Beast Tamer

XXV

Fauna carefully tended to the final Lycan, cleaning and bandaging his wounds. He stared at her in wonder as she smiled sweetly at him.

"Finished, you might want to have a checkup though when you get back to your pack," she picked up the first aid box and hugged the man as a thank you before she walked away.

Nico had been taken to the hospital as fast as Benjamin could carry him, he had hit his head hard when he'd been thrown back and he'd been bleeding.

Fauna walked into the kitchen to see Stella, Maya and Maria shuffling around each other as they cooked.

She liked their family dynamic, it kind of reminded her of her own family. Or what was her family anyway.

She smiled sadly to herself and turned on her heels, nobody seeing her, before she walked to the hospital, humming to herself as she went - Orion following behind.

She reached the doors and they slid open, Orion padding in by her feet. She reached reception and saw a elderly woman sitting their, her hair grey and thin but her brown eyes alert.

She smiled wrinkling her darker olive coloured skin. "How may I help you?"

"Hi, my name is Fauna Everglen."

"Fauna Everglen, my name is Esther Mazano."

Fauna smiled. "I'm looking for Nico Ashlynn."

She shook her head slightly, still smiling. "Room 247."

Fauna was shocked slightly. "Wow, big hospital."

"Yes, many of the adolescences believe that it's all fun and games to have a little wrestling match. All fun and games until one of them shoves too hard, scratches too deep, lands funny, or someone gets in the way by accident."

Fauna laughed through her nose quietly. "I'm sure you have a lot of fun here. Anyway, thanks. Room 247."

"Yes, yes. Good luck. Duck down."

Fauna thought that was a strange comment but didn't say anything on it and instead continued to make her way to her friends room.

She scanned the numbers and followed the side of the hallway with odd numbers on the doors.

247.

She reached for the door handle and paused for a second. Duck down.

She sighed. Nico, what have you been doing?

She pushed open the door and immediately covered her head as she bent her legs.

Something went flying over her head and landed on the ground behind her. Wonderful.

"Oh, Fauna."

She looked up to see Nico sitting up in his hospital bed, his face flushed red slightly and eyes slightly glazed.

"Hi, still not allowed to go."

He shook his head, rolling is eyes. "Tomorrow."

"Bored?"

"Out of my mind."

"Lonely."

"Not anymore."

"Aww." She leaned forward and placed a peck on his cheek, before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Nico pouted, sounding and looking like a little kid.

"To get some food, I'm hungry."

"Get me some," he said, just as she closed the door behind her.

Fauna rolled her eyes and took Orion back to the Jones household, she started cooking.

They talked about there adoptive daughter sometimes, not Maria though, someone else. She's not here anymore according to what they say, but she also isn't dead.

She grabbed two boxes with a lid you clipped on and scooped the food into it, and grabbing a cupcake box too.

Fauna walked out of the kitchen to see Benjamin and Stella sitting in the living room, holding hands.

She dragged her teeth against the corner of her lip. She should go back into the kitchen and close the door, unfortunately, the house was open plan.

Should she walk out around the back, or walk past them.

Fauna glanced at them as they talked to each other, quietly. She made her decision. She walked out the back door.

"I bet they're talking about Chase," Fauna muttered quietly to Orion.

They didn't talk about her much but Fauna has seen a few pictures around of Chase.

By the look of her room she was more of a physics person and a reader. She'd also been into sport, whether with her school or as an individual.

Fauna wondered if she'd ever meet her.

Orion howled loudly and Fauna's head snapped to him. They were at the hospital already.

He charged forward and Fauna stood frozen for a moment, before chasing after him.

Her lungs began to burn at the fast pace and all the stairs. She final reached the right floor, but only to find people crowded around and talking loudly.

Fauna pushed through the crowd to 247. The door was on the floor. Shattered glass littering the room. Objects tipped over. The window on the floor outside. Blood on the floor - but it was still wet.

She looked away and swallowed the bile that was fighting its way up her throat.

Fauna slowly walked forward and looked out the broken window.

"Where did you go?"