Ryo scanned over the destroyed and bloodied battlefield, littered with the remains of hunter, monsters and rouges alike. He turned towards Amara and his heart sank. Blood leaked through her fingers, and she tightly held on to her side.

“Nix!” Ryo bellowed as he rushed over to Amara. He sprinted past the frozen girl, he would deal with her after. As he crouched down at Amara’s side, the ground shook as Cali came charging from out the trees with Nix at her reins. The girl spun as his horse sprinted past her eyes practically popping from her skull. “Do what you can” he told his palico.

With unreal speed Nix gathered their medical supplies and began working on Amara with expert technique.

“Don’t bother” Amara complained removing her helm, “I’m fine-”.

“Don’t be an idiot” Ryo cut her off. He placed his own helmet on the ground. “Is you pride really worth more than your life?”. She remained silent. “Well?”.

“I’m thinking” she said before cracking a pained smile. “…Thanks”.

Ryo didn’t respond. He glanced over their surroundings again “Not like you to get caught so off guard”.

“The weeks of travelling and fighting have worn me down … but that’s no excuse”, she followed his gaze across the surrounding scenes, “I led them to their deaths” Amara confessed, “I had a feeling they wouldn’t be strong enough, but I needed a full hunting party, and they wanted the money”.

“Death is always a risk for hunters. Everyone here knew that” Ryo told her “So don’t let it haunt you”. Amara nodded. She grimaced as Nix applied a final ointment and bandaged up the wound.

“Well looks like your inhuman stubbornness has paid off once again. You might just live” Ryo stated. He then turned to the girl behind them. She was still frozen and staring wide eyed, unable to contemplate the situation. Ryo analysed her condition. She didn’t look critical but had still definitely been caught up in the battle.

“Kid!”, she jumped as he snapped her back to reality, “Come here and let my palico have a look at you” Ryo said.

**********

Overwhelmed and scarred Astra cautiously approached. Without looking up, she walked past the hunter and sat down next to Amara, who despite no longer bleeding out still looked like death.

“Is she going to be okay?” Astra asked as his palico began taking care of her wounds. The palico meowed at the hunter and he nodded.

“She’ll live for now. Amara’s been infected with some sort of venom. Nix has done his best to slow it down and stop the bleeding, but she needs medical care we can’t give. We need to get her a village within the couple days” he explained.

“Would Silva work?” she asked.

He nodded “We’ll heading back there now”. Astra smiled and relaxed back into the fallen tree trunk.

With perfect timing Lucy appeared on top of Gris from the treeline. They came to an abrupt to stop beside them, she leapt off the horse and quickly checked out her hunter’s condition.

“No” Amara suddenly stated calmly while gesturing to Lucy to stop worrying. Astra head snapped to Amara and the hunter’s faced creased.

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“No?” he questioned.

“Astra can’t waste time travelling back to Silva” Amara said.

“So you’re just going to keep travelling forward and hope you reach civilisation in time before you drop dead and leave the kid on her own?” Ryo questioned.

“No. I’ll head back to Silva, but she won’t be” Amara said,

“What are you getting at?”.

“You’re going to take her”.

“Am I fuck-”.

“What!?” Astra snapped. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I’m not leaving you” she stated.

“You are” Amara snapped back. She then turned to the hunter “And you’re taking her”.

“You expect me to take her across the entire continent?” the hunter questioned in disbelief.

“No. Just to Dundorma. It’s where the escort quest was actually to. I’ve got friends arriving there in the next couple days. They’ll take Astra off you when you get there and take her to the Citadel” Amara explained.

“Amara this is too far, even for you-”.

“Ryo please” Amara begged. Astra couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. She’d never seen Amara this desperate and from the look on the hunters face neither had he. The hunter scratched his head. He glanced at Amara and then to Astra. Silence followed for what Astra felt was forever. He sighed.

“Fine. I’ll get her to Dundorma” he said, “Get your stuff kid”.

“Thank you Ryo” Amara said. She relaxed back into the tree like all the weight in the world had been lifted off her.

“I’m not going with him and I’m not leaving you” Astra stated adamant. Both their dominating gazes fell upon her, but she didn’t waver.

“Ryo can you give us a moment?” Amara asked. The hunter picked up in helm and nodded before leading his horse and palico away.

“I’m not going” Astra said again.

“Astra-”.

“No!”, she felt tears begin welling in her eyes, “It doesn’t even make sense. You said the whole point of us posting the quest and getting more hunters was because it was too dangerous for just us two. Are you saying that he on his own can protect me? That he could’ve handled all of this on his own?” Astra aggressively questioned. She could feel her emotions and temper burning hotter by the second.

“Yes” Amara responded calmly. “If any hunter can it’s him”. Amara grasped the back of Astra’s head and pulled her in close. “Now. You’re going to go with him and get to Dundorma. My friends will then take you to the Citadel where I promise we’ll see each other again. Do you understand?” Amara explained sternly.

Every raging emotion she’d possessed moments ago was now gone. She felt like a hollow husk. Astra nodded.

“Good girl” Amara stated, and her expression softened. “Don’t worry Ryo will keep you safer than I ever could, though I’ll confess he isn’t the greatest company. Try not to annoy him too much” Amara said a pained smile forming, “Only a moderate amount”. Astra couldn’t stop the smile spreading to her own face and she nodded again. “Alright go with Lucy and get your things off Gris. I need a word with Ryo” Amara commanded. Without delay Astra stood and followed Lucy towards Gris.

********

Ryo watched from afar as the girl pulled of a large backpack off Amara’s horse and wandered towards him.

“Nyx help her saddle up” Ryo ordered. With an affirmative meow his palico led the girl off towards Cali. Ryo approached Amara who was pulling herself up off the ground. She stumbled as she tried straightened her back and Ryo caught her arm.

“Are you sure you can make it back to Silva? By the looks of it that girl needs you. I take it your all she has” Ryo said.

Amara nodded as successfully stood “Yeah everyone she knew is dead and yes I’ll make it”.

“Now that you won’t be tracked, head north and reach the main road. You can reach a small guild settlement within nightfall and then from there they can get you to Silva by tomorrow” Ryo told her “Once in Silva, ask for Leo he’ll help you”.

Ryo helped his friend saddle up onto her horse. “Thank you Ryo. For everything” Amara said.

“Don’t get emotional with me Amara”.

“Yeah, it really doesn’t suit me. Does it?”.

“It does not” Ryo stated, and small smiles cracked across their faces. “I’ll hopefully see you around” Ryo said before turning away.

“Ryo” Amara said, he glanced back, “Astra isn’t cargo, she’s a person. Remember that”. Ryo nodded and continued walking back to his horse. “I’ll see you at the Citadel Astra!” Amara called out as best she could, before racing away. From the back of Cali, Astra gave her a weak wave as she watched her ride off.

“Are you ready?” Ryo asked her. She gave him a small nod. He leapt up onto Cali and seized her reins. They set off towards Dundorma.