Not Long to Wait

Writers: Heather, Len
Date Posted: 11th November 2011

Characters: W'ser, T'bel, G'wen
Description: Drahonhealer W'ser comes to see what can be done for Neath, and to check on T'bel's Fanth as well
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 14 of Turn 6

W'ser

The snow that drifted down set just the right tone, T'bel thought to
himself. These last few sevendays were about as bad as any had been,
so far in his young life. First the tragic death of M'non, and his own
beautiful Fanth almost destroyed in the same accident, and now this
with his weyrmate's son. He felt as cold and bitter as the weather.

He had come outside to stand with the two greens, unable to take
G'wen's pain anymore. The fever that had gripped the boy was only
getting worse, not better. He wasn't going to be able to take much
more. Feeling the coward for doing so, T'bel had left the boy's
side--just for a moment--to get some fresh air, and to get away, his
pitiful moans still in his ears.

When the boy died, T'bel--glancing at the grey figure of Neath--would know.

She sat, only a trace of the wonderful deep orange/yellow undertone
and pine green skin showing over the dull grey that had only deepened
with each passing day that her lifemate descended deeper into his
fever. Since the scoring she hadn't left the entryway to the
infirmary, refusing to leave her G'wen. Nose buried in the snow,
almost fading into the dark and the snow, she was the very picture of
sorrow.

W'ser's breath wafted into the air in short bursts as he made his way
through the snow. Over his shoulder lay a rope, tied to the end of
which was a good sized calf. The calf had died of natural causes and
W'ser had been able to talk the Stablemaster out of it so he could
take it to Neath. He'd checked on the green sporadically ever since
G'wen's accident and Branth had reported to him that day that the
green was looking an intense shade of grey.

If G'wen died, Faranth forbid, W'ser knew that no amount of care would
keep Neath with them. The dragon would certainly /between/. However,
W'ser had to make sure that Neath didn't /between/ out of poor health
and then G'wen make a recovery only to find his dragon gone.

Trudging through the snow, his muscles protesting as he drug the dead
calf, W'ser began complaining to Branth. **You could have dropped it
off closer to Neath.**

}:You need exercise.:{ Branth retorted with a certain smug tone to his voice.

**Overgrown firelizard.** W'ser quipped as he finally neared the
infirmary and made out T'bel's form just outside the door way.

"T'bel! Well met! How's your Fanth doing?" He asked as his eyes began
to take a diagnostic sweep of Neath's form.

"She's doing well, thanks to your good work on her wound." T'bel gave
him a wane smile and indicated the small green's flank, which was
healing nicely. He glanced at the dead calf and added in a low voice,
"you got a bit of exersize for nothing, I fear. The boy's been
getting worse throughout the day." He lowered his voice still more.
"I don't think we have long to wait, now." At that moment Neath let
out a low moan that was an echo of G'wen's pain.

The Weyrdragonhealer's mouth turned down into a frown that was rarely
seen on his face. Letting the rope slide through his hand, and
effectively leaving the calf in the snow, W'ser went straight for
Neath. Laying his hand on the green's greying flank, W'ser studied her
as only a dragonhealer could, "Come on now, my dear," he spoke to the
dragon, "G'wen may yet recover, and when he does, we don't want him to
find his dragon in ill health." Branth echoed his rider's words with
an encouraging croon to Neath as he flew down to join them.

}:You don't understand,:{ she told the brown. }:I knew he was injured
and I let him coax me into going back up with the firestone sacks.
It's all my fault.:{ She sighed deeply, as Fanth nuzzled her
shoulder.

}:I understand completely, Neath,:{ Branth crooned in sympathy,
}:Riders can be very headstrong. You couldn't have been sure how bad
his injury was if he was insisting on remaining in the 'Fall. You
should at least have a little nibble of the calf. Your rider wouldn't
want you out here starving.:{

As the dragons conversed, W'ser took the opportunity to take a check
on Fanth's flank, which he found to be healing nicely. With that done,
the Weyrdragonhealer stepped back over to T'bel, "Is there no hope,
then, of his recovery?" He asked softly.

"Well, there's always hope." He glanced at W'ser and fiddled a bit
with Fanth's headknobs, stroking her until she crooned a bit. "It's
just this bloody fever he's got, that infection got into his blood, or
so the Healers have said. I'm amazed he's still alive, to be honest.
I thought he was going to die a few nights ago. That one." He nodded
to Neath, who was still showing no interest in the calf. "She sits so
still, sometimes I don't think she's actually grieving, I think she's
willing him to stay alive, forcing him even."

"I wouldn't doubt it if she is. Even through all my studies I must
admit that the bond between a human and their dragon is very
mysterious and I've come to the point where I don't doubt it's power."
W'ser knew he couldn't force Neath to eat, but at least the calf was
there should G'wen suddenly make a recovery.

"Well, maybe it's no mystery that she chose G'wen then," T'bel said,
thinking of Neath's infamous stubborness.

"Well," W'ser sighed, "I need to be off. I have a few more dragons I
want to check in on. Have Fanth contact Branth if G'wen starts to
recover, won't you?" The Weyrdragonhealer asked.

"Okay, will do," T'bel mummered, feeling miserable at the thought of
waiting by the boy's side until he died.

Neath's head shot up, her eyes whirling. Fanth moaned, looking at the
two riders.

"Quick! Come on!" Forgetting he was a dragonhealer and not a human
healer, T'bel grabbed W'ser's arm and ran as fast as he could back
into the infirmary. }:Hurry! Hurry!:{ Fanth shouted in his head as he
ran down the aisle, to where the tiny greenrider was. He skidded to a
stop before the boy's bed and breathed a sigh of relief. He was still alive.

G'wen looked exactly the same as when he left him. Only...only....was
that a flush to his skin? And was he sweating? Hands shaking, T'bel
touched the boy's brow before turning to W'ser. "His fever! It's
gone! Feel him, it feels like it's gone!" Dropping down to his knees,
he took the child's hand in his, crying as he waited for W'ser's
verdict.

W'ser, being a dragonhealer, didn't really have the authority to be
judging a human patient, but from the looks of it, the fever had
indeed broken, "Let me grab a healer, T'bel. It definitely looks
promising." He said as he turned and went to flag down someone to come
and look at G'wen.

T'bel kissed the boy's forehead roughly, tears streaming down his
cheeks. "Dear dear boy, how the bloody shards did you break that
fever?" He wanted to add, I love you. Instead he smoothed the thick
hair from G'wen's forehead. **Fanth, let Manarth know so G'waren
knows as well**

Last updated on the January 3rd 2012

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Not Long to Wait