Flight from Within

Chapter 22 - Reunited

Daniel

Theus and I arrived at the life tree. I spotted my sister tending to wounded soldiers. When she finished, She saw me.

"Sarah." I breathed, embracing her tightly. "I missed you. The hut is so silent without you running all over the place." He laughed.

"I missed you, too, 'niel-y." She said, using her old nickname for me. "What are you doing here? I so hate that you've had to come where a medic resides." She looked worriedly at me.

"No, I've come here on behalf of a friend of mine. She was captured and beaten badly. We rescued her, and she's here now, but she needs serious medical attention." Sarah nodded with purpose.

"Where is she?" I pointed over to where Tanix was holding her, looking desperate. She rushed over with me and immediately began to treat her.

Sky looked so much worse than she had before. Her bruises were darker than they were before, and they looked a lot bigger. Her gashes had scabbed over and they did not look at all well. The ripped clothing looked dark and dirty from being soaked in her blood, and the rips were reveals only more gashes and bruises. I take a deep breath. I can't focus on the bad right now. I have to be strong for her.

At long last, Sarah was finished. Once she'd left, I held Sky's hand in my own. I covered her with a blanket. I didn't want anyone to see here in the vulnerable state she was.

Yeah, we've got to get her some fresh cloths.

Tanix came over, placing his hand on her head.

"Thank you, Daniel. Truly. You've done so much for us." He said sincerely.

"And you, me." I responded with a smile. And Sky began to stir.

"Tanix? Daniel? Theus? Am I dead?" She muttered, trying to sit up. A laugh came from behind us.

"No, dear, simply in a state of great pain. Let's get you some numbing medicine." Tanix walked away with Sarah to aid everyone else, and I leaned down and kissed Sky's forehead.

"Sky... They took you. You could've died. Oh, Sky..." I pressed my lips to her stomach, wishing her to sit up and tell me she was okay.

"Daniel... Something is wrong with my wing... I think when that bomb went off, it broke. sad possible concussion?" She said groggily.

"Right, okay." I walked over the Sarah's supply. I needed a wing splint, a fast bone-healing herb, and a stabilizer. I made a splint out of small sticks and soft leaves. With my splint and bowl of herbs and medicines, I went back over to Sky to help her.

When I finished, Sarah came back over to give Sky some water. We helped her lean up against the wall and slowly tipped the drink into her mouth.

"Daniel... What are those boys names over there?" Sarah said to me, gesturing to a pair of hoodlooms playfully wrestling in the corner.

"Thats Tanix and Theus."

"Tanix! Theus! If I see you behaving like that again , I will beat your arses! You best hope you can outrun me!" She said, sounding a whole lot like mom. I snickered as Tanix and Theus got real red and quickly hurried back over.

"How's she doing, Daniel?" Tanix asked worriedly.

"Okay. She in a lot of pain, but she's going to be okay." Tanix winced when I answered him truthfully. He hated when Sky suffered.

"Sarah? Do you have any fresh cloths here?" I asked, hinting at her.

"Um..." She squirmed a bit. "Only your old things." I chuckled. 

"That'll do." She returned with a shirt that would be much too big for Sky, but it would keep her warm through our cold nights. I slipped it over her gently, fixing it and making sure not to hurt her. At this, she began to become a bit more awake.

"Daniel?" She mumbled.

"These cloths smell a whole lot like you." I smiled shyly.

"Yeah... sorry about that." I said.

"No, I like it. It makes me feel... Safe." She peeked through one half-closed eye and gave me a small smile. I returned it, and took her hands in my own.

Needing my own reassurance that she was okay, I sat next to her and wrapped my arm around her. She leaned into me, and we were soon both asleep.

---

"Daniel..."

"Daniel..." I woke slowly and registered what was going on. I heard Sky groaning my name. She was crying.

"Sky. Sky, what is it?"

"It hurts... Oh, god, it hurts so much..." my eyes got wide.

"Sky. Listen to me. You've got to tell me what hurts." I kept the panic in my throat and forbid it to show in my voice.

"The cuts. It's the cuts." She cried again.

I knew it. Her cuts are infected.

"Okay. Angel, I need you to lay down, for me. Everything is going to be okay." No, everything was not going to be okay. "Sarah! Sarah, hurry!" I was lucky my sister was such a light sleeper.

"I need a numbing medicine and disinfecting materials. Quick!" She scurried off, understanding what was going on.

If we didn't hurry, Sky wasn't going to make it through the night.