Burn Baby Burn!

[Lixue]

Spring 60th, 512 AV; Midafternoon The day was relatively young. Few serious injuries had occurred and, thankfully, the Injury Ward was able to allow several patients to return to the Longhouses for lots of rest and food. Patients were still infected with fevers and, for some reason, a minor cough was beginning to spread. Easily treatable with some honey and sleep. Doctors were still in high demand for the incoming waves of patients and assistants were always preparing for such instances, along with completing small tasks around the building. Jorg was not captured inside his head today and spouted words of medical wisdom. Everyone paid close attention, reveling in this rare moment. Jorg was slowly being trapped inside his mind, where a thousand memories lay tucked in silence. Nonsense could be spewed unexpectedly and his moods could shift easily. Lixue was helping reduce the fever in a patient. To do so, she tried to first gauge how high the temperature was. This could be completed by numerous methods, all depending around feel. The cheeks and the forehead were places on the face. The back of the neck could also be used. It appeared the human man had a very high fever. To be sure, Lixue used all three methods once again. Yes, the individual did indeed have a high temperature. "Rag, please," Lixue told the assistant helping her. Slipping a finger into the dish full of hot water, Lixue nodded. The liquid was only a touch warmer than body temperature. Submerging the cloth in several times before twisting it in a spiral to remove any excess liquid, Lixue folded the fabric in two before laying it upon the man's forehead. She repeated the process, only folding into squares instead of rectangles, with the armpits. As the fever was so high, she felt it necessary to put a rag near the groin area. Upon working, and living, in the Spires, Lixue was no longer embarrassed by nudity. Her eyes did not linger and no blush stained her cheeks. Turning to the assistant Jamoura, Lixue told her clearly, "Change the cloths every five chimes. If the warmer water cools, do not use it. If the man begins to thrash or move, restrain him by tying his hands and feet. Do not, I repeat, do not hesitate. I would not enjoy having to heal a healer. Leave the blankets off of him. Understand?" The tone was not sharp, but professional and blunt. Hesitantly, the assistant nodded. Obviously the Jamoura was new to the job. Green eyes turned to the man's form. Almost tenderly, two fingers pressed to his forehead. "May Rak'keli be with you." As Lixue walked away, she caught sight of an obviously mother Jamoura. The woman was apparently pregnant from the bulging stomach. Her fur was nearly an orange and frantic eyes searched the Injury Ward before connecting with Lixue's. The Jamoura was walking on two feet, which was something Lixue had only seen a handful of times. Something was wrong! Worry spread through Lixue and she picked up her pace, approaching the Jamoura. Her cane was silent on the ground, but her limp was prominent. Closer, Lixue realized why the lady was standing; in her arms a young, wailing Jamoura was clutched. Infants were not common at the Injury Ward, but Lixue was going to try and help. One way or another. "Excuse me," she murmured, nudging her way past a doctor. Attention was being drawn by the screaming. Oi, that child was loud! "Please… Help Raysh," the mother practically shoved the infant at Lixue, pleading and begging. "H-he fell into the fire. I.. Do not know how it happened. One moment he was playing, the next.. The next he was screaming. I put the flames out by patting them. Will he be alright?" the frantic question was shot at Lixue, who awkwardly held the flailing Jamoura. "Oh.. Raysh…" The burns were prominent. They had singed the hair off of his arms. His tiny hands were blistered badly. The young male, Raysh, was a deep black shade. His eyes were as closed as his mouth was open. A warm feeling burst through Lixue as she stared at the baby. Almost naturally, she tucked him into her chest, both arms going under to support the thin body. Careful was she of bumping his wounds. "Doctor, doctor, please…" Lixue made a split-second decision. The mother was nearly hysterical with worry. Dealing with the boy's injuries would take concentration and calm. Having a frantic person breathing down her neck was not ideal. Those who were jittery around lesions did not belong in the Injury Ward. "I am sorry, but I must ask you to leave. This is not because you are not welcome. I want to help your son, but I cannot do so if I cannot concentrate. Disruptions are not appreciated and, unfortunately, I believe you may become one unintentionally. I realize you mean well, I do. This is your job: To care for your children. Unfortunately, he is in my hands now. If I could have your name, I will send someone to fetch you when I am finished. Your son will survive." Soft and compassionate did Lixue speak. Angering a protective mother over her young was not a good idea. At all. Nodding quickly, multiple times, the woman clenched her hands together in worry. "My name is Posha. I can be found at the mess hall. Please, save my son." Posha gazed longingly at her child for several chimes before turning and exiting the Injury Ward. Without hesitation, Lixue swung around and ordered the nearest assistant, who was already busy at a task, "I need rags. Plenty of them. Retrieve the honey from my bag. Find scissors. Send someone to fetch warm, but not hot, water. Quickly!" Juggling both the baby and her cane, Lixue found the nearest empty cot. Slowly and gently, she set Rayth down on the woven softness. The infant did not want to let go of Lixue's waist; his legs had wrapped around her tightly. "It's alright, little one," Lixue whispered, prying the feet apart. "I am going to help you, alright?" Whether the baby understood or not, as Lixue did not know his age, she continued with, "But you need to stop crying first, okay?" Sucking a trail of snot back into his nose, Rayth nodded. His wails turned to hiccups. The assistant had returned, bringing along another helper. The first set down the tools she had asked for; the other the water. As a habit, Lixue tested the liquid. More than body temperature, but not enough to scald. Perfect. The first assistant had fled, most likely to return to his before task. The other hovered. Upon a quick glance up, Lixue could not place the face. The woman had black hair to her shoulders and bright blue eyes, paired with a tanned skin-tone. "Can I help you?" This woman was not an assistant. Who was she?

[Tessa Poe]

This was hell. It was hell and it was never going to end. Tessa had lost track of how long she’d been stuck on the back of this horse, literally tied to the saddle after her first couple of tries at riding had left her in a heap on the floor. She wasn’t at home in the saddle in the slightest, but their guide for the journey, the same blond vision of perfection she’d spoken so briefly with when the job was offered, had made it clear that it was either keep up or be left behind. One thing Tessa was sure of was that that wasn’t going to happen; she wasn’t about to give up. As long as she could stay on the back of this beast she could keep up, trusting the horse to follow the rest of them with minimal input from her. So after the second time she found herself painfully hitting the dirt, she was lucky she’d not broken her neck that time with how she’d landed, she’d dragged herself back into the saddle and tied herself to it, and that had worked, sort of. Maybe it would have been kinder if she had broken her neck… the pace their guide set was unrelenting day in day out, and if she had broken her neck she wouldn’t be able to feel her legs, or her arse, or the rest of her for that matter. No matter how she’d tried she’d not gotten used to the motion of the horse under her; the damn creature seemed to shake her in a slightly different way with each hoofbeat. At least she’d gotten used to the numbness that spread through her thighs as each day wore on though… it was a bit of a blessing really. It gave her one less thing to worry about. The blisters and the bruising from the rope were something else entirely, the agony from them never seemed to leave her. Not even the extra padding of her blanket folded over the saddle had helped much. The entire trip had just blurred into one long pain ridden experience, from the moment she crawled out of her tent in the morning and hauled herself into the saddle ‘til she collapsed back into her bedroll when a halt was mercifully called as the day’s light faded. Yes, if there was a hell she was most definitly in it. It was with understandable relief then that she realised that they were slowing down. She’d vaguely noticed that they’d been climbing for the past couple of bells, skirting around the thick mists that seemed to obscure part of the forest around them but she hadn’t paid it too much attention. Other things were occupying her thoughts, mostly what kind of miserable state she’d be in when they finally arrived. She’d gotten the jist of the job from the woman, something of a rescue from what was left of the city in the mist, but given the state she was in Tessa wasn’t sure how much help she’d be, not at first at least. She sighed and ground her teeth, not long to go now, just a little further and she’d be free of this damn animal. She could see a collection of what looked like hastily constructed buildings in a somewhat clearer area of the forest growing closer and she was almost of the point of booting the horse under her to get it all over that little bit faster… but she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to stop the thing if it started galloping and that would be… bad. Finally the rest of the group reined in at the centre of the thrown together settlement and Tessa found her horse falling into the step with the rest of them. They all seemed to be heading off with their own purposes in mind as she fumbled with the ropes, finding it hard to concentrate on picking the knots apart as her whole body quivered. It was probably a good thing they’d all left her, she knew she wasn’t exactly the best of company at the moment. At last the last of the knots came apart and she half fell off the back of the horse, hitting the ground and tumbling to one side as her numb legs simply refused to support her. She grimaced and bit back a snarl of pain, waiting for the feeling to return and the pain that would almost certainly be on its heels, ready to join the rest of the miserable sensations that had become her constant companions over the last few days. She managed to pull herself into a sitting position, breathing deeply as she gathered herself. The blond woman had mentioned that one of the buildings was a healing house, that would have to be her first port of call. She was no good to anyone when she could hardly walk after all… and she could always pay for whatever treatments they had. Gods be good that they weren’t too expensive. ”Are you well Miss? You look… pardon me, I don’t mean to be rude, but you seem to be suffering?” Tessa looked up, realising that what she guessed was the midday’s light was being blocked out by something and found herself looking into the face of a concerned… Jamouran? That was what they were called wasn’t it? She wasn’t entirely sure how she knew the Jamouran was concerned though, maybe it had just been the tone of his, or was it her, voice? Not that it mattered, whoever he or she was they must know their way round this place. She really should just be grateful they spoke common. ”I’m… well I’d love to say I’m fine but…” Tessa dropped her eyes to her legs as she started massage them, wincing as she did her best to get her muscles to loosen at least a little bit. As she did so her eyes caught sight of something that made it very clear that the Jamouran was definitely male, though in her state it took her a moment or two to realise what she’d actually seen. ”Sorry, I’m just… not used to riding a horse and all… could you, errm… tell me where the healers are?” she managed between the little involuntary gasps of pain and the rising blush at what she’d caught sight of heating her cheeks. Whatever the Jamouran said in reply was lost on her as her head whirled, it seemed that her legs had finally decided to wake up and they really weren’t happy with her. Thankfully she had noticed the direction he’d pointed in and she mumbled her thanks as she slowly pulled herself to her feet, having to rely on seizing hold of the ropes that dangled from the horse’s saddle above her to manage even that much. She waved off what she assumed were his offers of aid as she staggered towards the building he’d indicated, the largest one around here as far as she could tell. Her steps dragged through the dirt of the clearing as she weaved her way unsteadily towards it, each step sending a fresh rush of agony through her body and setting her short sword clattering oddly against her buckler. The rest of her gear was still strapped to the back of the horse but she wasn’t thinking about that. All that mattered was reaching a healer, someone, anyone who could do something about this. After what seemed like an age she made it to the doorway and half collapsed against it, clinging on for dear life as her legs trembled under her and refused to co-operate for half a chime. She finally tore herself away from it as another Jamoura who was wringing her hands left and made it inside, only to be confronted with a worried looking young man who seemed to be trying to work out how to carry a fair few things at once. "Here, take this and follow me, Doctor Lixue needs it. Come now, a child's life is at stake." With that he thrust a large bowl of water into Tessa’s raised arms, mistaking them as an offer to help rather than the need for balance that they actually were. The sudden weight had her stumbling after him, a quiet moan escaping her clenched jaw as her feet moved on their own to stop her falling flat on her face. In a daze she followed his retreating back, her vision narrowing as she did her best to keep up, slopping some of the water over the brim as she went. She could feel that familiar, slightly sticky wetness coating the inside of her breeches that let her know the blisters that covered her thighs had broken, again, but he’d said there was a child in need… a child. She gritted her teeth, swallowing heavily as she took deep breaths through her nose. It couldn’t be that far, she just had to make it to wherever this child was and then she could collapse… she just had to make it a little further, that’s all, and she could do that, right? She nearly ran into the back of the young man as he set whatever he’d been carrying down next to a short, dark haired woman who was bent over a bed, a cane clutched in one of her hands. She could only assume this was the Doctor Lixue that he'd mentioned at the door. She followed suit, it seemed the thing to do, and was relieved when the woman’s free hand other dipped into the water she’d brought. More than anything else though it was what was in the bed that held Tessa’s attention, the child that the man had mentioned. As soon as she set eyes on the little one, the state of his hands and arms, the aches that plagued Tessa faded somewhat, replaced with an almost overpowering concern for the little one. ”Can I help you?” The woman had turned and asked her a question, though it took Tessa a moment or two to realise it, distracted as she was by the child’s plight. ”I was about to ask you the same thing, is there anything I can do for him? I… that is I don’t know much, but even if it’s just holding something for you… I can’t… I mean I couldn’t just leave him like that.” Tessa managed in reply, wincing as another tremor ran up her legs. It seemed they weren’t quite done with her just yet… but they could sod off. There were more important things to worry about than them at the moment.

[Lixue]

The woman was not an employee. Lixue could tell right off the bat. Nervous and jittery, the lady stuck out like a sore thumb in the Injury Ward. She stuttered over words, mixing sentences. Any employee at the ward was taught, if not already knowing how to, to speak clearly and enunciate. Employees were clad, if not Jamoura, in a black sleeveless shirt provided. Blood did not show as easily on a darker color. Long hair, except Jamoura, was to be tied back. Stitching yourself to a patient was not ideal. Besides those prominent reasons, the woman looked ill. The female's skin was pasty with a hint of green, she practically trembled on spot, and she had also assumed to have responsibility over the infant Jamoura, who was Lixue's charge. Glancing around the ward, Lixue did not see any available assistants and her own was missing. Perhaps it was the idea of tackling an injured child by herself, or maybe seeing how much the woman sought to help, made Lixue nod sharply. It could have been her nice nature that was often suppressed at work. A wide variety of factors could have aided this decision. Bluntly, quickly, Lixue told the lady, "I am Doctor Lixue. I will not tolerate you in my way. If I decide you are more of a nuisance than aid, you will be dismissed. The young Jamoura is the first priority. You will not complete any actions without first consulting me. If you feel ill or your body cannot handle this situation, please, take a cot. By agreeing to help me, you are agreeing to listen to my every word and fulfill the tasks given to you to a T. These terms are nonnegotiable. You do not look the best. After the child is taken care of, I will examine you. Move to the other side of the bed." Lixue did not question the female on the topic of whether or not she agreed. It was assumed, as the stranger had asked to help. No remorse flooded her veins at speaking so brusquely. If the woman could not handle it, she was free to either leave or seek another healer. Lixue rearranged the items on the movable table into an orderly fashion; scissors, bandages, then rags, then water. The liquid was on the outer edge, in case it spilled. As she worked to become more comfortable, Lixue explained the situation in the same direct tone. "Raysh fell into a fire. His mother patted out the flames and hurried here. I have not had a chance to inspect them yet, to tell the damage done. We will soak the wounds before scraping off deadened skin. Honey will be placed overtop and I will bandage the arms and hands. It will be necessary to test for movement of the appendages. In half a bell, the dressing will be changed. This will continue for a day." Lixue fully submerged two cloths in the warm water before twisting each one to remove the excess liquid. She held one out to the stranger. "Hold his arm by either the fingertips or by encircling his wrist with two fingers, the thumb and the first. Do not squeeze. If he pulls away, release. This will either be extremely painful for him or he will not feel anything at all. It depends on how much flesh was burned. Place the rag over your palm and fingers. Gently, do not rub or scratch, remove the black dust. I will examine him after." Taking her own rag and completing the steps, Lixue chose to hold the Jamoura's wrist. Her tiny hands had, surprisingly, no problem encircling it. "Hi, there, Raysh," she cooed, mumbling random words to hold the child's attention. When their flesh connected, Raysh cried out, wailing loudly. His arms jerked and Lixue released without hesitation. "Raysh! Look at me, baby." To reinforce this statement, Lixue snapped her fingers The no-nonsense tone caught Raysh's attention, most likely because it sounded like a mother scolding a child. Carefully, Lixue retook hold of the infant's arm. This time, he whimpered but stayed still. "Good boy.. See, we're not going to hurt you. Your momma will be back for you in a little while." Swiftly, but softly, she ran the wet rag up his arm, against the hair grain. Black soot decorated the cloth. Again, Lixue repeated the process several times, rinsing the rag as needed in the water. She also kept an eye on the stranger's cloth, in case it needed rinsing. The tips of her fingers tangled with Raysh's when it came time to wipe his palm and wrist. Lixue assumed, judging by the wounds, the boy had fallen forward into the flames. No burns were on the backs of his hands. Cupping his appendage with her palm, she gently wiped away the soot to reveal a blistered grey hand. As Lixue was more experienced, she finished before the unknown woman. Upon completing her arm, she began to watch the woman's technique.

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa nodded gratefully at Doctor Lixue’s understandably brusque warnings while she did her best to clear the fog from her thoughts. She couldn’t quite bring herself to speak, not trusting her voice to stay level. For that matter she wasn’t sure if she could stop herself just moaning if she tried to say anything. The Doctor was right, she wasn’t at her best and she knew it, though the fact she’d been able to tell so readily either spoke volumes about her capability or just how bad Tessa looked. She could feel legs still trembling and a light sweat starting to form on her brow, both born out of the exertion of simply staying on her feet. Gods she really must look a sight, fresh from the road and covered in its dust along with the rest of the stains of a long journey as she was, but still the doctor had agreed to let her help. Quite why she had done so Tessa didn’t know, but then it didn’t matter all that much did it? She half staggered, half shuffled to the other side of the cot, still wincing with each step she took but she wasn’t about to let that stop her. It was probably a good thing that the back of her breeches were hidden by the length of her coat, soaked through with blood and whatever else was flowing from the blisters that covered her skin as they were. She didn’t want to think about what kind of damage she’d done to herself on the journey here and if the doctor saw that she might change her mind about letting her help. That wasn’t something Tessa wanted to happen. This child, Raysh, needed help and she wasn’t about to turn her back on him. He probably had no idea why he was in pain given how young he seemed and that meant he had to come first. She took a moment to shrug her coat free, the loss of its weight providing a little welcome relief and leant carefully against the cot in an attempt to relieve her tortured legs a touch more. Her eyes stayed focused on the doctor and her movements, her face tight as she bit down at her lip and tightened her grip on the cot each time her legs screamed at her. All she had to manage were a few more chimes and she knew she could do that. It was easy, one breath at a time, in through the nose and out through the mouth, that’s all there was to it. Now if only she could bring herself to believe that. Tessa watched as the doctor tenderly wiped away the scorched skin and fur, cleaning the rag in the bowl of water each time it gathered too much of the… well she guessed it was soot. She could manage that, right? She reached for the other rag, slowly taking the weight back onto her feet again unable to stop herself from hissing quietly as parts of her started protesting loudly again. Slowly she reached out and took hold of the end of Raysh’s fingers, doing her best to smile down at him as she did so. She figured that since she’d have to wipe along the length of his forearm it would be better that her hand didn’t cover any of it. Gods his fingers where so tiny and Tessa couldn’t help but be reminded of herself and the state she’d been in that day. She wasn’t going to fail this child, her body’s protests be damned! She took another deep breath before doing her best to mimic Lixue’s movements, catching Raysh’s eye before she started and giving him an encouraging nod. She still didn’t trust herself to speak, and even if she did she wasn’t sure how convincingly comforting she could be at the moment. She did her best not to cause any more pain for Raysh as she worked to carefully clean his forearms, even if it was probably inevitable that she was going to. To his credit though he didn’t try and pull away this time even if there was an undeniable tension running through his arm as she worked the rag slowly along it. It seemed Tessa wasn’t the only one who was impressed by the doctor’s bedside manner. She rinsed the rag and started again, listening to Lixue’s description of what had happened and how she was going to treat it. Tessa still couldn’t bring herself to speak and she could only hope that Lixue didn’t think she was being rude or something with her silence. She’d have time to explain though, Lixue had said she’d examine her and it seemed like she and Raysh were in very good hands… and speaking of hands Tessa couldn’t help the sympathetic wince that flashed across her face as she started to clean Raysh’s palm. The grey skin that she revealed inch by inch seemed badly blistered and she started to work even more slowly as she gently cleaned it. She held herself rigid and bit down hard to keep herself standing, just a little more to go now. It really didn’t seem as if there was too much more of the clinging black soot to wipe clean and once she was done she could lean on the cot again. It was true that it hadn’t helped all that much the first time she’d tried it but something was better than nothing. Finally she was finished, at least as far as her inexperienced eye could tell. The fog behind her eyes seemed to be thickening as she laid the cloth down and gripped the side of the cot tightly, still doing her best to smile weakly down at Raysh. She didn’t want to scare him after all, plus it gave her a chance to check and see if she’d managed to clean all of the burnt areas. She stayed like that for half a chime or so, again forcing herself to take slow breaths through her nose and holding them for as long as she could before at last she looked up at Lixue and found her watching, probably checking to make sure Tessa was doing exactly as she was told. She swallowed heavily, working some saliva round her mouth in the hope it’d help smooth whatever it was she was going to say. She hadn’t realised how dry her mouth had gotten while she’d been so focused on the task at hand. ”Is that… alright?” she managed to ask, her voice catching as another tremor ran through her legs. It was about all she could manage for the moment, feeling the need to collapse and curl up into a ball as she did.

[Lixue]

The woman was not used to healing, but she watched and learned. Her hands were slow, but thorough. Though apparently ill, the stranger had tried to smile at the young Jamoura, who stared back with tear filled eyes. The infant looked lost and alone. Lixue ignored this for now, knowing the best comfort she could give him would be medical help. Glancing the lady over while waiting, she was startled to note the blood on the inner thigh of her pants. A monthly cursing? The menstruation cycle would not look as though this did, however. Large and spotty, the blood was fresh. Liquid had also stained the woman's pants, making the wound look even odder. Lixue made a mental note to have the female strip during the examination. All in all, Lixue was impressed. The stranger had pushed through her own obvious pain to help the child and continued to do so. This was when she began to consider putting in a good word for the lady if she sought a job at the Injury Ward. Besides helping the woman learn to admit when a job was too much, it would be necessary to teach her how to speak without stuttering or hesitation, though. Patients enjoyed seeing confidence in the person healing them. "Wonderful job," even as Lixue praised the stranger, she was encircling Raysh's wrist and removing the arm from the woman. Gingerly, eyes squinted to see better, she ran the wet rag over the rough hair. The woman had not pressed down hard enough, most likely afraid to harm the Jamoura. Because of this, Lixue was able to color the rag black cleaning the lower half of his arm. Silently, she rinsed and curled her fingertips over his before swiping the palm quickly. "You have not done this before, have you?" A purely rhetorical question. Those interested in medicine first learned how to clean an individual. After all, a tidy workspace was akin to a clean patient; you could not work with it messy. At least not well. "When you do this in the future, make sure to go over the area several times. That way you can be reassured of the cleanliness. A wound with dirt around it is more likely to become infected. You pressed too soft, I believe. The rag could not collect all of the ashes." Finished, she carefully set the Jamoura's tiny arm back onto the cot. When Lixue glanced up to note the woman's silence, she pursed her lips. "As I said earlier, if your body is not capable of handling this situation, please lay down on a cot. You are wobbly on your feet." Indeed, the woman's shoulders rocked back and forth. "If you still wish to help, but are unable to stand, you may sit next to Raysh. The bed is completely large enough." In the Injury Ward, the cots were easily able to hold the largest of Jamoura. Lixue set the rag in the dirty pile next to the water. Grasping the infant's arm, Lixue leaned close. Her green eyes peered critically at the skin. Blisters of all sizes were present, though none were popped. Using her fingernail, she picked a piece of flaking skin off. Underneath, the flesh was healthy, but splotchy. The coarse fur Jamoura were blessed with was singed almost to the roots. The arm was a minor second degree burn, but would be treated the same as a third degree given the size. She moved upward to view the hand. Unfortunately, it was in worse shape. Several blisters had popped. Infection was more likely a possibility. The skin itself was intensely swollen and red, very hot to the touch. Lixue's main concern was whether or not the child would be able to use his hands. If the nerves had been scorched too badly, the child's fingers could be anywhere from zero motion to barely making a fist. Using the tip of her fingernail, she pushed it into the end of Raysh's middle finger. The Jamoura did not respond. Frowning, Lixue repeated the process lower on the finger, near the second joint. This time, he whimpered. She moved to the pinky, pushed into the tip. The infant did not pull away. Near the second joint, his eyes filled with tears. A mental note was made: Left hand: Feeling restricted last joint up. Lixue set the left arm down, picked up the right. As this was farther away from her, the view was more restricted. However, she assumed both sides had the same amount of damage done as the Jamoura's arms had fallen into the fire at the same time. Using the tip of her nail, again, Lixue pressed it into the end of the middle finger. The boy cried out, trying to jerk away. Lixue held the arm still and scolded him with a quick, "Raysh!" Wide, brown eyes were trained on Lixue with a mixture of trust and fear hiding in them. The thumb and pinky were tested next. All had feeling. The right arm was set back onto the bed. A mental note was made: Right Hand: Reaction full Next was to test motion ranges. "Raysh, honey. Do what I do, alright?" The cooing tone was back. Holding her own hand up, Lixue made a fist. Raysh whimpered but tried to copy the movement. The left hand could not fully close, but the right was able to. "Good, good." She opened her fingers, the infant did the same. Glancing at the woman, Lixue asked, "Do you want to continue helping? The next step is to take off dead skin, which is simply using your fingernails to scrape away the flakes."

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa again contented herself with nodding in reply to both Lixue’s praise and her correction to her work as the doctor took the child’s arm from her. She kept her eyes focused attentively on what Lixue was doing, trying to estimate just how much pressure the doctor was applying as she finished cleaning away the last of the soot and ash from Raysh’s burns. She had to admit this wasn’t what she’d expected to be doing when she’d staggered through the doorway, however long ago that had been, but she was grateful that she’d been given the chance to help like this. The little Jamouran was so brave in the face of what must have been agonising for him, especially since he probably didn’t understand why it hurt as much as it did. That was Tessa’s assumption at least, she had to admit to herself that she didn’t really know how mature a Jamouran of Raysh’s size would be in comparison to a human child. He seemed to be responding to Lixue’s voice, though that might just have been its tone rather than the words themselves. She’d really have to remember to start asking questions about that sort of thing when she had the chance. However, that would have to wait. No matter how hard she tried to distract herself with thoughts like those or to simply resist there was an unfortunate necessity that was making itself more and more apparent. She was really going to have to sit down, and soon. It was getting to the point where it was that or she’d end up falling down, and if that happened she’d probably just end up doing more damage to herself. Tessa’s eyes flicked up as Lixue mentioned her condition again and though her first reaction was to shake her head, to insist she was fine to keep going, she knew that would be ridiculous. Hells, they both knew she was in no state to carry on like this. ”I’m Sorry, it was a long ride to get here and I’m not really at home on them, horses I mean. I ended up tying myself to the thing to stop myself from falling off.” She bit off the end of the sentence, Lixue wouldn’t be interested in any of that, not when there were far more important things to worry about. ”You’re right though, I’ve not got much experience with all of this. Up ‘til now I’ve only had to take care of myself while I’ve been on the road, scrapes and sprains, that sort of thing.” Tessa was honestly pleased and more than a little surprised that her voice was coming out so clearly. It was true she was keeping it low in an effort to hide the tremor that lay beneath it, but hopefully Lixue would think she was doing it so that she wouldn't worry Raysh. ”I’d still like to help though, however I can…” Tessa trailed off as her legs practically went into spasm; it seemed they’d finally had enough. She held onto the side of the cot, waiting for it to pass as her skin flashed pale beneath her tan. Acting on Lixue’s suggestion she slowly turned and eased herself down close to Raysh, her knuckles going white with how tightly she had hold of the side of the cot. It wasn’t like gripping the thing made it any easier though, it still hurt like buggery when she let her weight settle onto the cot. It was a close run thing but she just about managed to bite back what would have been a rather loud yelp, something that would have almost certainly startled Raysh. She couldn't let that happen, if he was startled he might make his injuries worse. She sighed heavily and carefully, tortuously turned to face Lixue, grateful that at least now she didn’t have to worry about her legs just giving up on her again and leaving her in a heap on the floor. That knowledge wasn’t all that helpful though when the bruises that the rope she’d tied round her waist on the ride here decided to join the pain party that her body seemed to have turned into. I swear, if I never have to ride a petching horse again for the rest of my petching life I think I’ll die petching happy! It must have been at least half a chime of bitter, silent curses before she was able to drag her attention away from her body’s protests and back to what Lixue was doing with Raysh. Thankfully it seemed that she was just in time to catch the latest of her instructions, at least she hoped she'd not missed anything. If she had done she was sure Lixue would let her know in no uncertain terms, but Tessa knew she didn't want that to happen. She found herself wanting this calm, assured woman's respect, or at least a little bit of it. So she forced the worry that she’d end up hurting the child more than she helped further into the back of her mind where she could safely ignore it and nodded slowly, taking her time to get herself into as comfortable a position as she could find. It still wasn't all that comfortable but it would do for the moment. She reached out to tenderly take hold of Raysh’s arm again as Lixue had told her, leaning forwards slightly and almost immediately regretting it as bits of her started their howls of protest. She really would have to be more careful about shifting her weight if she was going to do this without hurting Raysh. ”So we work around the blisters?” Tessa asked in the same low tone of voice she'd managed before, doing all she could to keep it calm and even as she did her best to examine the state of the little palm in front of her. She was going to take her time over this, digging her nails into the child's skin seemed like it had a worrying risk of doing more damage and that was the last thing Tessa wanted. Maybe it’d be better to work her way down Raysh’s forearm, there were fewer of the painful looking blisters there which should make things a little easier, right? Well it was her best guess anyway, but better still would to wait for Lixue’s answer. That way she’d know exactly what she was supposed to do and what she wasn’t.

[Lixue]

Lixue nodded. "Yes, we will work around the blisters. Think of them as the middle of a flower. If you are going to pluck the petals, you do not want to pull the middle of. Run a finger over the area and whenever there is a slight prick, or something moves, investigate. Use the tips of your fingernails, as such," she pinched two fingers together, effectively creating a claw, "and slowly tear the skin off. There are scissors if necessary to cut it, or feel free to soak them using the rag. Remember, if it does not peel away, do not force it. If blood begins to ooze, leave it. The mission is to lower the danger of infection. By opening fresh wounds to the air with such an injury, we are taking a giant risk. The child is the first priority. As before, if he pulls away, let go." A light pause. "Any questions, feel free to ask me. It is better to be sure than uncertain." Taking the scissors, she placed them below the Jamoura's hairless feet on the cot. A fresh cloth was wetted and rinsed. This was set next to the scissors. "Raysh, honey, can I see your," Lixue held up her own, "arm?" Wide brown eyes stared back at her, calculating. Finally, as though he seemed to understand, the boy held up his appendage. "Wonderful!" Restraining his arm was easier this time. The infant was not in immense pain and, because of this, did not try to pull away as often. Lixue was careful. She would slowly run her fingertip over the wrist and arm, pause on any unleveled pieces and curiously try to fit her nail under the flake. If it would fit, Lixue would gradually pick away at it, starting at the loose end and making her way in. Soon enough, the burned skin would fall away. Underneath, the flesh was bright red. She started from the boy's wrist and made her way downward. The flakes were bigger near the bottom and seemed to almost rest upon the blisters themselves. Here, Lixue was extra careful. Popping a blister was not acceptable. Infection would be almost impossible to keep out. However, if they did not bother the bubbled skin, they were bound to disappear in a few weeks. Or harden. Either way, Lixue would deal with those situations when they arose. For now, she was content to quietly remove the seared flesh. The palm was another story. The deadened skin was pulled away only to reveal more blisters underneath. Once, Lixue tugged and instead of simply being a small piece, the flesh kept going all the way up a finger. A grimace shot over her face. Poor Raysh. His eyes were clenched closed and wet. "Way to be a big boy, Raysh," Lixue complimented, finishing off the hand. While she waited for the female to finish, Lixue uncapped the honey jar. "I will be using honey to coat his arms. Honey helps keep a wound from festering, which means infection. Please, grab a cot and lay down. You will need to remove your pants in order for the inspection," she glanced pointedly at the blood soaking further into the fabric. "I will be with you in a moment." A quick scan over the arm the stranger had completed show very few mistakes. What flakes were left were okay. They were either still attached or on top of a blister. The woman had done well. Dipping her right hand into the jar, Lixue pulled out some of the sticky liquid. The other held the Jamoura's arm, which was tense. Laying the food on the charred skin near the wrist, she slowly moved it downward. The honey stuck to everything, but created an almost natural even coat with a few swipes. Another handful was necessary to complete the appendage. With the hand itself, Lixue was more gentle. She made sure to swab between the fingers and leave the back dry. No use in wasting anything, after all. When the task was completed on both limbs, she washed the sticky liquid off in the used water basin. Not all of it came off, but enough did. Holding the arm in one hand, Lixue smoothly tucked the end of a bandage under her thumb before spiraling downward. Near the end, she tucked it under a layer before tying it in a small, simple knot. Another wrapping was used on the hand. Lixue placed the end in the same spot as before, on the wrist, and shot straight across the palm to land between the thumb and fore finger. Circling around the thumb only once, she wrapped around the palm twice, each time between the thumb and forefinger, before slowly spiraling upward to the tips of the fingers. Here, she had to be careful. Cutting off circulation was not a good idea. The boy could not tell her whether or not he could feel his tips so she was ultra cautious. Again, when the end was reached, she pushed it under another layer, then knotted it. The other arm was the same, though the fingers were treated differently. Instead of fully covering them, she doubled around the palm twice before knotting it off and cutting the excess length. Raysh was finished. "You were perfect, Raysh," she cooed, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. The Jamoura whimpered, bringing his appendages up to curl into a ball. Poor child. As a blanket was folded at the end of every cot end, Lixue used this to cover him. Almost tenderly, she tucked it in on the sides. "Go to sleep." Lixue sought the stranger with her eyes. Where was the girl? Ah-ha! There. Using her cane, she limped toward her.

[Tessa Poe]

There was something about Lixue’s voice that was almost… inspiring. It wasn’t just the fact that she clearly knew what she was doing, it was the way she managed to explain everything in that clear, calm and confident tone; a tone that made it clear she didn’t expect any nonsense. It was rather reassuring to hear it coming from a doctor too, given how much trust you really had to have in one. Maybe it’d be worth talking to her about helping out some more round the Injury Ward after all this? Presumably there’d be some kind of pay, it’d certainly be interesting work, she’d get to help people and if today was anything to go by she could learn an awful lot from Lixue. She’d be learning the sort of things that’d help keep her alive once she got back on the road again too! It was that last thought pretty much decided things for her, after they were finished with little Raysh she’d ask Lixue if there were any jobs going. She could probably still take time off to head out into the forest too, someone had to head out there to do what they could for the people lost up there didn’t they? Plus, if she managed to get a better idea of how to look after people working here she’d be able to do it while she was out there. Come to think of it… maybe it’d be a good idea to ask Lixue about what exactly was going on up there too? The blond woman who’d brought them all the way here hadn’t really told her much, but apparently there could be fights with the people up there. A quick glance around the Injury Ward itself confirmed that, it wasn’t hard to spot injured Jamourans in a couple of the cots and it didn’t look like they’d all fallen in a fire. That meant the Jamourans were already heading out to the city which made sense, their people were the ones trapped there after all... and Lixue must have spoken to the ones who’d come back injured so she must have heard a little bit of what it was like. Any information Tessa could get at this point would be good, as her Da had always said ‘forewarned is forearmed’ and she had no intention of running headlong into a situation like this one blind. Yep, this idea was sounding better and better all the time… just so long as Lixue was willing to take her on. She’d seemed pleased so far with what Tessa had done, that had to stand her in good stead, right? All she had to do was keep up the hopefully good impression she’d made so far and it’d all work out… maybe? The thoughts flashed through Tessa’s mind as she watched Lixue work for a moment or two again, determined that this time she’d not leave the job half-finished for the doctor to clear up. She started to carefully run her fingertips along Raysh’s arm, stopping each time she felt a little rise or ridge in the skin and gently pushing it to see if it shifted. As soon as she found an area that did she took hold of between her finger and thumb nail just as Lixue had demonstrated and slowly pulled it away, though she had to stop herself a couple of times and reach for the scissors to trim the errant flesh away when she noticed blood starting to ooze to the surface, and a couple more times when she found blisters nestled beneath the skin. She smiled encouragingly down at Raysh from time to time as she worked, especially when she found a piece to remove that seemed like it’d hurt more than the others. Gods he was being so brave, for all that his little face was scrunched up tight and his tears were soaking into the fur around it he was hardly making a sound and he was holding himself as still as he could. Finally she was finished as far as she could tell. There were some patches left but as far she could tell they were either too close to a blister or laying across the top of one. She was tempted to run her fingers through Raysh’s fur in a comforting gesture but she wasn’t sure if that would be offensive or not. She really didn’t want people to think she thought he was like a pet or something. She looked up just in time to catch Lixue’s eye and her fresh instructions. She’d have to… strip? In here? With everyone watching? Tessa chewed a little nervously on her lip, any questions that she’d been going to ask about the city or the idea of using honey of all things in the treatment vanishing in the mild panic that raced through her. Still she managed to mutter a quiet “Alright… I’ll go find a cot,” before she jerkily nodded and pushed herself up from the cot, forgetting in her haste the state she was in and stumbling forwards as her legs refused to co-operate. She hissed in pain again, all the forgotten rawness, aches and stabbing heat suddenly returning with that one careless movement. For a moment the worry that she’d fall flat on her face surged up in her mind, spurring her on to flail at the nearest cot and take hold of it in a death grip. Once she was reasonably sure she wasn’t going to collapse again she slowly reached for her coat, managing to grab the back of the hood without having to lean too far over. She was lucky it’d fallen in a heap like it had done, if not it would’ve been impossible for her to reach it. Half dragging it behind her she made her slow, limping way across the Injury Ward before she found an empty cot, it was odd how comfortable they seemed when all they were made out of were vines and leaves. She dropped her coat at the top of the cot and unbuckled her belt, laying it and her weapons alongside it. She grabbed the blanket from the end of the cot and wrapped it around herself before she started to literally peel her breeches away from herself, her face flashing pale at the all new pain of tearing the fabric clear of the dried… stuff… that almost acted like a glue. She’d have to burn the damn things when all of this was over, and buy a new blanket to replace the one she was using too. She took a moment to prepare herself before easing face down onto the cot, relief flowing through her once she'd managed it. This was about the most comfortable she'd been in days now that the weight had been taken off her feet and her breeches stripped from thighs. The only problem now was that she couldn't check if the blanket was still covering her modesty and, if she was honest, the ugly mess that was her left thigh. Even in the state she was in she really, really didn’t want anyone, not even Lixue to see it… but there wasn't any other choice. She knew she needed the help and this was the only way she’d get it… without it she could be half crippled like this for weeks... or worse.

[Lixue]

Lixue sometimes regretted her leg. Besides slowing her down, the cane was often in the way. Patients tripped over it, as did she herself. Actions, such as running, were restricted. She had never been able to learn any combat skills, for fear of causing more harm. Hopefully, she would not be placed into any [other] situations where it was necessary to protect herself. Ly may argue, but Lixue claimed she only kept him around for a bodyguard. Then again, if she needed muscle power, he was always there and willing to do the task required. OR almost always. Occasionally, arguments did arise, mainly about disagreeing opinions. The makeups were friendly and soon after. The longest period of not talking between the pair had been seven days. On the way toward the unknown woman, who was now a patient, Lixue snagged one of her assistants. "I need you to contact the mother of Raysh, our infant Jamoura. Her name is Posha. Seek her out at the Mess Hall. Do not let her come to the Injury Ward yet. Tell her I said to wait three bells, as her son needs the rest. If she appears any earlier, I will have her removed from the premises. When she arrives, notify me. I have information which is necessary for her to know. Go now, but first find someone to deliver several tools to me. Hot water, bandages, several cups of salt, and rags." Nodding, the assistant moved quickly down the sick aisle, on all four. Lixue tried to learn the employees' names, but did not know all of them yet. She believed it would help give them a boost of confidence, let them personalize with her; allow them to connect with her and realize Lixue was a human, also. Someone they could speak with, or offer options to. Not a drill sergeant. The woman was lying face down on a cot. Lixue almost walked past her, distracted her with own thoughts, before noticing the strange position. And, with that, the female. The next thing she saw was cringe worthy: the woman's thighs. The blanket she had tried to cover up with was riding up, barely covering her modesty. Lixue's green eyes ran over the mutilated flesh, did not pause on the scars and instead tried to inspect the riding sores from the end of the cot. The skin was bubbled and blistered here and there, red and sore looking. Blood still flowed gently, dripping onto the ground below. The thing that bothered Lixue was the clear liquid, almost like water, which covered everything. From the blisters? Infection? Unsure, she would have to wait for the closer inspection. When Lixue went to speak, she realized she had not learned the woman's name. The stranger had worked alongside her medically, but had yet to give up a name. Instead of speaking, Lixue made her way to the side of the cot and cleared her throat softly. Enough to gather attention, but not enough to startle. Hopefully. Once the woman would look up, Lixue would start speaking. "You are free to stay how you were, but you will need to answer several questions first. How long have your legs been like this? When did the blisters start popping? Are they only on the back of your thighs? Or do they cover your bum and your inner thighs? Did you do anything medically before this? Is there any pain? Any burning sensations? Will you mind my assistant working on you, too, or covering you from others' sights? To do so, she would hold a blanket up at the end of the cot, effectively blocking the view of others. If it is necessary, you may have to stay at the Injury Ward for a couple days under inspection."

[Lixue]

Necessary InformationA closer to an abandoned thread. Tessa, with previous agreement, was still taken on as an assistant. Lixue was careful as she cared for the blisters. The first step was cleaning the wound. To do so, Lixue used hot water. The temperature helped keep the wound open and kill any infection. Gently, she dabbed at the blisters. No use in breaking open the ones still closed, after all. The next step was smearing honey onto the abrasion. The woman twitched uncomfortably but soon calmed down. The honey would stop any left over infection in its tracks. Plus keep the wound from hardening and causing more harm. Instead of wrapping the woman's thighs, Lixue left them open to the air. She did not want to risk letting the blisters heal naturally. There was also a high chance of popping more with tight bandages or even ripping them off when removing the bandages. As she worked, Lixue held a relatively steady conversation with Tessa. Lixue was proud of how the woman had handled the earlier emergency with the infant and told her so. Some of the assistants still panicked at the sight of blood, even if they were learning. Tessa had managed to control her feelings, set aside her needs and focus on the baby. During the treatment, Lixue offered the job of an assistant to Tessa. The woman had agreed. The two would be working side by side for awhile to come.