Tyura didn’t know how long he was unconscious, but he eventually woke up to see a splintered wooden ceiling. He blinked slowly. Trying to recall how he got here.

 He remembered a burning sensation throughout his body and…a weightlessness.

“Finally awake I see.”

Tyura jumped and immediately regretted the action. His muscles protested against the sudden movement. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and shifted only his eyes to the woman sitting crisscross upon a small bed. Her head rested on her hand as she stared down at him.

Tyura recognized those bright green eyes. It was the woman he had seen before he passed out.

“You had a fever. We thought you wouldn’t make it.” She continued with a grin.

Tyura only stared at her. Even if he could or wanted to respond, his throat was so dry not even spit would form to swallow.

What now? He thought warily. He remembered that this woman had shot an arrow at him, twice, but then again he was still alive so…

The woman studied him for a moment before smiling brightly.

“You hungry?” Tyura perked up slightly at that. Yes he was deathly hungry. Even now it felt as of his stomach was sunken into his back. He tried to muster some strength to respond when he was interrupted by the sound of quick and heavy footsteps.

The door burst open and in stepped the man with the axe.

“Nave!”A  youngthful and energetic voice instantly filled the tiny windowless room. The man had on a black cloak, but he threw it off onto the bed rail as soon as he walked in.

Tyura watched him cautiously but his focus was on the woman, Nave.

The woman, Nave, nodded her head towards Tyura.

“The boy is awake.” 

The man turned his matching green eyes to look Tyura over, before striding over to squat on the floor next to him.

Tyura stared back. How many more of these staring matches would he have to do? Now that he could see him closely, the man was young, in his mid twenties perhaps, and his first noticeable feature was his bright green eyes. Just like Nave’s. He had a straight nose and thin lips. His skin was tanned, so Tyura thought he must have done some type of farm work, and he had a head of dark brown hair. The man could be considered to be handsome but not as handsome as Tyura. 

Tyura scrowled. 

Well, not as handsome as Tyura used to be.

“Hey,”

Tyura was brought out of his thoughts by a heavy knock on his head. 

Tyura winced and rubbed the already rising knot on his head.

“You had a stupid expression on your face.” The man said with a laugh. “Is that why you were abandoned in that forest? Did your parents find you stupid?” The man sighed with fake pity. “Parents hate stupid children.”

“I’m not stupid...” Tyura said, frowning.

“Good.” His eyes narrowed. “What’s your name, boy?”

Tyura hesitated, but then figured there was no risk in telling him his name. No one knew him here.

“Tyura.”

“I’m Fade and that is Nave.” 

From behind Nave did a small wave.

“You know I really thought you would be dead when I got back.” Fade said with another shake of his head. 

Tyura might have been mistaken, but he thought he heard a hint of disappointment in Fade’s voice.

“Especially with that shoulder. But we fixed that problem.” He continued with a smirk.

Shoulder…Tyura’s eyes wandered down to the crude bandages wrapped messily

around his shoulder. But he could see  blood seeping through. This did not look “Fixed” to Tyura.

Fade made a face at the bandaged shoulder and stood shooting Nave an accusatory look.

“We sort of fixed it. I thought you were taking care of it, Nave?” 

She spread out her hands in a ‘what’ gesture. 

“You said not to bother with him too much because he would die anyway.”

Fade tilted his head. “I said that?”

Nave rolled her eyes.

“Enough. What did you bring back?”

Fade’s face brightened again and he pointed his thumb towards the door. Nave jumped off the bed and followed Fade out the door without sparing a glance at Tyura.

They closed the door behind them followed by a distinct click. 

Now that they had gone, Tyura tried to gather his thoughts.

 First, Tyura needed to know where he was, better yet, he needed a map. Was the world he was now in just a big forest? Surely not. Second, he needed to gather more strength. He was too weak and malnourished. And now with these new injuries…he hated to admit it, but he probably wouldn’t make it on his own.

 He would have to stay with these people for a while. They were strange but they seemed sensible enough, given that they didn’t kill him and were willing to bandage and feed him. 

Tyura also surveyed his wounds as he thought. He had a few scrapes from the fall, but the main injury was from his shoulder.

After another moment of thought Tyura struggled but eventually stood up. He limped slowly to the door. Even though each move set his muscles on fire. 

Tyura wanted to see what it looked like outside, but when he tried to turn the door handle it wouldn’t budge. Just as he thought. It was locked.