The Stone of Mercy

With tremendous effort, Carling reached the injured Faun. “I’m here to help you,” she shouted above the rushing water.

There was no response.

Carling pressed her ear against his chest. She could hear a soft but slow heartbeat and felt his chest move up and down ever so slightly. He was alive, but unconscious. Grasping his arms, she started pulling. She was able to get his body out from between the boulders, but as soon as she got him into the current, the force of the water began pushing him downstream again. Trying to cut across the stream was more difficult than she ever could have imagined it would be, had she taken the time to think about it…which she hadn’t. She’d just reacted to the feeling within that told her to save the Faun.

Slipping on the rocks and trying to keep the Faun afloat was proving to be more exhausting than her body could manage. Just when she thought it was hopeless, however, Carling was bumped from behind.

“I’ll help you.” It was Higson. Soaking wet, and not extremely pleased based upon the look on his face, he remained Carling’s loyal friend, just the same. Together, the two Duende managed to get the limp body to the shore.

“Now,” said Higson, his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. “Do you want to tell me why we did that?”

“He’s a fellow Crystonian.”

Higson looked at her askance. “Yeah, and he tried to capture us. So why are we saving him?”

Carling reached over and hugged Higson. “I don’t really know, except that we must.”