The Young Warrior: A Stroke Of Luck

by Melody Song

Burdened

“I told you so!”

“Yes, we’ve been over this before, you were right–”

“I told you what I saw, but no, you didn’t believe me!”

“Are you going to gloat any longer–”

“Well, guess what?! I was right!”

“Pharynx, we get it!”

“Oh, I know. I was just trying to get a reaction. I relish the sight of that expression on your face, brother.” Pharynx told him with a cheeky smirk.

Pharynx grinned at his frustrated brother from his upright position in bed. Ocellus, Apex, Hunter, and Zenith were standing behind Thorax, waiting for the two to refocus on the task at hoof. All four were clearly holding back laughter as they watched the brothers interact, though the alpha didn’t seem to notice.

Thorax merely groaned and facehoofed. “All these years later and you still act like a nymph.”

Pharynx chuckled, then winced in pain, touching a hoof to the bandages his midsection was wrapped in. As he laid back down to relieve some of the pressure on his side, Thorax nuzzled him in concern.

“Get off Thorax. Anyway, if it is Tuney, how are we supposed to find her?”

“Get in trouble again?” Ocellus suggested, only to shrink back at the looks sent her way. “I was joking.”

“Even if you weren’t, I-I’d rather no one else got hurt. All the soldiers from the last attack are still recovering in the infirmary and most of the rest of them are watching the rogues we managed to bring into custody.” Thorax pointed out.

“She only showed up when we were in trouble though.” Ocellus replied.

“Correction, she only showed up when Pharynx and Thorax were in trouble. There was no sign of her until Thorax arrived in the battle and got overwhelmed.” Hunter objected, the other three onlookers giving murmurs and nods of agreement.

“Yeah, that’s true.” Thorax put a hoof to his chin. “She must have been watching your soldiers before we arrived if she jumped in to help that quickly. But when I was taking charge of the situation, she didn’t do anything.”

“And she only jumped in when I passed out.” Pharynx muttered. “I held out for a while though, so she didn’t need to step in right away.”

“Pharynx, this isn’t a competition.”

“Says who?”

“So if she reacts to seeing you two hurt or about to get hurt, maybe what will work is to see that you need her.” Ocellus suggested, clearly trying to steer the conversation back to the matter at hoof before an argument was started.

“And just how are we going to do that?” Pharynx asked.

“Pharynx, you and I can show her ourselves.” Thorax smiled and reached a hoof out to his brother. “Come on Phar, you should be okay to walk now, right?”

“Yes, why?” Pharynx asked with a raised brow.

“Let’s go for a walk. You and me, I’ll help you.”

“Sure, but I don’t see how walking is going to get her attention.” Pharynx said, taking his brother’s offered hoof. Thorax just smiled softly, helping Pharynx out of the bed.

“Let’s just go.”

They made their way outside slowly and carefully, Thorax supporting Pharynx the whole way. Passing changelings stopped to watch as their King helped his older brother limp along down the hallway.

“Other than publicly embarrassing me, what exactly is your plan here?” Pharynx asked, as Thorax helped him walk outside.

“I just want to test something. Besides, is it a crime for me to want to spend time with my brother after he nearly…” Thorax trailed off, still unable to say it. Pharynx sighed and brushed his muzzle along the side of Thorax’s face in comfort.

“But I didn’t.” he reminded him, and Thorax smiled softly.

“Yeah. Come on, let’s go towards the forest.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Not completely, but it might work for what I’m trying to do. If you can’t walk that far, it’s okay, we can turn back.”

“I’ll manage.” Pharynx said, and Thorax nodded, trusting his judgment as they made their way to the treeline in the distance. “So what are you trying to do?”

“W-Well, if it really is Fortuna, she has to be staying close by the Hive, right? So if we show her how injured you are, then maybe...”

“She’ll notice and show herself to check on me.” Pharynx chuckled. “Surprisingly sound logic coming from you, brother.”

“Hey!” Thorax exclaimed, but Pharynx just smirked at him.

They made it to the edge of the forest after a while, Pharynx limping along after his brother. His injuries made it painful for him to move quickly, so Thorax slowed his gait to help him. Pharynx growled as he struggled to stay upright.

“Tartarus, I’m weak now.”

“Just because you’re injured doesn’t make you weak, Phar. You’ll recover fully with time, you know that.” Thorax reassured him.

“Yeah, yeah, I know– argh!” Pharynx sank down onto his haunches, flinching as he instinctively moved a hoof to his side.

“What’s wrong?!”

“N-Nothing, nothing.” The beta changeling took a deep breath before standing, though his legs shook under his weight. “Just a bit of phantom pain.”

“...Maybe we should go back–”

“Thorax, will you quit worrying?!”

“Well I’m sorry I care about you!”

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m fine?!”

“Until I know it’s true!”

“Why?! Why don’t you believe that I am?!”

“Because the last time you said that I found out you were nearly sliced in half by an Ursa!”

The woods were silent as Thorax’s words echoed through them. Pharynx froze, then looked away. “I didn’t think you still felt that strongly about it, it was so long ago.”

“Of course I still think about it! My only brother was on the verge of dying right before my eyes because he refused to tell me right away that something was wrong.”

Pharynx sighed and lifted Thorax’s chin with his muzzle. “I promise, Thorax, I won’t do that again. Not if it makes you this upset.”

“So…?”

Pharynx sighed again, taking a step forward and flinching. “It’s just the wound at this point, I think if there was still poison I would be weaker.”

“Okay. We should head back though, should I carry you–?”

“Think about it and I’ll find the strength to sit on you.” Pharynx chuckled dryly, and Thorax smiled softly. “There’s the dorky smile I know. Come on Thorax, let’s go back home.”

The two brothers smiled at each other, both of them clearly much calmer now that they had spoken their pieces. Thorax gently embraced his big brother, wary of his injuries, and the elder chuckled, carefully lifting his injured foreleg to hug him back.

The two then headed back out of the trees, returning to their home, together.