Drass had gone quite a long way and needed to have a good sit down rest. Leading the steed to where other horses were being held, Lanaey quickly took off the tack and other items that Drass had been shouldering. Then Lanaey proceeded to give her a long rub down while she contentedly munched her way through several carrots before starting in on her grain.
It was while Lanaey was putting away the brush that she remembered the little girl she had nearly run over on her way into town. Hurridly running through her memories of the last few days the Elf couldn't find her. Despite the facts that Lanaey had been fighting and was unconscious or in the sick room for a full day along with the numbers of villagers running around, Lanaey had an uneasy feeling. She should have seen Elena at least once! Finding the child suddenly seemed very important and her mind would think of nothing else.
Walking fast footed to the second main house she started asking random men and women if they'd seen a little girl named Elena who carried around a doll named Della. She was just asking the third person when a man spoke to her side.
"She's missing, along with my two daughters." The man who spoke was haggard with a burn shining on his right arm. The eyes that stared at her were hollow and dark with fatigue of mind and body.
Lanaey took him by his good arm and started leading him to the main house that had all the healers.
"Did you search among the dead?" it was harsh and blunt, but she needed to know. The question didn't seem to pierce this father like it would have to others.
"Yes, but I also know if they're dead I may never find their remains."
They got to the sick house and a young maiden came over to help.
"He needs treatment for this burn and a sleeping draught," the Elf spoke very quietly to the girl.
"I'll find them," Lanaey said directly to the parting man; she just didn't know if she'd find them alive or just their remains.
~*~
Night was starting to fall, but the army wasn't going to stop till they had reached the village, darkness or no. They were all moving very slowly, for each man was needed to help carry or support those who could not help themselves. They hadn't even been able to send out another messenger to find Laurel or Herebrand. They had only been able to send out periodic scouts to make sure that they were heading in the right direction, but the scouts had to return soon to help with the carrying; every time one scout left another healthy man had to take up the slack in his absence.
There were simply too many wounded, for every one man down it took two to help. Not to mention the weapons and other slight supplies that had to be dragged along.
Leena shifted her arms and tried to stretch out her sore muscles slightly, but they were pinned by the stretcher she was helping carry.
She looked off into the forest knowing that they were dead if attacked by the wild men in force. Now Leena simply prayed that they would find the village soon.
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