I didnt sleep again last night. Even though I had many good thoughts to occupy my time.. I still feared the Nightmares. Just hearing that laughter in the darkness was enough to make me ward off any type of slumber. It was dawn when I next looked up from the pots and jar's of herbs and salves I worked on throughout the night. A rush of young Men snapped me to attention. They carried one of their fellow trainee's.. His leg shattered and hanging at an odd angle. Blood dripped in a small trail behind them and all over them. I had the boys bring Him to the table where I began to work on Him. I sent the other's away.. I told them to erase the trail of blood.. to keep the animal's away and I sent one to His parents to inform them.
Ahn's later... I finished tending to this young warrior with a broken leg... I sat down by my fires.... Outside the Nightmare... coated in blood. It wasnt my plan to spend the morning and most of the afternoon.. repairing a wound such as that. Not your simple clean break.. no. The youngin had to go and sever one huge muther of a vein. Three infact. With the bone sticking out and Him yelling up a storm.. I had no other choice but to knock His ass out. Once the screaming had died down.. I worked feverishly to repair the damage. His leg grew cold.. lost color.. it was very grey. Odd to see flesh this color.. but after working carefully.. the life began to fill back into His leg. First pink.. then a normal tan. I didnt want to see this young Man lose His leg over pride. I acted as best I could.. I made the judgement call to fix it. His Parents later thanked me. So with the blood flow restored.. I gave it a few more Ehn to make sure the stitching held and He would not bleed. Satisfied everything had been tended.. I went to work on the bone. Setting it gently with a small snap back into place. Just like puzzle pieces. He was lucky. Internal and external stitches added... my signature X's on the outside and a nice dry wrap topped it off. I would keep Him in my recovery wagon... until I could make sure the vein's did not rupture or break... before I would cast His leg. Jax carried the young Man to the wagon and we set Him up to rest in some furs. I did secure the leg with a temporary brace so He could not twist or damage anything while He slept... or when He woke up for that matter. His parents sat vigil while I went to clean up. Funny thing about veins... the big one's.. they spurt. Streams of blood had trailed my arms and chest. Even my hair had received the dousing... though you couldnt really tell by color.. where it had dried it was thick and matted together. I was sitting by the fire.. unbraiding my hair and brushing it out.. trying my best to clean up. I needed water... so I hopped up and went to the water barrel's. It was on my way there when I heard my name called. Somewhat surprised to turn and see Ash behind me.... I jumped nervously and quickly rebanded my hair in a bosktail to the point it was at least bound. I gave Him a quick greeting as I fussed to secure my hair.. when He smiled and told me He enjoyed seeing it loose. Snarl.. growl... yeah.. ok.. though.... "You werent supposed to" I said. He just chuckled and came closer. I saw as He approached that He was holding His side.. His hand bloodied.. His tunic stained red. I bid Him to come and sit.. and lifted His tunic to see the wound. Ash told me about working His new kaiila in the herds... something spooked the beast and He went over and was gouged by a bosk's horn. He too was lucky it wasnt as bad as it could have been. So while I worked on sewing Him up... He told me that this wasnt the first time it happened. I hadnt noticed really.. I didnt take time to eyeball Him up. I was more intent on fixing the issue at hand. Half an Ahn later.. Ash had been patched up and bandaged. I gave Him orders... No riding for a bit... to which He pulled what every boskheaded male does.. He scoffed at me. So.. I told Him.. "Do what you want.. but when your lying there bleeding out slowly from the gut because you tore something... dont call me" He just laughed and kissed my forehead.. saying it was payment for my services. Not a bad payment either.
I needed to return to the young Warrior.. Ash said He would stay near the healer's fires... so I could check on Him later. I showed Him where the food and drink was.. and I went to check on the leg. The young boy was resting quietly with His parents. He was out of danger for the moment.. I needed to clean up. Off I headed to the bathing wagon's for a nice hot soak. Jax kept a watch outside while I washed my hair and scraped blood from my skin. By the time I finished I looked like I was bathing in a tub of blood. I had to assure the slave's that it wasnt mine when I left.. after a few screams and screetches as they went to empty the water. Heh. I like surprises.
Returning to the fire's to dry my hair.. I found Ash still there.. dozing. Sleeping perhaps. I wasnt sure. But either way.. I wouldnt disturb Him. I sat on a set of furs on the other side of the fire. Took out my journal and started writing.. now and then looking up to check on Him and on my other young patient. A deep sigh eminated from my lungs... I felt the tug of sleep pulling me hard. Figiting and fighting as hard as I could. The warmth of the fire.. the company.. the soft breeze of air across the plains.. the crackle and hiss of flames....
I was asleep in mid-stroke of the quill.
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