The guards found Neve on the forest floor.
They were searching for the intruders who had killed three of Zyreth's people. They were looking for evidence of what had happened. They were tracking blood trails and disturbances in the earth.
And there, lying in the middle of all the dead bodies, was Neve.
His eyes were closed. His body was still. He looked unconscious or dead.
The guards immediately rushed to check on him. They placed their hands on his chest and felt his heart beating. He was alive. He was breathing. He was just unconscious.
They carefully lifted him and carried him back to the cave where Popi was waiting.
.
.
Popi was worried when they brought Neve back to the cave.
She saw him being carried by guards. She saw his limp body. She thought something terrible had happened. She thought maybe Neve had been attacked. Maybe he had been hurt.
She rushed to his side, checking him over for injuries.
The guards placed him on the bed carefully.
