"Your leg is injured, you shouldn't be going anywhere right now!" Aylin argued. "I'm sure the others will arrive soon."

"It's almost dark. If they aren't here by now, something must've happened." Ripping off another piece of cloth from his cloak, he wrapped the laceration on his arm.

"Besides, you're hurt, what can you do?"

"I need to go back!" He said sternly, causing her to flinch. He sighed, "If they are hurt, I can't just leave them there. Stay here. If anything happens, take the horses and run." He hands her the knife from his boot.

"Take your knife with you." Her voice was sad and full of concern.

"I don't need it." He placed it in her hand and strapped the saddle to Sayi. "If anything happens, I will find you." He said to them and took off in a gallop upriver.

***

A ways upriver, past the carriage, Tsugi managed to find a shallower area to cross. He traced the Kuana's trail back. There were guts and black ooze everywhere but it was quiet. The horses didn't seem to be hurt and were grazing nearby, but he saw no signs of anyone.

"RUZO!" Tsugi called out, but no answer. He continued to wander calling for Ruzo, but the dog didn't come running. "RUZO!" He yelled again.

He heard a faint noise and started heading toward it. "Ruzo!" He yelled. The noises got louder as he got closer. He saw a huge crater in the ground, jumped off Sayi and ran toward it, leaning over the edge. "Ruzo!"

"Over here!" Lugo shouted.

Tsugi ignored him as his eyes scanned the dark crater. "Ruzo!"

The dog let out a whiny bark and attempted to climb the crater, but slid back down again. "Ruzo! I'm glad you are okay!"

"Yeah, I know, me too!" Lugo yelled from below. "Help us up!" Tsugi stood back and looked around. He grabbed a few long intestines from the dead Kuana, tied one end to the saddles of each of the horses, and tossed the other ends down into the crater.

"OKAY!" Lugo yelled.

Tsugi ushered the horses forward and brought them up slowly. As they all made it up safely, Tsugi ran over, "Ruzo!" He opened his arms in a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you!" Lugo opened his arms, but Tsugi ran right past him and hugged Ruzo. Ruzo's tail wagged excitedly as he licked, turned and twisted into Tsugi.

"I'm so glad you are okay." Tsugi said to Ruzo.

Lugo stood there frozen with his arms still up in the air. Only after realizing that Tsugi said 'Ruzo' and not 'Lugo' did it dawn on him. "Oh. This whole time, you weren't even talking to me?" He pouted.

"What happened?" Tsugi asked, ignoring Lugo's antics.

"Well, long story short we killed the worm and fell in." Kildo said.

"Wait, if you're here, where are the women and children?" Lugo asked.

"They are safely across the river. We need to head back though. We only have very little sunlight left, and we still need to gather what we can from the carriage."

"What?" Lugo said. "What happened to the carriage?"

"A worm crushed it, right after I got the others out."

Lugo gasped and pouted, "My carriage." His voice cracked.

"Sorry, I will get you a new one when we get back." Tsugi apologized.

"Nah, I'm just messing with you. It's just a carriage, I don't care." He laughed. Tsugi couldn't believe it. Lugo had been stuck in the crater all day and he could still manage to be so gleeful. They mounted their horses and headed toward the river.

***

Dusk was upon them when they arrived at the wreckage. "I see the worm touched the water huh?" Lugo said as he looked around the huge oozy mess.

"You didn't tell me they would explode!"

"I didn't have time to explain every detail to you, we were getting attacked."

"Can't you just fix it?" Kildo said to the healer.

"No. I can't just FIX it. That's not how healing magic works. First of all, the carriage isn't even alive! Second, I don't even know how to do it, even if it is possible!"

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"Oi!" Lugo yelled. "It's fine, just grab only what you need and are able to carry. We are also going to need to make room for the others now too, so don't get too greedy."

After securing the gear, the sun had already long set over the horizon, so they traveled to the campsite under the light of the moon.

After they got back to camp, Tsugi pulled a tent from the horse to set up for the women and children. Kildo cooked and passed food around for everyone. Famished, the children gobbled up their food in a flash.

Tsugi had only taken a bite out of his food and handed the bowl to the hungry children. "Go ahead. I'm not that hungry." They hesitated before accepting the bowl of food.

Tsugi walked over to the river and sat down taking off the bandages. Even under the dim moonlight, he could see that his leg was swollen. It had hemorrhaged under his skin, turning it black and blue around the wound. The burn was black and scabbed, but it still bled profusely as he stuck it in the river.

The lesion on his arm had turned black and was oozing black goo out as he squeezed it.

"That looks painful." Lugo said, sitting down next to Tsugi.

"No." He continued to clean the wound.

"Here, let me help you."

"No. I got it."

"Nymo!" He called the healer.

"No! It's alright, I got it."

"Well, either you let me help or I get the healer."

"Neither."

"Ny...!"

"I said I got it!" Tsugi said through gritted teeth.

"Look at you, your body is all awkwardly contorted cause you can't even see it properly. At least let me put some ointment on it." Tsugi ignored him and stuck his arm in the running river. "Ny..!"

"Okay!" Tsugi gave in. Afraid that everyone will see the hideous scars on him, he pulled his arm and leg out of the water. "You are just this annoying thorn in my side."

"All because you are so stubborn and reckless." He pulled out a clean cloth and ointment. Tsugi tensed as Lugo squeezed the wound on his arm over and over again until nothing but blood came out.

"Lay on your stomach." Lugo said after wrapping Tsugi's arm.

"Why? So you can dig your elbow into my back again?"

"So I can properly see the injury on your leg, dumb-dumb." Lugo rolled his eyes. Tsugi lie on the grass, placing his hands under his chin.

"Wow. I think that's the first time I've seen you get irritated."

"That's probably because your bad attitude is finally rubbing off on me." He chuckled. "I really think we should have Nymo take a look."

"No, it's fine. I already cleaned it earlier and cauterized it. I just need to keep it clean."

"Okay, but if it gets infected I'm just going to say, 'I told you so'." The wound was discolored and the edema present showed signs of internal bleeding which will soon lead to an infection. Lugo lightly pressed on it causing dark red blood clots to come oozing out as it slid down Tsugi's calf.

"What are you doing?" Tsugi grunted.

"I told you so. It's already in the beginning stages of infection, hence the reason it is inflamed. Hold still, I need to clear this before it gets worse." He squeezed it some more as Tsugi winced, but tried to hide his pain. "It's not like I enjoy causing you pain."

Lugo squeezed it again, forcing a painful grunt out of Tsugi. "Well, maybe just a little." He chuckled. "See? If I didn't help you, this would've gotten worse and we would've had to cut off your leg. Worse case, you could die from septicemia." He carefully slathered on some ointment and secured the bandage. "Your health is my biggest concern. Especially for a dumb-dumb like you." He chuckled. "Done."

"Thanks." Tsugi sat up and pulled the leg of his trouser back down and tied his boots on. Although it still hurt, the pain wasn't as bad.

"How long have you been traveling for?" Lugo asked, washing his hands in the river.

"Not long."

"You must be pretty reckless then, seeing as you have quite a few gnarly scars on you."

"I guess you could say that." He sighed in irritation. He was hoping Lugo wouldn't notice.

"Next time, please don't fight me and just let me help. I can't have you dying on me."

Tsugi watched as Lugo ran his wet hands over his face and through his silver hair. 'Why does this silver haired boy care so much about me?' He thought. 'I haven't done anything to deserve his care or concern.'

His father's words rang in his ear, 'You think people actually care about you? They only show you fake kindness because you are of use to them. When they are done with you, you will be thrown out like trash.' Tsugi buried the brief joy he felt and returned to the fire.

***

Dawn had arrived.

"Alright so we are going to have to double up on the horses if we want to make it back on time." Lugo said, strapping the last of the gear onto the horse. "We're already half a day behind. Well, make it a whole day. It will only take about half a day to get to the edge of the woods, but it takes a whole day to get through it. I do not want to spend the night in the woods so we will camp by the tree line and leave at first light."

Maki and Aylin rode the two horses that pulled the carriage. They each held one of the children in front of them. Nymo, Lugo and Tsugi each held a child as they were a lot lighter than the bulky blacksmiths.

The river split into a small stream that they continued to follow, winding through the valley and hills.

"How are you feeling Nagi?" Tsugi asked as they traveled through the valley. She nodded in response. "That's good. I heard you saved Sayi." She nodded again. "Thank you. You were very brave." She sat up straighter and looked up at Tsugi, her red eyes sparkled and she smiled proudly. "Next time be careful though. Don't risk your life unnecessarily. I will be very sad if something happens to you. If you don't mind me asking...how come you don't talk?" He waited but she only hung her head.

"She can't." A small voice came up from behind him. Aylin rode up next to him with Inara in her lap. "The children no longer have their tongues." She said in a soft voice. Rage quickly shot through him, he felt a little hand touch his hand and looked down. Nagi smiled at him to let him know that it's okay, and his anger dispersed.

"Alright!" Lugo stopped his horse. "We will rest here for the rest of the day." Tsugi glanced up at the giant towering trees. Even with the sun high in the sky, the forest had a dark gloominess to it that sent a chill up their spines.

They unpacked and settled down. Getting to be able to just relax, they were able to cook some decent food while the kids ran through the field with Ruzo. Tsugi only looked on as he suppressed his urge to join them. He must show that he is mature and still not in the mindset of a child. He envied their laughter and freedom since he was never blessed enough to find his or at least learned to enjoy it.

"It's finished!" Maki closed her eyes and held up a small wooden flute to her lips. She blew into it, sending a beautiful peaceful sound through the wind. She sat by the fire and played a few soft notes. Everyone was so intrigued at the beautiful sound, they all leaned in to listen.

"Oh!" Maki noticed that everyone's eyes were locked on her and her face flushed.

"That was beautiful!" They all exclaimed and clapped loudly.

"Th-thank you." She gave a little curtsy.

"Play some more!" Lugo called out. Maki blushed and put the flute to her lips. She continued to play all types of songs through the night. For some of the songs, the men and children even got involved clapping and stomping along to the beat.

Tsugi sat and observed as he had never heard music before and it moved his heart. Yet he couldn't shake this feeling of uneasiness that something was waiting for them in these woods.