[Year 19 of Exile]

“Will the others reach safely?”

I turned to look at the driver, his brows furrowed and an expression of extreme concentration on his face.

“They will, the animals will get them there.” He gritted his teeth, knuckles turning white as his hands gripped the steering wheel. “In fact, they could reach home even earlier than us.”

Home.

That’s where we’re going.

After all these months of hiding, of running, of surviving without our families; we’re finally heading home.

“I guess so…” I murmured, eyes staring at the tar road that stretched ahead for who-knew how long. “I hope so…”

I felt warmth on my trembling hands and glanced down to find his hand gripping mine tightly.

“They will, they will all be fine.”

But I’m sure your ‘all’ only meant the boys.

And not our families.

“Luhan, take Jen with you. As much as I know how riding an animal could be safer than being out in the open in a jeep, take her with you so we don’t have to worry about her.” Xiumin remarked, his hands busy as he talked and packed the cans of food into a potato sack. “And I suppose Sehun would want to tag along since his spirit animal is going with you.”

I glanced up at Luhan, his head nodding as he extended a hand towards me and I slipped mine into his. He gripped it tightly immediately, and pulled me to my feet. His free arm then wrapped around my waist and together we made our way to the only surviving vehicle that somehow escaped the tragic fate of its brothers.

“Up you go.” He pushed me up to the passenger seat, hands on my waist and they remained there for a few moments even though I was already seated.

“Luhan…?”

My hand instinctively went to the top of his head, since it’s the only thing I could see for the boy had looked downwards, his fringe obscuring his eyes. I ruffled his hair gently, leaving my hand there until he lifted his head, a small smile adorning his weathered face — the aftermath of his passing out when Carlisle entered the picture.

“I’m fine.” His fingers trailed along the sides of my face and I nuzzled my cheek in his rough palm. “Just needed a moment.”

“Well thanks for spending your moment with me.” I winked and he laughed, fingers reaching up to pinch my cheeks. “But really, what’s going on? I know I probably shouldn’t ask, and should just go along with everyone but I want to know. I need to know.”

Luhan glanced backwards, the scene of numerous boys still running around like headless chickens greeting our eyes. He sighed, turning back to me.

“You know Gale, Sehu–”

“Sehun’s spirit animal; yes I do, I heard his name from Sui.”

“He– He brought news.”

“What kind of news? I eavesdropped on the conversation between Sui and Suho and heard that apparently he was supposed to arrive together with the rest of the animals but he took a detour, deciding to head to our community and he stumbled upon something but then Sui spotted me and they spoke no more.”

Luhan had kept his hands on my cheeks, and I reached up to cover them. His hands had gone cold, but I knew that it wasn't because of the sudden drop in the temperature even though night gradually descended upon us.

“He saw our families being led to luxury cars a-and the strange thing was that they weren’t even resisting the people holding onto them.” His hands had dropped to my lap, and I could feel them shaking. “Gale said that it looked like they were under a spell.”

I enveloped his hands in mine, the back of one gently, hoping that it would calm him down for the boy’s eyes had started to well up with tears.

“And why was Gale covered in wounds and one of his wings… it looked like it was about to fall off.” My hand stopped , as the unforgettable scene of me catching a glimpse of the boys moving the bloodied animal away from where he collapsed surfaced in my mind. “It was terrifying, it utterly horrified me.”

“That… I don’t know. Gale didn’t tell us.” He bit on his lower lip. “But Suho speculated that perhaps whoever took our families did it to him, they found him spying and probably wounded him.”

Just then, Carlisle bounded over to us.

"We're going to move him over now." The stag nodded towards his human, and Luhan returned the favour as Carlisle turned to leave. "And Luhan, could you keep Sehun away from us for awhile? He's been a pest, stubbornly refusing to leave Gale's side. It's seriously hindering Kou's and Yixing's abilities to heal him."

The animal left, and the boy in front of me sighed aloud. "God, that Sehun."

"It's normal, Luhan. Wouldn't you do the same if Carlisle was that hurt too?"

He met my eyes and I saw the answer within.

"I'll go get him."

"Jen, I need your help."

I turned back, and Sehun's deathly pale face filled my sight. Frowning, I pushed his head out of the way to see Yixing at the back of the jeep, his hands glowing blue.

"Change places with Sehun, he's not helping me at all." The healer instructed and I unbuckled myself immediately, earning myself a light whack on the arm from the driver. "Jen! At least let me stop at the side of the road or something."

"There's no time!" The jeep drove towards the side of the road anyway, and stopped. "Sheesh."

I switched places with a reluctant Sehun, who needed to be dragged over to the passenger seat by an impatient Luhan who glared murderously at him for his lack of action.