Wild Victims

[Lixue]

Spring 53, 512 AV The Jamoura were a strange race. They seemed more animal than human. Lixue associated their skin with that of a dog: covered in thick hair. Strangely, the fur did not seem to travel onto their chests or face. The coloring of them, from what she had noticed, ranged from light brown to black or even an orange shade! The main thing which Lixue found the hardest to accept was their size. They were humongous! Nearly, if not always, twice the size of little Lixue, who stood at four feet nine. Nearly six times more than she did they weigh! Though large, Lixue had noticed the less feral ones seemed to be like gentle giants. The ones the storm had driven crazy, she heard, were animalistic. Lixue did not know what it meant, but she could only imagine given their proportions. The site of wounded bodies being dragged into the Injury Ward also gave a gruesome mental image. "Doctor Lixue! Jorg!" someone called frantically, deep voice echoing across the Injury Ward and drawing attention. "I need a doctor!" The Jamoura was large and fearsome. He was nearly as tall as the door itself and half as wide. Thick fingers pointed at an assistant, who scrambled to attention. "Fetch me either Doctor Lixue or Jorg!" Nodding quickly, the Jaoura started off into the maze of beds. Jorg was lucid today. His mind, addled by age, was beginning to trap him. Moments where the old Jamoura could hold a steady conversation or be of medical use were becoming rarer and rarer. When he was lucid, Jorg tried to teach the others around him. The doctors would listen wisely, but sometimes the newer employees would dismiss his words as foolishness, because of his mental problem. Lixue was not one of those people. She valued Jorg's words, listened closely when he spoke, and tried to remember everything he said. She felt everything he spoke about would help her sooner or later. The respect for the Jamoura was immense. He had managed to escape the fog and still sought to help, even with the trap of his mind. "I am Doctor Lixue," she said, approaching the Jamoura with her cane. "Jorg is currently busy, how may I service you?" Lixue was naturally light toned, but today she was downright translucent. A single freckle was all that graced Lixue's petite body. Standing at a short height of four feet nine, she often had to look up at the Jamoura. Today, Lixue wore navy pants and a black sleeveless shirt the Ward provided. After all, blood stained clothes were not very reassuring and the color black helped hide that. "Please lower yourself so you do not have to shout and so I may better hear you." The Jamoura moved from standing on his back feet to leaning on all four. His front hands were curled into fist, but his back feet lay flat on the ground. Sharp, long teeth poked out of his open mouth. Lixue's eyes lingered for a moment before skittering away. "There has been an attack. Outside of the city. Two injured. We were going to capture a feral one. Didn't even make it inside the city before Talsh came out of nowhere. My comrades, Dansh and Rolsh, fought. I tried, but…" The Jamoura cut off with an angry breath before continue slowly, "When I fled to come retrieve a doctor, neither were moving. Talsh had fled into the city. We were below the government petal… I believe the Memorium." A fisted hand pounded the ground solidly. "Gather your supplies, Doctor Lixue. They need your attendance." Nodding, Lixue turned and weaved her way through the beds. Jorg may have been busy, she needed to speak with him. An attack had happened and he would know what to take, along with how to act. Thankfully, an assistant had followed. Quickly, sharply, Lixue told him, "Seek my backpack. Bandages. Lots of them. Fill several waterskins with liquid, both hot and cold. Send someone to notify Ly where I am going. We were to have lunch today. Once you gather those items, find Jorg and I. Go now. Rush." The assistant scampered away. Jorg glanced up as Lixue approached. "There has been an attack. Outside of the city. Two Jamoura, neither were moving when he," Lixue motioned to the one at the door, "fled for help. You are busy, so I will go. Any advice? What will I need?" The words were tined with worry. Though confident in her abilities, Lixue valued Jorg's opinion. Thinking, Jorg slowly spoke, "Grab what you would use here at the Injury Ward. Take some smelling salts. If there are any injuries which need to be sewn, patch for now and complete the task back here. Leave your assistants here, they will only be in the way and jittery. Useless in this type of situation. Be careful. Do not, I repeat, do not test your herbalism skills. Your task is to patch and stop blood flow. If there are survivors, do not allow them to sleep. They will not wake up. As it is right outside the city, feral Jamoura may become curious. Keep your eyes open and do not take any unnecessary risks; you are a doctor, not a fighter. Leave your cane here because, with such a distance to cover, you will be carried." Carried? Did she not weigh too much? "If you take any longer than five bells, I will send Jamoura to retrieve you. Go now, Lixue. May Rak'keli be with you." The man's words, though blunt as he worked, rang true. Lixue had already realized if she wanted to help, she would have to be swift and steady, alongside quick thinking and observant. There was an unsaid thank you in her green eyes. Lixue's makeshift assistant had returned and spoke as the pair hurried back to where the supplies were kept. "Ly was told. Your supplies were collected. I have another working to gather what Jorg asked for. How long do you believe you will be gone?" Silently, Lixue held up four fingers. "Four bells? Will you need any extra individuals?" Lixue halted, eyes running over the assistant. Not her usual employee, but seemed to do well under pressure. He asked the right questions and seemed to remain calm. "Yes. I wish for you to go with us. If there are dead, the Jamoura at the door cannot carry them alone along with me. Take my cane with you to gather the supplies. Place it somewhere safe. Make sure my bag has turmeric and sugar. Remove the honey. I will be waiting at the door." Almost hesitantly did she hand over her wooden cane. Turning around, Lixue frowned as she walked away. It was not often when she walked without the helper. When she was little, Lixue slipped on a patch of ice. Her leg landed awkwardly in the process of falling and never correctly healed. Scars lace her right knee and the surrounding area. Even though the setback could have had a severely negative impact, Lixue had stepped up to the plate and accepted the new requirements of her body with a positive attitude. Rarely did she let it guide her actions, but she would not go out of her way to be in harm's path. The Jamoura at the door was still waiting. "An assistant will be traveling with us. If there are dead, can you carry both?" Self assured, the man nodded. "Good."

[Lixue]

Lixue had barely situated the bag on her back when, unexpectedly, she was scooped into the large Jamoura's arms. Startled, a small "eep!" escaped. The Jamoura chuckled and Lixue could feel the vibrations. His fur was strong, but not rough. Unless she moved against the grain of the hair, it did not feel coarse either. The Jamoura had her cradled in his arm as though she were a tiny child. Her head was placed in the palm of his humongous hand and supported her back. Awkwardly, her feet dangled. Her face was smooshed to his hairless chest. When he moved, she did not swing as expected. Instead, the arm barely moved. Before she could readjust or protest, the two Jamoura were moving. Lixue was held practically captive in a sturdy arm. On three instead of four appendages, the large male did not seem to be slowed any. -3 bells Later- The scene was gruesome. Two Jamoura males were sprawled out in the tall grass. One was bleeding from the head, not moving. The other had a gash in his arm, scratches on his chest, a bleeding nose, and a ripped throat. Bloody flesh lay still. The throat looked as though someone had taken a bite and tore. A stick was shoved through the first one's hand and pierced the ground below. A red pool lay under the second Jamoura. The area smelled like a mixture of terror and sweat, along with feces. When she breathed in, Lixue could practically taste the metallic tang of blood. Thankfully, Lixue was used to the sight of the liquid which filled the veins. When the Jamoura set her down, Lixue's legs wobbled. Such a long passage with constant movement. On the trip, the male who had retrieved her told Lixue his name; Shol. He promised to stand guard, in case the feral Jamoura came back, but it was an unlikely situation. Being in an area that radiated terror and feral-ness, Lixue did not mind. The hairs on the back of her neck had stuck up upon arriving. Wasting no time, she limped toward the two still forms. The assistant hesitantly followed, silent on the grass. Lixue set her backpack down on the ground and made her way closer. The first Jamoura, the one who was bleeding from the head, still had a pulse. Lixue checked this by pressing two fingers against the inner side of his wrist. To double-check, she placed the same amount of fingers against his neck, under his chin, in line with the corner of his eye. There was a pulse. Surprisingly steady and strong. Red trickled from the abrasion by his temple. Pressing into the wound, Lixue categorized it as only a Flesh Injury, which meant it was not deep. The injury itself was about the size of Lixue's palm; nearly four inches both ways. He would survive, but Lixue did not know what the effects of such a head trauma would be. She moved onto check his hand, where the stick pierced it. Instead of trying to remove the piece of nature, Lixue let it be. To take the twig out would cause more damage than she could deal with in the wild. Besides leading to extensive bleeding, Lixue did not know if any muscles were completely destroyed. Lixue turned to examine the second Jamoura. The second Jamoura had a large gash on his left arm. Five scratches lay engraved in his hairless chest. Since arriving, his nose had stopped bleeding. The throat was the main problem. Upon closer inspection, Lixue realized a Jamoura had bitten and ripped away the flesh. The torn edges were jagged and in four separate spots the rips were farther away and more extreme. Lixue could see the esophagus. It looked like a white tube with circle ridges. Red splattered Lixue's pale face when she leaned closer to see better. The esophagus was in tack. Grimacing and wiping the blood off, but only succeeding in smearing it, Lixue made a face. Gross. She could only hope the man did not carry diseases! Checking the gash in his left arm, Lixue realized it was another bite. This was just as severe as the one on his neck. She could easily see the bone beneath. Cracks and even a few pieces were missing from the white bone. The injury was out of her league and she did not know if Jorg knew how to treat it, either. With a soft sigh, Lixue's eyes landed on the scratches. Five in number, they were about half an inch deep; as though another Jamoura had scratched him on the move. All five would need to be stitched. Lixue pressed two fingers into the skin on the inside of his wrist, searching desperately for a pulse. A very faint one existed. "Assistant, smelling salts!" Courtesy and pleasantries were not on the agenda. When the assistant handed them over after digging through Lixue's bag, she popped off the lid and shoved it beneath the Jamoura's nose. Several ticks passed before a loud, pained groan filled the area. "Hey there… I am here to help you. My name is Lixue. Can you hear me? If so, please close the fingers on your right hand." Slowly, ever so slowly, as it caused great distress, the fingers closed. Only halfway, but they twitched and that was enough for Lixue. "Good! You were attacked by a Jamoura and your friend, Shol, found me at the Injury Ward. Do not try to talk. Your throat is damaged. You also have several scratches on your ches- No, no, do not fall asleep on me!" Lixue reached forward to sharply pat his cheek. "You cannot go to sleep. I repeat, do not fall asleep. Alright? If yes, please move your fingers." Staring at his fingers, Lixue saw them twitch. "Good! You have several scratches on your chest that will need sewing. Your left arm is bitten to the bone. Do not try to move. I am here to help you." Soft and reassuring, but at the same time demanding. Lixue would not tolerate him trying to move and only causing more injury. "Can you open your eyes for me? I know you are in pain, but please listen to me." Dark brown eyes landed on Lixue's face, searching and somewhat unfocused. Pain filled them. "Great! I need you to watch me, no matter what. Keep your eyes right here," she held up a finger near her nose. "Remember, do not go to sleep." Lixue watched as the Jamoura's eyes became cloudy and wandered away. "Hey! No, no, look back at me, honey." No response. Pushing her fingers into his wrist, Lixue tried to find a pulse. There was no pulse! Lixue readjusted his head so it leaned backward, opening the wind pipe. Leaning forward, Lixue laid her hand over his nose, blocking the air, and covered his mouth with her own. She had sucked in clean air beforehand and now breathed into the Jamoura's mouth for several ticks. Releasing him, she pushed down on the hairless chest twice. Was she supposed to do three? Lixue repeated the process several more times, checking his pulse after each time. Nothing.

[Lixue]

When she went to try again, the male assistant laid a hand on her upper arm and said softly, "He is gone, Doctor Lixue." A defeated sigh was exhaled as she nodded. "This was Rolsh. I will notify his remaining family upon return. There is nothing else we can do by help Dansh." Again, the assistant spoke true. In the process of trying to bring Rolsh back to life, his nose had begun to bleed. Lixue's right hand was covered in blood, but she did not care as she ran it through her hair. Dansh responded better to the smelling salts. With a loud groan, his eyes opened slowly. They glanced around frantically before, "I cannot see! Everything is black. What is covering my eyes?!" burst from him with a deep, groggy voice. "Who is there? I can smell you." The tone turned offensive with a hint of fear. "Dansh, I am Doctor Lixue from the Injury Ward. You were attacked by a feral Jamoura while on the way to Spires to capture. You were with Rolsh and Shol." No, Lixue would not tell Dansh the fate of Rolsh. Doing so could cause depression, giving up, rage, or even shock. "I am here to help you. Nothing is covering your eyes. You suffered trauma to the head, near the temple. A stick is stuck in your hand. Please, do not move. I repeat, do not move. I have an assistant and Shol with me. We will be moving you back to the base camp, where Jorg will further help you. Do you understand? If so, please, close the fingers on your left hand, which is the one without the stick." The fingers fisted. "Good, I see you can make a full fist. That is wonderful! My assistant is going to help you sit up, and I will bandage your head. Alright?" Again, the hand closed. Nodding to the assistant, Lixue watched as the groggy Jamoura was sat up. While waiting, she capped the smelling salts and placed them back into the bag. "I am going to put some sugar on your head. We do not have time to thoroughly clean your wound, so you may feel some of it may sting a bit. It will help stop the bleeding. Keep your eyes open, please, so I know you are awake. Do not, I repeat, do not go to sleep." Retrieving the small bag of sugar, Lixue stepped up to the Jamoura's head. Gentle hands shifted his head to angle away from her. With small pinches, she sprinkled the sugar onto the temple. Slowly, the gush of blood began to ebb. Retrieving the bandages, Lixue had the assistant hold the end placed near the middle of the forehead before making laps around the head. She made sure to go far above and far below the wound, to cover it. The Jamoura's eyes were covered. "I am covering your eyes. Do you see anything? If no, please close your hand." The hand closed. Mouth pursing, Lixue hoped the head trauma had not left the Jamoura blind. "Alright. Your head is bandaged." Lixue tucked the end of the bandage underneath a layer, until the tip stuck out the other side. "I am going to carefully pry the stick from the ground, okay? This will hurt, but please, try not to move. My assistant will help keep you from moving; do not fight him." Kneeling on the ground next to the Jamoura's right hand, Lixue frowned. How would she be able to remove the stick from the ground, but not his hand? Pulling up on the hand would cause it to simply move on the stick, while pulling the twig would dig into the hand and reopen the wound. She decided upon pulling both. "I am going to be touching your hand. We are not going to remove the stick. Jorg will do so back at the Ward. You will feel pain, unfortunately. Please do not shout, we do not want to attract unwanted attention." Turning back to her task, Lixue settled her left hand to curl around the stick. Her right hand grasped the outside of Dansh's hand, thumb on top and fingers under. Carefully, slowly, she began to pull up on both at the same time. The movements were slow and the Jamoura was tense beside her. Several chimes passed like this; the air stiff with expectations and apprehensions. Finally, however, both the stick and the hand were still connected, but out of the ground. "Wonderful!" Lixue swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, smearing dirt unknowingly. "Shol!" The Jamoura seemed to appear out of nowhere. A sense of sadness hung around him. Obviously he had heard of Rolsh's fate. "If you could be ultra careful with Dansh, keep his head tucked nearest to you and his hand on his stomach, or just pick him up and I will rearrange him, I would appreciate it if you could carry him back to camp." Eyeing Dansh, Shol slowly nodded. Yes, it would be possible. "Assistant, I want you to bring Rolsh behind us. Please be careful, he needs to be in the best shape." Giving the assistant a meaningful look toward Dansh, Lixue was pleased when the assistant seemed to get the message and put a finger up to his lips. "I am glad to see you understand." Bending to pick up the backpack and place it on her back, Lixue wished she had brought her cane. The trip home would last longer than it had to arrive. "We may start." The three set off into the woods; Shol cradling Dansh, Lixue limping, and the assistant dragging Rolsh behind.

[Creeper]

Skills Leadership: 3 Observation: 3 Medicine: 5 Rhetoric: 1 Interrogation: 1   Lores Medicine: Various Ways to Check for a Pulse Medicine: Recognizing a Flesh Wound Medicine: Using Smelling Salts to Render a Patient Conscious Medicine: Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation Followed by Chest Compressions Medicine: The Pain of Losing a Patient Medicine: Using Sugar to Slow Bleeding Opportunity: Talsh is Near the Memorium, Inner Petals   Other None Well done! I absolutely love medical threads. Keep up the good work!