Cadence approached Harlan. She kept her voice quiet, asking where she could wash up away from the prying eyes of the main camp.

Harlan nodded understandingly. He pointed toward a secluded bend in the river located just outside the main wooden palisade.

He walked into his hut and grabbed a relatively clean, soft animal hide. He handed it to her to use as a makeshift towel.

They walked side-by-side to the riverbend. The rushing sound of the water grew louder, masking the crunch of their footsteps on the gravel.

Harlan stopped at the edge of the dense tree line. He stated firmly that he would stand guard facing the forest to ensure her privacy. He turned his broad back to the water.

Cadence thanked him sincerely. She felt a deep sense of security with his massive, imposing presence standing watch.

She stepped behind a large, mossy boulder. She shivered slightly in the evening breeze as she stripped off her dusty, sweat-stained modern clothes. She folded her jacket neatly on the rock.

She waded into the cool, crystal-clear water. She let out a soft sigh of relief as the grime washed away from her skin. The cold water soothed her tired muscles.

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of cold, slit-like reptilian eyes watched her every move from the tall reeds on the opposite bank.

Cristian Pope, the rogue Serpent-Shifter, glided silently into the water. His movements caused barely a ripple on the surface.

Cadence ducked her head completely underwater. She used her fingers to vigorously scrub the dirt from her scalp.

She surfaced, wiping the water from her eyes. On the shoreline, Harlan's acute senses suddenly flared. He stiffened, his ears twitching sharply. A faint, unnatural disturbance in the water's current and an icy, metallic scent triggered his deepest predatory instincts. He spun around, his eyes scanning the dark water frantically, his muscles coiled to strike, but the intruder's stealth magic masked its exact location.

She suddenly froze. An eerie, unnatural chill ran down her spine, raising goosebumps on her arms.

The water surface rippled unnaturally. It formed a distinct V-shape heading directly toward her waist.

A massive, terrifying silver-scaled serpent head rose from the depths. Water cascaded off its smooth, deadly snout.

Cadence opened her mouth to scream. Sheer, paralyzing terror locked her vocal cords tight. No sound came out.

The serpent shifted in a blinding blur of motion. It instantly turned into a breathtakingly handsome, unnaturally pale man.

Cristian wrapped a cold, incredibly powerful arm around her bare waist. He jerked her flush against his hard, freezing chest.

The instant Cristian broke the surface, Harlan locked onto the threat. He did not wait for her to cry out. A thunderous, earth-shattering roar erupted from his throat as he launched himself from the tree line, shifting into his massive, lethal tiger form mid-leap.

He dipped his head. He inhaled deeply against her wet, exposed neck. His silver eyes darkened with sudden, violent obsession.

He whispered in a silky, hypnotic voice. "Your scent is the most intoxicating thing I have ever encountered. You smell so pure, completely devoid of this land's wildness, like a distant, untouchable star."

The physical contact broke Cadence's paralysis. She finally found her voice. She let out a piercing, terrified scream that tore her throat.

She thrashed wildly in the water. She pushed her hands desperately against Cristian's immovable chest, trying to break his iron grip.

Harlan crashed through the reeds, soaring entirely across the shallow water. He launched himself like a furry missile directly at Cristian's head.

Cristian cursed under his breath. He was forced to release Cadence's waist to dodge the incoming lethal claws.

Cadence stumbled backward in the fast current. She scrambled frantically onto the rocky shore, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She grabbed her hide towel and clutched it tightly to her chest.

Harlan landed heavily in the water between Cadence and Cristian. He bared his massive fangs in a murderous, deafening snarl. Water sprayed everywhere.

Cristian stood waist-deep in the water. His expression shifted from surprise to a look of arrogant amusement.

He slowly wiped a single drop of blood from his pale cheek. Harlan's claw had narrowly grazed him.

Cristian smirked. His chilling silver eyes locked onto Cadence over the tiger's broad, protective back.

Cristian crossed his arms casually over his bare chest. He looked completely unfazed by Harlan's aggressive, lethal posture.

He taunted Harlan in a smooth, mocking tone. "A mere dirt-bound tiger cannot protect such a rare, exquisite treasure. You are outmatched, cat."

Harlan roared furiously in response. He took a heavy step forward into the deeper water. His muscles bunched, preparing to strike a fatal blow.

Cristian chuckled darkly. His pale body began to shimmer with a volatile, silver primal energy. The water around him churned.

He locked his gaze on Cadence. He promised her with chilling sincerity, "We will meet again very soon, little bird."

With a sudden, explosive splash, Cristian shifted back into a massive serpent. He vanished instantly into the fast, dark currents.

Harlan remained entirely tense. His muscles were coiled tight. He scanned the dark water for several long, agonizing minutes, waiting for another ambush.

Satisfied the immediate threat had retreated, Harlan relaxed his stance. He waded to the shore and shifted back into his human form.

He rushed up the bank to Cadence. He pulled her shivering, traumatized body into a desperate, bone-crushing embrace.

Cadence buried her face into his warm chest. The adrenaline crash hit her system hard. She trembled violently against him, unable to control her shaking limbs.

Harlan aggressively cursed the Serpent-Shifter aloud. His voice was laced with genuine panic and self-reproach. He had failed to keep her safe.

He quickly helped Cadence pull her modern clothes back on over her damp, cold skin. His massive hands were shaking slightly as he fumbled with her zipper.

He scooped her into his arms. He absolutely refused to let her walk the distance back to the village.

They returned to the stone hut in silence. The evening air turned sharply, bitingly cold as the sun fully set behind the mountains.

Harlan wrapped her tightly in multiple heavy furs on the stone slab. But Cadence's violent shivering did not stop. Her teeth chattered loudly.

He paced the small hut like a caged beast. He was furious at his failure to secure the perimeter perfectly.

Cadence tried to reassure him with a weak smile. Her lips were blue. She could not form words through the chattering of her teeth.

As the night deepens, Cadence's shivering suddenly transitioned. Her skin erupted into a heavy, unnatural, burning sweat.

Harlan pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. His eyes widened in horror at the intense, dangerous heat radiating from her skin.

He realized the combination of the freezing river water and the extreme psychological shock had made her severely ill. Her human body was failing.

Panic overriding protocol, Harlan rushed out of the hut. He sprinted at top speed toward the Shaman's dwelling in the center of the camp.

Cadence tossed and turned on the rough grass bed. Her mind slipped rapidly into a terrifying, feverish haze.

She mumbled deliriously in English. She called out for her grandfather. She begged for modern medicine, asking for aspirin and a glass of cold water.

Harlan burst back into the hut. He dragged a sleepy, bewildered Silas Finch by the arm.

Silas knelt quickly beside Cadence. He placed a hand glowing with soft green primal energy directly over her chest.

Silas closed his eyes. He focused his healing energy. His brow furrowed in deep concentration as he scanned her internal body.

The green light flickered erratically. It faded completely into nothingness. Silas pulled his hand back with a heavy, defeated sigh.

He shook his head grimly. He looked at Harlan. "Her malady is a cold evil. My external energy cannot purge it from her blood."

Silas stated flatly that she lacked primal fortitude. "She must rely entirely on her own weak vitality to survive the night. I can do nothing."

Harlan dropped heavily to his knees. He clutched Cadence's burning hand in both of his. Sheer, paralyzing terror gripped his heart, squeezing it tight.

Silas apologized softly. His voice was laced with deep pity. He stood up and left the hut, unable to do anything more for the dying female.

Harlan refused to accept the Shaman's defeat. He fetched a stone bowl of cool water from the stream. He desperately bathed her flushed face with a damp piece of hide.

He spent the entire night awake. He wiped her brow continuously. His own eyes grew bloodshot, ringed with dark, heavy shadows of exhaustion.

Morning light finally filtered through the doorway. The brightness pierced Cadence's chaotic fever dreams, pulling her back to reality.

She opened her eyes slowly. Her vision swam for a moment. She felt incredibly weak, her limbs heavy as lead, but her mind was finally lucid.

She turned her head. She saw Harlan slumped against the cold stone wall. He looked utterly devastated and exhausted, his broad shoulders caved inward.

Cadence rasps his name. Her throat felt like it was lined with dry sandpaper. "Harlan."

Harlan jolted violently awake. He scrambled to her side on his knees. He gently touched her burning cheek, his breath catching in his throat.

Cadence forced herself to sit up slightly. Her modern botanical knowledge, the very same survival lessons from her grandfather that she had relied on to analyze the alien flora upon her arrival, kicked into high gear. She had to save herself.

She told Harlan, panting slightly with the effort to speak. "I need specific plants to live. I need white willow bark. And a spicy, ginger-like root."

Harlan looked confused by the strange names. But he was so desperate to help her, he agreed without a single question.

He quickly fashioned a thick fur carrier. He bundled her up securely and strapped her tightly to his broad chest, ensuring she wouldn't fall.

They left the waking tribe. They headed toward the dense Light Forest where diverse plant life was abundant.

Harlan walked with extreme care. His powerful legs absorbed every shock of the uneven ground to avoid jostling her aching body.

As they navigated a rocky path, Harlan spotted a patch of vibrant purple flowers. He visibly flinched. His breathing hitched, and his steps faltered. His typically warm, golden complexion drained of color, leaving him looking sickly pale. A heavy, suffocating silence descended over him as he stared at the blooms, his eyes darkening with an unspoken agony.

Cadence noticed his sudden, intense physical reaction. She rested her chin on his chest and softly asked what was wrong.

Harlan hesitated. His jaw tightened tight. He swallowed hard, clearly fighting to keep a massive wave of dark emotions locked away. "Those flowers..." he finally rasped, his voice rough and evasive. "They remind me of a very dark time. A memory I am not ready to revisit."

He did not confess the details of his mother's murder, nor did he reveal his paralyzing fear of loss. The wound was too deep, too raw to expose so soon. But the profound grief radiating from his tense muscles spoke volumes of his hidden pain.

Cadence reached a weak hand up from the fur carrier. She stroked his rough jawline tenderly, feeling the stubble under her thumb.

She comforted him. She looked deeply into his pained eyes. "You are the strongest person I know. I am not giving up. We will fix this."

Harlan leaned heavily into her touch. He drew immense emotional strength and resolve from her quiet, fierce confidence.

They pressed on. They reached a damp, shaded section of the forest near a bubbling natural spring.

Cadence scanned the underbrush. She spotted the familiar serrated leaves of a primal equivalent to the white willow tree.

She pointed it out eagerly. She instructed Harlan to strip the bark carefully with his claws, warning him not to kill the tree.

Harlan used his razor-sharp claws to harvest the bark exactly as she directed. He peeled it away in neat, precise strips.

A few yards away, Cadence identified the distinct, spicy-smelling leaves of a wild ginger root protruding from the dark mud.

Harlan dug his hands into the soil. He pulled up the thick root and brushed off the excess dirt.

Cadence inspected the harvested plants in his hands. A small, genuine smile of relief broke through her exhaustion.

She told him confidently, "We finally have exactly what we need to cure the fever."

Harlan turned back toward the tribe. A renewed, fierce sense of hope put a spring back in his long stride.