Cirrus galloped through Airendale, his hooves pounding loudly against the cobblestones. Kaari leaned low over his neck, going through her plan once more. 

She first needed to see Wren and ask where he was attacked. Then if he had an answer, she would go there and investigate. If the kidnappers were at the scene, she hoped to not let them get away again.

Kaari nearly passed the blacksmith in the midst of her schemeing. Thankfully Cirrus stopped in time. "Thanks," she muttered as she dismounted and tossed his reins over the fence. 

She half ran, half stumbled through the shop and into the green yard behind. Her feet led her to the house and up the steps. She was here almost ten minutes ago. She rapped her fist against the door, hoping Wren was okay enough to talk. 

Asha answered. Her blue eyes were hard stone, cold and determined. She silently beckoned Kaari in and slammed the door behind her. Kaari flinched, hoping her friend wasn't too angry to talk. 

"How's Wren?" Kaari asked quietly. Asha shrugged, walking into her family's small living room. Flint and Irene we're having a clearly stressful discussion. Irene's delicate face had creases of worry and Flint's vibrant eyes were dull with frustration. They both looked up when Kaari walked in. Flint stood and opened his mouth to say something. Kaari waited for bad news to come out but he closed his mouth instead. He sat back down and stared at his hands. 

Kaari glanced at Asha. She avoided her eyes. Fear crept its way into her stomach and sat there like a heavy stone. "Is—is Wren okay?"

Flint stood again and beckoned for her to follow. Kaari reluctantly followed him up the stairs and into a diminutive room. Wren lay in a bed with his left leg propped up on two pillows. His right arm was wrapped in soft white cloth. His eyes stared into space. Kaari could tell that the nightmare he experienced was replaying over and over behind his green eyes. 

Flint sank into a chair in the corner of the room. He sat quietly, waiting for something to happen. Kaari walked forward and took the chair beside Flint. Wren suddenly snapped out of his daze and looked up at her. 

Kaari offered him a weak smile. "Are you okay?"

Wren tried to shrug but winced from the pain in his arm. "I guess," he rasped. 

"Can you talk?"

"My voice didn't go anywhere," he retorted. 

Kaari scooted forward in her chair. "Sorry about what happened. I just wanted to know where you were attacked so I can go investigate."

"You sound like an interviewer. And there's no point in investigating. Those creeps are long gone."

"At lease tell me where this"—she gestured to his state—"happened. Maybe if I bring Akira or Loki to help they could pick up a trail."

Wren hesitated, shifting into a comfortable position. He looked at her before answering. "It might of happened your place."

"What?!" Kaari jumped to her feet, trying not to imagine horrible thing happening to her family. "How?"

Wren swallowed and poured out his whole story. 

"I was going over to your house to see if you wanted to go riding with Asha and me. I was also going to tell you both about yesterday. But when I got there, nobody was home. They must have gone into town or somewhere. I was about to get back on my horse and return home but then—then these two men jumped out from the bushes. They wanted to know where you were and when I said I didn't know......" He cleared his throat and glanced away, whispering, "They attacked me."

Kaari didn't know what to say. She felt a million different emotions raging inside of her.

Fear.

Anger.

Sympathy.

Frustration.

But the strongest was hatred. She hated that she wasn't there to help. She hated that the two kidnappers were still out there. She hated that Wren had to pay for her stupidity. She hated that she and everyone she knew was in danger. 

Kaari glared at the ground. Wren turned back towards her. "I'm sorry, Kaari. I shouldn't—"

"It's not your fault," Kaari interrupted. "It's mine. I should've have reported them. I should've ended the whole thing yesterday."

Flint stood and grabbed her shoulders. "It's no one's fault, okay?" He forced her to meet his gaze. She nodded and sat back down. 

"I should get going...." she suggested after a long moment of silence. Wren nodded and tried to sit up. When he didn't succeed, he ran his fingers through his blond hair and sighed. "I hope I can be up and moving soon," he said as Kaari left the room. 

She hurried back down stairs and said her farewells. Irene stalked over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Kaari returned the hug. 

As they parted, Kaari tried to reassure her that she would find her son's attackers. 

Because she had a job to do. And that was destroying the threat that now plagued her whole village.