Chapter 5 - A Stranger

The deeper Aric and Vire ventured into the forest, the more the sense of unease grew. The familiar sounds of the woods—the rustling of leaves, the calls of birds—seemed muted, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Aric's hand remained on the hilt of his sword, his senses heightened as he scanned the underbrush and shadows for any sign of danger.

Vire hovered beside him, their glow dimmed to a faint shimmer, reflecting their own wariness. "Something's not right," they whispered, their voice barely audible above the soft crunch of leaves beneath Aric's boots. "It's too quiet."

Aric nodded, his eyes narrowing as he continued forward. The path they were on was one rarely travelled, winding through the densest part of the forest. It was a place where even the most experienced hunters and woodsmen rarely ventured, and for good reason—this part of the forest was wild, untamed, and filled with hidden dangers.

As they rounded a bend in the path, Aric suddenly stopped, his eyes locking onto something in the distance. Beneath the shade of a large oak tree, there was a figure lying on the ground. A woman, her body curled in on itself as if trying to shield herself from the world. Her clothes were torn and dirt-stained, her hair matted with leaves and mud.

Vire gasped, their wings fluttering in alarm. "Aric, look!"

Aric was already moving toward the woman, his heart pounding in his chest. As he approached, he could see the extent of her injuries—bruises covered her arms and legs, and there was a deep gash on her side, the wound still oozing blood. She was unconscious, her breathing shallow and labored.

Kneeling beside her, Aric carefully checked her pulse, relieved to find it weak but steady. "She's alive," he murmured, more to himself than to Vire. "But she's hurt badly."

Vire hovered closer, their tiny face twisted in concern. "What could have done this to her? A beast? Or something else?"

Aric shook his head, his expression grim. "I don't know. But we can't leave her here."

He gently lifted the woman into his arms, cradling her against his chest. She was light, almost too light as if she had been without proper food or care for a long time. Her head lolled against his shoulder, her skin cold to the touch.

Vire flew alongside them as Aric began the trek back to the hut, their mind racing with questions. "Do you think she's from the village?" Vire asked, glancing at the woman's face. "Or was she lost in the forest?"

"It's possible," Aric replied, his voice low as he focused on navigating the uneven terrain. "But she doesn't have the look of someone who lives in the village. Her clothes are too worn like she's been out here for a long time."

"Maybe she was running from something," Vire suggested, their voice tinged with unease. "Or someone."

Aric's jaw tightened at the thought. The forest was dangerous, but for a woman to end up in this condition meant she had either been fleeing something far worse or had been wandering for days, lost and desperate. He pushed those thoughts aside for now—what mattered was getting her to safety and tending to her wounds.

By the time they reached the hut, the sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Aric carried the woman inside, laying her down carefully on his bed. The small room was filled with the scent of herbs and wood smoke, a stark contrast to the harsh reality of the world outside.

Vire immediately began examining the woman's injuries, their tiny hands glowing with a soft, green light as they hovered over her wounds. "She's lost a lot of blood," Vire said, their voice tinged with worry. "But the wound on her side is the worst. If we don't close it up soon, she might not make it."

Aric nodded, already moving to gather the supplies he would need. He grabbed a clean cloth, a needle, and some thread, as well as a few vials of herbal tinctures he had prepared for emergencies. Sitting beside the bed, he began to clean the woman's wounds with water from a nearby basin, his movements precise and gentle.

"She must have been out there for days," Vire murmured, their voice soft as they watched Aric work. "But why? What was she running from?"

"I wish I knew," Aric replied, his focus on stitching up the gash in the woman's side. His hands moved with practised skill, the needle weaving in and out of her flesh as he carefully closed the wound. "We'll have to wait until she wakes up to get answers."

As he worked, Vire continued to sprinkle their healing dust over the woman's other injuries, the magic helping to speed up the healing process. The bruises began to fade, and the woman's breathing grew steadier, her face relaxing as the pain lessened.

After what felt like hours, Aric finally finished, tying off the last stitch and wiping the sweat from his brow. He covered the woman with a warm blanket, his eyes lingering on her pale face. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable—a stark contrast to the harshness of the forest that surrounded them.

"She'll need rest," Aric said quietly, standing up and stretching his stiff muscles. "And we'll need to keep an eye on her in case she has a fever."

Vire nodded, their glow brightening slightly as they hovered near the bed. "I'll stay with her," they offered. "Make sure she's comfortable."

Aric gave a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Vire. I'll prepare something for when she wakes up."

As Aric moved about the hut, gathering herbs and preparing a broth over the fire, his mind kept returning to the woman they had found. Who was she? And what had brought her to the deepest part of the forest, so close to death?

The answers would come, he hoped, when she woke. But until then, all he could do was ensure she had a chance to recover and that whatever danger had brought her to his doorstep wouldn't follow her there.