FicWad

We finally left the forest, "the village is right over this hill." Aaron said, "we're almost home."
We started up the incline, but suddenly Aaron stopped.
"What's the matter?" I asked in alarm.
Aaron lifted his head and sniffed the air, "get back into the forest!" He yelled, grabbing me and turning to run.
We had only gone a few steps, when I heard a soft Thwack. Aaron fell to his knees, with an arrow stuck in his shoulder. I screamed his name in horror.
"Run," Aaron whispered weakly, "hide in the forest until it's safe, then find Micah."
Before I could react, Three Woverin trackers, swarmed down the hill. I grasped my knife and stepped in front of Aaron, ready to defend him.

The trackers didn't even bother facing me. They shot a netting gun, capturing me in its snare.
I struggled in vain to free myself, as the trackers surrounded us, smirking with glee.
"Two more renegades to add to our collection," one of them said gloating, as he picked up my knife that had dropped on the ground.
He grabbed the end of the netting and yanked me forward up the hill, almost causing me to fall. I heard Aaron cry out in agony as the other two jerked him up, not caring about the arrow in his shoulder. I fought against the netting, trying to get free so I could help Aaron.
The tracker, slapped me in the face and said roughly. "I won't hesitate to kill you, do you hear me?"
I glared at him defiantly, before spitting the blood from my split lip into his face. He roared angrily and raised his hand to slap me again, when a rough voice said, "halt."
The tracker immediately lowered his hand, then yanked me forward causing me to fall to my knees. Someone gently raised me to my feet and I gasped in astonishment as I looked up into Kel's face.

"Give me a knife. I want to cut the netting." Kel said to the tracker.
"But sir she . . . " he began to protest, but was cut off by Kel's raised hand.
"I said give me a knife," Kel repeated in a low growl.
The tracker quickly handed him my knife and Kel released me from my bounds. I rubbed my aching arms, and glared at the tracker, my eyes promising retribution someday.
Kel grasped my arm and started to lead me away, "wait," I protested and he stopped.
I looked back at Aaron. He lay in a heap where the trackers had dropped him. He was pale with loss of blood and groaning in pain. I loosened myself from Kel's grasp and ran to Aaron's side, kneeling next to him. Placing my hand on his forehead, I gasped at the burning fever that was already starting.
I looked up at Kel pleadingly, "please help him." I begged, "he needs a healer."
Kel nodded and snapped his fingers, two trackers appeared at his side.
"Take him and find a healer," Kel said.
They nodded and quickly formed a travios to drag him the remaining distance to the village. I walked slowly beside them, aware that Kel was walking behind, watching me intently.

I tried to follow them as they carried Aaron into a building, but Kel put a restraining hand on my arm.
"You can't go with him, he is a prisoner," Kel said roughly.
I shook his hand off my arm angrily, "then what am I?" I demanded in a cold voice.
Kel just stared at me with dispassionate eyes, "that will be decided later," he said simply.

I was taken to the house Kel was using while they rounded up the renegades and locked up in a small room. I pounded on the door, begging to be let out, to be taken to Aaron. Finally after hours of no one answering, I gave up and began to pace the floor. Finally I heard the key turn in the lock and a burly Woverin foot solider stepping in my room, followed by Kel.
He turned and said, "leave us," to the foot solider, who stepped out and locked the door behind him.
I eyed Kel warily as he approached me. "What do you want with me?" I demanded.
He stared at me in silence, before raising one clawed hand to my neck, lifting the talisman up.
"I see that you have found our son," he said dropping the talisman. "By the look of it, he'll be coming to find you soon, thinking that you're in peril."
I looked down and realized that the wolf's eyes were glowing a bright blue light.
"Am I?" I asked looking up at him in defiance.
Unexpectedly Kel's eyes softened, as he said "no you aren't. My wife confessed on her death bed three years ago, about how she arranged to have you accused of theft. She told me you were innocent."
He dropped on his knees in front of me, "I love you Kendra," he confessed. "I want you to come back to the city and live with me as my wife."