Iskandor didn’t stop, even as the drizzling rain made the earth slick beneath his paws. His muscles burned, the wind whipped past his face, but maybe it was the weight on his back that made him press on harder with every step. His strides never faltered, even long after he’d carried them far from the snapping of jaws and snarling coyotes.
It was only when he heard their trembling voice that his ears flicked back, trying to tune into his passengers' questions. Where were they going? Gods if he knew. "Somewhere safe," he answered curtly, softly, despite his growing fatigue. Blinking as he took notice of how weak and sickly they sounded. What could he do? "Are you cold? We can stop—I know how to make a fire." The boy assured them, deciding right away that this was the best course of action. Iska looked over his shoulder as he began to slow, taking note of their condition before his skull turned to look for a place to rest. He didn’t have to look for long. There.
A cluster of trees with a fallen log in the empty space between, perfect to block the wind. He adjusted his stride, keeping them as stable as he could, every tremble of their body against his back sending a pulse of determination down his spine. The fevered heat radiating from their body was concerning, and he had never been responsible for another wolf’s safety before. It was anxiety-inducing, but he was a boy on a mission. He’d see it through.
"We can decide what to do next after we rest." He said, mumbling out the words as he reached the trees, padding slowly to the log and shifting his weight to his haunches carefully. Trying to slide them down gently, not wishing to unceremoniously dump them off. "We’ve still got some fight left in us, don’t we?" A lighter tone this time, as though he was trying to rouse their resolve. They had given that tiger hell, after all. There had to be a strong will somewhere in that fragile exterior.
His chest heaved with the exertion he finally allowed to wash over him, his limbs shaking from strain as he turned to face them—awaiting a sign that they would be okay if he stepped away to look for some fire starting materials.
"Speech"
