�What were you doing out there? Even more, why were you weaponless?� The man asked her. Firelight played upon his features, hiding his exhaustion. They had eventually lost the hounds, and now they were allowed a brief rest in the comfort of night. The man, Jaxom he said his name was, was trying to dress the wound in his side, but was failing horribly.

�Here, let me help,� Nen silently stood and walked over to where Jaxom sat where she quietly sat down once again. In all of the books she had read, there was always some wound or another being treated, each treatment being described in painful detail. She laughed to herself as she thought about this. Who knew that she would be doing this one-day?

His hands fell from his side as Nen looked closer. It did not look infected and the bleeding had slowed considerable, but would need to be patched if it was going to heal completely. She took some poultice and put it onto the wound and put a piece of cleaned cloth over. Then she carefully wound some bandages around his sides to keep it in place.

He smiled as she finished. Nen rose silently and sat back on the other side of the fire once more.

�I do not know why I was out there. I fell asleep in one place and woke in another,� she whispered more to herself than to Jaxom.

�Hmmm�Well, I think it best if I take you to the Forest. You will be safer there. Where is your home?�

�Home�� Jaxom watched her, waiting for her response. But Nen�s eyes had flattened as she watched her own memories and thoughts. He decided to not press the matter.

�We better get some sleep, we will have to start before the sun comes up,� Jaxom said as he painfully lay down onto his bedroll. He pulled his blanket over him, reveling in the warmth it brought. He looked once more over to Nen who sat staring into the fire, lost in her own world of solitude. He closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.


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Pic (C) by me, Des H