Scotland

Chapter 9

"I don't know!" Malcolm squealed in exasperation and started coughing again. Angus bit his lip.

"We have to get out of here." Angus decided.

"Get the horses. Maybe they didn't kill them." Angus nodded, quickly jumped up and ran to the stable. And in fact. Gretsch and Gibson stood there, whinnying, trying to get free so as not to burn themselves. Angus quickly took their reins. He threw the saddles on their backs and quickly led them to Malcolm. Gretsch nudged him with his nose. Malcolm smiled a little. "Hey old boy." He breathed. The loss of blood made him feel tired.

"Now what?" Angus whimpered.

"You have to..." Malcolm coughed again, blood running down his lips. "You've got to pinch the wound somehow. Around the arrow." Angus sniffled and quickly removed his shirt, which he tied around the arrow. Malcolm groaned in pain.

"I can handle this, Mal." Angus wiped his nose, sniffling. When the wound was bandaged as best he could, Angus helped him onto the horse.

"Get something to fill with water, Ang." Malcolm whispered.

*

Soon they were on their way with the few things they had left.

"Where are we going?" Angus asked, looking worriedly over at his brother, whose head was hanging low. Malcolm sat on the horse, holding the reins in his hands. His head hung down and rested on his chest. Angus's shirt was soaked in blood. It ran down Malcolm's legs and dyed Gretscht's fur.

"I don't know." Malcolm whispered. Angus bit his lip as he looked at his brother. His heart ached and he was afraid for him. However, they rode on. As night fell, they still didn't know where they actually were. Malcolm was now lying completely on Gretsch's neck. His arms hung down at his sides. The horse held him upright as best it could. Angus kept looking over at him.

"We have to set up a camp." Said the younger one, but he didn't get an answer. Angus bit his lip and looked for a good spot to camp. He found shelter in a tiny cave. He brought the horses inside and just managed to collect firewood before it started to rain. Angus built a campfire and fiddled with the flints a bit until it finally lit. The little cave was filled with light and warmth. The two horses had lain down together and were already asleep. Angus had laid his brother on the horse blankets on the ground. Malcolm was getting weaker and weaker. "Mal?" Angus asked worriedly, putting a hand on his shoulder. The older one weakly opened his green eyes and looked at him. "I have to remove the arrow or you die." Angus swallowed. "I don't think it got your lungs, otherwise..." Angus briefly closed his eyes to calm down himself. "Otherwise you would be dead already. We must try. Do you want something to drink before that?" Angus put the small bottle of water they had to his lips, shaking. Malcolm swallowed weakly. Angus rolled him onto his side and took a deep breath. His hands were shaking as he untied the bandage and pushed it aside. Just like Malcolm's shirt. "OK. I can do this." Angus muttered more to himself than his brother. He pulled tight and Malcolm let out a deafening scream. Angus' heart skipped a beat when he heard that.

"Angus!" Malcolm screeched. "The...the bloody chop!" Angus quickly jumped over him. Malcolm's eyes were pale and rimmed red with pain. Angus looked at him worried.

"What should I do?" Angus whimpered.

"You can't pull the arrow out." Malcolm hissed, closing his eyes in pain.

"But you did that to Bon, too." Angus sobbed.

"The hacking wasn't up, though." Malcolm gasped. "You need to...you need to calm down." Malcolm took Angus' hand and squeezed it. "Calm down Angus. Take a deep breath, okay?" Angus nodded, closing his eyes and trying to breathe calmly.

"What should I do?" Angus then asked quietly.

"Put the arrow through." Malcolm muttered.

"I'm supposed to... what?" Angus shrieked.

"Push the arrow until you see the point on my chest and then pull it out. Cut off the feathers first."

"Mal..." Angus breathed.

"Fucking do it." Malcolm growled weakly. Angus nodded shakily and got to work. When the feathers were neatly clipped, he began to press on the arrow. Malcolm bit his lip so hard he tasted blood.

"I can't do this." Angus sobbed, hiding his face in his hands.

"Don't cry!" Malcolm growled. "And do it!" Angus got a little mad at him and pushed the arrow through Malcolm's chest with all his strength. The older one screamed and gasped.

"Sorry." Angus sobbed in shock when he saw the arrow come out of Malcolm's chest. It was completely bloody.

"Pull it out now." Malcolm whispered. His voice kept getting weaker. Angus nodded quickly and pulled out the arrow. Malcolm fell back, panting, and Angus threw the bloody arrow into the fire. He quickly retrieved some tissues that he had kept in the saddlebag and began to wash Malcolm's body a little with the drinking water before bandaging the wounds. Then he rolled his brother onto his back. Malcolm didn't have his eyes open anymore. Angus shook his shoulder in shock.

"Mal!? Mal!?" He whimpered brokenly. "Mal? Please." Angus was whimpering and shaking all over. "You can't leave me alone. Mal." Angus whimpered and lay down tight against him. He poked his head into Malcolm's collarbone, whimpering, and pulled his legs tight against him. "Why didn't I listen to you?" He sobbed softly.