And how are you?
Nothing broken.
Are you sure?
I sure.
I’m going to examine you thoroughly, just in case. You took a bad fall and got a tremendous blow. Does it hurt anywhere?
Not hurt, Camu said untruthfully. Lasgol realized that he was hiding something, because he was not turning when he tried to roll him over to look at his side.
Don’t play the hero. If it hurts, tell me. It’s important, because I need to know if there’s anything broken, or any internal injury.
Camu put his head to one side. Hurts … a little, he admitted.
A little or a lot? Tell me the truth.
He looked down. A lot … he admitted.
Lasgol rolled him over very gently. Here, on your side?
Camu opened his mouth. Although he neither cried out nor flinched, Lasgol knew he was in genuine pain.
Yes … side …
Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.
His ribs turned out to be badly bruised, and something internal was probably torn. He would need care. He took a deep breath, to try and relieve the pressure he felt in his own chest. He could not manage to dispel it completely but he did not allow it to paralyze him. He searched his knowledge of healing. He knew he would have to use the Rangers’ techniques of healing, so without wasting time he began to prepare an ointment against blows and a potion against loss of internal blood. While he was working, he kept an eye on his two comrades to make sure they did not get any worse. It took him half a day to prepare the medicines, going as fast as he could.
The ointment was not hard to prepare, because he was carrying all the ingredients he needed in his Ranger belt. The potion was considerably more complicated, but finally he succeeded. He gave thanks for all the knowledge he had acquired with the Rangers. He had always had the feeling that everything Eyra had taught them might well save their lives someday. Today was one of those days.
When night fell, he made a fire at the entrance to the Ogre’s cave, and they spent the night inside. He was so worried about his two partners that he spent the whole night awake, tending to them lovingly. It was a terrible time for him, because this was the first time Camu and Ona had been seriously hurt and their lives endangered. As their animal bodies responded differently to injuries and remedies, he had no idea what was going to happen, and he was very uneasy. Internal injuries, without a Healer like Edwina to treat them with her healing power, were very dangerous, and there was no certainty that the body would recover.
When dawn arrived, Lasgol checked his friends again. They were too quiet and still, which was not a good sign. He was proved right. Camu had a fever, so that his body temperature was on the warm side when it was usually cold. This could only mean that he had an internal infection. Lasgol bit his lip and tried to stay calm.
How are you, Camu?
Fine … he said. But his bulging eyes barely opened.
You don’t look fine at all.
Like Ona?
Lasgol examined her again. Luckily she had no fever. Her leg had swollen, but that was a normal reaction to a blow as hard as that. He would make an ointment to bring the swelling down. The poor thing could not walk, which she hated and which saddened her. Thank goodness, in her case the situation did not seem serious, which was good news. But Camu was different. His condition really was worrisome.
Ona’s all right. Don’t worry about her.
Ona sister.
Lasgol was surprised by the comment. He did not know that Camu could have this kind of feeling, although when he thought about it, there was no reason why he should not feel that Ona was like his sister and that he should be worried about her.
I know, she’s your sister and you’re her brother, he told both of them.
Ona chirped affirmatively.
I fine … not worry.
Lasgol stroked Camu’s head. He was not fine at all, however much he might want to put on a brave act. He needed a potion against infections and another for fevers, which would take time to prepare, so he got down to work. It took him all day, what with finding the necessary ingredients, making a fire and preparing the utensils he needed, but by nightfall, everything was ready. He had used up several of the ingredients he carried in his belt. He would have to replace them as soon as he could, but for the moment he could not leave Camu’s side, just in case. He made him drink both potions, very slowly, so that he would absorb them gradually. Camu took them without complaint, even though they tasted horrible. Night enveloped them, and Lasgol, who was exhausted, did his best to stay awake, but in the early hours, exhaustion finally got the better of him and he fell to one side, asleep.
Ona dragged herself to where Camu was lying by the fire and cuddled beside him, to give him a little warmth and comfort with her body. It was all she could do. She stayed close to him with her head leaning against his.
Ona good …
Ona gave a loving moan and spent a long time licking his head. Camu, who was feeling terrible because of the fever, was very grateful.
Lasgol woke up from a nightmare at dawn. He had been dreaming that Ona and Camu had fallen down a precipice and he was running to save them, but would not make it in time. He tried to rise, half-asleep and deeply afraid, with a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach, then fell back on
