Chapter 20.

"Lane?" Moth asked, staring at the monster in front of him, wide eyed. The creature moved towards him as if he were acknowledging the name. "God." Moth whispered, bringing his hands up to hold the walker's face. "What happened to you?" The creature rubs his face into the touch, seemingly soothed by Moth's presence. A branch snapped across from them, startling them both. Moth looked over to see the men from earlier including Hayden coming towards him but once they saw the walker they freeze up and stare at it in fear. The walker let out a low growl, "No, no. It's okay Lane." Moth tried to sooth him and hold him back but Lane didn't listen as it darted over to them, quickly slashing them to pieces. Lane was walking away from him again. "Don't leave me!" Moth yelled with tears streaming down his face. Lane froze hearing the desperation in his voice and it slowly moved back over to him, leaning its head down and rubbing against him to calm him. 

Moth pressed his forehead against Lane's, "I'm not going to leave you, even if you are like this. So don't think of leaving me. Please..." Lane seemed to understand him considering that he got closer to him, pulling him in for the closest thing he could manage to a hug. Moth released his calming powder into the air as he spoke to the monster, touching their foreheads together. "It's okay, you got them all. You killed them, we can relax and we'll be together for good." He chuckled to himself and pressed a kiss to the monster's hollow face. "We'll live together just like we planned, just you and me. We can make a home together so let's go."

The monster chattered happily and rubbed against him seemingly pleased by the idea. Moth let him rub up against him for a few moments while he considered what to do. "Lane? Are you… stuck like this or can you turn back?" The creature whined a little, as if upset. Moth took it's head in his hands, "No, no, it's not that I don't like you as well. I'm just worried about you." The creature whined a little before stepping back. It seemed to shrink a little and convulsed as it hunched over, it curled in on itself and whined as something started trying to break its way out of its back. With a final push Lane's head ripped through its back, gasping for air. Moth's eyes widened as he climbed up the creature's back, helping pull Lane out from the flesh, carrying him out and laying him on the snow. He put his head to Lane's chest, checking his heartbeat. He was alive but his breathing was shallow and his heartbeat was slowing. He took a look at his wounds, seeing the various cuts and puncture wounds throughout his body, his face was pale from blood loss and his breath smelled of poison. Moth weaved some bandages quickly and wrapped them around Lane's wounds. 'He's going to die like this.' Moth pulled him up, putting an arm around Lane's waist and slinging his arms over his shoulders. He hoisted him on his back and started dragging him through the snow. 'I can't let him die like this. He's all I've got.' He started to sob, feeling the person on his shoulder getting colder but he kept half-walking, half-running trying to find his way back to the road. 'He can't die.' He frantically looked around trying to find anyone to help but there was nothing in sight so he started to walk down the road, trying to get back to town. He felt his legs get weaker, his wounds on his legs had opened up again and he felt light headed from being flung into the tree but he had to continue, he was Lane's caretaker and it was his job to save him. 

His legs buckled and he fell into the snow with Lane toppling on top of him. He sobbed into the snow for a moment before gathering himself again and trying to pull Lane back up. He looked down the snowy road, desperate for any help, he was too weak to move him anymore and they were up to the mercy of fate. His eyes widened in relief as he saw a cart rolling towards them at a slow pace. 'Is it Sol?' Moth wondered. He waved his arms in the air, desperately trying to wave them down as the cart got closer. The cart stopped in front of him its elegant red and gold finishings glistening under the sun. "Please help him." He yelled to the closed cart door, pleading to whatever person was inside. "He's injured and poisoned. I know I'm a humanoid but he's a human so please help him, I don't need anything and I will leave myself but don't turn your back on another human. Please."

The cart door flung open and Moth met a familiar face that caused him to furrow his brow and tighten his jaw. "Hello little moth. Nice to see you again." Dorian was equipped with a gas mask as he signalled for a person to climb out of the cart and help them up. "You seem to be in quite a predicament. How about we make a deal? I'll help your friend if you come along quietly." 

Note: Gas Masks - Gas masks are a common object owned by officials and rich people. The masks help to filter The Mist but they aren't common practice amongst the working class. 

Moth leaned down and protectively hugged Lane, glaring at Dorian. "You'll hurt him." Dorian smiled down at him. "I won't, he'll never be out of your sight I promise. Besides…" His eyes flicked down to Lane, his gaze becoming cold. "It looks like he's about to die on the spot. I'm your only option." Moth glared at him before he finally nodded to show his agreement, letting the person come closer to him and take Lane out of his arms, moving him into the cart. Moth stayed close to Lane through this process but as he moved to follow Lane inside he was stopped when Dorian grabbed his arm. "Hold on. You need to be properly restrained so you don't just kill us as soon as he is taken care of." Moth glares at him. "I won't." he stated decisively. "I like being cautious, you slipped away from me far too easily last time." A person, at Dorian's signal, moves over and ties his hands together without any resistance from Moth. "Don't forget his wings." Dorian commented.

"Don't bother. They are broken anyway, I can't do anything with them." Dorian's face got darker and his mouth tightened as he looked at the battered state of Moth's features. "Will they heal?" He whispered, his voice rough. Moth glanced at him in confusion before looking over to Lane who is being treated. "After a few weeks. They've also been torn quite a bit as well." Dorian signals for one of the people tending to Lane to look after Moth but he stops them. "He needs help more than me."

"You don't get to decide that little moth. I value you a lot more than I do him and I'm the one with all the power in the room. You can either accept the help or I could bring the other healer over here to hold you down while you receive treatment. Then your beloved would have no one to treat him at all." Moth glared at him for a moment before begrudgingly accepting the help, looking at Lane while the person treats his leg. She then moves to feel his ribs causing him to wince. 

"He broke his ribs, he seems to have a concussion and his wings are in terrible condition." The person states as her hands move to his wings. "Don't touch them." Moth snaps. "It's better if I treat them." Suddenly he is snapped away from his own situation as Lane groans, starting to wake up. Moth's eyes widened and he moved over to him, "Lane! Are you okay?" He asked, holding his face in his hands. Lane groaned his eyes opening slightly before he passed out again. Dorian lets out a slow soft laugh. "Impressive, that guy doesn't seem to want to die." Moth glared back at him before turning his attention back to Lane.