“Stop it!” I bellow out loud. “That isn’t you talking.”
* * *
At the end of the morrow, I spend several hours battling insomnia for the second night a row. I finally give up trying to sleep and walk outside to the ravine. After climbing to the top of the hill that the cavern is under, I survey the surroundings. There’s no movement in the valleys and hills, and I don’t hear the slightest sound. As I anticipated, the Murkovin seem to have no idea that we’re in the opposite direction of the Delta from where they attacked us.
When I estimate that the new morrow has finally arrived, I return to the cavern. I feel a wave of relief that Tela wakes up as soon as I’m inside. The more I’m alone with my thoughts, the more poisoned they become. Working on Tela’s injuries is oddly soothing and helps me pass the otherwise vacant time. Instead of sinking into a mire of contorted thought, I can focus on helping her heal.
After we drink our sap together, I repeat the process of applying it to Tela’s wounds. She surprises me by saying that she wants to try to walk. I help her to her feet and stand in front of her. With both of her hands gripping my shoulders and me holding her by the waist, she takes a few steps across the cavern. She decides that she’s strong enough to go outside.
I turn my back to her and she wraps both of her arms around my waist. We cautiously inch our way through the narrow tunnel. At the end of the passage, she has to squint her eyes until they adjust to the light.
With my arms around Tela’s hips, I lift her off the ground. She clings to my neck as I slowly climb down the rocks. When I reach the center of the gully, I lower her feet to the dirt. She hangs onto my shoulders while I grip her by the waist.
“I’ll stay in front of you,” I say. “Tell me if it hurts too much,”
“I’ll let you know.”
As I take a step backwards, she uses me as a crutch while gingerly taking one step forward. On her second step, she stumbles and falls against me. Tightening my grip on her waist, I return her to upright. As we continue up the gully at an extremely slow pace, Tela limps with every step. We stop after no more than twenty feet.
“I just want to stand for a bit,” she says. “I’m stiff from lying down so much.”
She braces herself with both of her hands on my shoulders.
“You did great,” I say. “How do you feel?”
“My left leg hurts more than my right. My neck and back are really sore.”
“I guess that rules out a race,” I jest.
Tela smiles. “For now, anyway. Maybe later.”
“I’ll give you a big head start. Besides, my traveling speed isn’t as fast as it was.”
“There’s not as much energy in the wild sap,” she informs me, confirming what I’d already guessed.
I want to address the most important subject since she’s doing better, but I also want her to feel comfortable with any decision made. It’s getting harder to keep my thoughts clear and the almost constant desire for sap under control.
“You seem well enough for me to carry you back to the Delta,” I say. “But like I said, my traveling speed is slower. It’ll be even worse carrying you. I doubt I’m any faster than the Murkovin right now. If they cut us off, you’re in no condition to fight. But I’m willing to try if that’s what you want to do.”
“Do you think they quit looking for us?” she asks.
“No,” I answer. “The transport is hidden in a gully at the base of the tallest hill in sight. The last time I went for sap, I climbed to the top and saw two Murkovin traveling in the distance. They were searching for something between here and the Delta. I’m sure it was us.”
She looks off to her side in thought for several moments and then back at me. “How long have we been here?”
“I think this is the third morrow. It’s hard to keep of track of time out here.”
“Let’s give it another morrow or two,” she says. “Maybe I can travel by then. They also might stop looking for us. There’s less risk if you don’t have to carry me.”
“Are you sure we have that much time?” I ask.
“I’m sure.”
I nod my head. “Then a couple of morrows it is.”
Tela raises one hand to the side of my face. “Your eyes are purple.”
“Halfway between blue and red,” I reply. “Yours are kind of dark orange.”
She lowers her hand to my shoulder. “Halfway between amber and red. I think I should get back to the cavern now.”
“Do you want me to carry you or do you want to walk?” I ask.
“I’ll walk with your help,” she answers. “Just be ready to catch me.”
“I won’t let you fall.”
“I wouldn’t mind washing in the fall as long as I’m up,” she says.
“If you’re up to it.”
With our arms around each other and me supporting most of her weight, we return to the cavern. After I guide her to the small fall, we both stand in the shallow pool. Facing the trickle of water, she rests one hand against the wall to help her stay upright. I hold her waist in my hands and support her from behind. Using several handfuls of water, she rinses her face and arms.
“I don’t want to try to clean my hair right now,” she says. “I’m too sore.”
As I help her turn around, she unexpectedly puts her arms around me. She presses her body to mine and lays her head on my shoulder. I slip my arms around her.
“It feels good to hold onto you,” she says.
“We’ve been through a lot together,” I reply.
“You must be annoyed. All you do is take care
