"Thank you," he said again. His voice sounded a little less hoarse now.

"It's the least I can do," she replied. "You saved my life back there."

"Heh. Well you saved mine as well, so I think we're even."

"Do you think you can walk? I want to see about splinting your wing, but it would be easier up above where the light is better."

"I don't think I can get far, but I'll try," he said.

Flame went over to him, and Aidan managed to get an arm over her shoulders and pull himself slowly to his feet. He leaned heavily on her. Slowly they made their way up the sloping passage to the kitchen. From there it was a little easier, not having to climb, and Flame led Aidan into her bedroom. There was no bed there, but she had a pile of furs from the things she'd hunted. They weren't properly tanned, but she had cleaned them thoroughly, so though they were stiff they didn't smell. Aidan lay down gingerly on the pile. Flame looked at his wing. Needing hands again, she shifted back to human form.

"Does it hurt anywhere else," she asked, "Or is it just there where it's obviously broken?"

"I hurt all over," said Aidan, "So I'm not sure. But I don't think there are any other breaks."

"Okay."

She picked out a piece of kindling that seemed about the right size and was fairly straight. She sacrificed one of her few spare shirts to tear into strips so she could tie it on. Then she had Aidan lie down and carefully spread his wing out on the floor. He winced. "This is really going to hurt," she said. "But it's got to be done."

He nodded.

Flame didn't waste any more time, she took his wing, holding on either side of the break, and pulled hard, straightening the crooked pieces.

Aidan cried out, a hoarse, thin scream of pain, and then went limp. He'd fainted. Flame secured the splint to his wing, though it took her a bit to get it tied properly, as she had to work the cloth in between his large flight feathers in order to get it tight enough. That done she stood and looked at this stranger who had been dropped into her life. His thin face was smudged with dirt and bruises, his black hair matted and tangled, but she could see that he would be fairly good looking, by human and aerian standards, once he was cleaned up. And once he's fattened up a bit too, she thought. I should see about getting him some food.

She had half of a rabbit tucked away in a corner of the mostly-dug cellar. She'd meant it for a light snack that evening before going hunting for a proper meal. But it would probably be more than enough for Aidan's first meal. She knew that after starvation you had to be careful to eat only a little at a time, otherwise the body could reject it.

But aerians don't eat meat raw, she thought. Guess I need to cook it. She wasn't much of a cook, but sticking a strip of rabbit meat on a stick and holding it over the fire was fairly simple. By the time she'd managed that the light was fading, and Aidan was stirring.

She walked into the bedroom. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible." He sat up gingerly, eying his broken wing. "But better than I was earlier, at least."

Flame handed him the somewhat charred strip of meat. "Sorry I don't have anything better just now," she said. "I wasn't exactly expecting company."

Aidan didn't say anything in response, because he was already chewing. The modest meal vanished quickly. "There's more if you want it," said Flame, "But you probably should take it slowly."

He nodded. "Yeah. Thanks." He looked around the room, seeming to notice it for the first time. "So... where are we? And, uhm, not to seem rude, but what are you? You're obviously a shape-shifter, but I've never seen anything like your cat form."

"I'm an outworlder," she said. "That's my natural form, that I was born in before I came here. I'm a firecat. There isn't really any comparable Arethan species."

"Ah. I'm an outworlder too," said Aidan. He smiled. "Though nothing so exotic as you are, it seems."

She sighed a little at the reminder of how alien she was to this place. She felt suddenly very tired. She'd worked all day before finding the tunnels, and all the exertion there had worn her out. She shimmered back into firecat form and flopped down on the floor.

"I take it we're not near any cities or towns?" Aidan asked.

"Not really." Flame shook her head. "We're a half day's journey from Coppertop, and two days or so from Snowcap."

Aidan blinked. "What?"

"Snowcap? The human city on the coast?"

"I know what Snowcap is. But I was caught by those things in Aerievale! I had no idea they'd taken me so far. I guess my wing will have to heal before I can leave."

Flame chuckled. "And then some. Winter hasn't really started yet, but by the time your wing is better we're going to be snowed in. Even if you can fly, trying to cross the pass during winter isn't a terribly good idea. I'm afraid you're stuck with me until spring."

"Oh." He looked a little uncertain. "You don't mind?"

She smiled and flicked her tailtip in amusement. "No, I don't mind. Though if you don't want to stay I could take you to Coppertop, where the dwarven delvings start. You could probably find somewhere to stay there. They're a bit rough, but good people."

"I suppose. But right now I'm too tired to even think straight. I need to sleep."

"Me too," said Flame.

Aidan folded his arms, rubbing at his bare, bruised skin. His clothing had been meant for warmer climes, and was nearly in rags anyhow. "It's kind of cold in here though."

"Oh! I tend to forget. There's a fire out in the other room. I can move everything out there, if you prefer."

"That would be nice." He managed to get to his feet again, and Flame dragged the heap of furs out into the central room, putting them directly in front of the fire. Aidan settled himself on the pile with a tired sigh. Flame considered, then she lay down next to him, on the far side from the flames. Aidan looked like he wanted to say something, but then didn't. He shrugged and curled up, trying to get comfortable without being able to fold up his broken wing. Soon they were both sound asleep.