The Malignant Flaming Crescent

29

ROWAN POV

I was walking through the woods, it was dark. The wind was howling all around and no one was around me.  "Hello?" I called out, "anyone there?" I heard cries from in the distance but they were faint. I continued to yell but I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. 

Suddenly I smelt blood, the wind must be carrying it. Wait, how can I smell it? Is it that strong? I started to run and I ran as fast as I could. "Somebody please!" the cries got louder, "please!"  I followed them and before long I realized I was running towards where Esme lives. "Hello!" the woman cried out, "any body?" 

"I'm coming!" I yelled hoping she could hear me, "I hear you!" I ran from the wood line and turned quickly towards the waterfall where I saw the same woman struggling to move. I started to run to her. 

I shot up out of bed, breathing heavily. Kai was still sound asleep, I looked at the clock, 3:33am. I slid out of bed and threw on some sweats and a hoodie. I put on socks and shoes and quickly but quietly left the room. The house was pitch black, all lights were off. It was silent. I tip toed down the stairs and walked to the backdoor, very slowly turning the knob. I walked out, shutting it slowly behind me so it wouldn't be loud. I turned towards the woods and looked around. 

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I whispered to myself as I started to run towards Esme's, "watch there be nothing there." I continued to run, it was cold. The wind blew harshly against me, felt like it could blow me away. Suddenly I heard thunder and it wasn't long before the sky lit up with lightning. As I got closer I started to yell, "hello! Hello is anyone out here!" I walked out into the field and looked over at the waterfall. It looked like someone was here but- but they're gone. I walked over and saw spots of blood in the snow, I followed the tracks with my eyes and they led right into the woods. I stood quickly and ran back in after them. The rain started to fall and it was thick, hard. It hurt my skin slightly when it landed just right. "Hello?" I called out again, "hello!" I stopped and looked around and then I saw her... 

I started to run and knelt down beside her, I rolled her from her side onto her back. Her skin was turning blues and purples, her face was red as a cherry and her lips were almost completely blue. She had no coat, just a short sleeve shirt that had more holes than I can count and a pair of shorts that were real choppy at the bottoms, like they weren't actually shorts. Then I saw the cuts on her legs, the infection that surrounded them. She was covered in cuts and bruises but these were the worst of the bunch. 

"Wh-wh-who a-are yo-you," she tried to talk but it was clear she was having trouble, "pl-ple-"

"It's okay," I whispered, "you're safe now. Just hang on okay? Hang on with me." She had a pair of cuffs around her wrists. I wrapped my arms under her and lifted her up. "Can you put your arms over my head?" I asked gently. She slowly but surely did was I asked and she leaned her body into mine. I started to walk, the rain made it hard to see. Another clash of thunder was followed by lightning.

After what felt like forever I saw the backdoor. Okay Kai, I need you now. 

"Kai!" I yelled, "Kai wake up! Wake up Kai!" Before I'd even made it to the backdoor it opened and there he stood. He ran out to me. 

"What the hell?" he walked inside with me and I laid her down on the floor. 

"Kira!" Kai yelled, "Kira wake up!" I heard the bedroom door open and she was beside us in seconds. 

"Who is this?" she asked, "what the hell happened to her?" 

"I- I don't know," I shook my head, "it- it's the girl from the nightmares. I had one again tonight, I saw her by Esme's house so I got up and left. Then I found her and I just- I couldn't and wouldn't leave her out there." 
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KIRA POV

I placed my hands quickly over her body, "sana, sana, sana." I watched as her body started to glow and her heartbeat steadied. "Cutis calida fovent carnis calficiendum corpus ea non probaret," I started to warm her body, "cutis calida fovent carnis calficiendum corpus ea non probaret." 

"Is she gonna be okay?" Rowan asked. 

"Those are some pretty gnarly wounds she has on her legs," I sighed, "I'm going to take her downstairs and put some herbs on there, that way they can heal." He nodded and I slowly picked her up. She was young, couldn't be any older than 15 or 16. I took her down and into the basement where I laid her on the table. I grabbed a bowl and mixed together Arnica, Gardenia, and Juniper. I put the mix heavily on each wound and then put the remainder on any bruises and cuts anywhere else.

I noticed the cuffs that held her wrists together. Wait a minute... I know those cuffs. I quickly broke them off her wrists and set my hand on her face.

"What were those?" Kai asked, "why'd you do that like that?" 

"She's a witch," I looked at the two of them, "she's one of us. No wonder she was able to hold out for so long, any human would have died out there."

"Hey what's going o-" Jace walked downstairs, "who's this?" 

"We don't know yet," Kira sighed, "Rowan found her." 

"Rowan?" he asked. 

"Those nightmares," he shook his head, "I had another one tonight and she was by the waterfall out there so I had to go. I had to." 

"And you carried her all the way back?" he asked, "outside? Like in that weather?" He nodded his head. "Well damn," he nodded, "that's badass. Way to go man. She uh- she looks pretty roughed up." 

"Yeah," I sighed, "yeah she is. You should have seen the cuts on her legs under here." I circled my hand above the paste, "it was like deep cuts but the skin around and in was burned, melted off in some areas. She had cuts on her face, I could tell whatever blade was used was dull. Poor girl." 

"Well maybe we should just give her some space," he suggested as he walked over to me, "she's safe here and I'm sure by the time she wakes up we will already be up." He was right and besides, I was still tired. After a few minutes the two of us headed back upstairs, Kai and Rowan had stayed down in the basement. 

"Everything cool?" Justin poked his head from his room. 

"Yeah," I nodded while whispered, "yeah every thing is fine, head back to bed." I walked in and checked on the babies before heading back to bed myself. What a morning...