Alice's Heart : The Savage Guardian

Alice rushed forward, her arms wrapping around Zoe in a tight embrace. “Oh, Zoe, I’m so glad you’re okay.” She turned and met Sebastian’s gaze.

Sebastian simply nodded. He then walked to Silas’ side, joining the fight. Together they subdued the few remaining panthers, driving them back into the shadows. Some, sensing defeat, turned and fled into the darkness, their frustrated roars echoing behind them.

The cave was silent, Silas standing, his fur matted and soaked with blood, his body marred by cuts and bruises. Alice had seen him fight, seen his ferocity, the strength he possessed. And though part of her was terrified, another part was drawn to the beast who had fought so valiantly to protect her.

Zoe suddenly grabbed Alice’s arm, her voice tight with urgency. “Let’s run from here, Alice!"

Alice stared at her, bewildered. “We can't, Zoe. Silas… he’s hurt badly,"

Zoe’s grip tightened. “He’s a beast, Alice! We have to go now! To a place he can’t find you,"

“He’s not a beast, he’s Silas!” snapped Alice, pulling away. “He saved us!”

Just then, with a final, guttural groan, Silas swayed, his legs giving out. His massive body fell to the ground, a red stain spreading across the cave ground. His eyes struggled to stay open, but still trying to find the figure he had to make sure was safe until they settled on Alice. He saw the worry in her eyes.

“Alice,” rasped Silas, his voice weak.

Alice broke free from Zoe's grip, her heart breaking as she ran to Silas' side. She knelt beside him, her hands shaking as she touched his matted fur. “Silas!”

Silas was alive, but barely, and Alice had a sinking feeling that if they didn't get him help, he wouldn't be for long.

Sebastian knelt beside Alice, his hand reaching out to touch Silas’ fur. It was still warm, but growing cold.

"We need to get him out of here," said Sebastian, his voice low and urgent.

Zoe, however, was a statue of fear, her eyes fixed on Silas' unmoving form. “We can’t!” She hissed, yanking on Alice’s arm again. “We have to leave him! He could wake up any minute, and… and…”

"And what, Zoe?" Alice's voice was sharp, a protective growl rising in her throat. "And try to save us again? He just saved us from those panthers, remember? You, me, even the servants! Do you think we'd be alive if it wasn't for him?"

Zoe opened her mouth to protest, but the words died in her throat. She knew Alice was right, she had seen for herself, but the sight of the monstrous creature, even one who had protected them, was too much for her to process.

Alice ignored her. Her eyes were locked on Silas, her brow furrowed in worry. “Sebastian, can you help me move him?”

Sebastian nodded, his uncertainty overcome by the determination in Alice’s gaze. Together, they managed to shift Silas’ massive body, their muscles straining under his weight. The servants, also recovering from their ordeal, offered to help. Their initial fear was now mixed with reluctant admiration. They had seen Silas fight, felt the ground shake with the force of his roar, but they had also benefited from his courage.

The journey out of the cavern was arduous. Silas was heavy, his short breaths a constant reminder of his precarious situation. The air outside was cool and fresh, a welcome change from the suffocating atmosphere of the cave.

Even it took time, but they managed to bring Silas back to the castle grounds, collapsing in a small clearing just outside the main gates.

Elizabeth was already there, her face etched with worry, pacing back and forth. Beside her stood a creature that caused Zoe to gulp. It was like a bear, but larger, with a dense coat of dark brown fur. A bright pink bow, perched gracefully on its head, gave an odd, almost comical touch to its otherwise imposing figure. Alice knew that it could talk and that it was a woman, though her name was still a mystery to her. They were all so worried.

They laid Silas carefully on a patch of soft moss, sheltered by the shade of the ancient oak tree that guarded the castle. He was still as a stone, his limbs sprawled, his breathing shallow and irregular.

As they worked to make him comfortable, Elizabeth noticed something. Underneath the matted fur, she found a series of deep, thin cuts that had bled, but not profusely. She recognized them instantly. They were made by the panther's claws. They were not healing. They were, if anything, worsening, the skin around them becoming red and inflamed.

Elizabeth looked up at Alice and Sebastian, her eyes wide with alarm. “These aren’t normal injuries. They look poisoned,"

Sebastian ran a hand over Silas' fur, his brow furrowed in a grim line. "You may be right. Panthers are venomous in this part of the forest,"

"We need to find something to help him,"

Zoe, still clinging to her fear, watched them work, her eyes darting between Alice, Sebastian, Elizabeth, The lady-bear, and the inert form of Silas. She wanted to run, to put as much distance as possible between herself and the creatures, but she couldn’t deny the bond that had formed between Alice and the beast. She saw the worry in Alice’s eyes, the tenderness in her touch. It was a connection she couldn't understand.

The story, Alice’s Heart, it was really about them. What happened now, with Silas' wounds, was the continuation of what was left in the last chapter, a page that hadn’t yet been fully written.

The lady-bear, who had finally ventured closer, placed a paw on Silas’ shoulder, a low growl rumbling in her chest, the bow on her head bobbing with the movement. She looked to Alice, and spoke with a voice that was surprisingly melodious, a deep, strong tenor. “What can I do?”

Alice looked at the creature. The sheer scale of her, that bow, it was so unexpected. “Do you know of any herbs? Anything that might counteract the venom?”

The lady-bear tilted her head, her expression troubled. "Oh, dearie."

Elizabeth sighed weakly. "No one knows how to heal this kind of poison,"

"There has to be a cure!" Alice looked at Silas' face, the tension in his features a testament to the speed of the poison coursing through his veins.

"I may know a way," Sebastian said suddenly, his voice laced with a hint of hesitation. "But I'm not sure if you want to do it, Alice."

"Tell me, please." Alice responded, her voice tight with desperation.

Sebastian hesitated, his gaze shifting between Alice and Silas. "It's an old magic, a bond between souls. It's said that when two souls are meant to be together, their blood can intertwine and heal." He explained. "But it's not simple. We need to open your veins and let the blood flow directly into his wounds,"

Zoe gasped, her eyes widening in horror. "You can't be serious! You want to open her up? She could get infected. She could die!" Her fear resurfaced, stronger than before, and she grabbed Alice's arm again, trying to pull her away from the potentially fatal plan.

"It's okay, Zoe." whispered Alice. Whatever she could do, she would do. Whatever the consequences, as long as it saved Silas’ life. Her gaze never left Sebastian's. "Is it safe?" Her voice was surprisingly steady, unwavering.

Sebastian looked down, his face grim. "There are no guarantees. It's a long shot, a desperate measure. But it's the only chance I know to save him,"

The lady-bear, whose name Alice now knew was Ginny, shifted her weight, the pink bow on her head wobbling slightly. "I have never heard of such a thing. But desperate times… they call for desperate measures,"

Alice took a deep breath. She glanced at Silas, his breathing shallow and ragged. "I'm ready. Let's do it,"

The servants, who had been watching in stunned silence, murmured their support, some offering silent prayers, others looking on with a mixture of fear and admiration. They had all witnessed Silas' bravery, and now they were witnessing Alice's, a courage born not of brute strength, but of a deep, abiding love.

Sebastian nodded. He turned to Elizabeth, requesting a clean cloth and a sharp blade. He didn’t want to use a sword or something too big, no matter how fast the poison was traveling. What they needed was precision.

With a deep breath, Sebastian took the knife and positioned it carefully over Alice's wrist, his hands shaking only slightly. He made a shallow incision, then another, thin lines of blood welling up from the cuts.

Alice winced, but didn't move away, her eyes glued on Silas. The blood dripped, a crimson stream contrasting sharply against her pale skin. Sebastian then carefully positioned her wrist over Silas' cuts, letting the blood flow directly onto the poisoned wounds.

They all watched in tense silence, the only sound the soft drip of blood and the shallow breaths from Silas. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the crimson liquid mingled with the matted fur, seeping into the poisoned flesh.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut, picturing Silas, picturing the moment he saved them, picturing his gaze, and, as if it was the only thing she could do, she started whispering his name. “Silas..."

Then, a collective gasp rippled through the group. Silas' breathing had steadied, taking a deeper, less ragged quality.

A soft cough broke through the silence, followed by a croaky whisper. "Alice," said Silas, his voice weak but there. The sound was like a miracle, a note of life in the face of death.

Alice's eyes flew open, a rush of relief flooding her face. She looked down at Silas, her hand still hovering near his wound. A faint smile touched her lips, a fragile bloom in the aftermath of fear.

"Silas!" This time her voice was stronger, filled with a relief that was almost painful. She carefully retracted her arm, her gaze never leaving his face.

Silas' eyes, still heavy with the lingering effects of the venom, focused on her, his gaze locking onto her pale wrist, marked with its thin, crimson lines. Immediately, he reached out, his large, gentle paw cupping her arm with surprising tenderness. His brow furrowed with concern.

"Your wrist," murmured Silas, his voice laced with a protectiveness that sent shivers down Zoe’s spine. She had never seen such fierce devotion, let alone such tender care from a creature she had initially seen as monstrous.

Silas carefully turned Alice's wrist, his large paw surprisingly delicate as he examined the shallow cuts. “We need to bandage this immediately,” He said, his voice gaining strength.

Alice managed a weak smile, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "It doesn't matter, Silas. You're awake,"

Sebastian, his face etched with relief, let out a slow, shuddering breath. "It worked," He whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. "The old magic actually worked,"

Ginny, the lady bear, nuzzled Silas’ head with her own, a low rumble of satisfaction emanating from her chest. "I knew it! It was that strong love they share,” Her voice filled with awe.

Zoe watched, her initial terror slowly giving way to a strange fascination. The bond between Alice and Silas, the willingness to sacrifice, the strange magic of healing; it was all so far beyond her understanding.

This wasn't a fairy tale, it was something real, something raw, something that challenged everything Zoe had ever believed. The story, 'Alice's Heart' wasn't just something she was observing; she was now part of it, a reluctant participant in a chapter that was being written with blood, bravery, and an unexpected kind of love.

Elizabeth, still tending to Silas’ wounds, smiled gently at Alice. "You saved him, Alice. You were so brave,"

Alice shook her head, her gaze fixed on Silas as he began to bandage her wrist with a piece of cloth Sebastian had provided. "We saved him. It wasn't just me,"