There hadn’t been that many before.

Had they gone to find reinforcements to chase down seven women and him?

“Go!” he snapped to Moira.

“I’m staying with you!” she snapped in return, grabbing his hand and starting to pull.

He looked into the distance and he could see the first horses through the dead trees.

“Moira!” he tried to pull away. “Go hide!”

“Teddy!” she snapped. “Run!”

“Teddy!” he heard roared.

When he did, he stood immobile, staring at the trees, his heart beating fast, his skin warming, his throat itching to shout his elation.

“Teddy!” Moira was pulling urgently at his hand. “We need to run!”

“Go!” he heard whispered loudly from one of the trees, he thought from Constance.

“Please, Teddy. Take Moira and go!” he heard cried from behind a log. Terra.

“Faunus,” he whispered.

“Teddy!” Faunus shouted.

“Faunus!” Teddy yelled.

He whipped to Moira, caught her face in both his hands, yanked her to him and kissed her smack on the lips.

He pulled away and exclaimed, “We are saved!”

“What?” she breathed, eyes wide and staring at him.

But the large, proud Firenz horses were upon them, all around, galloping grandly about them and Teddy had let Moira go, had turned and was running to one of them.

Faunus dismounted before his steed was at a complete stop and he only had to jog five steps before he and Teddy ran into one another.

They embraced, Teddy shoving his face in Faunus’s neck, taking in his scent, feeling his strength, before Faunus grasped him on either side of the neck, pulled him back, and his head came down.

His kiss was wet and punishing and fantastic.

When he pulled away, in return Teddy took his head in his hands and stated, “I knew you’d come.” He yanked Faunus to him, pressed his lips hard against Faunus’s, pushed him away but didn’t let him go, and he cried, “I knew you’d come!”

“Many thanks for the message about where you were headed,” Faunus replied, grinning.

Teddy recalled what he’d written in that message and fought the heat hitting his skin.

“Though it would have saved time if you’d taken the bloody road,” he went on.

“I have…we have…” He blinked and mumbled, “We.” He brightened and shouted, “We!”

He pulled from Faunus and spun around.

“Ladies!” he yelled. “It’s all right! Come out! It’s safe! These are my friends come to rescue us!”

He caught sight of Saturn, standing by an astonished-looking Moira, and he bounded over the dead leaves to his friend.

They embraced, Saturn pounding him on the back stoutly many times, before he pulled away and looked severely down at Teddy.

“You are skin and bones,” he declared.

“I’ve been abducted and then on the run,” he returned.

“We need to fatten you up,” Faunus stated, coming to stand by their sides.