"Don't talk like that!" How many times had he heard speeches similar to this one? How many times had he seen a life slip away before his eyes? Family, friends, strangers...he'd seen more than enough. He'd listened to her though. So she had family ? Child and a lover. She was...younger than he was , but he shouldn't have been so surprised. He was the late one in that department.
Of course he'd make the journey and deliver the news if...but he wouldn't accept the loss of her. He'd fought too hard to just give up now. He shook his head, " You're not going to die," He told her, "you were shot in the abdomen. There are far worse places to take an arrow," he kept the pressure applied directly to the wound. " All I need do is halt the bleeding. Just give me a moment..."
When she tried to heal herself, he wanted to smack her but she passed out before any magic could begin to take any real affect. Though it may have aided in cutting back some of the blood flow. The light flared up then blinked out just as quickly. "Katahnia? " She didn't respond. He felt her pulse again and was relieved to feel the beat of her heart through the veins, and feel her shallow breathing. There was still hope but time was not his ally. He would need to work swiftly. Not just for her, but also for himself.
It took time, but he managed to stop the bleeding and when he finished applying the healing salve and wrapping her torso up with material torn from his pant leg, he sat back and assessed his own wounds. He took a deep breath and...took care of the arrow wounds first. Then the shoulder...
It wasn't the best work. He was no medic, but it would have to do. He'd used nearly everything he had up on Katahnia. He wrapped her up snugly in blankets and when his work was finished he stood up with the intention of looting the corpses and scouting the castle grounds for more trouble had there been any , but he collapsed and blacked out.
When he woke up again, it was daylight. Conall sat up stiffly from his place on the floor. He remained still, feeling a bit less tired than before but cold. Ansgar! He'd forgotten to wrap himself up. He was only lucky nothing had frozen and fallen off!
He looked over his shoulder to find Kat lying there, still bundled up. She looked so still. Was she dead? He went over to her to check. No. Just sleeping. He felt her forehead and then felt his throat. It felt so dry and scratchy. Thirsty.
He left Katahnia's side and grabbed up his furs and drew them over himself, heading out into the courtyard to gather whatever he could from the corpses and reclaim his bow. He returned little more than a half of an hour later , but made multiple trips.
Looting the corpses supplied him with fresh clothing, weapons, packs containing some food, alcohol, Connlaothian coin, even a map. Medical materials even. However , the supplies were probably good enough for a week at best. And...there were horses. A few hadn't bolted, the injured horse Kat had shot being one of them. Conall calmed them and brought with him, securing them in the abandoned stable before he returned to the castle.
He got a fire going again and allowed himself some time for rest , watching over his sleeping companion as she'd requested. He stared at what little food there was left. He needed to eat. So did she, but if he had no energy left to hunt for either of them....they'd both starve. Conall grabbed the dried, salted fish and ate it. Katahnia might have to do without if she woke before he'd managed to catch a hare or ptarmigan. He considered eating the apple he'd offered Kat earlier as well, but decided to save it.
Meal concluded, he went back to sleep again for a few hours more. Woke up, checked on his charge and went back to sleep again.
Days went by and their supplies dwindled. Kat woke a few times, briefly, and Conall saw to her needs. Whatever they might have been and without complaint.
This pattern continued for little over a week and as Katahnia started feeling better, Conall found himself feeling...worse though tried not to let it show. Like a typical male, he was stubborn when it came to such things.
Now nine days had come and gone and Conall was counting the last of the food that morning. Katahnia was asleep and he was mulling over leaving to try his luck with hunting when he thought he heard her stirring...
He looked across at her and waited. She might need something before he left.
ooc: Tried to summarize. u.u So we're now at about a week and a half after the fight.
