GLORY AND GORE ━━ F. ODAIR

16.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
first blood

" put on a show "

   Two hands were gripped on to my shoulders, Piper's face being the first sight I saw as I finally opened my eyes. A panicked expression on her face as she rolled to the side, giving me space to finally sit up.

"What's that?" she pointed ahead, imbedded in the snow was a circular box with a small grey parachute attached to its lid.

   "A sponsor gift, you got a sponsor gift," I said, shocked and pleasantly surprised. I crawled reached out to the metal box with a and unscrewed the cap - it was much looser than the one I had gotten. On the lid of the box was a note, FOR YOUR ALLY APPLY GENEROUSLY - A

   It was my sponsor gift, but for Piper? I shoved the note in one of the pockets of my pants and pulled out the small jar within the container, bringing it over the Piper and showing her. It was a thick white cream with dashes of purple that looked like they'd been mixed in. It didn't smell like much.

   "Cream for the wound. It's meant to work fast," I said, "There wasn't a note from your mentor."

   She took the small jar from my hand and unwrapped the bandages I had stolen from the career's. The wound looked much worse than before, dried blood and grime surrounded the small slit in her leg.

   "Am I allowed to get it inside the wound?" She asked, scraping out a generous amount of cream and holding it over the wound.

   I shrugged, "I don't see why not."

   Piper began to apply the cream, scrunching up her face as she rubbed over and around the wound. Her hands began to tremble before she stopped, fanning the area dry.

   "Use some on yours," Piper said, "You need it too."

   I shook my head and pushed the jar back to her, "My leg will be okay, it's getting better slowly. You have been stabbed, apply as much as you can but make sure to leave some for tomorrow."

   She nodded, taking the jar and applying more of the cream over the bloodied wound, making sure to completely cover the opening.

   "It's hardening already, is that good?" She asked warily, her eyebrows furrowing as she lightly ran her fingers over the wounded area. I shrugged. She tried to push herself off the ground but failed miserably, the small amount of pressure put on her leg enough to send her back tumbling down to the ground. At Least she tried.

   "You can't walk, what are we going to do?" I sighed, placing my head in my hands.

   "You go look for Adon. I can just stay here," she suggested.

   "Not happening. I'm not leaving you," I shut down her idea immediately, "Are you hungry?"

   "I'm starving, do you have anything?" She smiled hopefully, her grin getting wider as I pulled my bag over as reached in.

   "I stole this stuff from the careers little camp, it should be all safe," I smiled, pulling two fruits from my bag and holding them up, "Apple or pear?"

   "Apple, please," she graciously took it from my hands and bit into the sweet red apple immediately, humming in satisfaction, "this is amazing. But you're right, the last way I want to die is being poisoned."

   I smiled, taking out a handful of crackers and some strips of dry meat, with still plenty to spare and laying them on the snow.

   "I can think of worse ways," I said, biting into the pear. The sweet taste filling my mouth and stomach, "You're right, this is amazing," I said, a mouth full of pear.