Legends Lost: Tesnayr

Chapter IX Rescue

Constant scraping against his raw cheek woke Jarown. Groggily, he sat up in the darkness knocking Turyn off of his chest. Jarown rubbed his aching head. It hurt immensely. Tenderly, Jarown touched his wet cheek and winced a bit from its sting. "Where am I?" he asked.

"Still by Diamond Rock," replied Turyn.

"Tesnayr!" Jarown bolted to his feet as the memory of what had occurred rushed back to him. Instantly, his world spun forcing him to slump back to the ground.

"Gone," said Turyn. "They left over two hours ago. I've been trying to wake you up."

Jarown glanced about him, but the darkness prevented him from being able to make out any detail. And he was far from the path.

"Come," said Turyn. "We must go."

Jarown shook his head still disoriented. "I do not know the way back to the path."

"Follow my voice," said Turyn as he bounded off through the thick forest.

Carefully, Jarown stood up leaning against a tree for support.

"Come on," repeated Turyn, impatiently.

Jarown took a step forward using his foot to feel the solidity of the ground beneath him. He put his weight on the foot. Painfully, Jarown repeated this process of feeling the ground with his feet before taking a step forward. In addition, he held his hands out before him navigating his way through the trees by touch.

Not once did he hear Turyn, except when the cat spoke. Jarown felt so turned around, he wondered if he would ever get out. Snap! Again he broke a twig as he clumsily moved through the forest making so much noise that anybody could hear him.

"This way," said Turyn forcing Jarown to turn to his left.

"OOMPH!" Jarown slammed into the ground as his foot caught on an upturned root causing him to lose his balance.

"Sorry," said Turyn. "There's a root there."

"No kidding," mumbled Jarown.

"There is a bit of an incline here," said Turyn. "Put your hand here."

Jarown placed a hand where Turyn's voice came from.

"Now place your other hand here."

Jarown placed his second hand where Turyn had indicated.

"Now, pull yourself up."

Sweating immensely, Jarown did as ordered. His muscles burned from the effort of hauling himself up the embankment to the solid ground above him. Panting, fresh air hit him in the face as he rolled onto the path and away from the trees.

"You did it," beamed Turyn, brushing against Jarown's leg. "It should be easier from here on out."

Exhausted, Jarown rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his feet. He swayed for a moment before taking a step.

"Just go in a straight line," said Turyn. "There are no trees here to worry about."

Each step was harder than the last. His boots plopped on the gravel as he dropped them, his muscles refusing to work. A stabbing prick stung the back of his calf. "Ouch! What did you do that for?"

"Keep moving," said Turyn as he sunk his claws into Jarown's leg for a second time.

Silence ensued as he and the cat made their way back to the camp. Jarown could only guess about the amount of time that had been wasted with him wandering aimlessly. If not for Turyn, he would have gotten lost.