No Strings Attached

It took lan a good ten seconds before he slowly cracked open his eyes. His breath was weak as he managed to croak out, "Is Clara okay?"

Ryker, who had always been a free spirit, felt his eyes moisten for a fleeting moment at the sound of lan's voice. It wasn't the joy of lan cheating death that did it, but lan's thought of Clara. Ryker knew all too well the agony Clara would endure if lan hadn't made it.

With a wry smile, he teased, "She's fine. If you had bitten the dust, she'd be marrying me in a heartbeat."

lan's lips twitched into a faint smile, his voice hoarse as he replied, "I won't give you that chance."

"Even in such a time, you're still trying to outdo me? If I hadn't found you, you'd be wolf chow by now." Ryker bent down, hefted lan off the ground, and slung him over his shoulder.

He whistled sharply down the mountain. In no time, a group of commandos were racing in their direction. They took turns carrying lan out.

There stood Clara, not too far off, gazing anxiously their way. Her voice shook with urgency as she called out, "Ryker, did you find lan?"

on Ryker's back, covered in blood. His clothes were

tight, her fists balling involuntarily. In a soft whisper, she

teetering on the edge of consciousness, forced his eyes open and mustered all his strength to say, "Clara, I

his words, Clara's tears flowed freely. She rushed to lan's side, her eyes blurred with tears as she gazed at his wounds. Her voice broke.

as she gently touched lan's injuries. The pain in her heart

fingertip gently wiped away a tear from her cheek, his lips curving slightly as he whispered, "Clara, don't cry. I'm going to pull through for you." He didn't finish his sentence before his

terror, her voice laced with anguish as

Clara never let go of lan's hand, even though he had

forward. "Doctor, how

he suffered a severe head injury. There's a hematoma

could respond, Ryker chimed in from behind, "He's not going to end up with amnesia or in a vegetative