Lost & Found

I found Ishrael. I saw him at the inn of a small desert town on my way to the apothecary. I'd only gone there for some ingredients for my medicines that are hard to come by elsewhere. Only very occasionally do I venture out into the heat and sand for these supplies. But there he was, my dear friend, lost for so long, standing right there, close enough to reach out and touch. I came in to get out of a the hot afternoon storm, and he was right there, and I almost couldn't breathe.
I didn't recognize him at first. He used to be a warm smiling face, always. Now, he wasn't smiling. He didn't seem himself. His eyes were full of hurting, and I felt it too strongly, and sometimes I had to look away because I was afraid I would cry for him. Miah used to say it happens to me this way because I have an "empathic link". I wanted to hug my long lost friend tightly and not to let go, but he did not seem to want to be touched, he was far away and too far into his pain, so I had to pull away. Miah said that sometimes I am too forward and that people don't always want me to try to heal them, or to tell me what's wrong, so when Ishrael wouldn't really answer my questions, I didn't press, because I didn't want to make him feel worse, even though I wanted so badly to know what had gone wrong for him. I used to feel safe and peaceful when Ishrael was there, because I knew he would protect me. Now I think that Ishrael is the one that needs protecting, but I am not strong, what could I ever do to save him?
I'm so scared for my friend. What's happened to him? How can I help him?

I wish Miah were here now. Miah would know what to do.