately needed. Louis watched them from inside the gate and had a scowl on his face as he placed his hands on his hips. Clem tried to walk closer but she was so tired. She took a step and staggered before her legs collapsed. Clem fell to the ground with AJ sliding from her back. AJ groaned in pain as he hit the ground. Clem's sides heaved with each breath she took, as she willed air to fill her lungs. She couldn't help it as her eyes closed.

Clem couldn't see, but she heard the gate swing open and a second later Louis appeared by her side. She could hear him talking. "Shit is he...?" She could hear Louis checking over AJ. "Okay. He's not bit." Then she heard AJ cry out. Clem willed herself to open her eyes and she could see Louis standing above her with AJ in his arms. "Come on. Let's get him inside."

Clem lifted her head as she tried to stand but it was a futile attempt. She collapsed to the ground again, her head laying against the dirt. She could see Louis panic. "Shit!" Before she closed her eyes once more. Her lungs burned and she wanted nothing more than to fall asleep as her lungs heaved with each breath. She heard Louis call out. "Violet! Aasim!"

Then she heard footsteps running before Violet's voice. "What the hell happened?!"

"I don't know. She just collapsed. Help me get them inside." Louis's panicked voice reached her ears.

Clem tried to open her eyes once more but her vision was bleary as if she had been crying and she could no longer see. Just the fuzzy outline of a silhouette standing above her. She felt the buzz of her mate bond. "Don't worry. We're gonna get you inside."

It was Violet. Clem tried to get up but she was just too worn out. Her eyes shut for the final time before her world went black. The last thing she felt was the shock of her mate bond as she was lifted up.