Running to the Hills

Cazu

Sam woke up in a dim room, her muscles aching. An older girl knelt by the fire, keeping the flames alive. Sam sat up, gritting her teeth in pain, and stood. Her knees felt weak and she immediately collapsed. The girl, faster than she looked, was there to catch Sam, and helped her back down onto the bed. 

"You're not well yet." The girl said, her voice deep and smooth, thick with an accent Sam didn't recognize. Sam held out her hand. 

"My name's Sam." She said, her voice rusty from sleep. 

"I know. Orion told me. I'm Sarah." The girl replied, not taking Sam's hand. Instead she curtsied. Sam dipped her head slightly, which gave her a major headache. 

"Where am I?"

"Cazu." Said Sarah, not much of a talker. "It's where Orion grew up." Sam got the feeling there was a tense relationship between Ryan and Sarah. They at least knew each other. She didn't get a chance to ask though, because Hannah came rushing in. The two sisters enveloped each other in a hug and Sam saw tears streaming down Hannah's face. 

"You were so pale, and the arrow, and blood, lots of blood, and I thought you were going to die, and...and..." She stopped speaking to hug Sam tighter. "This Ryan, he was concerned about you, and he's actually sweet,.." Sam tuned out because she saw Sarah's face turn bright red when Hannah talked about how Ryan was concerned for Sam. Sam suddenly shot back into the present with a question. 

"I was shot by an arrow, wasn't I?" Hannah nodded sullenly. Sarah looked up. 

"Considering how fast you remembered, and how minimal the pain is, I'd say Candy's potion worked real well."  She looked up as Ryan rushed into the room. Sarah frowned and turned her back on him, hands on her hips. 

"Thank goodness you're okay!" He said, embracing Sam. He let her go with a blush. "Sorry." Sam shrugged although her cheeks were just as red. 

"Who's Candy?" She asked.

"Sarah was a foreign exchange student when I grew up here. Candy took her in. We all call her Candy, her name is Trudy. She is the village's wise woman and healer, some say she has magic. Sarah is one of them. I am too."

"I believe in magic." Sam said, and Hannah gave a scoff that said that she thought magic should stay in her books. 

After a few hours, failed attempts, and awkward moments collapsed in Ryan's arms, Sam found she could stand again. Sarah gave her the good-to-go, and she never met the mysterious Candy who had healed her, although Ryan promised to bring them all back to Cazu one day, when the danger was far behind. 

They packed bags with food and cloaks, and once they had gathered up Sam's younger siblings again, the journey began. 

Theyhad no idea what was to come...