Fall Onto Earth: Ambriel & John
When the circle broke, John made his way back towards the castle. He wasn't stupid enough to believe he was some kind of hero, able to save people or even save himself should one of those things attack him. Sure, the witch had a few tricks, stopgap things really, to buy him sometime, but John was a healer, not a killer. He'd be dead meat if one of them got to him.
The trees were moving all around them and John dodged aside as one charged past. He was marveling, having never witnessed something like this or knowing anyone who had. There were no stories told by the elders about armies of trees who came to aid their ancestors. It was an incredible sight.
John was almost to the castle entrance, where he spotted Leon fighting with Andrei and the giant centaur warrior who also served as their gentle school nurse. He ran up the steps, about to dart inside only to be halted by the spread wings of a black crow swooping in front of him. John stopped short, looking at his Spirit Guide in confusion. Was he not meant to go inside to safety? The crow flew to the side and John watched it fly along the wall of the castle, cawing back at him, and the young witch knew he was meant to follow.
Taking one more glance into the castle, John sighed and turned away from the entrance. He ran after the crow, trusting in his Spirit Guide to know what was needed of him, and it wasn't long before he found the crow resting beside the fallen angel. John's mouth dropped open in shock. First, to see the angel up close when before he had only witnessed Ambriel flying in the sky, but second, it didn't take a trained healer to know that Ambriel was in bad condition and needed immediate help.
The crow cawed and took flight again, going to roost on a ledge above the angel as John approached and fumbled for his medicine bag. "Ambriel, can you hear me? Don't move." John pulled red clay from his bag and touched it to his own brow in a horizontal line, then the back of each hand. Earth. Grounded. Centered. He knelt beside Ambriel, assessing what he was looking at and trying to keep his own fear and panic down. Could he do this alone? Should he go for help?