By the time Asbel had hauled them both to the relative safety of the muddy bank, he no longer had the energy to care about what was going on. For whatever reason, Frey had nearly killed himself, screaming the whole time, the sound scratching the surface of his mind and embedding itself there forever. For whatever reason, the prince was weeping against his shoulder, and Asbel let him, too exhausted and confused to push him away. The prince's eyes, when open, were sane -- thank goodness -- if terrified, but at least Frey had been found in more ways than one, and might be brought back to the camp in one piece. Never mind that, for the second time in as many days, there wasn't a shred of mischief or hatred in the young prince's expression. For the second time in as many days, Frey was looking at him with an expression that couldn't be deciphered.

The streak of lightning jolted the phoenix back into himself, and snapped his eyes away from a wary appraisal of Frey's person. His heart slammed into his throat, and with a whisper of surprise, he scrambled away from the lip of the pond as electricity crackled across its surface. They had nearly been killed. And if Asbel hadn't come, Frey would be dead -- either drowned or electrocuted. They might die still, out here in the cold and the damp.

Frey's arms around him, then, were a strange, welcome shelter from the bite of the rain and from the growling hatred of the thunder overhead. Frey was soaking wet and bleeding, and the front of his nightshirt was streaked with blood, but there was a stillness in the prince -- a welcome quiet after the wild panic of before. And while Frey had always represented danger and near-death (and did so still, it would seem), the arms around him seemed protective, not antagonistic, and Asbel settled cautiously into the embrace. Wariness took more than one touch to break, but for now, so tired and cold and wet, someone's closeness was a warmth much needed.

[i]Thank you.[/i]

Asbel glanced up, surprised and suspicious, but the words ached with sincerity, and the phoenix nodded once in understanding. Anyone should have done the same, and he'd had no thought but to help, as anyone would have done, but if Frey was grateful, Asbel would not shut him down as he had before.

"What will you tell your brother?" he asked softly, as the crashing of Augustine and Cassius drew nearer, and as Augustine's voice called again for his lost little brother. But Cassius seemed to know where to go, and they had only a few minutes left before they would be found and rescued.