For sleeping in the middle of nowhere, and on a bed of branches, Toxic woke feeling surprisingly rested.

Well, until the pain set in.

Toxic wasn't out of shape, but he wasn't a star athlete either. Apparently carrying a pony while fatigued wasn't the best idea.

Even so, there was something different...

Oh.

The aches and pains were overridden by something else, a warmth that spread though Toxic's entire body. Opening his eyes, the stallion couldn't help but smile, emotion bringing a slight mist to his eyes. Sky Duster was snuggled up next to him, her head laying across his fore-hooves, Toxic's head resting across her neck. The bruises still showed on her back, and Toxic was careful to avoid accidentally nudging those...

Sky was still sleeping, or at least, it felt like she was. Having someone this close, even if it may not mean anything, was a very comforting feeling.

Almost automatically, he curled around Sky's sleeping form protectively, taking in the smell of her mane as he closed his eyes again. It was...piney? No, it was more like a hodgepodge of gentle herbs, very soft too.

His eyes shot open as he realized what he was doing.

I'm nuzzling her mane.

Emotion rose in Toxic's throat, his fatigued mind still processing what that meant.

Do I like her that much?

Well duh. You've been on a date with her...

So, do you pursue things? She certainly was fine being a bit close last light.

She was scared! How much of that was because of fear instead of actual feelings for me?

Then ask her.

Toxic resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Only he could lose an argument with himself. It was true though; he did need to ask Sky about that. It would eat away at him if he didn't.

“Hmmm....muh?”

Well, looks like she was waking up.

He opted for a semi-neutral gesture, nudging Sky's neck with his muzzle.

“Wak-ey wak-ey....”

The mare gasped, her breathing and heart rate skyrocketing before her mind caught up.

“So it wasn't all a dream? We're still.....”

He felt Sky slump slightly, then shifting as she scrubbed sleep from her eyes.

“And I was really comfy too...”

Toxic wasn't going to say anything, but then Sky nuzzled her head under his neck.

“Thanks Toxic.”

Well, if he hadn't already been blushing, he sure was now.

“N-o prob-lem.”

Sky stood up, stretching her neck and looking around at the forest, wincing slightly as the bruises on her back, but that faded. Her amethyst eyes sparkled in the morning sun, quickly shedding the dullness of fatigue and gaining a new life to them.

She's.....beautiful.

Toxic would certainly admit, she had caught his eye before...obviously, but seeing her now...

He looked away, a more prominent blush on his cheeks as she glanced his way. The stallion stood, stretching a bit before getting some water.

Smooth move. About as subtle as a parasprite swarm.

--- – –

A faint smile twitched at Sky Duster's features as she followed Toxic up the rocky depression to snag a drink as well. She hadn't missed his eyes on her, and she couldn't help but feel a very alien emotion.

Sky had seen a few stallions over the years glance at her- but it was always with a disturbingly lustful eye, or a downright creepy look. It sent shivers up her spine.

The brief time that Toxic's gaze had met hers, it ignited a completely different emotion in Sky's heart. The thought that Toxic Shield found her attractive sent warm tingles from her head to her hooves. No matter how tomboyish some females were, there was always one thing that remained true: mares liked knowing someone found them attractive.

Yes, and you've had loads of experience in that department...as if.

Her own thoughts threatened to betray her, and Sky's upbeat demeanor wavered, her eyes downcast for a moment.

Toxic had no idea how hard this was. She wanted to tell him- maybe she would?

No, not maybe. When.

Just...when it was right. It all hinged on whether he was actually interested in pursuing a relationship with her.

A relationship? I hope he's as inexperienced with that as I am...wait, he asked me something!

Toxic looked at Sky Duster curiously as he repeated his question.

“Are yo-u read-y to g-o? We nee-d to f-ind som-e food and d-irection.”

Interesting. His stutter seemed to be minimized...

She nodded, more than a tad embarrassed at her lapse in focus.

“As ready as I'll ever be. Any idea on which direction to go?”

Toxic looked up at the sky and sun briefly, and then nodded.

“Y-ep. Th-is wa-y. Eq-rest-ria is eventuall-y tha-t wa-y.”

He then shot her an apologetic glance- which, Sky had to admit, was rather adorable.

“Tha-t's th-e best I c-an do.”

Sky smiled, then winced as she walked up beside him.

“Hmm. Sun always rises in the east, so I guess that'd be it. Hopefully a bit of walking will make my back feel better....stupid griffins.”

As they walked, Toxic glanced over quickly to Sky's back.

No, NOT her flank. Not that it's not worth looking at.....be quiet brain!

Her back did show some severe bruising, dark purple showing through her fur.

“A-are yo-u su-re?”

Sky nodded back to him, but Toxic didn't miss that the gesture was through gritted teeth.

“Yes. I'll be fine. Lets just get some distance between us and...them.”

The stallion didn't bother mentioning that they could be headed toward their captors; he hadn't exactly specified a compass-inspired direction when teleporting. Sky seemed edgy for some reason....

Well, you're stuck somewhere in the griffin province, probably the separatist area, have no food, no water, and no idea where to go.

Oh. Right.

They walked in silence for a time, both focused on navigating the increasingly rocky terrain. He heard Sky occasionally hiss in what he guessed was pain every now and again. He could be wrong though...

As they walked, he let his mind wander briefly. Toxic didn't know why, but he managed to bottle his emotions in a crisis. This was extremely useful for his job, or for handling immediate emergencies.

For a long-term ordeal like this, not so much. Eventually he'd have to work through it.

He could feel the fear creeping in his mind, waiting for a chance to spring. Half of his confident demeanor was an act, the other based on pure logic. They knew which direction to go, so off they went.

Other than that...wait....

What in Celestia's name are we doing!? We're just walking, with no plan? We need to stop....

“W-e nee-d to st-op.”

Toxic's sharp eyes caught the relieved slump of Sky's shoulders, despite the fact they had been walking for but a short time.

“I...wha-t....”

Words failed him, and a few of the pent up emotions bubbled to the surface. Terror, anxiety....

Toxic couldn't move. For a moment, he just sat on a carpet of dead pine needles, staring at his hooves.

“Toxic? What's wrong?”

He simply shook his head, the bottled feelings from both this morning and the previous day's fight proving too conflicting. The result was a pair of silent tears that traced their way down his face.

“I do-n't kn-ow what t-o do....”

Sky appeared to shrug slightly, wincing as she did so.

“Well, I thought heading east was a good idea. At least we can head towards Equestria-”

“That's not good enough!” Toxic's voice growled out at her. His eyes then widened as Sky looked at him with a stunned gaze.

His own shoulders slumped, and he shook his head.

“I'm s-sorry Sky...yo-u didn't d-eserve th-at....I ju-st don't k-know wha-t to d-o.”

All the coherent thoughts that had previously inhabited Toxic's mind had long-since fled. For the first time since the ordeal began, he felt utterly lost and helpless.

And it wasn't even mid-day yet.

– - -

Sky Duster wasn't sure what to think. One moment, Toxic was acting like he had a handle on things.....

The next, he was acting....

Like a normal pony? He has probably been in shock, just like you. Yours wore off last night, his, today.

“I c-an't do t-this o-n my o-wn.” Toxic's voice whispered out, barely audible among the birds in the trees above.

Sky forced the pain in her back down, sliding up next to the distraught stallion.

“Toxic...you don't have to.”

When she touched his hoof with hers, it seemed to snap him out of the dazed state he was in. He looked up to her, smiling slightly.

“T-hanks.”

I never thought I'd find a stutter this cute....

The rather embarrassing admittance to herself was cut off by a sharp pain in her back. This was getting ridiculous.

“East?” Sky managed to say between gritted teeth.

Toxic nodded, swiping the remnants of the tears from his eyes.

“East.”

For an hour or so, the two ponies continued to walk, and the rocky landscape slowly leveled out into a decent forest, complete with a few clearings in which they managed to snag a snack: some grass.

Not the most tasty or nutritious, but it worked. The bonus of being herbivores.

Sky couldn't stifle a cry of pain as she landed awkwardly on a hoof, having mis-timed a step.

“S-sky? Y-you're no-t ok....” Toxic's voice was soft, and genuinely caring. Even so, a rebellious rebuttal rose in her throat. Am I too proud to admit that I need help? No...it's not that simple...I don't want him to think-

“I'll manage Toxic!”

Sky Duster hadn't taken more than a few more steps when a root decided to call her bluff, snagging her hoof and sending her sprawling. Despite being caught by Toxic's hooves, pain lanced up her back, enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Toxic's own heart ached at the sight of the mare in such pain. That fact took foremost priority in his mind almost automatically. He looked at her back carefully, his eyes widening with shock. The bruises were definitely not getting better.

The numbing salve. Perhaps it could have affected her body's normal healing abilities? I'll have to risk some magic then. Hooves only....

Toxic set Sky Duster down on a clear patch of young grass, recalling the basic spells to mind.

“Y-your back is b-ad. I'll t-ry to he-lp.”

He focused on channeling magic from his horn to his hooves, which would use significantly less magic than if he tried to use energy directly from his horn to the injuries. His hooves provided a medium, and it was a classic emergency medical technique, for unicorns at least, when trying to preserve power. The application of magic to a physical object took a decent amount of energy (when taking into account pressure and area,) so his hooves would eliminate that need.

“Y-ou shou-ld have t-old me....” He made sure to keep his voice light and gentle, but with a hint of condescension.

Sky nodded slightly, looking up at him with curiosity.

“I know. I.....-what are you doing?”

Toxic boosted the magic to his hooves again, gently laying them on her back.

“Hel-ping.”

Sky's immediate content sigh indicated that the spell was having an effect. From his limited medical knowledge, Toxic could detect the heavy bruising, and then the affected muscles around the area. Sections of Sky's back were knotted and tight, probably from the pain of trying to walk.

Silly mare. You should have told me that it was this bad...why didn't you?

The bruises he'd reduce, but wouldn't remove them entirely. A full healing spell would be much more taxing than just reducing the inflammation. A day or so would be all Sky needed to recover on her own after this. The spell would give her body a boost, overcoming the inhibiting effects of the numbing agent. He'd have to deal with the tight muscles to some extent, otherwise it would further stress the healing tissues.

Toxic hesitated, not sure if he should.....

Oh shut up brain. You know it will help, and you like her, so just do it.

He targeted the nearest pain-induced knot, right below Sky's left shoulder. Gently laying one of his hooves on it, he moved in a slow circle, letting both the spell and physical pressure ease the sore muscles.

Author's Note

On a ROLL!
As always, feedback is appreciated!