Neve heard the news and felt his entire body go numb.
He almost fell.
His legs gave out and he stumbled backward but Ryker was already there, in his human form, catching him before he could hit the ground.
"Hey, don't think now, Neve," Ryker said, his arm wrapped around Neve's waist, holding him steady. "We need to move fast."
Neve took a deep breath and clapped his hand over his cheeks, trying to ground himself. He could do this. He could treat snake bites. It was similar to the scorpion sting he had treated before. The poison was different but the principle was the same.
He just hoped the snake that had bitten Cael was not venomous. He hoped the bite was survivable.
"Where is he?" Neve asked, his voice steady now.
"In the woods," the beastman replied.
Ryker shifted back to his tiger form without being asked. His large body settled into a position that made it easy for Neve to climb on his back. Neve did not hesitate. He pulled himself onto Ryker and held tight.
