The rain that had started when we had entered Whiterun had turned into a downpour by the time we made it to the stables.

Vilkas had deteriorated even more. His face was bloodless and he was hardly breathing. I had run out of bandages for his wound, and I didn't know healing magic. I had to resort to taking the cloak away from his head and ripping it up into more strips.

The driver jumped off the carriage as soon as it stopped. "I'll go get help!"

"Yes, thank you," I said, voice rushed as I pressed my hands over Vilkas's wound. "Hurry!"

The driver took off running into the rain. I lost sight of him after a few seconds.

"Gods, please," I whispered as rainwater dripped into my eyes. "Please don't take him from me. Don't take him away. I've..." My voice cracked, but I kept praying. "I've lost everything already. The elves took my parents away. They tore my family from me. I lost everything I held dear that night." Tears welled in my eyes, but didn't fall. Yet. "Vilkas is the first good thing to happen to me in a long time. I can't lose him, too. I can't. Please, Akatosh, Kynareth, Talos, anyone. Please don't let him die."

Kynareth seemed to have heard my prayers, for Danica came running through the rain towards the wagon. She jumped into the back with me, pulling her yellow hood closer to her face.

"He is still breathing, yes?" she asked, leaning closer to Vilkas's still form.

"Yes, barely," I said, tears pouring down my cheeks. I thought I had cried all that I could, but I thought wrong. "Please, Danica. Save him."

"I will do everything I can. But we need to get him back to the Temple."

"How? I can't carry him on my own."

"That's why I brought help." She waved her hand over her head, then dropped out of the wagon.

Heavy footsteps pounded over the wet cobblestone. Farkas came running through the sheets of rain. His hair was plastered to his face, and he kept wiping water off his brow. "Is my brother all right?" he asked. "What happened to him?"

My throat tightened. "Farkas, he will be all right if you help me get him to the Temple. We haven't a moment to lose."

With an effort, we lifted Vilkas out of the wagon and carried him through the pouring rain and into the city's walls. I was abruptly reminded of the events that happened just a handful of months ago. The dragon attack on Pelagia farm, the fight the Companions put up, the injuries I had sustained. Vilkas was in my place that day, as I was in his. He was the one carrying me to the Temple to be healed, instead of the other way around. So much had changed since that day. I had been the newest whelp, the one who needed the most help in everything I did. Now I was the Harbinger of the Companions. My name carried an immense amount of weight, since I was both Dragonborn and Harbinger. No one would dare cross me. It was still hard for me to fathom.

I shook my head, slinging rainwater all over myself, Farkas, and Vilkas. I would have time to think after Vilkas was safe.

Relief filled my blood with warmth when we made it to the Temple. Danica held the door open for us, as we rushed inside. My arms ached from carrying Vilkas, but I didn't let it stop me.

"Set him down here," Danica said, pointing to an empty bed. Farkas and I obeyed, lowering Vilkas down as gently as possible. Although it hurt me to hear, I was almost joyful when he cried out in pain. It meant that he was still holding on.

I was even more relieved when he opened his eyes and zeroed in on me. "Ylva...?" he asked, voice weak. "What's..."

I knelt down and shushed him. "Hey, it's all right." I laid my hand on his cold forehead. "We're in the Temple of Kynareth. We made it back to Whiterun."

"Was... there anymore trouble?"

"No. We were fine after the attack. Just save your breath. Danica is going to heal you now." I looked at the priestess, and she nodded.

"Just relax, Vilkas," she said in a calm voice. Her hands began to glow with warm, yellow light. She lowered them to his side, holding them just a few inches over his wound. The magic began to pour into his wound, stopping the bleeding and mending his flesh.

I watched as the color returned to his face, and his grimace eased. "It was only a few months ago we were here. Only I was in your place, and you were in mine."

I smiled. "Yes, I remember. That battle is a little hard to forget, isn't it?"

He nodded, eyes closing. He had to be exhausted.

"You should get some proper rest, Vilkas," I said. "I'll be right here."

Farkas dropped to his knees next to me. "Brother?"

Vilkas's eyes cracked open and a smile curled on his lips. "Farkas. It's good to see you."

"Vilkas, what happened to you? How did you get hurt?"

"I'll explain, Vilkas," I said, brushing my hand over his stubbled cheek. "You try to get some rest. Please."

His eyes closed again. His breaths evened out, and his face relaxed. He was sound asleep.

Once he fell into sleep, I turned to Farkas and explained the bandit attack. I left out the reason why we were in Winterhold in the first place. The Temple of Kynareth wasn't the best place to talk about curing our lycanthropy. I would explain that to him later.

When I finished my tale, I looked up to Danica. "Will he be all right?"

"Yes. His wound was serious, but it was nothing I couldn't heal. He will be fine in a few days."

Farkas and I both sighed with relief. "That's good news," I said.

Danica left for a moment, only to return with several furs in her arms. She laid one across my shoulders, handed one to Farkas, then laid the rest over Vilkas. "You're welcome to stay in the Temple, of course, as long as you don't cause too much racket. We can't have the others here being disturbed."

I nodded and pulled the warm fur closer to my body. "We won't be trouble, Danica. Will we, Farkas?"

Farkas shook his head. "We'll be quiet."

Danica smiled. "Very well, then. I'll leave you." With that, she walked off.

Farkas glanced at his twin brother. "Why were you in Winterhold, Ylva?"

"I can't explain here, Farkas. But I promise, once Vilkas is well and we're back at Jorrvaskr, I'll tell you. You just have to trust me, all right?"

"Don't worry. I trust you."

I gave him a nod, then leaned my head against Vilkas's bed. Without the fear of losing him spurring me onward, I had no strength. Between batting two wolf spirits, fighting off a dozen bandits, and trying to keep the man I loved alive long enough to be healed, my energy had been all but spent. It was time for me to rest, too.

"Wake me if he stirs, Farkas, would you?" I asked, yawning. My eyes closed on their own.

"I will. Don't worry. Get some sleep, Harbinger."

"Just call me Ylva...." I didn't have time to finish before sleep pulled me down.

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A/N: OH MY GOSH THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR 100 VOTES! It means so much to me to see people reading and enjoying this story! I'm so thankful to each of you who read this and can't thank you enough for all the kind reviews and words of encouragement I've received along the way. So again, thank y'all so much!

~WG 💙