Luna carried the child as she slept all the way back to the mountain town.

Even when Max offered to take the child from her during the long ride, she would not let go. Something about this child just made Luna attach to her. She held on to her all the way until they reached the town’s makeshift hospital, where there were already numerous reporters, medical automatons, nurses, and doctors waiting for all of them. Even when the nurses and doctors offered to take the sleeping child, she was still reluctant until she heard a familiar voice.

“Luna, it’s alright, hand her to me.”

It was an old woman who was remarkably fit for her age. She wore a brown coat with a golden symbol of a staff and four wings on its lapel. She had beautiful short grey hair and well-tanned brown skin that seemed to compliment her warm, knowledgeable, and time-worn face. Her honey eyes, comforting smile, and calm voice immediately put Luna at ease.

“Doctor Gerwulf.” Luna approached her. “She fell asleep, but she has been severely mistreated.”

“Same as everyone you all brought in.” Gerwulf waved and two nurses who carried a stretcher approached her.

Luna then gently placed the child on the stretcher, and the nurses carried her into the tents. Luna followed, but Gerwulf placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I will take care of the child. Personally.” She added the last word before Luna could speak.

Gerwulf then followed the nurses as she ordered the others to make space for more of the injured. Finally, taking a breather from a long night, Luna turned around and planned to slip out quietly at the back of the tents when a booming voice called out to her.

“Luna, the Woman of the Hour!”

It was Solomon and the female eastern knight, of whom Luna had already forgotten her name. Solomon towered over the crowd as the automatons, nurses, doctors, and enforcers parted to allow them to pass through.

“The reporters are looking for you! They want an interview with the famous bounty hunter who led the dramatic and miraculous rescue.”

Luna let out an audible sigh. “Not in the mood, Solomon. I’m too tired.”

“Nonsense!” With his enormous hand, he placed it on her back and guided Luna towards the entrance. “You are the leading lady, and the public just wants to bask in your radiant glow.”

“The red glow of blood, perhaps. Solomon look at me. I can’t have my picture taken like this!” She showed Solomon her long coat was covered with mud, flecks of blood and the hat she always wore had a visible hole on it.

“Just get Max to do it. He loves the spotlight.”

And it seemed he did.

The moment the three of them reached the entrance, they saw Max and Ketil were already at the front of the reporters and photographers while they were swarmed with questions. Ketil addressed them stoically and professionally, while Max looked devilishly charismatic. He answered them with jokes and posed for some cameramen as well.

“See, he loves it!” Luna pointed at Max’s sickening-for-her display. “Let him hog the attention.”

Solomon just shook his head as Max seemed to even flirt with some female bystanders as the reporters clamored and fought over him to answer their questions.

“There is also another bounty hunter that joined us in the briefing but did not join the raid.” Luna said as she looked up at Solomon. “What is the story behind that one?”

“Ah yes, Treese Bats, He is actually a newly elected council shadow, and was introduced by Maurius and Filias to join the operation. My own shortcomings were on display as I allowed it to happen, what with all the collective experience and the like. But what I did not know was that he was trying to take the lead in the entirety of the raid. In my opinion, you had every right to humiliate him in such a manner.”

“Where is he? I would like to give him a piece of my- wait?”

Luna suddenly stopped as the three of them made their way back towards the tents. “They let someone like that become a new council shadow?”

“That is more of your area of expertise, being the official member of the council and all.”

Solomon led them towards an empty tent where Luna sat down on the cot. The eastern knight bowed and left both of them alone.

“But it seems they have kept you well out of the loop this time around. Possibly because you do not even attend said meetings anymore.”

“No one attends those meetings. The majority of assemblies are nothing more than obnoxious representatives clashing while they stroke each other's appendages and ego’s.” Luna removed her hat and put her finger in the hole. “I don’t even know why I’m still part of that clubhouse for homicidal freaks. The only ones who make it worth it are Alexander and Fenia, and they don’t even attend the meetings anymore.”

“Now, now don’t speak ill of your colleagues that way; they still have their usefulness after all.”

The eastern knight reappeared with a custom steel chair for Solomon.

“Thank you, Shinaki. Could you fetch us some refreshments as well, something stronger for the lady?” The knight bowed, and when she left the room, he addressed Luna. “Your clubhouse, after all, is helping us achieve our goal of cleaning up this part of the world.”

Luna looked down at her heavily scarred hand as she forgot to pick up her glove on the forest floor.

“Did you see the people they were holding?”

“Yes, Poor souls are almost at the brink of death. Some of them looked like they would fall over with the gentlest breeze.”

Solomon looked down on Luna, who kept her gaze on her hand.

“You have done exceptionally well, Lunabeth. And I mean that, truly.”

“Why does it feel like I didn’t then?”

Solomon, however, could not answer.

They sat there in silence until Shinaki returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. They had a toast, with the normal sized glass looking like a toy on his enormous hands. Solomon finished his drink in one sip, while Luna offered hers to Shinaki, who looked at him for approval if she should take it.

“I’ll trade you for the bottle.” Luna said with a smile.

Once the knight took the glass from her hand, Luna drank straight from the bottle’s lips. The sour taste of wine seemed to match her mood as each audible gulp she took washed down her failure as well.

She remembered the faces and bodies of the people they rescued. Their injuries, the smells of their clearly infected and untreated wounds, their tears of gratitude and relief in the dark and damp cavern, the sounds of the child’s cries as Luna calmed her down in her arms. They should have raided the compound sooner in order to save more people and spare them from more suffering.

It seemed her face showed all her thoughts when Solomon placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and grounded her back to reality. Luna looked up and saw Solomon smiled weakly at her. It was a genuine smile, not the ones she had seen him put on in front of others; this one was actually sincere and yet pitied her at the same time.

“Despite what you are thinking in that head of yours, I want you to remember that you saved a lot of people today. That is a lot of lives that are now being treated and can see their loved ones again, all thanks to you.”

She weakly smiled back, but the words barely brought her any comfort.

Solomon discussed lighter matters to change the mood of their conversation. They talked about trivial matters like Max’s new long hair and what to name his first child. Then, once Luna had finished her bottle, she bid both Solomon and Shinaki a good night, to which they replied as well.

“We will discuss more formal matters in the morning.” Solomon said as he took the bottle from her. “Rest for the night. You deserve it.”

Luna gave him a nod and left the tent.

=0o0=

After a minute on her feet, she admitted that a whole bottle for herself was a bit too much. Her vision shook as she held onto her hat to prevent it from falling down when Luna noticed she had not worn her hat.

She realized it was back with Solomon, so she just continued trying to find her way out of the medical camp. Luna then passed by a section that was reserved for the elderly and critically wounded patients.

Even late into the night, the tents were full and busy as doctors and nurses tended to the patients. The sterile smell of antiseptics dominated the air while blood-soaked linens and sheets were everywhere. Luna bumped into a nurse that carried a bucket filled with soiled bandages, for which she repeatedly apologized.

The nurse gave her an angry look but rushed past her. Luna knew she should not be here when a voice called out to her.

“If you are going to be in here, either help the nurses or stand aside.”

Doctor Gerwulf came from behind her. She wore a cloth mask over her nose and mouth along with thick rubber gloves. She was also wearing a white apron and a device on her back with four long human mechanical arms that were as long as her entire body, each one holding different medical equipment or medicines and with an engine that lightly sputtered and hissed.

“I’m sorry doctor I will-”

But the doctor would not let her finish. The older woman’s mechanical arms picked up a clean bucket that had rubber gloves and a cloth mask near an empty cot and shoved it at her.

“I should... I should not be doing this. I’m not in good condition.” Luna stammered.

“If you can fight twenty people in a more drunken state than this, you can help us here in the tent. Now take off your coat, find an apron, wash your hands and arms thoroughly, then put those gloves and mask on.” Gerwulf escorted Luna to the end of the tent, where there was a wash bucket and soap. “After that, pick up the soiled sheets so they are not in the way.”

Doing as she was ordered, Luna took off her coat, removed her damaged bracers and gloves, and rolled up the sleeves of her long white dress shirt.

Her arms were just like her hands, covered with more scars than skin. On her right forearm was a numbered tattoo that had six digits; four zeroes, then one and six. On her right ring finger was an engagement ring, but it was incredibly damaged, with the gem on it long gone. Luna made sure that her hands and forearms were clean, then put on her equipment and rushed to help the nurses.

Time seemed to vanish along with the effects of the wine the moment she helped Doctor Gerwulf. She acted as their runner. Luna helped calm the patients down, got more medical supplies from other tents, or just cleaned up after the soiled bandages and sheets. It was past midnight when they finished, and most of the patients were now asleep when Gerwulf called her aside.

Luna handed her apron and bucket to a nurse; it was the one she bumped into earlier who now looked at her with gratitude. She gave her a smile back, then grabbed her coat and followed her out of the tent.

Outside, Luna found it was peacefully quiet as the full moon shone down, covering the land with a beautiful ivory lining. Crickets chirped in the grass beyond the camp, and the cold air sent her skin prickling. She found some crates and sat down. As Luna removed her gloves and mask, a mug filled with honey brown liquid emerged in front of her.

“I hope my nurse is thirsty.”

Gerwulf had removed her mechanical arms and sat beside her, as she held a mug of her own. The doctor handed her a cloth to wipe the sweat from her face. After she cleaned herself, Luna drank first. The cold yet surprisingly sweet liquid warmed her up instantly. It tasted like a mixture of honey and caramel, which not only sated her thirst, but she felt full as well.

“Wonderful drink, Honeybrew. Thank the Maker the Glorkans invented such a magnificent drink, but I wish they would sell this outside of the badlands.” Gerwulf said as she finished hers and put her mug to the side.

“Is that what this is?” Luna then finished hers as well. “I have never had honeybrew.”

“Well, of course not. You are always drowning yourself in that sorrow sauce you love so much.”

Luna was about to reply when she hiccupped and covered her mouth. Gerwulf chuckled at her.

“Did you enjoy your service therapy?” Gerwulf asked. Then it dawned on Luna why she did not ask her to leave the tent. She could only smile.

“You could have just asked me to help. I would have said yes.” Luna gave the woman a tight hug. She had to admit she did feel better.

“I could, but you are just like Maxene. You don’t ever do as you are told. I always have to trick you all into doing things that are actually good for you, like children.”

As the two of them relaxed and caught up with each other, Luna could not help but remember the guild she used to lead before, where everyone worked together side by side. Max and her had a falling out, which caused their old guild to disband.

Doctor Gerwulf only joined Max due to his poor constitution. Luna couldn't say no when Gerwulf asked if she could join the golden hands to keep an eye on Max. They were all still family after all, and they still help each other out occasionally, like today, but being together again like old times is now a distant memory.

She was lost in thought again when Gerwulf embraced her with one arm and pulled her in for half a hug.

“What are you thinking about, little pup?” Little pup, Luna, smiled at the nickname given to her by the doctor.

“Remembering the good old days.” Luna placed her head on the doctor’s shoulders.

“Sometimes nothing good comes from recalling what has already been, which is why we leave it behind us.”

They sat there in silence and admired these little moments of peace they had. Gerwulf hummed a tune as she gently stroked her elbow. Tiredness crept up to her as Luna yawned; the lullaby she hummed was so soothing.

“I think it’s time you finally got some rest, doctor’s orders. There are some spare cots I can lend you for tonight. I need to watch and make sure you actually sleep. The bags under your eyes are not very flattering.”

“Yes ma’am.” Luna jokingly replied, which earned her a smile from the old woman.

Both of them headed towards a tent at the back of the medical camp. Inside, it was mostly empty while a few children occupied some of the cots, already asleep. Many were not in use, but as Luna entered the first bed to her left, she saw it was occupied by the child she personally rescued from the slaver in the forest.

The child was sound asleep; her soft and fair face had been covered with some bandages. Luna slowly reached out and stroked the child’s golden blonde hair. The soiled smell on her from before was now gone. She also had a warm rag on her neck that covered her bruises from the collar before.

“A peculiar yet smart child, that one.” Gerwulf checked the child as well. “Once people are captured by slavers, they steal all their belongings. It seems this one is smart enough to hide her property on her person to avoid that.”

Gerwulf then gestured to a bowl on a bedside table, where inside it contained a small star shaped diamond pendant and a familiar coin.

Luna picked up the coin. It was a normal Braenarim silver piece with the carved face of the emperor Aurelius. The other side was carved with a bronze skull whose eyes and mouth were closed, but when Luna slid the side of the coin, the eyes and mouth opened, revealing blood red rubies inside.

It was the same as the one she always carries.

“This is a shadow’s mark.” Luna looked back at the sleeping child, then back to Gerwulf and hoped for an explanation. “Where on Pandora did she get this?”

“No idea. But she is smart about hiding it. Had the slavers found it on her, she would have been in even more trouble.”

Luna wanted to keep the coin. Most people would see it as a hunter’s coin, a currency used when contracting Ablan bounty hunters, but the coin she was holding was a Shadow’s mark. It had a terrible secret, which is incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands, and it had no place with a child. But as Luna looked down on the child, she reluctantly slipped it back on to the bowl.

Luna needed to get some answers first to see how much the child knew, and then she would take it.

“Is she going to be okay?”

“Of course, she suffered light injuries despite her appearance before. Simple scratches, cuts, bruises, and the warm compress on her neck are replaced constantly. Mostly, she just needs the appropriate treatment and rest.

She even woke up earlier when we were cleaning her wounds, but I also gave her a mild sedative to help her fall back to sleep. The poor dear would not be able to rest otherwise.” Gerwulf then fixed the blanket and tucked the child in. “Speaking of rest, there is a bed next to her that you should be using right now.”

Luna could not agree more. For some reason, she felt bizarrely sleepy. Luna yawned as she sat down, removed her boots, and lay down on the cot, while Gerwulf handed her some blankets.

The doctor was serious when she said she would watch over her to make sure Luna slept. Gerwulf brought a chair to the middle of their two beds and sat there. She read something from her chart as she hummed the same lullaby from earlier.

Safety was the rarest thing in Luna’s life. It was these small amounts of security that were so rare and precious, yet, sadly, after tonight, it might be a long while before she could have a small sense of it again. And right now, in this moment, she knew she was safe, and with that, she drifted to sleep.

=0o0=

Once Gerwulf heard the soft snores coming from Luna’s bed, she tucked her in with a blanket to shield her from the cold.

The sedative she slipped into Luna’s honeybrew seemed to have finally taken effect. She had a habit of overthinking things beyond her control, and left on her own, the young woman would never sleep if she could. Worse, she constantly suffers from nightmares, and the new medicine hopefully gives her a peaceful rest.

The doctor then moved to her other patient and changed the cold rag on the child’s neck and replaced it with a fresh, warm one.

Gerwulf looked at her two patients, and as she left the tent and closed its flap, a thought entered her head.

It seems like I am always taking care of little pups.