Foolish men

Mercury led them through the woods. Grimacing at the evidence of how much blood he had lost. He could feel the effects of it, slowing him down both physically and mentally. As he limped along, Gwyn got ahead of him. He watched her carefully, until a sound in the woods distracted him. He scanned the foliage, searching for whatever had Caught his attention. It shuffled out of some ferns, and he relaxed. A pig. It must have buddied up with the dead boar at some point. or was coming to feast on it. He'd heard they were opportunist carnivores. 

Relaxing his stance, he turned back to Gwen just as the pounding started. He saw the threat and lurched forward, popping stitches in his haste to move quickly. He threw himself at the bore just as it blew past him, and he landed hard on the earth behind it. His entire body hurt, he knew his chest was bleeding again. He staggered to his paws, his bandage thick with blood. “Gwyn!” He yelled, horror and fear in his voice as he flew to her side.

He could smell the blood, and the bear was shuffling. Was it eating her? “Gwyn” it was a pained moan this time. He had failed. He grabbed at the boar's shoulders and pulled it back. Expecting a fight, instead it flopped lifeless at his paws. The movement hadn't been the bore. It had been Gwyn, trying to wiggle free. He almost collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut. Alive. She was alive. He gently pried his bloody sword from her paws and placed his own over hers. Pulling her to her feet. “Are you hurt?” He asked, panting a little from his own pains.