"I'm sorry I had to do that," Shira said softly.

"No problem," Anne murmured, voice tight, face still in her hand.

"Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah-" Anne jerked her head up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." She smiled and then looked toward the splint around her ankle. "Thanks for tying that up again. It would've been tricky to it on myself."

I still can't believe that she's broken her ankle and she's smiling....

"I'll take your pack again."

"Shira, your arm'll fall off, you're carrying so much." Anne's voice was chiding.

"I can do it fine."

"Hey, could I grab a hold of your arm?" Anne asked. Shira grabbed Anne's wrists and pulled, so that she stood on her good foot. As Anne stepped toward Shira to put her arm around Shira's shoulders, she turned her head away, and Shira caught a glimpse of her grimacing.

"It's too bad that cart got busted, right?" Anne said tightly.

"Is it getting worse?"

"Tonight- tonight I'll give myself something to knock me out good. But now, let's just keep going."

Shira took tiny steps as Anne next to her struggled to hop through the thick mud. Shira moved her toes inside her wet boots.

"Shira, do you know how to sing?" Anne asked suddenly. Shira looked at her in surprise.

"I haven't sung since I was little."

"You should learn to sing. Here here-" Anne caught her breath. "I'll teach you a song."

Anne's voice was low and not exactly clear, but solid, like the sound of an organ pipe. She began quietly, panting between lines.

Anne winced at a step she took.

Anne paused for breath. "This next part is called the chorus. The melody's a bit different, and it's the part that repeats, so people can join in even if they're just learning the song." She waited a moment before she continued.

Anne paused for a long time, her breathing fast. She licked her lips. "There's a few more verses.... it's a great song, isn't it?"

"Do you hear that?" Shira asked.

Anne closed her eyes. "That's it. We're almost there." She looked at Shira without a smile. "Check your armband. Make sure it's on tight."

Anne and Shira moved with tiny steps toward the sound. After a while they saw movement along the forest edge. As they approached, Devon came out to meet them.

"I'm so glad you're here! We needed you badly. The battle's just about over, we're driving back the last of their soldiers, but there are plenty of wounded on our side too. Anne, there are plenty here in the camp you can attend to. Shira, you help those out in the field. Follow the sound."

Shira left Anne's pack, lifted her own high, and hurried into the woods.

It's like twilight here. But the leaves... are so green somehow... Shira shook her head. I need to get out there as fast as I can. She rushed on, heedless of twigs and brambles.

As Shira topped a rise, the trees fell away. Shira froze, staring. Grain had been trampled into the ground, and across the dead field, she could see crumpled muddy forms across the ground, figures with armbands shining white across the distance running among them.

Dead men... women... everywhere. Like... Shira watched as two wounded helped each other off the field, watched as a mage with torn and muddy clothes and blood dripping down one sleeve hurried away from the others. It's like...

Sporadic gunshots and yells came from a barely visible cluster of farmbuildings. Somewhere nearby, someone screamed, the cry torn jagged by sobs.

Shira ran down the cleared hill, slipped, fell into mud. In one heave she pulled herself out, tore free her pack, and, her feet dragging and sticking with every step, ran to the nearest wounded.

Please, don't let Kyle be out here.