It hadn't been easy but she had managed to take the crossbow. Right now, she was pale almost grey in color, weak, hungry and above all she had been injured by one of the traps that had been laid there on the way before reaching for the crossbow.
The pain and the anguish she felt was more than she could bear. All she needed was blood and rest.
The direction she took after getting to the shores of the sea was not what she had expected to take but that would do.
Now, a mile away from the FireWing's mansion, all the little strength that she had, drained up and she collapsed on the forest floor. She couldn't move let alone stand up again to walk.
Her breathes came in short and slow. She could feel her heart beat fast and hard against her chest that it almost ached.
It was sunny and the temperature was hot but Ninah was visibly shivering from the cold she was feeling. Her teeth chattered, her body was becoming numb and her heart beat was starting to slow down.
She didn't want to die yet. She wanted to see her son even if it would be the last thing that she would do.
With a shaking breathe, she was about to shut her eyes when she saw two familiar figures approaching her.
One was muscular... large, lovely and clean shaven while the other was like a lean orange light causing her lips to crack up into a small smile.
"Hold on, we're going to help you out". She heard as she felt herself being lifted up from the forest floor.
•••••
"You brought a stranger home?". Aisha asked, her brows furrowed as she and Hamlin eyed up and down the woman laying on the bed in the guest room.
"She's injured!". Plutonic answered as he watched Lucky crushing up several leaves to make up a concoction for the stranger who laid unconsciously on the bed.
"So?". Hamlin asked.
Plutonic huffed with exhaustion, his mind was constantly active thinking about everything and nothing in particular just because of the pack.
"It's called being kind Hamlin. Being kind". Plutonic replied putting more emphasis on the word Kind.
"Being kind?. What if she attacks us when she wakes up?. We don't know whom she is". Aisha said.
"Or what if she's a spy sent here by our enemies?". Hamlin questioned.
Lucky let out a breathe as he stopped what he was doing and looked at Aisha and Hamlin. They were never like this. They never had such an attitude before and he was so sure that it was all because of Rufus.
"She is staying here with us until she fully recovers. If she's indeed a spy as you imply then we're going to know sooner or later". He said as sat beside her on the bed so as to apply the concoction on her wound which was on the lower side of her left rib.
"Seriously? Don't you care about our well being and safety anymore?". Hamlin asked almost in a yell.
"If she's an enemy then she's out numbered. We're five she's just by herself". Plutonic commented.
"Ahaa do you really think an enemy with such a good strategy will come just by herself?. Of course her allies are just waiting somewhere for her signal and before we know it one of us will either loose their Phoenixes or die". Hamlin spat bitterly while looking at Lucky then Plutonic.
That was it!. Lucky couldn't take this anymore. It had been too much to take it in.
Plutonic smelt the anger emit in waves from his son. This was the kind of negativity that he didn't want around his son and he had to stop it as soon as possible.
"Shut the hell up!. Whom do you think you are huh?. You should be grateful that your wife is still alive, your mate is still here with you. If not for the hunters, your son's Phoenix would still be there, active and thriving and not a laughing stock like what's happening to me and additional to that, you were gifted a daughter who still has her phoenix safe and intact and yet you're here still complaining and pointing fingers at us as if we are the ones at fault. You think we are perfect and so well off?. Huh?. Then you're mistaken because we're not doing fine, we're not okay at all, in fact we're hurting like hell deep down our hearts and you're here busy judging us forgetting the pain that we are going through!. We are here busy helping you out to solve your own problems and in the end, what do we get in return?. Nothing but judgment and being judged some more, when Ninah died, and your wife gave birth to Araminta you were so busy with your children that you forgot him and the fresh pain that he was going through because of loosing his mother!". Plutonic yelled pointing his index finger at Lucky who looked away at the stranger's face.
Plutonic took in a shaky breathe, "You didn't even care if he had eaten or not. You had even forgotten his existence because you were all caught up with your family. Hell, you don't know how I struggled to raise him up alone, I tried... I tried looking for another mate but nothing added up so guess what I did?. I sent him away to the Druid's magical school where I knew he was better off, you never realised that he was gone for ten whole years until the time he came back two years ago, you didn't know if he was gone, did you?. He came back and all you could see was his antisocial status, all you could see was his Phoenix not being active. You didn't care what he had gone through, you didn't care what he felt up to date you still don't care about us, you only see my son and I as fighting machines, nothing else!. It hurts a lot. You don't know the couple share of problems we've faced and yet we never told you about them, you don't know the mysterious creatures we've fought in secret just to keep you safe!. You don't know the amount of iron injuries we came back with and yet you knew nothing about not because you couldn't notice nor smell our pain but because you were so caught up by your personal lives to care about us. Pain and sorrow are what reminds us of our humanity Hamlin. We've had our own pieces of lemon and now you're having your own share so don't come to vent it out on us. It wasn't our fault, we're victims too and all we're asking for is our peace of mind. Please! We have feelings too so I don't understand the reason behind you treating us like inferiors, Please just let my son be for once please!.". Plutonic said as he clasped his hands together in front of his chest in the act of begging. All he needed was peace not only for him but for his son as well.
"Lucky..." Aisha started but trailed off.
"Don't. Just leave I need to attend to the spy in front of me". Lucky replied not bothering to look back at them. Sarcasm colored his tone.
"I'm sorry Plutonic for-". Hamlin was cut short by Plutonic.
"Being selfish... self centred and judgemental?. Nah don't worry about it, we've been used to it. You're the only Phoenixes with problems in this pack, aren't you?. The rest of us are nothing, huh?. Forget it!. You guys go ahead and worry about your son, he's more important". Plutonic said as he searched Hamlin's face for an expression.
The man turned away as his wife walked out of the room. He followed afterwards.
"You should go rest Father. I'll update you on anything new". Lucky said not looking at his father either.
Plutonic took in a deep breathe as he looked down at his son.
"I can handle this on my own". Lucky added.
Plutonic stumped out of the room, shutting the door behind him and going for a run out in the woods.
Lucky let out a gasp which only led him to realise that he was crying. Finally, after twelve good years he let out those unshed tears that he had held on that fateful night that marked the change of his life.
A small smoke rose up to his nostrils making him look down at the stranger, her wound had healed up.. his tears had healed her, burning the wound to a close then healing it up in the end.
He wiped his tears using the back of his hand. He wasn't supposed to cry. He wasn't supposed to show his fragile side especially in front of the stranger who would wake up any time, he didn't want her to see him like that.
Finding no use in the concoction he had made earlier for her injuries, he threw the mixture away in the trashcan that stood at the corner of the room and stood up from the bed. He was about to turn and leave when the stranger stirred in her sleep a little... she was getting better... but something was off.. her mind didn't match the body she was in.
His eyes widened with surprise. It couldn't be.