Free Aidan by Elizabeth Rose

the hill and threw himself atop the hound, bringing it to the ground. He wrestled it with his bare hands. Onyx rushed over and picked up the squirrel, and the cat slinked away towards camp.
    “Use yer dagger ,” called out Aidan, rushing to join his friends. “The thing is possessed.”
    “Nay, I dinna want te hurt it,” Ian called back, rolling over and over on the ground with the wolfhound in his hands. The animal snarled and tried to bite him, but eventually gave up in a whimper. It lay there under Ian’s hold, and slowly he released the animal. It just looked up to him with wide eyes and Ian slowly reached out and ran a hand over its head.
    “What the hell are ye doin’?” asked Aidan, coming to his side. “Thet thing is dangerous.”
    “Nay,” Ian said stubbornl y, sitting down next to it. The animal got up quickly, looked at them with wide eyes and then hurried away with a slight limp over the hills.
    “Reid!” said Aidan, collecting the squirrel from Onyx. It was bleeding and barely moving. “Yer damne d cat almost killed me squirrel,” he shouted.
    “But it did na,” said Onyx.
    “Only becooz the wolfhound saved it,” added Ian.
    “Ye shoulda killed the t feral thing yesterday.” Aidan felt furious at this whole situation. “Now it followed us te camp and we have more problems.”
    “Nay,” said Ian. “It is already injured and I was tryin’ te help. The hound is all alone. I feel sad fer it. I think it’s only tryin’ te attack becooz it’s scared. And mayhap Onyx’s cat shoulda killed yer squirrel instead.”
    “Me cat did na mean any harm,” said Onyx in his pet’s defense.
    “Stop yer bickerin’ ye dunderheids and give me the squir rel.” Effie stood with her arms outstretched, waiting for Aidan to hand over his pet.
    “He’s almost deid,” said Aidan sadly.
    “I can see thet,” she said, pulling it from his hands. “And if ye three fools keep up yer bickerin’ it’s goin’ te be deid afore we can help it.”
    “Do ye ken how te heal animals?” asked Aidan.
    “I told ye, I am a gypsy. I ken a lot o’ things ye have no idea aboot. Now there are some herbs and things I’m goin’ te need, and I need ye three to get them fer me. Aidan, get some hot water and rags, and Onyx, ye start a fire and cook some food, as I’m famished. And Ian, I’ll tell ye where the herbs are and what they look like, and ye make sure te keep thet damn hound away from here. And if I see that wildcat anywhere near this squirrel again, I swear I’ll be servin’ it roasted on a spit fer our next meal. Now do ye all understand what ye’re te do? If we’re goin’ te save this poor animal’s life we need te move quickly.”
    “She took off at a good clip down the hill toward the cottages with the nearly lifeless, bloody squirrel in her hands, not bothering to wait for an answer.
    Aidan and his friends just stood there with their mouths open and stared at each other.
    “What the hell jest happened?” asked Ian.
    “Get a move on it,” she shouted over her shoulder, “we don’t have all day.”
    “Did she jest really tell us what te do?” asked Aidan.
    “I think she did,” said Ian, shaking his head in disbelief.
    “And I thought me bairned wife was moody and demandin’. Aidan, ye got yerself a live one there.” Onyx scratched the back of his neck and watched Effie rushing down the hill.
    “I guess so,” Aidan said.
    “What’re ye goin’ te do aboot it?” asked Ian.
    “Reid’s life is in danger,” Aidan replied. “Do we really have a choice? Ye heard her, now let’s get movin’.”

    Chapter 8
     
    Effie woke the next morning, taking a moment to realize where she was. She looked around and found herself lying on a pallet in a darkened cottage. She saw a small table with a few chairs, several other pallets, and some personal belongings such as trunks and clothing. There was a firepit in the center of the room, but with no fire, as it was summer. Above it, there was a