Quest Attack on Riverfall[Rear Healing Station]

[Mist]

70 Fall 512 The rear healing station. For now it was relatively calm. A few people running about, putting things to order. Cost for the injured to rest on and recuperate. Well lit tables to hold those being worked on, till they were stable and could be moved to the cots. All around the room could be seen shelve space, with near anything possibly needed to treat a wounded person. Sterile bandages, herbs, salves, and so much more. And off in a adjacent room, there were ever more stuff stored, ready to be retrieved by one of the runners who had been put here. It was a well lit stone building, its previous purpose or tenant unknown. But it was close to the edge of the city, were things would be going on, and were it would be close enough to the people to be wounded to be brought. So it had been taken over. Volunteered in fact, by the Akalak who owned it, who was coincidentally off fighting on the front line. Perhaps even one of the people who would be brought here, to be healed. Slowly the people working there were turning up, trickling in one by one. Upon entering, a person would be asked there name, and purpose for being there. Clearly, they did not want just anyone coming in, unless they were wounded or supposed to be there. And they also served as guards, in case any monsters were to make it this far. The last thing they needed, was the healers needing healing. One wielded a spear, with a lakan at his waist, the other a pair of short swords across his back, also with a lakan at his waist. Of course, this was not the only healing station. It was one of three. There was another in a tent, closer to the fighting, and another further into the city, were people would be taken once they were stabilized. This was just to patch them up enough to make it to the permanent healing station, or to be able to get back to the fighting.

[Kavala]

Kavala breezed in with Elem on her heels as soon as she got the news that they were calling for healers, fighters, and odd assortments of volunteers to help with the crisis. The flag system had gotten the warning out early and Sanctuary had answered as was its duty.

Of course, Kavala was a little put off. She still wore her armor and had originally turned up for the fighting. The Konti had been patiently sighed at and sent to this healing station. Well, she'd showed up at the first one closest to the front lines initially, but they had seemed ready for her and had clearly indicated she was to go to the second station, this one, where it was safer. Sometimes being a woman in Riverfall wasn't the easiest thing. Her arguments of "I can fight." fell on deaf ears. So too did her insistence that she could triage with the front lines more effectively than stabilize in the back.

Two gnosis marks of Rak'keli had landed her a spot here with the healers though. An Akontak child at home guaranteed her place would not be on the front lines or at primary triage. So here she was at secondary triage, torn because she wanted to be in the thick of things and worried that she'd be too far back to truly help other than with cuts, bites, broken arms, and punctures or whatever else the Akalak would show up with.

"Kavala Denusk, The Sanctuary...." She announced as she passed through the front doors, arms laden with supplies, and nodded to both men on duty. She recognized one of them and thought she'd seen the other around the city though she couldn't be sure. The konti brought extra bandages by the armfulls, things they stored and stockpiled at The Sanctuary.

"Okay... we need to get organized. I want a tagging system in place so we can sort the wounded when they start coming in. Red, yellow, and green. Red needs immediate attention, surgery, stabilizing. These will be all the punctures, deep cuts, and any life threatening bleeding. Yellow will be broken bones, wounds that are not life threatening, etc. Green will be anything nonthreatening that can wait. Cut these three lengths of colored cloth into strips... big enough to be tied around wrists." Kavala said, indicating the fabric she'd brought that was red, yellow, and green.

"We need someone doing initial assessments when the wounded come in, someone qualified to assign them a wristband, tag them and send them to where they need to go. Red goes immediately to the tables, yellow is next in line, while green goes to the waiting area to be dealt with in between red and yellow activity. Everyone clear?" Kavala immediately got a young healer busy shredding the colored clothes into wristbands and getting ready to help out whomever started doing initial assessments.

[Mist]

The sentries let in Kavala, who seemed to walk with a purpose. Perhaps that, along with the armfuls of clearly medical supplies, were why they did not question her. Though one did wonder why she had brought her own stuff, when they had more than enough supplies here. Surely they would not be seeing that much action? As Kavala swept in and took charge, an older Akalak male came over, clearly about to challenge her. But he seemed to be knocked back, as she continued on with her stream of orders and plans, and decided not to question it. If she thought she should be in charge, fine. It was not like they were on the front line. And she was a konti, he supposed it made sense to leave the healing to one of them. As she concluded giving her orders, several Akalakan youths ran off to do as she had said, having been assigned to work in the medical station. Though all of them had at least one weapon on them, a dagger, a knife, even a few shortswords, they were all to young to have yet earned the use of a lakan. Things were still far from getting started. The battle horn had not even sounded yet, signifying the approach of the enemy to the front ranks, and the start of the assault. It seemed they had a bit of time to prepare... That is until a wounded man was dragged inside of the doorway by a pair of Akalaks, one of which was clutching a hand to the mans neck, were he had been wounded, blood gushing out from in between his fingers, unable to stanch the flow of blood. The man was barely even standing, and barely conscious, his eyes fluttering weakly, as he nearly passed out, and he coughed a spray of blood. "I dont know what happened, I just found him like this on the street!" The confused Akalak holding his neck wound said. The battle had not even begun, and already someone was hurt. The oddest thing of all though, would require a keen observer to note... The wound was not that of a blade... It was more like a bite had been taken out of his neck... Though something with a very irregular tooth pattern... Surely not human, or any other normal beast.

[Elem Bree]

Elem did his best to keep up with Kavala, but she was the most athletic Konti he had ever known! He knew that there was some sort of attack coming to Riverfall, but honestly, it didn't worry him too much. A city of hundreds of centuries old warriors inside stone walls and the sea at their backs? Even the children were more capable combatants than most adults he knew. But it was his duty to serve and heal, so he continued to shuffle on.

Occasionally he would lose sight of Kavala completely, settling for asking for directions to the healing station from various Akalak. Once he did arrive, a little out of breath, he watched her march right through the tent's entrance, as only she could. The sentries seemed to nod in her direction, so he just straightened himself and followed . Until a firm, blue hand landed on his shoulder. "Are you lost, Kuvan? This tent is for healers. Do you have pertinent business here?" Elem seemed to stand silent for a moment, totally taken aback by this.

"I'm with Kavala. I am Elem Bree. I work at the Sanctuary with her." The two sentries seemed to look across at each other and grin, speaking in Tukant, the native language. Elem's face mirrored his disapproval of such secretive banter. " It's not very polite to talk in a language others don't understand." Without a break, one turned and said, "Nor is it to be a guest in the City and not learn the language." That hurt. Even if it was true. "We will summon Kavala and have her verify your status, Kuvan." Elem huffed and slid his sleeve up, showing the mark of Rak'keli.

"Will this do?" The two seemed satisfied, though their attention was turned to something behind Elem.Turning, the young man saw a man being brought in with blood streaming from his neck, the Akalak carrying him pressing on the wound to staunch the bleeding. It didn't look good. Looking back at the sentries, they nodded and waved Elem in, who set about to locating clean rags. Their Gnosis could disinfect the wound, but it could easily be reinfected by others' hands.

[Kavala]

Kavala never bet on Tanroa to give anyone any time anywhere for any reason whatsoever. sHe moved effectively and efficiently and was glad in the end Elem kept up (mostly) and made his way through the guards the most direct way possible. The Akalak of Riverfall approved of directness. And she'd been half afraid Elem would be a wilting flower in the face of battle, but so far so good. Things were looking up on his end.

When the man was abruptly brought in, Kavala looked up from her organizing to see him. Her eyes assessed quickly and she grabbed a red ribbon of fabric from the basket in front of her and affixed it to the man's wrist in a smooth motion even as she peered at the wound and met the man's painful fading gaze. "Shhhh.. it's okay. We're going to fix you up quickly. I know it hurts. Just hang on a bit." She told the patient, at the same time she was affixing the wristband and gesturing to those carrying him to put him on a table. It didn't take a genius to see that his throat was munched on by some sort of animalistic wound, because the healer knew teeth marks. She saw them more than knife wounds. "Put him on the surgery table, you two. Elem get pressure on that wound! Don't let that severed artery bleed him out. I'll be there in a moment. Don't worry about cleaning him up yet." She said, knowing as long as the man's lifeblood wasn't leaking out of him she had a precious second to do something other than healing.

Then, she turned to the guards.. the armed and dangerous looking ones.

"You two. If it is as they said it is and he was found on the street near here we have a problem. This location isn't secure and whatever is attacking the city has most likely forward scouts or things already infiltrating our walls. You need to alert the forward end that they might be compromised and their backs to the city might not be safe." She gestured to one of them. "Either go yourself or send a message by one of our messengers. They need to know this." Then she turned to the second one. "We need to know exactly what did this. I want you to scout the area. Keep the station in sight but we need to know if we're compromised here and how... below ground? From above? Are they in the city. That man did not walk here from the front like that. He would have never made it. If we are busy healing here, we won't be busy watching our back and we are in danger. You'll need to get us some reinforcements here somehow... and warn the stations closer. I don't care how you wo do it. Identify the issue. Warn. Go now!" She said, taking charge and knowing what needed to be done.

With that, she moved rapidly at a jog back to the table where the man was, relieving Elem to first uncover the man's wound, see the extent, and tap her gnosis to pour power into it. Healing was like a rush she could never describe to the people who were not healers. The torn artery was fixed first, then the muscles of his neck, then the wound left open. she cleaned the area with gnosis, and then sealed the flesh by smoothing the skin.

When she was done, she stepped back, her hands bloody and her breathing rapid. "Elem organize a station for treating shock. He'll need to be cleaned up and assume he'll shock out and try to prevent that. Get a group together with sponges and soap to wash his wounds. Get him into something fresh. I think they have infirmary gowns here. When you change him over, check for bruising, lacerations, and anything else that you can deal with easily enough. If he wakes up get fluids into him any way you can... but keep him warm and watch him for shock. Trade out his red bracelet for green. He'll live if he doesn't go into shock and we loose him that way." She said, knowing the man was a first case and a trial run for what they needed set up. She left Elem to organize what she'd requested, giving the people - healers and volunteers - something to do as he followed her wishes.

Kavala moved to the doorway, peered out, and wondered what the two Akalaks' would find. She was suddenly glad for her armor and the weapons her weaponsbelt bristled with as much as she was glad for her healing marks.

[Mist]

The older of the two guards was the one wielding a spear and lakan. By Akalak standards he was not to old, but he was at least over a hundred. You could see it in his eyes, the experience and wisdom only living could bring. He listened to what Kavala had to say, and took it in, seriously considering her words, and acknowledging she had a point with a small nod. It did make one wonder though what he was doing here, instead of at the front line, if he was that age. The younger of the two was 35, not to far past maturity for a Akalak. He was a bit more headstrong, wielding a pair of honed shortswords, along with his lakan in its sheath. He grew a bit indignant, being ordered around by a woman, even if she was a konti. "Now listen here!" he started off, before he was cut off by a stern cough and glare from the older of the two guards. Taking the lead, the older Akalak replied, and began giving out orders, starting off by ordering off the younger guard. "Take one of the young with you, and go to the coordination office, and tell them what has happened. And make sure they know the city may be infiltrated, our backs vulnerable. They will disseminate the information, and make sure to use it well. And bring back more men with you." With a grudging glance at Kavala, the young guard motioned to one of the young Akalaks, who drew out a knife, and ran out of the station with him, the two presumably off to the coordination office. That said, and a person heading off to deliver the info, the older guard turned to Kavala, addressing her. He had listened to her words, and agreed with some, and disagreed with others. However he looked at it objectively from a strategic standpoint, regardless that a woman had said it, and gave a fair response. "However I cannot leave my station. Someone has to stay here guarding, lest someone gets in. If I go off looking, I might get attacked and you not know, or someone might slip in to attack you. It is safer if I stay here, till reinforcements arrive." Pointing at one of the older boys who was with them, though not quite a adult yet, he motioned for him to come over with him, and take up the deserted post. With a glint in his eye, the young Akalak did, wanting to prove himself, taking out a small long dagger from a sheath at his hip, leaving a second put away, he stood, back straight, looking out at the door. That done, the guard turned back to Kavala once more, to continue on with his explanation to her, still in calm and rational voice. "But don't worry. I assessed this building myself before duty. This doorway is the only way anything bigger than a cat could get in or out. It may appear like a place simply chosen for its space and location, but its defensible nature also came into the choice. And it is also why this door is the only part of the structure to be secured. As long as we keep guard here, you are safe." That said, the guard turned back to the front, watching out the door for anyone approaching. However as a sound blasted over the air, several people stopped, or turned to look, pausing in there work... The battle horn was sounding, long and loud over the air... The fight had begun... Now things would get interesting.

[Elem Bree]

It was probably Elem's work in the aftermath of the Spring Storm that put him in a different mode once the rush of trauma care began in the room. While the guards may very well have been doing their job outside, it was now his turn to do his own job, one that he knew too well. He watched Kavala assess the man before her, stepping in without hesitation or anxiety when ordered to keep the wound closed. The very event that brought him into Rak'keli's grace involved a severed artery, so he knew what dangersl ied there. He kept pressure on the wound, praying wordlessly to Rak'keli for guidnace and for the man's health. He knew that Kavala would be able to save him, but it was as natural for Elem to initiate the prayers while keeping the blood inside his body, where it belonged.

His attention fully focused on his patient, he only half heard the orders Kavala barked out to the guards. It seemed perfectly natural to him for her to take command, as in his eyes, she was the obvious superior in this kind of environment. It was vaguely surprising to hear the indignation of one of them, but only vaguely. The Akalak all seemed to be full of vigor in proving who was big blue man number one. She soon returned and he stepped away, watching her use her superior gnosis. As the wound healed, he found it odd that the wound was so ragged. It almost looked more like a bite, as if he could see the pattern of teeth marks. What in Mizahar was going on?

His attention turned back to the situation at hand. He noticed the red strip of cloth being changed and recognized this as an ingenious way to set up triage. When the others present helped him move the man to another table, he acknowledged Kavala's instructions with a simple 'Yes, Ma'am' and set about praying for the sterilization of his wounds, be they interior or exterior. He was proud to have his own area to oversee and he knew that while it was not as critical as Kavala's station, it was as vital. When the horn blew, they all paused. It was eerie and ominous. Elem realized that he may very well be preparing this man and others to rejoin the fray, so best to get to it!

He gathered those assigned to him and asked them to gather gowns, blankets, water, lots of water, be it cold and hot. Sponges, soap, bandages and other supplies were all centralized to his location. The volunteers and healers moved in concert, as they should. In such a place, egos were meant to remain outside. Everyone had to work together as a team to insure the survival of the patients. Having only the one at the moment, he had the man's clothing removed and his body washed and tended to. He kept his hand over the man's heart, feeling for irregular changes as his prayers continued for his health. It had become second nature to Elem to pray while treating people in the Spring. It would be no different now.

[Kavala]

Elem Bree did a great job. He took orders well and while he was working something he knew so well, like healing, one could tell he thrived under pressure and knew his craft. Kavala did not have to worry and knew the shock station wouldl turn out top notch under Elems careful watch. Kavala nodded to the older guards words, relieved that he took action. She nodded to the younger guard when he took the other more inexperienced guards place and looked around at the facility with new eyes.

"You are wise to set up the Healing Station here. It's not obvious at first, but now that you've pointed it out, I can see how carefully it was selected. I see things as a healer, mostly, not as a warrior. I need to grow new eyes." She said, nodding. Glancing over to make sure Elem was doing as he asked and then smiling because he was as usual going above and beyond.

She was relieved the warning was going out, but someone needed to look around as well. If he felt it was safe, she trusted him enough to think that it was. But that didn't mean outside was secure.

"I'll just go look around carefully myself." She said, drawing her crossbow off her back and notching an bolt to be safe. Kavala was halfway into the street, scanning carefully, when the horn blew. She shuddered, but kept walking, keeping herself within site of the guards but also keeping a good look on the state of the street, the roofs, even the darkened doorways looking for things out of place.

[Mist]

The older Akalak shook his head, as the woman did not listen. The last thing he needed was the head healer getting injured. Then they would all be petched. But getting on with her and arguing would do little to help the situation. They needed to work together. So he did the next best thing, and sent the newly appointed guard to go along with her. He nodded and did as he was told, quietly padding along after the konti quiet as a cat. His thin long dagger was held at the ready, as he kept his head on a swivel, looking for threats. He simply gave a nod of acknowledgement to the older konti woman as he reached her, falling into the role of protective deference ingrained into Akalakan customs. Out on the street, there was really little left to see, as most were either readying for battle, or in one of the designated protected safe zones for non-combatants. Few people were out and about, occasionally a pair of runners could be seen moving in an adjacent street, but that was about it, none were on the same street as them. Though after a chime or so, two men came walking along, both a bit over 6 foot tall, not so uncommon really considering most Akalaks were at least 7 foot. Though they both wore matching frayed and dirty cloaks, concealing most of there body. Only a bit of their face could be seen, which consisted of normal human skin more or less, though dry and dirty, like they had been out in a dust storm or spent a good bit without a bath. So far they had not seen the konti or the youth, but would surely see them soon. Back in the healing station, Elem would be surprised as the man suddenly took in a ragged breath, his heart beat speeding up. He immediately tried to sit up, letting out a confused jumble of words in a frantic manner, the only one of them understandable, "teeth!" Regardless of what Elem did, he continued to try to get up, and take out his dagger at his waist, not noticing that the scabbard was not there, and certainly neither was the weapon. His tone grew more and more high pitched, as he tried to get some message across, only managing to say "TEETH!" again, even louder, as he breathed harder and harder, faster and faster.

[Elem Bree]

As Elem worked at small abrasions and lacerations on his patient, his eyebrow fully arched at Kavala's leaving. There was no way he would ever attempt to tell his boss where to go or what to do, but it seemed odd to him that she would go out to scout when she was the primary healer in the station. He saw others looking off toward the entrance in the same manner and quickly turned their attention to redressing the man, as waking up naked certainly wouldn't help the man's mental state. Once they had him in a gown, Elem put his head down to the man's chest, listening to his fluctuating heartbeat and breathing.

Then something strange happened. Elem was almost pushed to the floor by the sudden sitting of the patient. He quickly grabbed the cot and stood again, calling on the other attendants to help him. The man was almost rabid, mumbling incoherent words. It was common normally with shock injuries for the patient to be combative, but did he say? No, well, he would ask the others. "Did he just say teeth? Get something to tie him down so he doesn't injure himself!" Their attempts to hold him with their hands just wasn't working.

The patient was thrashing about and Elem tried to lay his hands on him, praying for Rak'keli to calm the man and ease his discomfort as the other attendants used strips of cloth to tie his feet and hands. He just kept screaming TEETH! incessantly. Elem guessed that was the injury that had brought him in, though he hadn't seen it clearly before it was healed by Kavala. Where was she? Elem couldn't afford to leave. He wouldn't be much help and the others needed someone here. He knew a guard had gone with her, but he would really feel better with her in the station with him. Not out there, with whatever bit this man and made him crazy.