Illiya - Taylor Neeran Chronicles #1

Chapter 26 - Protector

Watchful eye

Taylor awoke slowly, Char's arm still wrapped over her shoulder. She placed her hand on the trunk, but found that the Yahnee had already released her. The air smelled of soot and ash, but most of the smoke had cleared. The fire must have burned itself out against the river or moved on upstream.

"Saving your energy to help Char," she nodded. "Thank you, Yahnee."

Taylor rested her face on the webs covering his chest. The webbing over Char had thickened, and only his eyes, nose and mouth were free of the silver webs. Taylor let out a slow breath as she listened to his heartbeat. Strong, steady, and the gurgle was gone.

She stood up and stretched, then placed a palm on the tree. Take care of my friend, I will be back.

Taylor walked back to the edge of the river and retrieved her backpack. She stuffed several loose items into the bag and zipped it shut. She looked over to where Char lay against the tree, just visible above the edge of the embankment. She left the backpack on the ground and walked out a few steps into the flowing water. She used both hands to scoop up water to her face and took a long drink.

She looked at her distorted reflection in the slow-moving water. "What a mess!" Her reflection was streaked in mud and soot, and the shirt wrapped around her neck was torn in several places. Mud clung to her hair in matted clumps.

She plunged her arms into the river and scrubbed them, splashing the cool water onto her face and neck. She looked up towards the forest and watched for movement. The flow of animals had stopped, with only a few wandering nearby.

She splashed back to the edge of the river and picked up her backpack and a fallen branch, then made her way back to where Char lay.

She found an Urlock nosing at the webbing over Char's feet, but Taylor gently pushed the beast away. The Urlock turned to look at her, then picked its way between the roots as it walked away, nibbling at leaves as it went.

Taylor stretched and looked around through the trees. Finding no animals nearby, she sat down with her back to a tree opposite Char. She watched him for a while, then got to work on a new spear.

By midday she had finished trimming the branch and had one end sharpened to a fine point. Her stomach rumbled, so she got up to find some food. She held the spear in one hand as she collected several pieces of fruit and kept an eye on Char. She had carved a ridged handle into the spear by sunset. Her stomach rumbled again. She collected more fruit and placed it close to the trunk of the Yahnee tree. Taylor collected a few more pieces of fruit, then moved her backpack over beside Char.

As darkness descended on the forest, Taylor settled in beside Char. She was careful not to touch the bark with her hands as Char still needed all of the tree's help. She fell asleep with her spear clutched across her chest.

Recovery

Taylor awoke to find the rough bark of the Yahnee tree pressing against her back. It wasn't nearly as comfortable when you weren't plugged in. She sat up in a cold panic when she realised that Char had gone. She relaxed when she saw him squatting a short distance away, inspecting a pile of fruit.

"Char!"

He looked up at her and smiled, his colour now a light green. Taylor shot up to her feet and ran the few steps towards him and fell down on her knees, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're okay!"

Char winced. "Chest is... still sore."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" said Taylor, releasing him.

Char smiled. "It will heal. Yahnee has done what it can. But I must rest to heal more."