Running • Iggy

Count

I rolled my eyes as I landed, none of them seeming to even recognize my presence. "You guys would probably be dead if I was an enemy, y'know." I said weakly after a few seconds, scaring the hell out of all of my family. Nudge's eyes widened, running to me with tears falling down her dirty face. I fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around her tightly. "I thought you- you-" Nudge stuttered, sobbing quietly. "I'm fine, beat up but fine. The whitecoats were after me and I had no choice. I'm fine." I murmured, feeling someone else drop to their knees beside me. I relaxed as Iggy wrapped his arms around the both of us, leaning against his chest for some support. The pain was agonizing now, enough to make my eyes water. I wasn't crying. No. I shook my head slowly as I pulled away from Nudge slightly, holding her shoulders. "I... I'm so sorry baby." I spoke, my voice breaking. "I'm so sorry I didn't stop them, I'm so sorry." I was crying now, which seemed to startle the entire flock, who had begun to make their way to me.

"It's not your fault." Nudge said, reaching over and wiping my tears. "Please don't say that... look, you stopped them now... We're safe for now, please don't blame yourself." She hugged me tightly, almost suffocating me with the force. Fang gasped slightly at the sight of the red staining the entire back of my ripped shirt. "The hell happened?" He hissed, dropping to his knees behind me. Nudge pulled away, glancing at my soaked shirt and arm. "It might have had something to do with the explosion." I said sarcastically, wincing. I looked up at Iggy, who wore white bandages around his eyes. "What did they do to you, Igs?" I asked softly, still clutching my necklace in one fist. "You were just in an explosion and you're worried about me?" He asked in a way that sounded between a laugh and a sob.

"Always am, Ignatius." I murmured, trying not to groan as Fang ran his fingers over my wound. "Do we have anything to stop the bleeding?" Fang asked, sounding panicked. "Not really, we need all our clothes and they took our backpacks." Max responded, sounding equally nervous as Fang did. "I know where.. where my backpack is." I stammered as Fang touched my bleeding arm. "Has stitching stuff... Left it back in the cave." I looked up at Iggy. "You never answered my question." I reminded him, earning a weak grin. "I'll talk later. You're hurt- come on, I think I can carry her. It's only a 2-hour flight, west." He pointed west, shifting his weight slightly.

"Who said I needed to be carried?" I asked in annoyance. "I did." Iggy responded flatly, running his hand over my ginger hair. Max nodded, turning to Angel and Gazzy. "Are you two okay to fly?" She asked. They both nodded, seemingly calmer than the rest of the flock. "Okay. We go west, get the backpack and figure out where to go from there." Max nodded to Fang, who quickly took off. The rest of the flock followed, flying slowly to allow Iggy to catch up.

Iggy wrapped my arms around the back of his neck, gently wrapping his around the middle of my back. "Legs here." He gestured, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. "Aren't I heavy?" I murmured, making sure I still had a grip of my necklace. He stood up, stretching his wings as he prepared to fly. "Not at all, idiot." He whispered. I nodded softly, I didn't have enough energy to complain or even feel embarrassed about the whole situation. I buried my face into the crook of his neck as he ran off the cliff, flapping a little harder than usual.

"What did they do?" I asked again, knowing he would be the only one to be able to hear me over the wind. "I don't really know. They cut into my eyes again, something about stretching or attaching something... I don't remember much. I just know that it feels like the weird cord at the back of my eyes is too tight. Hurts a lot." He told me simply, lifting one arm from my back every carefully and running it through my hair. "You're gonna be okay, sweetheart, I promise." He whispered very quietly into my ear. I practically melted. I breathed out softly against his neck and snuggled farther against him, for warmth and just for the fact it felt nice. It was like he knew exactly how to reassure me, even if I didn't know I needed reassuring myself. "Still dunno what the sweetheart thing is about." I murmured sleepily. Iggy chuckled slightly. "You sound tired. I don't think it's okay for you to sleep though." He frowned slightly. I shivered as a gust of freezing winter air blew down the white rags we had been forced to wear. "Cold." I murmured. "Very cold." Iggy nodded at my words, speeding up slightly.