Leo kept his gaze on the elf, watching for any flicker of clarity in their eyes. None came. Just that hollow, distant stare, like they were stuck halfway between waking and collapse.
"Can you tell us your name?" he asked, voice low.
The elf's lips moved but no sound came out. Crystal leaned in closer.
"They're too weak to speak. Barely hanging on."
Greg shifted beside them, arms crossed. His gaze fell to the frail figure inside the cage, and he exhaled slowly.
"I can carry them," he offered. "Safely. If I shift up, I can cradle them without issue."
Leo looked up at him. "That would leave you wide open."
Greg nodded. "Yeah. No way to defend myself if something shows up. My arms would be full and my size would draw attention from half the forest."
Crystal glanced toward the treeline. "We don't have a better option unless we want to leave them here."
"We're not doing that," Leo said immediately. "And we're not waiting until something finds us."
