“Jo, are you alright?”

Jo hears Brans voice but she cannot manage to reply. She can hear a slight ringing in her left ear. She stares at Bran’s face. He seems to be saying something but she cannot understand anything coherent. All she can hear are slurs and constant ringing. She touches her left ear and feels something wet and sticky there. She inspects her hand… It’s blood! Her left ear or some part close to it is bleeding.

Bran helps her sit up and positions her under a nearby tree so she can use the trunk to support her back.

Jo closes her eyes to refocus herself. She feels...