Fire and Liberty

Chapter Seven

You kept the fire fed during the night, constantly scouring the area for more sticks and dry wood. With the snow on the ground it was nearly impossible but thankfully the cedar trees in the area provided ample amounts of dead branches. You also commended the tree for providing you with a pocket's worth of feathery, dry bark to burn.

You didn't sleep at all. Thankfully Ratonhnhaké:ton drank the vial which helped him sleep if not caused him to whimper from the occasional nightmare. A few whimpers was nothing compared to nearly losing him, the groaning and hissing he had been suffering through.

The sun skirted the horizon, the faintest of light peeking through the dense wood. You snuffed out the fire and checked on his wound, peeling back the cloth to find the sap you collected during the night having dried there. It wasn't bleeding which would keep him alive but... you couldn't be certain his fever was fading. Your hands were so frozen you didn't bother checking his temperature.

You patted the sweat from his forehead and brow, raking your fingers through the thick dark tresses of his hair. "Please hold on... we're almost there."

You began to fix his clothes, readying yourself to haul his groggy weight across the frontier to reach whatever "homestead" he mentioned yesterday. But your ears twitched at hearing the soft hushes of snow groan beneath the weight of heavy footsteps. "Connor," you heard her mutter just as you were turning around. "What happened to you?"

You quickly took in her appearance, deciding quickly whether or not you could trust her. "Poachers," you blurted, sliding your gaze back over to his quivering brows and clenched eyes.

She sighed heavily and marched forward, the steps of a woman who had learned to take care of herself long ago. She wasn't an Assassin, that much you could determine, but she was a hunter of some sort. "We should get him to Doctor White. He'll know what to do."

You hooked his arm around your neck, giving her time to do the same. She cared for Ratonhnhaké:ton. She knew him somehow. Did they hunt together, you wondered. Perhaps they were close, closer than friends... because she muttered under her breath, "Oh, Connor, what'd you get yourself into this time."

She was strong, helping you carry his weight through snow and over fallen logs. Every now and then Ratonhnhaké:ton would gain enough consciousness to contribute, staggering forward with determination. But even with her added help and his, it was a draining and exhausting trek. Especially after not getting any sleep the night before.

Thankfully the homestead doctor wasn't far. She led the way to the door and pounded the heel of her hand against it. The door swung open, his eyes widening when he took in the sight of the large half-awake native before him. "Marian? What happened to Connor?"

"Poachers," she hissed, struggling to keep hold of his broad shoulders. "I bet they were hunting his land again."

Doctor White barely glanced at you before motioning all of you to follow him inside. "Set him down on the bed. I'll grab my things."

It took a lot patience and stumbling but Ratonhnhaké:ton fell backwards onto the bed, his weight causing the frame to whine. You caught your breath, finally turning your attention to Marian as she was running a hand down the side of his face.

You stayed with unintentional bitterness, "How do you know R--Connor?"

"Saved my life," she said matter-of-factly. She stepped away from the bed but her eyes lingered on him. "He keeps the homestead running. If it weren't for him none of us would have a place to call home."

You gave a nod, noting the admiration she held for him. "He seems to do that a lot..." You pressed fingers against your eyes, thinking back on the night when Ratonhnhaké:ton found you in the woods, bleeding out and dying. You knew he hadn't taken care of you because you were somehow special but hearing Marian's story... It only clarified matters. But whether Ratonhnhaké:ton saw you as anything more than just a person in need or a Templar, you had to make sure he was going to live.