//------------------------------//
// Chapter the Fifth: Blood in the Water 
// Story: Not Out Of The Woods Yet 
// by Kiernan 
//------------------------------//

Venny was glad to be with Perry. While it was true that having his father or uncle out here would have been a better alternative, any of his peers would have done a much worse job than Perry. None of them were as vicious, nor did they have much skill with a knife. It's possible, likely even, that they'd have stayed in the cell. Even if they had escaped, the likelihood that they'd find something to eat was very slim. In fact, Venny wouldn't have even thought about eating a fish if Perry hadn't suggested it. On top of that, as they had no blanket, Perry's warmth was a welcome boon. The cave was cold and damp, but Perry's body wrapped around his own had kept him toasty all night long. They were no longer starving, just a bit hungry. They were certainly not dehydrated anymore, and they now had a way to stay warm. It still wasn't a pleasant experience, but no longer was it as unpleasant. 

As Venny stretched out his legs, he woke Perry, who joined him in his stretching, even going so far as to let out a smoky yawn. This was the best he'd felt since the foal-napping. If he didn't have a home to return Venator to, he might even consider staying out here, with the voice in his head to guide his way. Living with Kai was nice, but he wasn't always around, and Perry felt as if he was being a leech.

He had time to consider whether or not he wanted to stay with the family, as he wagered it would be at least another day or two before they found a town, if that. Even then, it was a long trek back to Ponyville. It's not like they had the funds to purchase train tickets, and even if they did, there was no guarantee that the town would have a train station. At best, they could travel the roads from town to town trying to find a path back home.

Perry stepped out of the waterfall cave and looked around. It seemed safe, so he waved for Venny to follow. 

Venny stepped out of the cave, but immediately doubled back. The knife had been left out all night, rather than being returned to the scabbard where it belonged. He didn't want to leave it behind, it was their only tool. As he reached for it, his hoof slipped on the moss that covered the rocks. Losing his stability, he fell down into the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, the rapid torrent of water sending him down with such force that he struck his forehead on the rocks at the bottom of the pool. Thankfully, the rocks were not sharp, being worn down and smoothed by the waterfall, but he struck with enough force to knock him unconscious, and the angle caused his skin to break. 

Perry was terrified. He immediately jumped into the water and swam up to Venny's floating body, grabbing him by the wrist between his teeth and dragging him back to the shore. With a bit of trial, he managed to knock some of the water out of his lungs, but other than allowing him to start breathing again, he was unable to cause him to stir. 

This would cause a significant delay in their journey. Perry wasn't strong enough to carry his brother very far. With him out cold, there was only one solution. They had to return to the waterfall cave and stay another night. Hoisting Venny up onto his shoulders as best he could, Perry carried him back to the cave, making sure not to slip on the rocks. As he lay him down on the bed of moss they'd shared last night, his eyes caught sight of the knife. He cursed himself for forgetting to bring it along for the trip.

Venny was breathing normally, and his pulse was stable. A little high, but it had an even rhythm. He was bleeding from his forehead, and from his arm, where Perry had grabbed him with his teeth. They had no bandages, and that was the extent of Perry's medical knowledge. The bleeding didn't seem to be too bad, but he couldn't know for certain, and that, more than anything, terrified him.

He stayed next to his brother for three hours, keeping a close eye on him in case he woke up. After that, the bleeding had stopped completely, and Perry was sure he'd be alright. He'd washed the affected areas with cold water, to remove any dirt he could. He grabbed the knife, and went out into the woods. He found the dead tree Venny had cut from, and proceeded to cut a few branches of his own. He had to make two trips back to the cave, as he was unable to carry the same volume of wood as his older brother had. Venny hadn't woken up yet, so Perry went out to catch another fish. 

When he returned to the cave, Venny's eyes were open. "Perry?"

Perry tossed the trout aside and rushed to Venny's side, grabbing his hoof. He was glad to see him awake.

"I fell into the river, didn't I?"

Perry nodded.

"You pulled me out?"

Perry sheepishly held up Venny's wrist, showing the tooth marks. Venny inspected the damage. Perry was very embarrassed by it, but Venny wasn't angry. Not in the slightest. In fact, despite the pain of additional pressure, he pulled Perry in for a hug. "You saved me. I'll never forget this, Perry."

Perry had never before felt this emotion. His ignorance had allowed somepony he cared about to come to harm, harmed them further in an attempt to rescue them, and he had been completely useless in the course of repairing the damages. Furthermore, he'd been so demanding on this voyage. He'd always chosen the direction they'd gone, he'd assigned tasks, and he was certain that he'd almost caused Venny to have hypothermia. Yet, here he was, hugging him as if he'd done a splendid job. It baffled him.

For the second night in a row, they ate fish and huddled together next to the dying fire. Perry couldn't handle being treated with such respect when he didn't even give himself any. He fell asleep soon  after eating, his tears dripping onto Venny's chest. As he drifted off, he heard the words that told him exactly how he felt. 

"I forgive you, Per."