Touchstone (Under Edits)

Search... And Rescue?

Finally! He's awake! Phew...

Son struggled to open his eyes and felt like something was caked on his lashes. His body was hurting badly and he easily gave up the struggle and just lay there. At some point he fell asleep again.

Don't worry. I'm watching over you...

Some time passes and Son wakes again. This time he feels so damn cold until suddenly a big ball of heat settles at his side. He rolls into it and clings with all his strength which isn't much. He feels it settle over him and moans in happiness. So warm...

When Son does truly awaken, he's lying in bed on his stomach. He feels clean and fresh and absolutely exhausted. His muscles feel wrung out and tired and his eyes are burning like he's been awake for ages. They also feel heavy and like a film is over them.

Suddenly a hand settled on his forehead and he's too tired to even be startled.

"No fever. That's good. Do you want me to prop you up so you can have some of this soup? I wasn't sure if you eat meat since your a bird, man, person." The person cleared his throat. "It's just vegetable."

Pete slowly turned his head and took in the eyes of the young man. A name floated through his consciousness and he blinked a few times.

"Radja?" He managed to croak out and the man winced and easily picked Son up only to sit him down on his lap. Then he offered a glass of water.

"It's room temperature so it shouldn't hurt too badly if you drink it."

Son slowly sipped the water until it was gone. Then he had a few spoonfuls of the soup before he turned his head away.

"Sorry but I feel sloshy. I do eat meat like venison and beef and so on. I just don't eat any kind of fowl."

"Got it. Do I need to feel guilty for all the chicken soup I've had over the years?" He joked softly with a warm smile.

Son gave a weak smile then just leaned on Pin. His head felt too heavy.

"No. As long as you haven't tried swan." Then he fell back asleep.

Pin looked at his sleeping face, his eyes caressing the curve of his cheek and the sweep of his lashes. He stopped himself from rubbing his hand over Son's cheek and sighed then stood and lay Son back down on his stomach. It had been 4 days. Four long and exhausting days. He had spent most of it lying at Son's side. At one point, his fever had been so high that Pin had considered braving the freaks outside and taking Son further north to Icy River. Thankfully his body heat had done the trick. It had been Cane's idea. He had read it up in one of his natural healing books and tried to explain it to Pin. Pin though, had been more interested in a solution than the reasoning why it worked.

Helping Son get through this was as essential to him as breathing. He understood the importance of this person to the running of the country so it was vital that he survive.

Ummm... Who are you fooling with that excuse exactly?

He had also asked Cane to patrol for him. Cane wasn't a fighter but he did have a flight bell and wicked aim. If one of the fliers did attack him, he would kill them even if he left all the ground patrol to Pin.

Terren was also on a patrol of his own. Himself and several of Son's close friends as well as the jerk he suspected was responsible for all this drama were looking for Son. He could tell the guy really didn't know where Son was so his plan had backfired but he was also willing to search for Son which suggested that Son wasn't dead. At least not yet.

Terren knew his cousin. He wasn't a fighter and only had limited martial knowledge. He wouldn't know how to deal with multiple assailants and he only had a knife. He was good at using it for quick hit and run situations but not much else.