by Jacinta Jade
Siray merely groaned, grimacing as her back burned fiercely.
Baindan shook his head at her in mock disapproval. ‘That’s no way to greet someone who just went out of their way to bring you this.’ He ducked to enter the tree and squatted down as he held something out.
Siray very carefully leaned forwards to see what he grasped. It was a leafy blue plant that she wasn’t familiar with. She looked curiously from it to Baindan. ‘What is that—breakfast?’
Baindan chuckled. ‘Only if you don’t want to hold down anything else for the rest of the day.’ He proudly held the plant up in the air. ‘This herb, when crushed and applied to the skin, acts as a numbing agent. It can relieve pain for a number of spans, depending on the health and colour of the plant.’
Siray watched as his eyes scanned her quickly before settling on her lip, which she had bitten just moments earlier.
‘I guessed that you would probably be in a fair amount of pain today, so I went searching. It’s not an easy plant to locate.’
Siray looked carefully at Baindan again as he waved the plant around once more. ‘You shoulder seems to be hurting you less—did you already apply some?’
Baindan nodded. ‘Sure did. Woke up feeling like someone had tried to rip my arm out of its socket, so I knew what I wanted even more than breakfast.’
Siray quirked her lips at that but then frowned. ‘So how do I apply that to my back then?’
Baindan shrugged. ‘You can’t. I’ll have to do it,’ he said, as if it were obvious.
Siray raised her eyebrows. ‘What?’
Baindan rolled his eyes. ‘The plant has to be crushed and immediately applied to the injured area of the body. You can’t see or even reach your back in your current condition. And besides, you’d take too long to apply the plant after it’s crushed.’
Her only response was to continue to frown at him.
Baindan sighed. ‘I’ll leave the tree so you can take off your shirt and lie down on your stomach. No peeking, I promise.’
Siray sighed. She really wanted that numbing agent. ‘Alright.’ She jerked her head towards the forest outside, grimacing as she did so, and Baindan left, ducking out of sight.
Turning away from the opening in the tree, Siray carefully went about pulling off her shirt. It took her awhile, each small movement feeling like a knife sliding into her back. She was almost tempted to just tear the shirt at one point, to avoid the pain, but then that would have raised another whole set of problems. She could only thank the Mother that she hadn’t been wearing her overshirt, since she had given it to Roalger.
Her shirt finally off, and a light sweat on her forehead, she laid the shirt down on the ground in front of her. Then, keeping her movements very small and smooth, she carefully unwrapped the bindings around her chest. Soon she had a small pile of wrappings beside her, and she very slowly lowered herself down onto her shirt, sagging in relief once she was flat against the ground.
Out of breath from the intensity of the pain she had just experienced, she called out croakily to Baindan, ‘Okay.’
She heard a couple of crunching steps, then more noise as Baindan crouched and moved back inside the tree. She heard him take in a quick breath. Looking at the inner side of the tree before her, Siray frowned. ‘What’s the matter?’
Baindan gave a low, soft whistle before he replied. ‘Your entire back is swollen black and blue.’
Siray closed her eyes, trying not to picture it. ‘I don’t really want to know.’
‘Fair enough,’ he responded. Then his tone perked up. ‘On the upside, the plant leaves a blue residue, but you won’t even be able to see it on your back.’
Siray groaned out loud at his bad humour, but, secretly, she appreciated the attempt to make her feel better.
Baindan’s next words were spoken more carefully, in a softer voice. ‘You should have told me you were in this much pain when we got here—I would have gone searching for this plant sooner. Or at least helped you with your shirt.’ He paused. ‘I don’t know how you even managed to get it off with your back in this condition.’
Siray didn’t move her head as she heard Baindan move his knees closer to her side. ‘I’m okay,’ she insisted.
Baindan snorted softly. ‘I doubt it, but you soon will be.’
Siray heard the sounds of small snaps as he broke up the plant and then the sound of his hands somewhere above her working the pieces between his hands.
Knowing that he would soon be touching her back, Siray began to tense, and then she grimaced in pain, telling herself she was just anxious about anyone touching her injuries.
Baindan must have noticed her muscles shift slightly. ‘Relax, Siray. As soon as the agent hits your skin, it’ll go numb—my hands already are.’
Siray tried to comply, breathing out and trying to focus her mind elsewhere.
Probably so she wouldn’t startle again, Baindan warned her before he began.
‘Here we go.’
Siray felt a light touch on her back and held her breath as she waited for the spike of pain. But instead, she was pleasantly surprised to find it actually felt … good. There was no pain in that spot anymore.
Baindan’s hands moved across her back in smooth strokes, and, slowly, the waves of pain radiating through her motionless body began to dull, then disappear, until they were replaced with—nothing.
When her whole back was covered in the plant salve, Baindan asked, ‘How’s that?’
Siray thought about trying to sit up to test the result, but she remembered her nakedness in time. So she settled for cautiously giving her shoulders a little wriggle. She nodded to herself. ‘Can’t feel a thing.’
Baindan sounded pleased. ‘I’ll just go outside and clean my hands off. The residue should be mostly dry now, so you can put your shirt back on.’
Siray sensed him moving, and when she heard the soft crunching of leaves again, she tentatively raised her head. There was no discomfort.
Checking that Baindan was definitely out of her line of sight, she pushed off from the ground and carefully sat up and waited.
No pain at all. Incredible.
A smile slipped across her face as she rebound her chest, making quick work of applying her wrappings once more. After picking up her shirt and brushing it off, she pulled it back over her head in one smooth, fluid movement.
Rising to a crouch, she carefully ducked beneath the low triangle arch formed by the trunks of the two trees and straightened as she stepped outside, gratefully stretching her arms and legs. She definitely couldn’t feel her back, but she could now feel all the other little scrapes, cuts, and bruises she had collected along the way since jumping from the waterfall with Baindan. Her shin and knee stung on one leg, and the knuckles and fingers on both hands were not a pretty sight.
Baindan was using several large fern leaves to wipe his hands clean of the plant’s blue residue, and he paused to inspect her closely. ‘How do you feel?’
Siray experimented further by twisting to each side a couple of times before she responded. ‘Great, actually—that plant is amazing. Thank you,’ she said, smiling at him.
‘You’re welcome,’ he said, meeting her eyes directly.
When something about his look made her stomach nervous, Siray cast her mind around for a way to break the silence, and quickly asked a question. ‘How did you know about the plant?’
Baindan dropped her gaze and looked around at the forest. ‘I’ve been living on the run with Roalger’s group for almost a cycle now. During that time, I’ve picked up a few things.’ His face became thoughtful as he looked through the trees. ‘It’s always good to know what resources you have at your disposal in case you need them.’
Siray didn’t say anything to that, as Baindan looked like he was thinking of something else now. Instead she asked the question that had been creeping into her mind as they stood there. ‘Is it safe for us to be out here in the daylight?’
Baindan looked up at the sky. ‘Sho
uld be. The trees have thick foliage, and even scouts would be hard-pressed to spot us here.’ His gaze turned back to her. ‘As long as we’re not moving around too much and don’t light a fire, we should be alright. But we shouldn’t move on again until dark.’
Siray nodded, then paused as she remembered something Baindan had said the previous day. ‘Baindan, what did you mean yesterday when you said that the Resistance showed you how to Change?’
Baindan took a deep breath and released it. ‘I meant what I said—that they showed me, or rather, they taught me, how to Change.’ He dropped the fern he was holding and shifted to face her, rubbing his hands together. ‘Remember, I also failed to Change during my own ceremony.’
Siray stood there, processing his words. There was a possibility that she could be a real part of her world then. A chance that the Resistance could also teach her how to Change. Or maybe …
‘Could you teach me how to Change?’ she asked, blurting out the question as she looked at Baindan hopefully.
But Baindan shook his head slowly. ‘I’m sorry, Siray. The Change is different for everyone, and trickier for those who don’t Change at the ceremony. I know that firsthand now.’
Siray’s stomach sank within her.
Baindan must have understood her expression, as he walked over to stand before her. ‘It’s not because I don’t want to show you—it’s because I’m not even sure how they managed to teach me.’ Baindan put a warm hand on her shoulder. ‘Just wait. When we reach the main camp, we’ll see about getting you some training,’ he said, smiling encouragingly.
Baindan’s words gave her hope, so Siray allowed herself to smile back. ‘Thanks, Baindan. I really apprec—’
An animal cry sounded from overhead.
Baindan’s head snapped upwards, and Siray followed his gaze. High up above the treetops, a winged silhouette was circling.
Baindan grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the ground with him. ‘Scout!’
They knelt together by their tree and stayed as still as possible, both of them tense. Siray held her breath as she watched the scout circle above them once more before it wheeled about and glided swiftly away.
‘That’s it—they know we’re here,’ Baindan muttered, his face darkening. He stood, pulling Siray to her feet as well. ‘Let’s go!’ he said, giving her hand a quick tug before dropping it as he broke into a jog.
Surprised, Siray quickened her own pace and followed swiftly. Thank goodness Baindan had found that plant, she thought, as each footstep made her bruised and scraped legs ache slightly.
As she pounded along behind him, she asked, ‘How do you know it was a scout?’
Baindan didn’t turn his head as he answered. ‘It circled us twice, then flew off. I’m not going to run the risk that it wasn’t a scout, even if my gut wasn’t telling me that we’re out of time.’ He looked up at the canopy above as he continued. ‘Trust me, once you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll be able to identify scouts just as easily.’
Baindan pushed their speed until they were running as fast as they could manage through the forest, pushing aside branches, ducking larger ones, and jumping obstacles as they headed in as straight a line as possible.
Siray saw that their path continued to direct them towards the mountains she could see peeking through the tops of the trees every now and again, yet it still seemed to her that they were a good day or two from the mountains, even if they could run the whole way there. That was if they didn’t break a leg or anything else running like this through the forest.
When they reached the next small rise, Baindan slowed, then stopped, breathing hard.
Siray also happily paused, leaning against a tree and bending her head to her knees as she gasped for air. Thirsty, she looked up at Baindan, wanting to grab a quick drink from his water pack.
But he wasn’t wearing it.
‘Baindan—where’s the water?’
He didn’t turn as he answered. ‘Left it back at the tree. Doesn’t matter at this point anyway.’
Siray’s brows narrowed at those words, and she put her hands on her hips as her chest continued to rise and fall rapidly. ‘What do you mean it doesn’t matter? I’m not giving up, Baindan.’
Baindan spun and gave her a fierce look. ‘I’m not giving up either. What I meant was that our next stop will be off to the right of that hill.’ He gestured for Siray to move up beside him and then gestured to a point beyond them.
As she moved closer to him, Siray twisted her head to look in the direction he’d indicated. She saw the hill, and to the right of it … ‘The river?’
Baindan nodded. ‘There’s a raft hidden at a secret point on the bank. The river flows close to the mountains before the waters from the mountain join it, and then it sweeps out to the ocean. We can cut off a half a day from our trip if we can get to that raft.’
Siray kept looking at the river, but Baindan swung away, his eyes seemingly drawn by something else.
‘We’ve got to go. Now,’ he said abruptly, urgency making his voice snap.
Siray spun. Baindan was looking in the direction they had just come from, and as she peered over his shoulder, she saw distant dots in the sky. Fear clutched at her stomach, making her limbs tingle and her chest grow tight. It was all she needed to see to motivate her.
‘Let’s get to that river!’
Siray turned and took the lead this time, even more grateful for Baindan’s knowledge of plants and their properties as she took off at a run in the direction he had indicated.
Focused on the direction of the river, Siray pushed the pace as much as she dared, trees whipping past as they leapt over logs, dodged holes, and wiped sweat from their brows as their bodies attempted to cool them.
At one point Siray tried to swallow as she ran, and thought longingly of Baindan’s water pack back at the tree many hills behind them. She even thought briefly about the storm from the other night, wishing a little rain would be visited on them now.
She stumbled then, and her heart beat furiously as she caught herself in time—falling at this speed would be bad.
Siray shook her head. She needed to focus on the here and now.
Meanwhile, Baindan had sped up to overtake her.
‘Keep going! Not far now,’ he gasped.
Siray grunted and leaned forwards into her run, forcing her body to move faster. Then from behind, she heard it.
‘Aaaawhoooooooooooo!’
Siray shot a glance behind her and almost fell over again at what she saw cresting the top of the last hill—a pack of cripwofs. She snapped her head forwards again, looking hopefully at Baindan.
But after a quick backwards look, Baindan was pressing his lips together in a tight line.
Siray clenched her teeth, her hope dying away. These weren’t friends of his then.
Risking another glance away from the forest floor and to their pursuers, Siray realised that at the rate the cripwofs were gaining, and the two of them wouldn’t make it to the river. And then a cold clarity came to her.
She wouldn’t make it. But Baindan could. If he Changed.
She spent a moment working up enough courage to say the words. ‘Baindan …’ she started.
He didn’t look at her but reached out and grabbed her arm, forcing her forwards to run beside him. ‘Don’t even think about it, Siray,’ he interjected. ‘You stop, I stop.’
Frustration hit Siray, but it was mixed with other feelings too. Gratefulness. Admiration. But she still said the words. He had saved her too many times already.
‘You know we won’t make it to the river in time. Not like this anyway. I’m not fast enough.’
She looked at Baindan as they continued to run, thinking she could implore him to consider her idea.
Incredibly, when he shifted his head to hold her gaze, he winked. ‘I know.’
As Baindan faced forwards again, Siray blinked, confused. But then she discovered something new about herself. She trusted that wink.
&nb
sp; That didn’t stop her, however, from glancing back again and trying to determine how close the pack was. She wished she hadn’t, though, and her racing heart seemed to skip a beat when she saw just how close they were.
‘Sweet Mother …’ she gasped out.
Abruptly, she felt Baindan slap her shoulder.
‘Siray—grab that branch!’ he said, his voice urgent.
Startled, Siray snapped her head around again as she looked to see where Baindan was pointing.
Ahead of them, and slightly to her right, was a branch about the length of her leg resting on the ground. Not willing to waste a breath to query Baindan’s request, Siray altered her steps slightly as she ran, bending down as she drew close enough to scoop it up from the ground. Stumbling slightly as she juggled her hold on it, she stabilised quickly and increased her speed to regain the ground she had lost in order to catch up to Baindan. The branch was as thick as her forearm and heavier than it looked, and she ran with it held awkwardly in her right hand.
‘Now what?’ she asked, gasping out the words.
Baindan risked a quick glance behind them. ‘This!’
Siray was startled when Baindan slowed suddenly, but after a quick look over her shoulder to see him falling into step behind her, she kept on running. She didn’t know what it was he was up to, but she knew he would tell her what he wanted her to do. All her attention had to be on the rise and fall of the land in front of her now as she ran with the large branch swinging beside her, its sharp end sometimes hitting her leg.
When from behind her she suddenly heard heavy, pounding steps, her alarm made her turn to look, but before she could see what was making the noise, she was butted upwards into the air.
Still somehow holding the branch as she yelled out in fright, Siray’s body rolled in the air, and she landed spread out and facedown on a bouncing hill of fur. Immediately burying her hands in the only grip available—the long, furry back on which she was sitting—Siray pulled herself upright and tried to stabilise her balance as she looked around and realised what had happened.
Baindan had Changed into his rilander form once more and was now loping through the forest as fast as he could, with her on his back.