14、第 14 章 Found ...
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Chapter Fourteen — Found.
By the time the sun began to sink behind the mountain, the search party had grown larger. Ayao had returned to the mountain path , refusing to give up. She knew the mountain paths better than most of the palace guards, and she was certain Suyuan would have taken a less-used route rather than the main trail. "Miss Yuan!" Ayao called again, shielding her eyes as she searched between the trees. "Miss Yuan!"
No answer came.
Tarkan dismounted near the edge of a steep slope. He crouched and examined the ground, brushing away leaves with his hand. There were several broken branches and a long mark through the soil. "She fell here." Khasar climbed down beside him and examined the slope below. Khasar immediately tied a rope around a tree. Tarkan started down first, followed by Khasar..The mountain was already becoming dark. Then Khasar stopped.
"Wait." The surroundings became silent at first, there was nothing. Then came a faint sound from below, a wolf. Tarkan looked toward the sound and moved through the trees. After several steps, he saw something pale beneath the branches.
A piece of white cloth. He hurried forward and there, beside a fallen wolf, was Suyuan. She was curled beneath her cloak, holding a small wolf pup against her chest. Her face was pale from the cold, and one leg was positioned awkwardly beneath her.
"Suyuan!"
Tarkan dropped to his knees beside her.
Her eyes fluttered open.
For a moment, she looked confused.
Then she recognized him.
"Tarkan?"
His shoulders finally relaxed.
"We found you."
Suyuan glanced down at the pup in her arms.
"Don't step on it."
Tarkan stared at her.
"You've been missing for hours, and you're worried about a wolf?"
"Well it's alive."
He looked at the tiny pup.
Then at Suyuan.
He couldn't argue with that.
Khasar crouched beside them and carefully checked Suyuan's condition. "Can you move?"
"My ankle hurts."
"Can you stand?"
Suyuan tried and the moment she shifted her weight, pain shot through her leg and she immediately stopped.
"No."
Khasar removed his outer cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. He then carefully took the pup from her arms. Suyuan frowned "Be careful."
"I am." The pup disappeared safely beneath his cloak. Tarkan looked toward the fallen wolf. "It must have died protecting the den."
Suyuan was quiet for a moment. "Then take the pup with us." "We will."
Tarkan carefully lifted Suyuan into his arms , she stiffened immediately.
"I can walk."
"No, you can't."
Suyuan gave him an annoyed look, Tarkan ignored it and carried her toward the waiting rope. Khasar followed closely behind with the pup. When they reached the top of the slope, Ayao nearly cried from relief.
"Miss!"
Suyuan looked at her.
"I'm fine."
Ayao stared at her muddy clothes, pale face, and injured ankle.
"You are absolutely not fine."
Suyuan consider this "then I'm mostly fine."
Ayao almost laughed despite herself. The group began their journey back down the mountain. Behind them, the last light disappeared beyond the trees.
And in the quiet darkness, the three things that had been lost that day had finally been found—the missing princess, the abandoned wolf pup, and perhaps the beginning of something none of them yet understood.
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第14章 第 14 章
