I approach the girl with the dog. She’s been sitting quietly for a time, just watching as I took care of bringing in Hans to round up the criminals who attacked her.

“Robin. Do you think Jack will let me come closer?”

She looks from me to Jack with tear-filled eyes glimmering in the moonlight. “I... I think so, M’Lady.”

I shake my head at the title, but refrain from commenting. “Ok. Hi little Jack. Please don’t bite me this time.” I slowly place my hand near him.

He watches me with intelligent brown eyes, intent upon my own. I’m careful not to hold his gaze, knowing the challenge that is for many wild animals. Domestic are perhaps much the same, or so I've come to believe they hold many of the same instincts, they just are a little more tolerant of humans. He leans forward to sniff my hand and snorts. I jump back, then laugh at myself.

Of course I can face down four drunks and crazy giants and a bad-mannered Timber Wolf, but a dog scares me. I slide my hand along his neck and he allows me to rub his chest.

He relaxes with my scratches and kind words. His head sags as the pain from the different wounds along his torso comes with the draining adrenaline. Poor thing. My own ribs throb with empathetic pain.

He jumps and growls as two pairs of feet come from a branching alley riddled with shadow.

“Ran,” I whisper.

The man beneath her whimpers as she lithely gains her feet. Brown eyes turn red and her lips pull back to reveal fangs longer than my hand.

She sniffs and her demeanor reverts. With a snort, she sits back on her little chair of a man. She gives me a bright eyed wink.

“Help is here, my friends.” I don’t imagine the girl's sigh, and I don’t believe I imagine the dog's, either.

Sir Hans comes around the corner with chain mail covering his torso. Another man follows close behind with pursed lips and a silken undershirt, still kinked from where the chain-mail laid not too long ago. I purse my lips to hide a smile.

“Sir Rowan, Guardian. Guardian, Sir Rowan. This is the situation I appraised you of.”

Sir Rowan eyes me up and down with something akin to surprise lighting his gaze. He holds out his sword hand. I grasp his forearm in a friendly grip. “A pleasure, Guardian.”

“Likewise. You weren’t there.” I would’ve remembered his bright red hair.

He shakes his head, red hair flecked with slight gray swaying on his forehead. “No, but boy do I wish. They said that Timber was something to behold. This her? Why, she’s as tame as a puppy!” She gives a lighthearted growl. Her eyes flash red and she snaps her fangs with a clack. “I-I take it back. Timber, forgive me. I am but a humble human. You are a sight to behold. An amazing creature of great strength and knowledge and...”

“Hush, Rowan. We have things to do,” Sir Hans says in exasperation.

Sir Rowan snaps to attention. “Sir yes sir!”

Why can’t you be a bit more appreciative of my beauty, like Rowan here? Ran asks me, her bright eyes on the man and a wolven smile on her lips as her tongue hangs from the side of her mouth.

I snort. He’s not giving you a big head, is he? You know what comes before a fall.

I stay by the dog and girl as Sir Rowan and Sir Hans take custody of the attacker. By that point, he’s begging to be taken in, giving me a hint that perhaps Ran let loose a few more than would be considered ladylike.

“Where is home, Robin?” I ask.

“It’s nearer to Market. Mom sells jewelry and trinkets there.” After the last word, she grows mighty pale and dry heaves, her stomach revolting after the fear and adrenaline fades. She's probably going into shock. Her hazel eyes close in utter exhaustion. I scoot over and catch the girl as she slides to the ground. Her shoulder is crimson, the stain spreading down to her abdomen. I rip my dark tunic and use it to do a quick binding of a long and jagged cut right below her collarbone.

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She whimpers and Jack growls at me, prowling and pulling back his fangs, but he hasn't attacked in a misguided sense to protect his mistress... yet.

Ran! I call silently.

She jumps the short distance to us, sensing my growing concern. She licks Jack, drawing his attention. He half heartedly growls at her before she licks his ear in an endearing manner. She lolls her tongue and gives a quick bark.

My heart squeezes painfully in my chest, but I have no time for guilt. Not yet.

I heft Robin into my arms, being careful of her shoulder. Jack sticks his wet nose against my arm and whimpers.

“You did good, sweet boy. I’ve got her now.” He backs away but follows as I place her on Ran’s back before climbing up myself as she bows.

“Sir Hans!” I call out. He turns to me and his eyes widen.

“Is she...?”

“She’s breathing, but I’ve gotta go. Healer Jens is the closest. Her name is Robin. She said her mother lives close to market and sells jewelry and trinkets.”

He nods. “I’ll find her mother and bring her as soon as I can. Healer Jens lives on Sun Side?”

I nod, then reach around the limp girl and grab the halter around her neck.

“Good luck," Sir Hans says as both he and the other knight salute me with a fist to the chest.

I kick my heels into Ran and she shoots off like a bolt of lightening. I send a quick pleading to the sky. We’re going to need all the help from The King we can get.

Ran sends me what she’s going to do, so I lean forward and clench down with both hands and knees, wrapping my feet into the bottom part of the harness and making sure I cocoon the girl in my hold.

Ran launches herself half a story up, latching onto the side of a window. With a bunching of her impressive muscles, she leaps once more to a slender balcony before we clear the roof. Her pounding steps match the rhythm of my heart as we glide across first one roof and then another until I lose count. The weightlessness of flying over darkened allies and roads interspersed with the jolts back to earth is a rhythm my body knows by heart. How many times have Ran and I raced over these same houses, searching for wrong-doers, running from guards and knights, and just plain having fun? Quite frankly, many more times than we should have. But right now, I'm thankful for the practice, as the extra weight is an incumbrance and if we'd had less experience up above? That wouldn't have been good.

Doubts wish to crowd my mind, but I push them away as I hold on tightly with all that I am so that Ran can run. If she’s worried about us falling, she’d have to go slower with less flying. Speed is of the essence.

The girl's blood slicks Ran's white fur. Her face is pale in the moonlight as sweat glistens on her brow. The breath in her chest comes in shallow gasps.

“Hurry, Beauty,” I whisper to my wolf.

She flicks her ears back, flattening them to her skull.

“Please, Great King, don’t let her die,” the whisper runs through my lips more times than I can count.

A burst of speed makes me close my eyes and grip tighter, focusing on nothing but my grip of fur and leather and barely breathing human.

Ran drops from the sky, causing my head to spin and my stomach to rise into my throat. She lands with ease and grace, not dropping me off this time. I slide down on shaky legs, unsure if I will be able to carry the girl inside after the abuse my muscles just went through.

Thankfully, the door opens and lamplight casts a halo outside the brightly colored house and shutters.

I blink against the sudden brightness.

“Oh dear. What now?” Owlish eyes blink behind glasses at the odd scene before Healer Jenson. He yelps as two bright orbs reflect the lamplight. He almost slams the door shut.

“Healer Jenson! Please...” I’m able to stop him right before the door slams into place.

His big brown eyes peek out behind the door. “I know that voice. Yes, I do. Who are you, child?”

We don’t have time for this. But then, one thing I have learned, one must do what one must do.

“Healer.” I come up before the door and lean close. “It’s me, Aria,” I whisper, my voice tight.

“Why, Aria, why didn’t you say so! Oh, dear me, is it your sister?”

“Shhhh, not so loud. No, I have someone here who was attacked. A little girl. She badly needs your help.”

He pushes the door open and takes two steps out before freezing. “Will she eat me?”

She snorts. He’d taste like weasel.

I ignore her jab. “She’s perfectly safe. She helped us get Robin here.”

“Robin?” A groan from the back of Aria makes him forget his fear as he waddles to her side. “Oh, dear me. Poor Robin. We must get her inside at once!”

Before I have the chance to ask how a portly elderly gentleman and a girl who is quite exhausted are going to do that, he has Robin down and in his arms. My jaw drops behind the mask. Healer Jenson is more lively than I gave him credit for. He hands me the lantern on the way past, mumbling for me to follow.

I turn to Ran and she places her head over my shoulder. I wrap my arms around her neck as a few tears mingle in her mane.

It’s going to be ok, rider. Call if you need anything, she says softly. I nod and she backs away, disappearing into the shadows.

I turn and light Healer Jenson’s way.