Fall Out

In the end, we turned back with those we had rescued. 

We had managed to save most of the villagers, only two had perished shortly after we'd saved them. The only one who could walk was the little boy.

He still wasn't talking, but that seemed natural considering what we'd found.

I wondered how long he must have been searching for someone to save his family. Maybe he'd been able to speak at some point, before all this happened.

He didn't leave the side of the woman who I could only assume must be his mother.

We had to stop periodically to try to coax the sick and starved into drinking small amounts and eating bits of food. Some of them gratefully accepted but others remained oblivious to the world.

"Princess," One of the warriors halted us, "We are not covering enough ground for some of these villagers. They need the healers."