The Song of Loss

Chapter Fifteen - Down by the River

A nouyip's front canines are considerably longer than the rest of their teeth. They grow until they hang down past the chin. On average, an adult's teeth are about half a foot long. The inner side sports a serrated edge. When the nouyip bites down those teeth sink into the flesh and tear at it when the animal is released. Even if the animal manages to escape they find themselves permanently scarred and if they're lucky the bite only ruins the skin and not the muscles underneath.

Ice cold water lapped at Darcy's arm, bringing a temporary blissful numbness to where Katta's teeth had sunk into her bicep. Jagged lines crossed the skin even where she hadn't been bitten fully. Without medicine it would become infected. Nouyip bites were not known for being clean cut wounds.

Darcy dug the fingers of her left hand into the sandy dirt. Her right hand was numb from more than her accidental plunge into the water. When Katta dragged her in it had been early morning and now the sun hung low in the western sky. There was no telling how much blood she'd lost laying half in the river for that long.

Katta hadn't left her side at least. The damp fur tickled the back of Darcy's neck where she'd managed to rest her head as if using a pillow. Somehow they'd survived the current and jagged rocks to drift to shore.

There was still no sign of Kasi who clearly hadn't been as lucky.

"We have to get back to Bellmare," Darcy told Katta. She received a rough sandpaper tongue across her face in answer. "Katta, we have to get up."

Those words apparently registered because the nouyip slid out from under Darcy and shook herself out. The fearsome beast looked more like a wet rug than a hunter. The growl that followed was still as intimidating as it had been before the swim.

"Easy, I'm here to help," Percy assured her.

Pain flared across her body as Darcy twisted herself into a sitting position. Katta pressed into her back hard enough for Darcy to feel the low growl through her chest. All of her weapons were either back at camp or at the bottom of the river. The only things left on her were the flute tucked into her sleeve and the ribbon of her necklace. One would work as an impromptu spear if she shoved it at him hard enough.

The other would work as well as any rope if she tightened it around his neck.

Both of those options required the use of both her hands.

"Get out of here, or I'll let her have you to herself," Darcy warned, gesturing at Katta.

"You need help," he insisted. Each step he took forward elicited another growl from Katta. "I didn't mean for things to happen that way. You have to trust me."

"Trust you?" Darcy clambered to her feet, rock in her good hand. "Tell me why I should believe a word out of your mouth after you let them throw..." she trailed off, unable to finish the words.

Taking advantage of her grief, Percy took the last few steps forward and held a hand out towards her. "I didn't know they were going to get rid of him. I asked them to just let the two of you leave and I think they would have if not for Cedric."

Hot tears burned Darcy's chilled face. "They killed him, and it's my fault he was even here. He followed me out here because he trusted me and look where that got him." The tears came faster and faster. She swayed on her feet and let Percy hold her up.

Percy didn't say anything for a long time while she cried. He didn't even move until her knees gave out and he had to carry her to the tree line. Now that they'd crossed the river and drifted down Moon River they found themselves along the last stretch of trees before the desert. By the time the sun set, Percy had bandaged her arm and tucked her into his cloak. He hadn't brought much with him. In his haste to leave he'd been forced to leave everything behind on the boat. Only his weapons and a small pouch of food hung from his belt.