They had been ambushed, not far outside of Riften. Eir and Vilkas were out of their element, and their righteousness and compassion hadn't helped. They had fallen for the bait, allowing themselves to be lead straight to the bandits. Of course the bandit's had no chance to win the fight, but it was the fact the proud Companions had been fooled that peeved them.

"Fools!" Eir howled as she transformed into her wolfish form.

Vilkas laughed at the faces of the bandits as they watched Eir's transformation, his own blade was aching to spill the blood of the lowlifes. Together they exterminated the group. Eir's form scaring them, slashing at them as if she had become a mindless beast. Vilkas sword finishing the blow, his wolfish grin sending them into the afterlife.

"I think that's all of them." Vilkas said as he touched Eir's fur, as if to calm her.

It was drenched in blood. Although he himself was covered with the blood of the bandits, it was no longer warm upon his skin. The blood on her seemed warm, fresher than the blood of them men who laid dead. He was worried.

Eir let out a howl. Vilkas grabbed her, she was much stronger than himself in her werewolf form, but he could still control her if necessary. He pulled her further from the road, and bandit hideout, towards the bank of the river. There they could wait for Eir to transform back, last thing they needed was to be hunted in a territory that was not theirs... No, last thing they needed was to be hunted at all.

Vilkas wet a cloth and began to wipe down her beautiful black fur. It was soft like her hair, even when it was soaked with blood. It glimmered in the dimming evening light, if only there wasn't a large chance she was hurt, then he could truly think of it as a beautiful sight.

Eir began to grumble a bit, snarling, pushing him back. Her transformation back wasn't the prettiest, and while he watched, he saw the wound on her side. She was weaker in this form, and fell to the ground human again.

"That was fun..." She paused to catch her breath. "Let's not do it again..." She paused once more. "Or at least... Not soon."

"I hear you." Vilkas smiled at his shield-sister and lover. "Let's get you fixed up shall we?"

"Mhmmm..." Was the only reply he got as she drifted off into unconsciousness in his arms.

"Eir? Eir? Shit!" He panicked for a moment, not quite sure what to do. Eir was strong, he was almost surprised the bandits had managed to wound her. Vilkas guessed it was the loss of blood and then the strength different between beast form and human form which initially done her in.

He grabbed some bandages from his pack, some healing potions, herbs they had picked on their journey to the Rift. He grabbed anything that could possibly help.

Vilkas bandaged the wound, it was deep, but her beast blood would help it scar over quicker. He then placed a potion to her mouth tipping it back to let the liquid spill onto her lips.

"Damn.."

He placed the bottle to his own lips, taking a gulp and while holding her jaw open with his hand, kissed the potion into her mouth. Eir swallowed it this time.

She coughed a bit and rolled onto her side to see Vilkas on his knees hovering over her. Her side no longer hurt, it simply pinched. She slowly say up as Vilkas stood to get their bedrolls.

"Was I out long?" Eir asked embarrassed of the scene she caused.

"No, not long. But it was long enough to frighten me."

Eir sat as Vilkas laid down the bedrolls side by side under a tree, a bit farther from the river. He walked back towards her.

"You ready to sleep?" He asked.

"After today's strange events, I cannot wait." Eir smiled, and she struggles to get up.

Vilkas bent down and easily picked her up. His grasp was firm, with no intention of letting go.

"I could have gotten up myself!" She said fiercly.

"I'm sure you could have, but I didn't want you to." Vilkas replied, gripping her strongly in his arms. "You are wounded, I want to look after you."

He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and placed her on the bedroll next to his. He covered her with fur pelts in case the night was cool, and laid down beside her, covering himself with pelts.

"Now dear, go to sleep. We will continue our journey tomorrow."

Eir snuggled up against Vilkas' chest, finding warmth and a heartbeat. He wrapped his arms around her, to protect her, to love her. He caressed her hair as she listened to his heartbeat, both of them slowly drifting off to sleep under the stars.