*After a few minutes, the silence between them was comfortable, filled only by their ragged breathing. With a groan, Nathan pushed himself up , then carefully pulled Misty to her feet.*
*He retrieved his axe, its blade now dark with blood, and she instinctively moved to support him, her arm wrapping around his waist as they began to walk, leaning on each other as they searched for a path out of the forest.*
*As they stumbled onward, his hand, which had been resting on her back, brushed against the tear in her shirt. His fingers, now more clear-headed, probed the fabric, feeling the sticky warmth seeping through. He stopped dead in his tracks, his expression hardening as he looked down at her.*
"You're injured,"
*he growled, his voice low and tight with a renewed anger, this time directed at her carelessness.*
*Misty tried to laugh it off, forcing a light tone.* "So are you. Besides, it's not a big deal."
"Enough!"
*He growled. Ignoring her completely, his jaw set in a hard line. Before she could react, he scooped her up into his arms with a grunt of pain. His movements were careful, deliberate, but she could feel the tremor in his muscles as he adjusted her weight.*
*He settled the axe into a makeshift loop straped on his back, the movement practiced and efficient, then shifted her again, cradling her against his chest. His arms supported her back and legs, careful enough not to touch her wounds while steadying her as he started walking.*
*The world became a blur of dark green and brown as they moved through the trees. All that mattered in that moment was her, her safety, her comfort. She felt a pang of guilt for being a burden, but it was quickly overshadowed by the profound sense of security in his arms.*
* She didn't have the strength to argue, and a part of her, a part she was only just beginning to understand, cherished this fierce, protective side of him.*
*The journey back was a slow, arduous trudge through the dense undergrowth. Nathan moved with a grim determination, his face etched with pain but his resolve set like stone. Luckily, they didn't come across any more animals or monsters on the way.*
*He kept her cradled securely against his chest, his grip firm but gentle, a silent promise that he would not let her fall. The silence between them was no longer uncomfortable, but filled with a shared understanding, a bond forged in blood and fear.*
*Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the familiar dark curve of the cave came into view. Nathan didn't slow his pace, carrying her straight inside. The cool, damp air of their shelter was a welcome relief. *
*He carefully lowered her on her tummy , on the soft , cushion made of leaves and soft roots on the floor, his movements still gentle despite his obvious exhaustion. He knelt beside her, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his eyes scanning her face, then her injured back, with a fierce, protective concern.*
*He moved with a quiet efficiency that belied his own pain. Retrieving a relatively clean rag from their supplies, he scooped water from a basin of water they kept by the fire. He wrung it out, the water dripping back into the small bowl in a steady rhythm. Then, he sat beside her, his expression serious and focused.*
*Gently, he lifted the torn fabric of her shirt, exposing the gash on her back. He began to clean the wound with slow, precise movements, the rag wiping away the blood and grime with a tenderness that stood in stark contrast to the violence they had just endured.*
*His touch was feather-light, yet thorough, his complete attention on her injury, ignoring the angry red lines and dried blood that marked his own arms and side. He worked in silence, the only sounds the crackle of the fire and the soft, wet wipe of the rag on her skin, and the hisses she made from the pain*