The unicorn was gone.
Not a rustle. Not a hoofprint. Not a shimmer left in her wake. Just the quiet hum of the forest returning to itself, and the lingering ache in my chest.
With a shake of my head, I clutched my bow and headed to the right to continue on the path.
Unicorn wasn’t on the menu today, but hopefully I’d find something else to feed us.
The sun had reached its zenith by the time I returned to Ace’s secret cabin. It hadn’t taken long to catch three rabbits, but circling back to hide my tracks had taken longer than I anticipated. We didn’t want any unexpected visitors.
I stomped up the short steps to the front door, the rabbits strung on a string and hung over my back. The door opened easily. Ace hadn’t locked me out.
I hadn’t rehearsed or even thought about what I wanted to say when I returned. Nor did I know what my next move would be. But when the door swung open, all thoughts and potential plans fled from my mind.
Nala.
Ace stood over my familiar, his dark brows pinching in, his mouth tight. He clenched his hands by his sides as he leaned down and studied my familiar.
She lay on her side on the couch, not appearing to have moved since I left hours ago. Her chest rose and fell, shuddering and shaking with each breath. A painful sounding wheeze escaped her snout with each exhale.
“What’s wrong with her?” I dumped the rabbits and my bow by the door and rushed over to Nala’s side.
Ace stepped out of the way so I could kneel by her side.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I thought she was getting better.”
I looked up in time to watch him run his hand through his hair, concern still pinching his expression.
“Is it the smoke inhalation?” I ran my hand down her fur.
“I don’t think so. She was getting better, and now she’s struggling to breathe,” Ace said. “I’m not an expert on smoke damage, but after improving, she shouldn’t suddenly get worse.”
I nodded, still running my hands down her flank so she knew I was here. My eyes stung and I blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling.
I would not cry.
I would not break down.
That wasn’t what Nala needed right now. She needed me to be strong and to think.
Nala raised her head and yipped.
I jerked back and watched as my familiar scrambled to her feet and hopped off the couch. She shook her coat as if she were wet and opened her mouth. Her tongue lolled out, and she panted, hard.
“Oh, no you don’t.” I stood and waggled a finger at her. “You were having a hard time breathing two seconds ago.”
Nala yipped and continued to pant.
She usually only panted after a hard run or during the hot summer months if she didn’t find shade to keep cool. She also panted when she was nervous or in pain.
“Are you hurt?” I asked, already knowing the answer but wanting confirmation. My familiar could be stubborn sometimes.
Nala whined.
I took that as a yes.
“I need to take her to Orion,” I said.
“Seriously?” Ace growled.
