Runt In The Wild

Chapter Twenty Six

I paced back and forth in front of Leo's room in the Healer's Cave. I had gotten him back quickly, but they told me to leave since I wouldn't stop asking questions and pacing.

"Please, just let me come in," I called through the vines that covered the doorway.

I heard a sigh before a "come in" sounded through the door. I rushed in and looked at Leo's still body. "Oh, Leo," I whispered as I laid near him.

"I think you got him back in time, but for now, there is nothing else I can do," the healer said as he began to walk out of the room.

I jumped up and followed him. "What do you mean 'there is nothing else you can do'? You have to save him! He can't die!" I yelled at him.

The healer turned around to look at me with gentle eyes. "Kate, his life isn't in my paws anymore. It is possible that he will die. And I can't stop it, and you can't stop it." The healer gave me a small, sad smile as he continued to walk deeper into the Healer's Cave.

My eyes were brimming with tears and I turned back to Leo's room, dragging my feet with a hung head. I pushed through the vines and laid beside Leo again. "Please, Leo," I whispered as I rested my head on my paws, "don't leave me."

I rubbed my muzzle against the side of his face, but he didn't wake up. His wounds were all patched up with leaves and herbs to heal him, but who knows if he'll really survive.

"Kate," I jumped at the voice in the doorway. I looked over my shoulder to see Captain Mace standing in the doorway. He slowly padded forward as I laid back down. "How is he?"

A single tear rolled down my cheek as I replied, "He might die."

Captain Mace laid down beside me and nudged me. "Hey, it's going to be okay. You got him back here as quick as you could, that's all that matters," he whispered.

I full out started to sob as I spoke. "But he might die! The healer can't do anything about it and I'm left here, hoping that I will get to see his deep blue eyes again!"

I softly cried with my head on my paws staring at Leo's body as Captain Mace tried to soothe me. He can't die. He just can't.

At some point I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew was that I was laying on the floor beside Leo, and Captain Mace was gone.

"You're awake," a voice said at the doorway. I didn't turn my head to see who it was. I already knew.

I didn't say anything as the healer walked up to check Leo's wounds. Suddenly, I felt fear crack through the air like lightning. "What's wrong?" I asked, forgetting that I was mad at the
healer for not saving Leo.

The healer quickly called for more assistant healers and herbs, and I came closer, trying to ask what was wrong. The healer wouldn't answer me. He just kept working on Leo's bandages and putting new herbs and mixtures on the wounds.

Finally, he answered me. "They're infected." He hung his head and looked away from Leo.

"No," I whispered. If the wounds were infected then...

"He can't survive this." The healer kept his head down as the assistant healers behind him did the same.

I crawled on my belly towards Leo. "Leo," I whispered again.

"We'll leave you alone," the healer said before he walked out of the room with the other assistant healers following close behind.

I laid my nose in the fur on his head. "You can't leave me. You can't. I love you, Leo. I can't live without you." Suddenly I jumped up and threw my head back. "It's my fault you're like this! I didn't get you back in time! It's all my fault!"