As Steven's halberd swung downwards, he saw the cougar launch its attack. Steven put in some extra strength into his swing trying to make it go down faster, but he could see that it wouldn't work. 4 cuts on Illumina's face. As the cougar's claws drew blood, its neck blossomed red as Steven bore down on it. Lyra's death beam entered its side and Steven's anger-fueled strike drove through the beast's neck, slamming its corpse into the ground. Blood sprayed from the open wound, coating his halberd in blood.

Steven wanted to curse more than anything, but his mind and upbringing prevented it. He panted there, halberd still in the corpse, feeling like he could've done more.

[color=coral]"Illumina-"[/color] Steven said, looking up to where she lay.

But as he looked up, he saw that Lyra was already attending to her. As Lyra barked orders at him, Steven forced himself to calm down.

He sighed, releasing the tension he'd accrued killing the lion.
[color=coral][i]No sense to beat myself up for it. What's done is done.[/i][/color]

[color=coral]"It isn't your fault. It's fine. She's not dead."[/color] Steven said, taking his bloody halberd out of the lion's corpse. [color=coral]"I'll go as fast as I can, but I doubt Satuur will like it."[/color]

Steven walked quickly over to his discarded pack behind Satuur and rifled through it, looking for something specific.

[color=coral]"But we have no choice, so here."[/color] Steven said, tossing the mystery item to Lyra. [color=coral]"You'll make better use of this than I ever could."[/color]

It was a roll of bandages, given to him by one of his siblings. He was never very good at first aid, unfortunately, but he'd taken them because he thought they would come in useful. He still hoped they would.

[color=coral]"Keep her alive as long as it takes."[/color] Steven said, dropping his halberd by his pack. [color=coral]"I'll be leaving my stuff so I can go as fast as possible."[/color]

Walking over to where a traumatised Satuur sat frozen, Steven gently put a hand on his shoulder and talked to him softly.

[color=coral]"Satuur, I know this must be shocking for you, but I'm going to need to take you back to the village."[/color] He said to the shocked boy. [color=coral]"Do your best to hold on, because I won't be stopping before I get there."[/color]

Before the boy could protest, Steven picked him up by the shirt and put him up on his back.

[color=coral]"There could be more of those lions, but that lion looked pretty desperate, so it might be isolated."[/color] Steven told Lyra. [color=coral]"There probably aren't anymore, but be careful anyway."[/color]

Steven's expression was  neutral but determined. The events that just transpired could be thought about later. What he had to do came first.

[color=coral]"I'll be back soon."[/color] Steven said.

Without waiting for anymore words, Steven bent forward and took off, sprinting towards the village. It was within shouting distance so he was sure he could make it. He had to. He'd already failed once, and he wasn't looking to fail again.