Scanning the riverbank and Evelyn, he figured she's slipped on the rocks.
He glanced around and took in the area. It was strange. What would have brought her this far? Panic wasn't in his vocabulary. He had a steady head, some of that was the bear, and the other part was his years of military training. That or maybe it was the numbness that he couldn't shake. He couldn't panic, but he did have the ability to only focus on one thing. He grabbed the shirt he'd wrapped around his ankle with the pants. He hadn't thought he'd need anything more once they found her.
He shook it out and laid it across her.
"Marci. You are a witch, right? Don't you have something that can wake her?"
She shrugged. "I honestly don't know. That's not how my magic works. I can try and call my sister. She's a healer."
Mentally he swore. "You'll never reach her out here. Uh. Just stay."
He stepped a few feet to the river and grabbed a handfull of the frigid water.
In a single fluid motion, he moved from the bank to her face and dropped the water.
She sputtered, and her eyes fluttered.
Oh, thank God.
"Ms. Emerson?"
He studied the movements, not much. Evelyn's eyes fluttered open again, and this time she moaned. "Who?"
"Ms. Evelyn. You hit your head. Do you remember what happened?"
He watched her throat move as she swallowed, but she didn't speak.
"Alright. This isn't getting any better. We need to get her into town. Annie will be able to take her from there. I'd say a hospital might be the next option. We have to get her down off the mountain," said Caleb.
Marci nodded. She held her hand over the old woman and closed her eyes.
Caleb didn't know if he was waiting for something to happen, or what, but he admired her. She held herself together in what seemed like a bad situation.
A few deep breaths later and she opened her eyes.
"So, she's still in there. I can't get a whole lot other than her soul is fine. I also couldn't find anything broken. My sister always had me help find certain things when we were kids; one was sick and wounded animals. So, I think we are at least safe to move her. How are we going to move her?"
He shook his head. "I'll carry her."
Marci gaped at him.
"What?" he asked.
"You don't have a shirt on. Or shoes. I can't get her on your back if you shift to a bear either," Marci said.
His lips twitched at that. Who knew she cared.
"I'll be fine. I spent an entire year in the mountains without much. My body temperature is higher because of the bear anyway. Let's go. Can you walk this time? I can't carry you both."
She nodded. "I could have walked the first time. You insisted-"
"Right. Okay. Sorry, I don't have time to argue. Got it. Let's go."
"Of course. Sorry. How can I help?"
He glanced around and noticed the baskets and a small pack.
"Go grab her stuff," he paused, "please."
Without another word she went around and grabbed the items. He gently supported Evelyn's head and lifted the woman. She was small and frail, how he'd never noticed made him feel even more an asshole. Without her sarcasm, she looked vulnerable.
Caleb didn't know what to say. His breath shuddered as a gunshot of pain hit him square in the chest. He looked up before he focused on that too much.
Marci walked up just as he began to stand.
"Okay. I think this is it. Ready?"
He nodded out of fear that his voice would giveaway a fuckload more about him than he was ready to reveal about himself. Hell, he'd been trying to push Marci away, not let her in.
They walked a few moments in silence before a small voice perked up.
"I knew I'd end up in your arms one of these days."
"What?" Marci asked.
Caleb looked down, and Evelyn's eyes were bright and open.
"Oh, good. You're here too then. I guess the plan worked."
He sighed and momentarily bit back the questions circling his head. Of course, she had some plan, but he doubted it involved her getting hurt.
"Ms. Emerson. What in the hell were you doing out here? Wait, first. Do you remember what day it is?"
She tried to laugh and winced. "Oh dear. That's not good."
"What's not good?" He tried to keep his eyes on the path. The snow coming down faster with each minute.
"My head, dear. That's going to leave a bruise."
As she pulled her hand away, little to no new blood appeared. He was glad to see it slow.
"You scared us. What happened?"
She smiled up at him as she gently folded her hands over her stomach.
"Well. It's the same as I always do. I check the perimeter of the forest the first of the month. The darn pixies are so much trouble, but today I'm not sure what got into them. One of them threw something at me, and I slipped. I think. Or was it something else. I honestly don't remember. I just felt something cold and then the pain in my head. Then I must have passed out."
Marci moved closer to Evelyn who shivered.
"I think you might be in shock. Here." Marci pulled off her coat and handed it to Evelyn.
"Oh no, dear. Please keep this. I'll be fine. "
Marci shook her head. Her shoulder brushed against him as they walked, and he became more aware of her proximity. The further they walked from the pixie forest the less magic clouded the air, and he was able to inhale.
Everything within him calmed like she were a tranquilizer to his panic-ridden soul. For the first time in years, he noticed the emptiness within him. The numbing buzz he'd become used to, led way to new pain. His bear reared up and sniffed towards
