PART I - REGROUPING

As they retreated towards the bottom of the hill, Callie noticed Tazrok was not looking well, appearing a little flushed with beads of sweat on his forehead. Reynard wasn’t that heavy, but she knew the Ogre had been in the water with open wounds, and was worried the infection was quickly setting in. She pointed it out to Lhawni and Ambria, and they both concurred that could be the case. They’d need to address that as soon as they got out of the swampy valley.

Callie also assumed Reynard wasn’t that far behind, since he had a massive open wound exposed to the infected water, plus he likely swallowed some, too. Even she had been potentially exposed, due to a few small scrapes she had received when carried away by the Basilisk’s water surge. As of now, though, she still felt fine, so hopefully the potion was doing its job.

Single file, they climbed the hillside game trail, using the ropes to help pull themselves up and emerging where it had all begun with an Ogre war cry. Tazrok carried Reynard over to set him where they had all eaten their lunch, the map the Ranger trainer had drawn still scratched into the dirt. The Ogre cracked his back and stretched as he stood straight, letting out a slight groan. Everyone looked beat, covered in mud, sweat and blood.

“Okay,” Callie said, “who needs what?” Then she gestured towards the Ogre. “I think you need to do that Cure Disease thing on yourself.”

“Yes. Did not have time,” Tazrok replied. “Might need Shaman help.”

Callie gestured towards Reynard. “He will need it too, I’m sure. Ambria, how’s his leg?”

The Faun took a deep breath, glancing over at the Foxkin. “Stable, but it’s a long hike. The sooner we get him back, the better.”

“Can we spare, say, fifteen minutes before we get moving.”

Ambria nodded. “Yes. Still, the sooner, the better.”

Tazrok and Lhawni both set to work. The Shaman dropped a totem, pushing out a Refreshing Pulse, which Reynard and Tazrok both in particular needed, but everyone welcomed. Tazrok began using his Druidic magic to purge his own Bogwump infection, ultimately needing an assist from Lhawni when he started getting tired again. The Goblin eventually finished the job, ordering Tazrok to rest. After drinking a mana potion, Lhawni focused on Reynard. His parasite infestation proved deeper than Tazrok’s, and was accompanied by general wound infection quickly trying to set in, too, likely from other nasties in the water or the eel’s mouth. There wasn’t a lot of danger yet, but the Shaman had an extra tough time of it, and eventually Tazrok, rested and feeling better after a potion of his own, provided a return assist.

Ambria pushed a fresh pain-blocking spell into Reynard’s leg, much to his scowling. He wasn’t taking well to being fussed over, especially by three recruits, and would probably have been willing to hop all the way back to camp in pure stubbornness if people had let him. Despite his complaints, though, he let the Healers do their work, thanking them all when Lhawni finally declared him parasite and infection free. Able to be properly healed now, Lhawni next focused on his collarbone, easily fusing the simple fracture.

While the Healers provided aid, Callie walked over to the edge of the hill, pulling up and coiling the two lengths of rope before looking down at the distant, still-smoking ruin that had been the Bogwump nest. She couldn’t really tell what she was feeling. On one hand, the nest had been destroyed, and that was the mission, so she should be happy about that, even excited. Juniper was now presumably safe from threat, and she should be happy about that, too. But the words from her conversation with Reynard in this very spot, that she was worried someone would get hurt, rattled around in her head. She looked back at her Trainer, who was grousing at being fawned over, literally by a Faun, and wondered briefly if it had been worth it. Then, she looked back at the white body of the unicorn, laying in the muck far below. She knew that to save Juniper it had been worth it, but at such a high cost.

Sensing someone approaching, Callie looked over her shoulder. “How are you doing?” Major Celeste asked.

Callie huffed a single sad laugh. “I’ll be okay.”

“What’s the laugh for?”

“Reynard asked me the same question, in the same way, before we started down the hill. I was worried someone would get hurt. Ironic, isn’t it?”

Celeste glanced back at Reynard being a difficult patient. “Maybe a little,” she said with an empty laugh.

The two stood side-by-side for a long minute, saying nothing. “I heard what you told Pixyl,” Celeste finally said. “I grew up with stories about them, too. I’ve never seen one, though.”

Callie weakly smiled. “It was just a sudden reminder of home. And of my father. Even before coming here, I missed him.”

“I never knew my father. Or my mother for that matter. My real ones that is. Cherish those memories.”

As Celeste turned to join the others, Callie grabbed her arm.

“Major, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t remember shooting her,” Callie said. “I know I was hesitating, but I don’t remember actually doing it.” She looked up quickly, and then back out over the Valley. “If the answer is yes, I won’t be angry, but did you or Reynard do something to me? With your Command Aura thing, I mean.”

Major Celeste frowned, and then sighed as she nodded. “I did,” she said quietly. “I couldn’t actually force you to do anything, though. It was more like a little nudge, to help push the cloud of emotion aside in the moment, so your logical brain could make a decision. I’m sorry. Honestly, I did it on instinct, and didn't realize I had until after.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“I understand,” Callie said. “It’s a good tool. I probably would have got my wits together in another second, but …” Callie trailed her voice off.

“I’m sorry,” Celeste said again, true sincerity in her voice.

Callie suddenly waved the issue away, forcing her face to brighten, but it was a little artificial. “It’s okay, really. Thanks for being honest with me.” She turned towards the rest of the team, seeing Reynard hopelessly trying to fend off the attention he was getting from each of the healers, Tazrok now offering additional aid as well. “Do you think we need to rescue Reynard?”

“Probably. Healer recruits tend to get a little overprotective of some of their first real patients. It’s actually rather adorable, in a way.”

“I’m fine!” Reynard snapped. “No pain at the moment. I don’t feel anything below my thigh, remember? Stop asking.”

“I’m just making sure. You let me know,” Ambria insisted, standing at the ready to apply another spell, hands on her hips.

The recruits all saw Callie returning, accompanied by the Major, and stood. They shuffled into a group, wondering what the plan was.

“How is he?” Callie asked, gesturing to the Foxkin on the ground as the Major set down the ropes.

“Cleaned of the parasites,” Lhawni reported. “Tazrok, too.”

“His leg is stable, but we should get going,” Ambria added. “It’s going to take a couple hours to get back, unless we run.”

“Yeah, we’re not running,” Callie flatly stated. “We’re tired and someone will just get hurt tripping on something.” She rolled a couple thoughts around in her mind, quickly coming to a conclusion.

“Let’s do this, then. Tazrok, you go on ahead with Reynard, as fast as you can reasonably go without his leg flopping around. Use your Curvax form. The rest of us can take our time.”

“I’m not leaving the rest of you,” Reynard said, sitting up straighter.

Callie shot the trainer a doubting look, and then promptly ignored him. “Will that work, Tazrok?”

“Might fall off. Send another to hold him.

Callie nodded. “Okay, we need someone to ride along and make sure he doesn’t fall. Thucax, I pick you.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re lighter than all the other normal sized people, and us shorter people probably don’t have the strength to be much help. Take the Major’s last stamina potion in case Reynard needs it.”

“Ahh,” the Gnoll replied, not entirely happy he had been volunteered.

“Also must use Helldoggie for two,” Tazrok said, holding up two huge fingers.

Thucax seemed suddenly quite a bit more nervous as he looked up at the huge Ogre, remembering his ferocious attack on the eel in the swamp.

“No! I’m not going to ride the Ogre,” Reynard snapped.

Callie narrowed her face slightly and walked over to the Ranger, still seated on the ground. She squatted down next to him, looking him right in the eyes. “Tell me, who did they put in charge?” she asked coldly.

“Oh don’t give me …” Reynard started to snap in return, but then, remembering this was partially a training exercise, cut himself off. “You were put in charge.”

“That’s right,” Callie said, nodding as a smile came to her face. “So, I’m going to tell you five words that I bet you never thought you’d hear in your life.”

Reynard's face screwed up in a scowl. “What’s that?”

“Get. On. The. Damn. Hellhound.” Callie said slowly, counting them off on her fingers. Then she added, just for good measure, “Sir.”

Major Celeste tried to stifle a giggle as Reynard and Callie locked equally stubborn gazes with each other. Neither blinked.

“Besides,” Callie suddenly beamed, a huge grin appearing on her face. “You get to ride into camp, victorious, mounted on the biggest Hellhound anyone has ever seen. You can’t tell me that isn’t going to be cool as hell.”

Reynard was about to continue objecting, possibly just on simple principle. Then, the image of what that might actually look like flashed through his mind. Him, riding high on the back of a huge Hellhound, triumphant. He rolled his eyes and forced himself to nod in agreement, mumbling, “That would look pretty cool, wouldn’t it.”

Several of the other recruits had started to pick up some of the various ‘Callieisms’ over the previous two weeks, the word ‘cool’ being the most common. Callie hadn’t heard Reynard use it before, and internally she giggled, realizing it was yet another way she had managed to get under his skin, metaphorically at least.

“I can rig up a harness,” Shul’an said. “I had a lot of time in my days with the caravans to learn rope skills. It will give you something to hold so you are less likely to fall off.”

“See? Perfect!” Callie said with a grin, slapping Reynard on his arm in encouragement as she stood.

People set to work. Tazrok summoned up a batch of Healing Berries for Thucax to give Reynard if his wound reopened, while Major Celeste handed off her remaining Stamina potion. Shul’an took up one of the lengths of rope, beginning to tie some of it in knots for the makeshift Hellhound harness.

“Take him straight to medical,” Ambria told Tazrok. “Then I want all three of you to have another round of Cure Disease, too, just to be sure.”

“Let everyone know we’ll be there in a couple hours,” Callie added. “No other significant injuries that haven’t been healed, and the nest has been destroyed.” Then she added to Thucax, “Don’t forget to give your bow a round of Cure Disease, too.”

The Ogre nodded, receiving his instructions before wibbling into his fearsome Hellhound form. Shul’an worked their expert rope skills, looping under and around the terrifying Tazrok-the-Hellhound and providing both riders with small loops to hold tight. They also showed Thucax a simple knot to undo which would release the whole thing, allowing the Ogre to resume his natural form without getting tangled.

The Hellhound crouched down, and Reynard was carefully helped up onto his back, Thucax scrambling up after him. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but with a few trots around the clearing, the two riders found spots where they were both steady and not in any immediate discomfort. As a final parting action, Ambria refreshed the pain block on Reynard’s leg to make sure it would last all the way back to camp.

“Okay,” Callie said, looking Tazrok in his glowing eyes. “You don’t have to run. Just a walking pace will still be way faster than the rest of us. No risks, just get him home, understand?”

The huge, black Hellhound nodded his head, growling out an accompanying affirmative. He turned, walking off to the northwest, two riders clinging to his back. Soon, he was lost down a small hill, out of sight.

Callie sighed, relieved that the immediate issue had been dealt with. Despite assurances, she was worried about Reynard and his missing half-limb. He had seemed in good spirits, all things considered, even verbally sparring with her. Both Lhawni and Ambria reiterated to her that the limb could be regrown, probably in less than a few months. That made Callie feel a little better, but that kind of body trauma was going to eventually catch up, no matter how much magic was thrown at him.

A part of her still felt like his injury was her fault, too. She really couldn’t think of a particular reason why, though. Maybe it was just a case of, what had Reynard called it? ‘A hundred fates coming together and meeting in a moment’? Was it really that simple?