Prime

Splashing water from the small river over his face, the water that runs back down is red from the attack that just happened. Henry takes water in his mouth and rinses before spitting it out, though the taste of iron is still very much present, but it’ll be gone soon enough. Picking his teeth he tries to get out the strings of meat that has stuck itself between them and he stands up to look around, watching the remaining Nhadars.

He ordered them to go around the humans, but of course someone didn’t listen and was in full belief they would win. Though the Nhadarian wolf wasn’t wrong, they won, but for what cost and what reason?

Henry looks over to see three wolves laying a few feet away from him. The life that was once in their eyes are gone, and he can feel his own anger rise. This didn’t need to happen!

“Thunder.” A woman, Tulip, because her mother liked the flower, says as she walks up to him looking quite pleased with herself. But it seems to change as he turns and look at the dark gray haired woman who is only two years younger than himself, and she lowers her head. “We lost four of our kind in the attack, but we killed six of them. Only one got away.” She looks up at him again with pride in her eyes. Like it’s a good thing.

Taking a deep breath he bites his teeth together and can’t think of anything to say. Turning away he looks to the three Nhadarian wolves that isn’t injured helping three others laying on the ground.

Looking to one in particular, a man with long blond hair and a darker blond beard, he see red. And before he knows it, he is standing over the man with someone holding his arm from landing in the man’s face, screaming for him to stop. Though judging by the bloody nose, he seem to have already got in a hit or two.

“Thunder! Stop!” A man yells his Nhadarian name behind him and he turns to see the worried icy blue eyes of Ficus. Looking down he see his victim and a instant regret shoots up in him, but he swallows it down. No weakness.

“You disobeyed my orders to leave the humans alone.” Henry stands up and Ficus lets go. He moves to the side so the man, Bigtooth, because one of the man’s side tooths looks bigger than the rest, can stand up. Bigtooth dries the blood from his nose with his wrist, and the man's jaw whitens.

“Why would you let them live anyway? They would attack first if we hadn’t taken the first move!” Bigtooth argues as the bigger and a couple of years older man takes a step closer to Henry. He doesn’t move.

“They didn’t see us walking up the hillside, and they where sitting around a campfire and didn’t look like they were going to move anytime soon! They had no clue we were there.” Henry barks back, and notice that two other Nhadars that isn’t injured takes a few steps behind Bigtooth.

“They might not have spotted us right away, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have attacked if they did! You are blind to the evil ways of humans, Thunder. Probably because you where raised by the scum! And you should consider yourself lucky, pup, that you are the Prime’s son. Or I would have killed you for hitting me.” Bigtooth says through his teeth and turns around to walk away, with both Nhadars following him close behind. They change from human form and back to their original wolf form.

Henry is fuming and he tries to take a deep breath, but it stops halfway down. Turning around he see the other injured and the breath goes the rest of the way and he calms down, if for just a little, as another problem is in front of him. Not bothering looking back to where Bigtooth and the man’s comrades are going and if they are to come back or not. Snorting in exasperation he walks over to where he left his backpack.

“I’ve looked at the injured… What are you doing?” Henry hears Ficus voice behind him as he tightening his belt.

“Getting dressed, and you guys need to do the same. There are no way we are going to be able to carry those three in wolf form.” Henry says as he throws his shirt to Ficus. “You can use it to patch up their wounds.” Henry says and Ficus bites his under lip as he looks to the shirt and back to the injured and back to Henry.

“I’m not sure if it’s going to be enough.” Ficus drags a hand through his coal black hair, which seem to make the man’s eyes shine even more.

“Then use your own too, you only need your pants. It’s summer and the weather seems to be on our side.” At least for today. Henry continues in his mind while he tries to give Ficus a reassuring smile. “But please hurry.” Henry continues. The man might be a few years older than himself, but he certainly doesn’t look like it with his thin limbs and constantly worried looks. Ficus looks to the shirt, the injured and back to Henry where it lingers a little before he nods but doesn’t move. Looking more like there are something he wants to ask but looks too afraid to.

“What is it?” Henry ask.

“Why did you save me?” Ficus asks and Henry can see the man’s worry increase.

“Because we need you. You know more about herbs and how to tend to the body than anyone of us.” Henry says as he throws his backpack over his shoulder. “I wont tell anyone what happened. But know that you did what you could out there.” Henry puts a hand on Ficus shoulders before starting to walk over to the others, leaving a seemingly shocked Ficus to his own thoughts.

Walking up to the injured he put his backpack that has been more design for him to be carried while in wolf form, so he’ll need to do the adjustments to make it easier to carry in human form soon. Pulling out a vial with water that is from the waterfall that they believe has been blessed by Lady Light, the moon, he shakes it to see the green herbs that has been mixed with it swirl around. Helping one of the closest injured he gives her the vial and she downs it with a grimace.

“That is one bitter yet minty drink.” Orchid says as she hands back the vial. Pulling away one of her snow white locks that has stuck itself to her bloody forehead.

“Vera believes the mint will hide most of the bitterness.” Henry says giving her a understanding smile.

“It didn’t work.” Orchid declares and thanks him for the water skin he hands her to swallow down the taste in her mouth. He agrees that it taste absolutely horrible even with the mint leafs, but it works. Ficus walks up to them after gathering the injured bags, putting them down beside Henry.

“So?” Henry looks up at Ficus.

“By the looks of it Lupuna can be able to walk with the help of a stick to help support her, Orchid might need someone to lean on. But I’m unsure about Pine.” Ficus says, his self esteem seeming to be a notch higher and Henry can’t help but feel the corner of his mouth twitch, but puts his hand in front of his mouth in pretend concentration to hide it. When Ficus walks over to Pine who are still in his gray wolf form he puts his hands on the wolf to feel around for injuries that might be invisible from their eyes, and the more he feels, the more Ficus’ shoulders seem to sinks together with his head.

“How bad is it?” Tulip who came up to Henry earlier asks with her hands folded so hard in front of her that they have turned white. Ficus looks up at her and back to Pine.

“Not good…” Ficus breathes apologetically and Tulip looks over to Henry, furrows her brows and her jaw are tightening. Henry raises an eyebrow to her and doesn’t understand why she is looking at him like that. It wasn’t his idea to attack. Tulip walks over to Pine and sits down beside Ficus, on the other side away from Henry.

“But we are still taking him with us, right?” Tulip asks, more directed to Ficus than the one who actually decides if they will take the man with them or not. Ficus looks questionable up at Henry.

“We need to get moving. We don’t know if the human will come back with more of her kind, so we need to leave.” Henry answers and Tulip looks at him through narrow eyes. Ficus is ripping Henry’s shirt and starts to bind Pine’s wounds.

“He hasn’t changed from his wolf form, so he will be easier to carry. And I’ll do it.” Tulip says, seeming more like she will stay behind if he doesn’t agree with her. Looking at the woman who might be able to carry the wolf for a few miles, will probably be more of a burden and take too much time.

“I’ll carry him.” Henry says, and Tulip furrows her brows and narrows her eyes even more.

“You think I can’t carry him?” She challenges. Her wood colored eyes burning with, hate? He isn’t sure.

“No, you probably could, but it will slow us down. And by the looks of it we need to get Pine to Vera as fast as possible, don’t you agree?” Henry raises an eyebrow, and just when Ficus is tightening the bind around Pine’s chest a small howl of pain escapes the wolf, and Tulip takes one of Pine’s paws.

“Fine.” Tulip says eventually.