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Papa didn’t reply, and I tried to help him get back up so he could sit on the trailer Jason had attached behind the quad.

He usually used that to put firewood on it and transport it back to his cabin, but today, it was a great option to get Papa down the mountain.

“Do you think it’s broken?” Jason asked.

“Sure feels like it. Can’t move my ankle,” Papa responded, moaning as we helped him get onto the trailer.

“Are you coming too?”

I turned to Jason and nodded. No way I was going to leave Papa alone.

“What about him?” Jason nodded behind me, and I knew who was standing there all quietly.

“No. I think he’s staying here,” I told him, trying not to sound sad but rather angry.

Fennec didn’t seem to care about Papa hurting himself, and for once, I didn’t want to have Fennec around.

I didn’t look back at him as I climbed onto the back of the quad to sit behind Jason and hold on to him so I wouldn’t fall off.

I could feel Fennec’s eyes on me, but as much as I loved him, he didn’t deserve my attention at this moment.

Papa didn’t say a word either, knowing that Fen knew how to survive out here on his own.

He’d be okay.

Maybe it would even help clear his head after being down the past few days.

As Jason drove us back to the cabin, I looked back to make sure Papa was okay and holding on tight since it was a bumpy ride, but we made it safely and quickly got into Jason’s truck with Sitka joining us since she couldn’t stay behind on her own.

“Do you mind if I call Mama to let her know we’re driving to Fairbanks?” I asked Jason.

He handed me his phone, and after typing in Mama’s number, I held the phone to my ear and waited for her to pick up.

“Jason, is everything okay?”

“Mama, it’s me.”

“Vespyr? Are you okay?” She sounded concerned, but it wasn’t me she had to worry about.

“I’m fine, but Papa isn’t. He fell down a cliff and hurt his leg. His ankle hurts, so Jason is now driving us to the hospital.”

“Oh, dear God,” she gasped. “When will you arrive?”

“Late tonight. We only just started driving.”

“Call me again when you’re at the hospital and I will come over. Let me talk to Papa.”

Without saying bye, I handed the phone back to Papa who was leaning against the window and with his leg propped up on the seats.

Sitka had to accommodate herself in the back for this ride.

“Mama wants to talk to you,” I told him as he took the phone.

“Think she’s gonna be happy with you leaving Fennec behind?” Jason asked as Papa talked to Mama.

“Probably not. But he needs to calm down from whatever’s going on with him. He’s not been well lately,” I told him.

“And you think leaving him out there on his own will help him get better? Sounds like a suicide mission to me, leaving him to fight on his own.”

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