Tpotol book 14: Thunder's Nightmare

Chapter 20

The aftermath of the battle left a heavy silence in the dimly lit infirmary room where Chen lay, his body weary and his spirit dampened by the weight of defeat. Thunder, his faithful companion and fellow warrior, stood by his bedside, his eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and determination. Thunder watched as Chen reached his hands out in a form of stretching, softly wincing at the pain that shot through his body. "It's alright, buddy. You did well," Thunder whispered, his voice filled with reassurance. Chen let out a soft sigh, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. "No, I didn't. I felt them pushing the arrowhead back in, but there was nothing me, nor Kris, nor you could do before it got stuck," Chen muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "Don't say that. This'll happen more often than you'd think," Thunder replied, his words firm yet comforting. Chen raised his shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "I'd have to admit, battle training wasn't my best quality this time," he admitted, his tone tinged with self-doubt. Thunder's expression hardened as he stepped closer to Chen. "You know you're better than this?! Prove it next war. I don't want to see you in the ICU again," Thunder demanded, his voice tinged with a hint of urgency. Chen turned away, his gaze fixed on the wall. "Look, alphas have bad days too. So that doesn't mean that I can't have one," Chen deflected, a flicker of stubbornness in his eyes. Thunder fell silent, his thoughts swirling with a mixture of emotions. He knew that what Chen said held a grain of truth. In the heat of battle, even the strongest warriors could falter. And in that moment, Thunder realized that it was not just physical wounds that needed to heal but also the wounds of doubt and fear that lingered in their hearts.