Page 25 of Alien Healer's Touch

"I have you," I said, ducking under a fallen trunk.

The night forest blurred around us. What humans would see as darkness revealed itself to me in deep blues and purples. I registered each obstacle moments before reaching it, adjusting our path by instinct.

A shout rose behind us. They had spotted our movement. Orders echoed across their communication devices. The hunt intensified.

I veered north toward rockier terrain. Fewer hiding places, but the stone would hold no footprints.

"Can they track us?" Selene whispered, lips brushing my ear.

"Not if I do this properly."

The forest worked against us. A path I'd traveled two moons ago now lay blocked by boulders from recent tremors. I pivoted into denser brush. Thorns scraped my skin, but I shielded Selene from their reach.

Behind us, lights flickered through trees. The humans had deployed their artificial illumination—both advantage and disadvantage. They could see better, but we could track them more easily.

"There's a creek ahead. We'll use it to mask our trail."

The water ran cold and swift. I stepped from stone to stone, leaving no prints along the muddy banks. We followed its course until I found what I sought—a small waterfall cascading over moss-covered rock.

I tightened my grip. "Deep breath."

I leapt through the falling water, landing in the space behind. The cascade would mask our heat signatures from tracking devices. I set her down, steadying her when her legs wobbled.

"Are you hurt?"

Selene shook her head, water droplets flying from her short hair. "Just trying to process how fast you moved. That was... I didn't know Nyxari could?—"

"Most cannot," I admitted. "Not with such speed. But I trained as a warrior before becoming a healer."

Her eyes found mine in the darkness. "You keep surprising me, Kavan."

"As do you." I glanced beyond the waterfall. "Their lights approach. We must continue."

I led her through a narrow passage behind the falls, one few would notice without precise knowledge of the terrain. The cave beyond provided shelter, but we couldn't linger. Hammond's forces would eventually find this place.

For three more hours we traversed Arenix's changing landscape. Where the forest floor once sloped gently, new fissures formed treacherous drops. Ancient paths vanished beneath fallen trees and freshly exposed stone. Even for me, the terrain proved challenging. For Selene, impossible without assistance.

I alternated between carrying her and guiding her by hand, choosing our route with the care of both healer and warrior.

As night deepened, Selene's pace slowed despite her determination. I needed to find shelter, somewhere defendable, somewhere to rest.

The cave system appeared before us like an ancestral gift. Carved by ancient waters into the mountain's flank, these caverns had served hunting parties for generations. I had tended wounds here, prepared kills for transport.

My relief died as we drew closer. Recent seismic activity had partially collapsed the main entrance, leaving only a narrow gap where once a hunting band could enter shoulder to shoulder.

"It is not ideal," I said, "but it will shelter us for the night."

Selene eyed the opening. "Will we fit?"

"You will. I may need to... adjust my approach."

She nodded. "Lead the way."

I guided her to the opening, instructing her on the safest path through debris. "Mind your head on that outcropping. The stone here breaks sharply."

Selene slipped through with surprising grace for one so exhausted. I followed, turning sideways to accommodate my broader frame. Stone scraped against my back. My tail caught on protruding rocks as I worked my way through.

Inside, dampness and chill greeted us. Water dripped somewhere in the darkness. The air carried mineral scents of wet stone and the faint musk of small creatures in the crevices.

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