A Dash of Blue

In which a lesson is learned

                                              Well behaved women rarely make history

                                                              Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

The castle loomed darkly in the afternoon sun. The blonde had run as fast as he could still carrying the bleeding Shapeshifter but Taigar and Galwin had caught up with them after Galwin regained the motion of his legs.

The burst through the heavy oak door, barely noticing that the usual guards were gone. Under the warm light of the torches the limp Shapeshifter appeared sickly greyish, though the bleeding appeared to have stopped. Wasting no time, the trio carried the shifter down a familiar hallway and banged the door open to the infirmary.

The healers inside rushed to Mal's side. With their help they placed the shifter down upon a bed and the healers tended to him. His shoulders sagging in relief, Taigar stepped back. It was beyond his control now.

The three men quietly made their way out of the infirmary. As they closed the door behind them, the blonde sank down on an empty chair that normally belonged to the infirmary's guard. Their hollow breaths were the only sound in the quiet hallway. Taigar placed his hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"We got him back here in time, Danan. He is going to be fine" Taigar's words were low and urgent. As if by willing them he could make them true.

"The kid knew what he was getting into", argued the red-head "no use crying about it".

The blonde growled and then lunged for Galwin, narrowly missing him. Smirking Galwin put his hands up and backed away.

"Chill, your boyfriend is going to be fine", he laughed. "I'm off to the strongest drink I can find, hopefully it will make me forget that these damn bruises came from a woman". His last words were a sneer and with them he turned on his heel, whistling as he walked away.

Taigar shook his head as Galwin vanished, "I'm surprised he lasted that long sober", he quietly stated, and the blonde couldn't help but chuckle. He quickly sobered up though.

"I'm worried about Mal" the blonde admitted. "I stood right next to him, I should've pushed him away, I should've been quicker."

"This isn't your fault, Danan, besides he'll be alright, I'm sure of it." The tracker reassured him in a hushed tone.

"But let me fix your nose, I think it might be broken".

Danan reached for his nose, as if he just now realized the blood that steadily dripped from it. He nodded absentmindedly

Crouching down, Taigar placed a finger on the left side of the nose and used his right hand to snap the bone back in place. The loud crack echoed down the hall and Danan gave an involuntary head movement.

Taigar quickly rose as if he suddenly realized something. But as he let go of the nose blood began to gush out of it. While trying to stop the bleeding Danan didn't notice the abrupt change.

Pressing his fingers to the nose Danan watched as Taigar's eyes darted around the hallway. For a second Taigar's grey eyes rested upon the chair before he dragged them up and met Danan's.

"Isn't it strangely quiet in here?"

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They had gagged and bound her. Well, she probably should have seen that coming but it was, nevertheless, irritating. Why they had felt the need to gag her she didn't know.