Page 283 of Phoenix's Fire

They'd taken him from me, so I would take him back. I would remember him. I would -

Holly suddenly turned, cutting off my thoughts. When she ran across a depression in the ground, I realized we'd made it to the battlefield. This was where we'd fought. The scars of overturned earth were hidden by the silvered light, but she had her nose to the ground again, making circles and laps between the trees.

"Find Kanik!" I begged.

Her tail wagged once, showing she'd heard me, but she kept moving. Around, then around another way, she chased his path. It took me too long to realize he'd been moving as he fought. Ducking, dodging, and likely killing Moles.

"Please?" I begged. "Please be able to follow him. I have to take him home."

Then she stopped. For a little too long, Holly sniffed at the ground. Once, she pawed at it. A little whine came out, but then she took off, loping away from where the Moles had camped.

"Holly!" I called, wondering what the hell she was doing.

She was supposed to be finding him. That should take us after the Moles, wouldn't it? After we'd left, they'd come to look for bodies, and they'd take those back in their stupid carts. But when she showed no signs of slowing, I took off after her.

"Holly!" I yelled again, not even caring if there was anything or anyone out here who might hear me.

My dog paused to sniff again, then changed direction slightly. This time, she didn't just lope. She ran, stretching her legs and forcing me to chase as fast as I could. Ten feet, twenty. She was losing me, but then she dove into a cluster of bushes and rocks.

It moved.

She barked.

And I heard the sweetest thing ever. "Holly?" The words were little more than a strained whisper.

"Kanik!" I screamed, knowing the sound of him anywhere.

Eighty-Nine

Ayla

Ipushed through the shrubs to find him tucked between a boulder, thorny plants, and a cluster of vines. He'd covered himself partially with dirt and leaves, and his tail was up defensively - but none of it hid that his eyes were open and he was looking at me.

Blinking.

Alive!

"You came back?" he croaked.

"Holly, move," I ordered, pushing her out of my way so I could reach him. "We thought you were dead. I wouldn't let them have you."

That made a smile touch his lips, but a grunt followed after. "Ayla, I'm hurt."

"Uh-huh," I agreed, scanning his body.

He'd managed to unbuckle the leather straps he wore across his chest, but he hadn't taken it all the way off. That exposed his chest and belly. In the shadowed moonlight, I could see a reflection on his dark skin. Blood. Among all of that were cuts and abrasions, but poking out of his right side, just under his ribs, was something very solid.

"You weren't shot?" I asked even as I pulled the medical bag over my shoulder.

"Grenade," he explained. "A piece of metal." He groaned, clearly in pain. "Ayla, we can't remove it. I'll bleed out."

"You are bleeding out," I informed him. "Slower, but we should've found you hours ago."

Numbing. That would be necessary, because I couldn't hold him down, and he'd pull away even if he tried not to. Clamps. Suture, the brown liquid they used to clean things, and a few more clamps. Folding the bag sideways, I set those out, aware I needed to get to his other side.

"Holly, lie down. Guard."

She whined, but obeyed. Now that I knew she wouldn't trample over him, I pushed back against the branches so I could crawl over him without hurting him. He couldn't be moved yet. That he was here made me think he'd crawled, but I'd worry about that later.

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