The devil has my ear today

The smell of blood was thick on the air. Wounded, he dismissed her defensive stance until she realized who exactly had found her. Or so, he hoped she recognized him. Either way, her posture lowered and her defenses fell. Iqniq moved closer towards her, tucking his body beneath her head and chest so she might lean against him if she needed to. "Easy there," he said softly, keeping his movements somewhat slow now that he'd reached her. "You're home now. Let's get those wounds looked at and tended."

They could talk more later. His immediate concern was the blood around her neck. Fresh and old, it was evident to him that she'd been holding on long enough to make it to these foothills. Lucky for her, she was nearly to a stream. A few more paces and they could get her there. The water would help rehydrate her. If she stabilized further, he could find something to treat that wound and possibly find her a little something to eat to help restore the iron or whatever else she'd lost for all the bleeding.

"Think you can make it to the water?" he asked, glancing towards her. "Just a few more paces and you can rest."