They all agree and then head out into the forest, each calling for James.
Weak as a new born lamb and his shoulder aflame with pain, James regains consciousness. His head is fuzzy and it’s hard to formulate thoughts. He realizes that he’s covered in leaves and tree limbs, and that everything is damp. Unable to even lift his arms to remove the foliage from him, he lies there, wondering just how he came to be here.
“James!”
Suddenly alert, he hears his name being called from far away. They’ll never find me here! Afraid they might pass him by, he starts to panic. He tries calling out but only a weak rasp comes out, “Help!” Why am I so weak?
He tries again, “Help!” this time managing a little volume.
“I think I heard something!” he hears someone shout.
“Where?” another voice asks.
“Not sure,” the first voice replies. “James! Where are you?”
He can hear several people moving through the forest, near and around him. Giving it one last try, he shouts, “Over here!” Again, it only comes out barely audible.
“There!” he hears someone shout. “It came from that way.”
Suddenly, Delia comes into view as she walks right by where he’s laying. He moves his hand slightly, but it catches her eye.
“Here he is!” she cries out excitedly. “Are you alright?” she asks him as she places her hand on his forehead.
Shaking his head no, he just lies there.
When everyone approaches, she says, “His fever’s gone, but he says he isn’t good.”
“Let’s get him out,” Jiron says when he sees him lying there, all but his head and one arm is hidden beneath the broken branches.
They all help to get the limbs and leaves off of him and then help him to stand. But in his weakened condition his legs are unable to support his weight and they just give out under him. So Jiron and Tinok move to help him, Jiron on the left and Tinok on the right.
When Tinok tries placing James’ right arm over his shoulder for support, he cries out in pain from the stress that’s being put on the wound from the crossbow bolt. Realizing they’re not going to be able to do it that way, Jiron tries lifting him in his arms, but James is too heavy for him to attempt to carry all the way back to the campsite.
“I got an idea,” Cassie says. Grabbing Tinok she says to the others, “Just make him comfortable and we’ll be right back.”
They run back the way they came, back toward the wagons.
Jiron sets James down on a fallen log and stays beside him, keeping him upright. “What’s she going to do?” he asks Delia.
“Not sure,” she replies.
“What happened to you last night?” Jiron asks James.
“Hmmm? What do you mean?” he asks in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Don’t you remember anything from last night?” Jiron asks him.
“Last thing I remember is lying on the ground back at camp,” he explains. “Then nothing until I woke up here, hearing you calling my name. Why?”
“You woke up in the middle of the night and all hell broke loose,” he tells him. “You were fighting something, Cassie thinks you were just being delusional because of the fever. You were throwing magic around, creating havoc as if you were under attack.”
James just stares in disbelief as Jiron recounts what happened and the destruction they saw as they came to search for him.
“At first we thought we were under attack,” he continues, “but then realized it was the fever doing it to you. Then you suddenly ran off into the forest and for a while we heard you blowing things up. It lasted well over an hour before you finally stopped. Couldn’t come for you until morning, didn’t want to risk getting lost and separated.”
“Sorry,” James says apologetically.
“No one got hurt,” Delia says, “and it seems that it was good for you, the fever’s gone.”
They sit there and wait for the return of Cassie and Tinok. Just when Jiron is about ready to leave to find them, they show up carrying a stretcher they made with two long tree limbs and a couple of blankets.
They set it down near James and then Tinok and Jiron help him onto it. With Jiron in the front and Tinok taking the rear, they begin to carry him through the forest and back to camp. As they enter the areas of destruction, James is reminded of a similar instance back near Trendle. He just shakes his head in regret at all the uselessly destroyed trees.
When they pass by the petrified tree, Tinok asks, “How did you do that?”
“What?” he asks, lifting his head a little to see what he’s talking about.
“That tree there,” he replies, indicating it with a nod of his head.
“What’s wrong with it?” he asks again, confused.
“It’s as hard as stone,” he explains.
“Let me see,” he says and they carry him close enough so he’s able to touch it. When he feels the tree, he tells them, “Petrified, I would guess.”
“Petrified?” Cassie asks.
“Petrification is when minerals in the ground are absorbed by a living organism and over time turns as hard as rock,” he explains.
“How did you do that?” Tinok asks.
“I don’t know,” he admits. “But I plan on thinking about it, now that I know it can be done.”
They resume carrying him until they get back to the camp, where they lay him down and start a fire to warm him. Cassie replaces his bandage with a fresh one containing more of her poultice.
Once they have the fire going and James has eaten his fill, he says, “We better get going, we’ve still got to get to Korazan before the slavers do.”
“Are you well enough?” Jiron asks.
“No, but we have little choice,” he replies. “I can rest well enough in the wagon.”
“Alright,” Jiron says, “let’s get ready to go.” He and Tinok begin the process of securing the traces on the draft horses. When they’re set, they help James up onto the wagon, again next to Delia. Tinok and Cassie take up the second wagon and Jiron rides point. The five remaining horses are tied in line in the rear.
“Let’s go,” Jiron says, as he begins to ride down the road with the wagons following behind.
This time, Delia and Tinok are much more able to properly control the wagons, and are able to make better time. They follow the road for the rest of the day, at times having to stop while everyone except James, gets down and helps push one when it gets stuck in the mud.
Just a brief stop for lunch and then they resume their journey. James drifts in and out of sleep throughout the day and by the time they make camp that night, he’s regained enough of his strength to be able to come down from the wagon by himself.
They get the horses unhitched and picketed before making camp. Tinok gets a roaring fire going to help keep them warm through the night and then they eat the last of the rations that were in the wagons. “Hope we get somewhere soon,” comments Tinok.
“Afraid of going hungry?” Delia asks with a smile.
“No,” he replies defensively, “just tired of being in the mountains.”
“I find it relaxing,” James interjects. Everyone turns and looks at him as he continues, “They’ve always brought me peace.”
“There is something tranquil about them,” Cassie adds. She then rests her head on Tinok’s shoulder who places his arm around her, keeping her warm. Jiron and Delia glance at each other and smile.
They sit there by the fire, the pop and crackle of the wood lending a peacefulness to the night. It isn’t long before James has fallen asleep. The rest soon follow.
The next morning, the overcast sky of the day before has made way for a beautiful sunny morning, once the remaining cloud cover has burned off. Everyone’s mood is much improved and are soon on the road. As he rides
