Bramblepoint The view from halfway down

through njord's accent and the story given, teya gained the great impression that she had come closer to losing her mate than originally thought. she felt herself come apart in the middle of the retelling; she forced herself to focus, to wind bronco close.
"thank you," in a voice gone even softer and more strained as she pulled her mate against her shoulder and tried not to look at the oozing gashes. "i —" and her eyes welled finally with tears, voice breaking, "maybe bronco not be here except for you."
shaking breath and the weight of brecheliant on body that felt as if it truly ached now, teya whispered to bronco and held him, step after step, as they made their way to the caldera and to eljay's medicines, to pain-leaves and a deep, blackened sleep after so much agony.
teya looked back once at njord, wanting to say more and finding no words. she would go to moonspear, the raven decided, someday soon, and repay in full what had been saved.