The Brave Human Mate

11.

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Healer Rhea POV's

It wasn't difficult to keep track of the days, not really. The first night had been an awful battle of exhaustion—Due to the rushed adrenaline fueled by her spontaneous attack.
And she wasn't the only one, as she recalled the semi-heart attack that still nipped at her chest when she thought about waking up to six men, all dressed with the same tattered pants and shirt.

But that hasn't stopped the majority of them from coming to curl up together to preserve heat. Yet none of them had taken to using her cloak, claiming that she was much frailer than her.

How old did they think she was?!

The next day was spent figuring out a plan and walking onward. It wasn't that bazaar to hear that they came from similar packs, but this was information that she craved to spread through the kingdom.

Once these secrets were out in the open, that damned Rogue pack will meet its demise.

With the hours passing, the concern of the blackened clouds one of the males had spotted suggested a storm was on the horizon to pass over them. And damnit, Rhea didn't have enough to support herself, let alone the six men—Who were kinder and more understanding than she ever thought to realize.

Whether they were just thankful, that feeling would soon waste away once hunger turned to starvation. And Rhea's knowledge of the land was starting to dwindle the farther north they turned. If anything, the only indication that spoke of going in the right direction, was how cold the weather had been turning.

And it broke her heart after hearing that these men were used to worse conditions than a scarred ex-healer running away from the king.

Honestly, it surprised her that they didn't look any further or interrogated her, but it was soon to come. Especially when she was due to return to their makeshift shelter, a cave they found by the stream.

Some men were headed off to look for wood, while others were attempting to make the damned cave liveable—If possible.

She, on the other hand, was setting up traps and the likes, while also collecting the given berry or mushroom.

It wouldn't be the first meal that had the base of only water, mushroom, and onions she managed to harvest. But it allowed her to get a better look around, and even brace the idea of climbing a tree to see which direction the kingdom had turned to be—Leaving her to wonder if she had made the right decision.

Yet the fresh burns on her hands had spoken of a different story, one that had others relying on her to come back.

With that in mind, she started on the trek back and eyed the familiar talisman that she stuffed into her small pack. She didn't necessarily know the power behind said amulet, but that didn't mean she didn't believe in its abilities to do something in regards to keeping the King's Enforcers from finding said Rogue encampments.

Perhaps she could learn more from the men than she realized, and thus she pushed forward—Catching that a few still looked at her with unease, while the others offered a kind smile.

Surely they had lost their sense of humanity at one time or another.

"Hello...?" She called out, hoping to get a response, as she knew that most were mute—Or just conditioned to remain silent.

Well, Rhea suspected that one had their tongue removed as he wanted to speak, but couldn't.

"Female?" An amused smile had appeared as she started to shake her head at the sight of these men all ready for an attack, but it was Rolf who had taken the lead in speaking in return. Though she didn't blame them, or the spears they'd managed to create in the past hour she had gone scavenging.
Yet she did notice the given few gutting the fish they killed.