"Stay with me Sage, please!" I beg Sage as I carry her bloody, unconscious body in my arms. It's not safe alone in the woods during the day let alone at night and it doesn't help that I'm leaving a trail of blood in our wake. There is no telling what kind of beasts are attracted to the scent.
I'm practically running as I try to get Sage to the main camp where I can tend to her wounds. I only have a half mile left till I'm there. Her bleeding has slowed significantly, but I can't tell if it's from the wounds clotting or if she no longer has enough blood left.
Everything around me is dark, night has set in and the moon illuminates my path through the forest. Finally, after what feels like an eternity of walking through the black forest, I spot an orange glow flickering to the left and make my way towards it. Ryan spots me first as I make my way into camp, his eyes widening at the bloody scene coming toward him.
"HELP ME!" I roar as I near the camp. Ryan snaps out of whatever haze he was in and jumps into action, laying furs down next to the fire. James and Darren come running from the tents shock written across their faces as well.
"I need fresh water and clean bandages, now!" My voice cracks with the last word as I lower Sage onto the furs Ryan layed out. I immediately check her pulse and let out a heavy sigh. It's faint, but there is a pulse. I move to check her wounds just as James and Darren come running back with supplies.
"Look away!" I yell as I cut her dress open to assess the complete damage those muts did to her. I suck in a breathe at the sight of her marred flesh, and hurry to cover her breasts and the dark curls between her legs.
"Nero, who is this woman, and why is she injured?" Darren asks hesitantly as he and his twin James face the woods still holding the bandages and water. Ryan returned then, grinding something into a bowl, when he had left I had no idea but I was thankful he was here now.
"You can turn around now and give me the supplies, please. We need to set up perimeters. She lost alot of blood on the way. Wolves attacked her, there might be more that followed the trail of blood." I set to work on cleaning the wounds. Ryan sat next to me threading a needle with steady hands, ready to stitch the swollen flesh back together again. I swallowed down the bile that my stomach threatened to purge at the sight of Sages wounds, and tried to focused on the task at hand.
"As for who she is, I have no idea." I whispered. Losing the thought in concentration as I came across a large gash on her inner thigh. I inhaled sharply, every wound in her alabaster flesh felt like a blade carving out a piece of my heart.
"I came across her at the river, said she was lost on her way to a village. All I know is her name, Sage."
It was an over simplification of our time together but true none the less. They didn't need to know the state we were in when I came upon her. Or how perplexing she was to be around in general.
Remembering the birds tied at my waist I handed them to James with an apologetic glance. "Sorry there is so little, I had to abandon the deer I killed. Too heavy." I explained quickly as I continued my work on Sage. He didn't respond, just took the carcasses and set to work getting them prepped for eating.
Hours past as Ryan and I cleaned, stitched, and bandaged Sage back together again. James and Darren stayed guard till dawn and we all agreed we would stay camped here till Sage woke up, so we could all get some much needed rest.
Ryan helped me move her to one of the tents once I was sure she was safe from bleeding out. There I sat next to her, propped against the supporting beam in the middle of the tent, watching her chest rise and fall with every shallow breath. Sleep never came.
Eventually the early morning sun shown through the tent walls and casted a soft glow upon the sleeping woman in front of me. Sweat slicked through her black hair and beaded on her pale skin as the heat became more oppressive in the tent. I moved to tie back the canvas door allowing fresh air into the small space. Grabbing a cloth from the bowl next to where I was in the center of the tent, I turned back towards a sleeping Sage and began to wipe the beading sweat from her brow.
Thoughts of her story came creeping into my mind again as I took in her still form. Traveling to a nearby village? The nearest village was at least 20 miles from here, and she was alone? She barely survived this encounter with a few hungry wolves, let alone a whole pack. Wolves are not easily deterred by a few measly possesions, there is no way she out ran a whole pack of wolves without so much as a scratch. Curiosity and suspicion slithered through my thoughts as I watched her sleep.
"What were you really doing in the middle of the forest?" I muttered under my breath to the mysterious woman, whose life I had just spent the last six hours saving.