A Fight

Chapter 26

The patrol headed by Caleb led us through the pack houses and down the valley towards the river. My mind wandered remembering this part of the river from the first time Keyan and I came face to face. I was so frightened in that moment that remembering it caused me to drifted into Keyan. Blushing I murmured "sorry." He slipped his hand in mine giving me a knowing look.
My nose began to fill unexpectedly with the scent of iron, no that was blood and a lot of it. Gazing up at Keyan's scrunched up face I feared what exactly we were going to find. As we walked further on I saw a tinge of red swirling down stream. Keyan gripped my hand tighter, stopping.
Nothing could ever prepare me for the sight on which we were now all staring. Blood matted the reeds dipped in the water from Cain's head. His body still barely attached broken and torn. It seemed the rogues had taken him apart. Blood didn't make me squeamish but the mangled corpse of Cain was a sight I couldn't quiet handle. Instead I gazed at the water.
Keyan let go of my hand before instructing the patrol "take the body to the pack morgue. Tell Donald to expect me and that I want a cause of death." The scrabbling to gather the remains was just as hideous as the sight. Strong hands gently gripped my shoulders "you can be sick if you need to, no one will judge you." Bending over I heaved not even realising I'd been holding anything back. Softly rubbing my lower back Keyan waited with me while they moved the body. "That's it," he stepped back from me as I stood up straight and wiped the corner of my mouth with my sleeve.
"Sorry," I muttered standing close to Keyan.
"It's fine," he was tensed up watching the rest of the patrol head off. We were now alone "you okay?"
Nodding I stepped over to the flattened grass, "why did they kill him?" We didn't even need to say that it was rogues, you could smell them along with the lingering scent of blood.
"Probably didn't like Cain giving up, if I'd known I would have offered him a cell." Regret was eating away at Keyan.
Taking his hand I said "this is not your fault."
"No but I let him go because it's wrong to kill when mercy is an option," he squeezed gently before turning me round to face him. "Then again he was never gonna be merciful when it came to you."