8.1.27 - Finally Responsive (Tesni)

[Mik]

It had been two days since the rescue battle had taken place. Sanrev had faired well until nearly the end of their struggles when a blunt blow to the side of his head had set off a tremendous ringing throughout his mind and knocked his equilibrium completely off-kilter. His vision had blurred and the last thing he could honestly recall had been the warmth of Sanresk’s dark hide beneath him. How he had made it back to the Weyr, he would eventually find out.

A dragon had been his ride, much to his wher’s argument, but the dragon had talked Sanresk into allowing it, so long as he could be near his Bonded as soon as they landed. The nearly black brown had been in the way while Healers fussed over Sanrev, but no one could rightly tell him to go away. Only his Handler could have told him that. He was unusually docile during that time period, but once his link with his Bonded seemed at peace, he had settled down next to his cot, hind haunches on the floor while his front stressed the cot’s strength at Sanrev’s waist allowing his head to rest on the Guardsman’s chest, gazing at his face as he waited for him to wake while Neek lay against the injured side of his head, bright blue easily noticed against the linens, bandaging, and his Pet’s dark skin and red hair.

Sanrev had woken a few times since then, but there had been no coherence to anything, Sanresk fretting because his Handler was not normal to anyone that would lend an ear. Once again, the dark brown warbled softly, signaling that his Handler was waking yet another time. Sanresk’s? A long pause followed before a feeble, but clear answer processed between them of Sanrev asking if Sanresk was okay.

Suddenly, the tall brown let out a merry bugle, moving to nose at his Handler’s hand, a cracking following from the stress on the cot, as he moved right next to Sanrev's chest where bruising showed the broken ribs hidden under sinew, muscle, and swelling. Sanresk’s okay! Sanresk’s wake! Then he directed another excited speech to the first person he recognized. Person! Sanresk’s wake!

Neek chittered softly as he stirred next to his Pet’s head, feeling the stronger feel of the Guardsman’s mind as he was waking again.

[Kit]

The Infirmary had been busier than ever these last few days. Many had been injured during the rescue of G'rett and all the fighting that accompanied it. Luckily, besides the leader of the rogue riders, none had been killed, and most injuries had been minor enough that the patients had all been released into their own care. But there was one patient that was still in the Infirmary, and Tesni was worried about him.

His name was Sanrev, he was a night guard, and a wherhandler. His injury was a severe blow to the head, and he had not been really conscious since he arrived back at the weyr. Some had been worried that he would never wake, but his wher said otherwise, so they watched him closely and did what they could.

Tesni peeked her head around the curtain that shielded the unconscious man from the public eye and was greeted excitedly by the brown wher Snaresk who claimed his bonded was awake. She hurried to his bedside, putting a small hand on his forehead, out of habit more than that she really worried he was fevered. "Sanrev? Can you hear me?"

[Mik]

Sanrev's senses had come around before his hearing fully registered that the unfamiliar voice knew his name. The touch to his head brought on an instinctive reaction to grab at the wrist of the Healer with a grip that was far less than normal from being unconscious for a few days and only result in temporary red marks as his dark green eyes flew open in confused defense. A trill from Neek and a warbling croon from Sanresk registered quickly enough that his grip relaxed ever so slightly, eyes focusing on Tesni. Another moment passed before the woman's knots registered that she was a Healer and a rider and the comfort of his firelizard and wher determining that she was okay.

Healer help Sanresk's. Sanresk's hurt! Sanresk not leave side. Sanresk told his Bonded worriedly, head inching up the Guardsman's chest to get close to his face.

The redhead sucked in a pained breath as his wher pressured his ribs and he released Tesni's wrist. "Shards," he said breathlessly before moving from under his brown's head, free hand going to a head knob in apology as he tried to shallow his breathing to ease the pain. Eyes drifting back to the Healer, he managed a few more audible words through the pounding in his head. "Who're you?"

Sanresk warbled but settled greatly at the comforting touch of his Handler on his dry hide. He had not had a bath since the battle, only oilings by another Handler because he stubbornly refused to leave Sanrev's side. Neek had disappeared now and again and returned freshly oiled and bathed and only he knew where he had gone and whom had taken care of him.

[Kit]

Tesni did her best to remain calm as the wherhandler grabbed her wrist, more surprised than hurt. But he soon slackened his grip and she assumed his wher had informed him of the situation. "I am Tesni, rider of blue Kaitoth, and journeyman Healer. You've sustained a head injury and have been unconscious for several days. We were quite concerned for you. Do you remember what happened?"

Of course, Tesni knew what had happened, but the extent of his memory loss would at least partly reveal the extent of his injury. It was hard to gauge just from Sanresk, as whers were naturally simpler-minded than dragons. Though she had to admit she'd become rather fond of him in the past few days. He was such and earnest and loyal creature.

[Mik]

Sanrev studied Tesni a long moment before her words sank in. Bluerider Tesni of Kaitoth, Healer. He was safe back at Nova Weyr. A head injury explained the pounding in his head. At least it was not the aftereffects of a fellis induced sleep. Wait. Unconscious? Green eyes drifted to look at his wher who had settled, albeit impatiently, next to the cot, the creaking of the boards telling of the extra weight there. It was a wonder that Sanresk did not break the cot with how he liked to sleep right up against him. Just how did he manage if he had been unconscious?

Person, nice. Person try wake Sanresk's all time. the brown said to his Handler happily, relaying what he recalled of the past few days.

A small smile touched the Guardsman's lips as he replied to his wher. She's okay. She's one to trust. he thought before his eyes returned to the blueriding Healer. "Rescuin' G'rett," he spoke aloud, realizing that the larger breath needed to speak was a bother to his chest. He slowed his words to compensate for his lack of breath. "Last thing I...remember is.....a ring in my head and....Sanresk catchin' me," he answered her, trying to recall more. Just how did he get back to the Weyr if he had been unconscious?

[Kit]

He was even more handsome when he smiled, she decided, though she then chided herself for having such thoughts about a patient. It was terribly unprofessional. In any case, she nodded. That was probably about the point he'd fallen unconscious. The lack of retroactive amnesia was a good sign. He also appeared to be aware of who and where he was.

"A dragon brought you back to the weyr, and we brought you here. That was two days ago now," she said reassuringly. She then noticed the odd way he was breathing and remembered that he'd also suffered some broken ribs. There seemed to be a lot of that going around. "Is your chest hurting you? You've broken some ribs as well. Now that you're awake, I can give you some willowbark tea to ease the pain. Also if you're hungry I'll send someone to the kitchen."

[Mik]

His unspoken question had been answered and he mauled over that response for a long moment. Two days? He had been out for two days? And Sanresk had allowed a dragon to take him? That was surprising.

Sanresk not like idea. Dragon said all okay and safe. Sanresk still not like. Sanresk allow. the brown said, a hint of worry to his voice, but also the happiness that his Bonded was now awake.

Another small smile touched his lips at his wher's attentiveness to his thoughts, absentmindedly rubbing the brown's awkward head knobs and earning a croon from the dark creature. "I'll be fine," he told her with the stubbornness that had kept him alive for so long now. "Bones heal, but somethin'....hot sounds good," he said in answer to her inquiries. At that, he gently nudged Sanresk away and attempted to sit up, wincing from the bending of his body that his ribs were protesting against. That was going to hurt for a while, he was certain.

Neek fluttered to a shelf for a moment while his Pet worked at sitting up. He knew Sanrev would call him when he was settled again.

[Kit]

Tesni grinned at his assertion that he was fine. A lot of the weyr men had been stoic about their injuries. "If you change your mind, it's not difficult to make. But I'll send one of the apprentices to the kitchens for you. I'll be right back."

The Healer Hall had sent a gaggle of apprentices to the weyr to help temporarily and she grabbed one of them and instructed them to bring some klah and soup from the kitchens. Upon reentering the curtained alcove, she saw Sanrev struggling to sit up. "Take it easy now, don't want to aggravate your injuries," she said, standing nearby in case he needed help. Soon the apprentice came back with the tray and set it on the table beside the bed. "If you'd like, after you eat, we have a bathing chamber here as well. It might also help with the pain," she said conversationally. Most sick people wanted a bath as soon as they could.

[Mik]

Sanrev offered the Healer a smile this time. One that said he was not going to change his mind any time soon for her. She disappeared while he worked at sitting up, returning by the time he was halfway. He closed his eyes against the dizziness from his head injury, pausing a moment. He finally moved to sit up fully, feline green eyes remaining closed for another several moments before he opened them slowly. He gazed up at the dragonriding Healer a moment before responding to her offer as Sanresk stepped up again, much more docile now, laying his head on the cot next to his Bonded. "Some numbweed'll do...just fine. Sanresk...needs a bath more than me," he told her with the affection of a Handler to his wher, much like that dragon and rider bond affection.

Sanresk crooned at the prospect of a bath with his Bonded at hand. A bath would feel very good to his dry and healing hide.

Neek whistled softly from his perch on the shelf, waiting for a shot at his Pet's food.

[Kit]

Tesni nodded. "There's no reason Sanresk can't use the tub if he'd like. I'd be happy to help you with that, as soon as you've eaten." Now that wasn't really her job, but she'd taken a bit of a liking to the brown wher. Besides, she suspected that Sanrev would do it with or without help and then he'd likely injure himself more. And it was certainly her job to prevent that. At least this is what she told herself, refusing to admit that she might have a soft spot for the handler as well as the wher.

"My firelizards can help too, they do all the time with Kaitoth." She aimed her mind at them and then tenuous link they shared. Indra was harassing a crawlie she'd found under the bed while Itzal sunned on the ledge. The brown flit noticed her mental attention and she showed him an image of coming to the infirmary with Indra. Immediately he flitted over to the gray and began to cheep at her inistetently. After a few moments, they popped from between and settled on Tesni's shoulders with a minimum of squabbling. "The brown is Itzal and the gray is Indra."

[Mik]

Sanrev glanced at his wher a long moment before looking back to Tesni and her introduction of her firelizards, then his gaze drifted to the bright thing on a shelf that was his firelizard. Neek chirped at the mental nudge from his Pet and flitted quickly to the cot, stepping on Sanresk's head to stretch his neck and touch his Pet's face with his bright muzzle and a soft croon. He could not help but notice that Neek's hide was well cared for compared to Sanresk's and he gently prodded the blue for an answer. A smile touched his lips again. Neek was quite smart and his memory of people and places was excellent for his color. "This is Neek. I guess my brother...was taking care of him...for me," he finally spoke to the Healer woman.

Neek finished his nuzzle to his Pet before looking to Tesni, knowing he was being introduced, then he moved toward the food he smelled.

With a sigh that caused a wince, the redheaded guardsman met Tesni's eyes again. "You sure Sanresk's......gonna fit?" he asked in concern. His brown was an unusually tall and long wher. The tub would have to be a good size to accommodate the nocturnal creature. Sure, he had not accepted her offer to help him as of yet, but Sanresk had his little group of people he liked.

Rider,Healer nice person! the dark wher told his Bonded happily.

[Kit]

Tesni smiled at the firelizard. "I did wonder where he was getting off to, but he and Sanresk were very well behaved nonetheless. That was nice of your brother. But yes, we have big tubs we use to bathe young dragons when the weather is bad, and if you've seen a six month old bronze, they're quite a bit larger than Sanresk. They aren't kept full but it won't take long to get it ready if you'd like to try. And I can get you some numbered in the meantime. I'd eat first though. The smell of numbweed could put a firelizard off their apppetite," she said with a wrinkle of her nose. Itzal cheeped as if offended by her remarks and she scratched his head to soothe his temper.

[Mik]

Sanrev sat quietly another long moment, rolling the information over and over in his mind. At least his creatures had been well behaved. He always worried about that with how excitable and protective they got once in a while. He thought of the size of the young bronzes he had seen in his lifetime and mentally compared them to his bigger than average wher. The Healer had a very good point. Deciding that there was no way to fend off Neek from the food, nor get himself past the dragonriding Healer, he made a motion for the food. "I'll eat," he finally spoke simply, feline green eyes seeking out Tesni's....pretty eyes. He quickly shoved that thought aside, knowing that he did not need any distraction at the moment if he was to succeed in giving Sanresk a good bath.

[Kit]

Tesni smiled, a glint of triumph in her eyes, as she handed Sanrev the plate of food. Big burly men were always the most difficult patients, convinced they could do everything themselves. The Weyrsecond had been no better from what she'd heard, and she'd tended the grumpy Candidate Master herself. He seemed to take his broken collar bone as a personal insult. But she enjoyed the challenge of bullying them into doing what was best for themselves, and the satisfaction of seeing them well again.

This guardsman in particular intrigued her, perhaps partly because he had not known him before the rescue mission. Of course, she knew there were other wherhandlers in the Weyr besides Arktos and Tess, but she had never met one. She thought whers were fascinating creatures.

Well, I am much more attractive and fascinating than any wher. Kaitoth grouched from his ledge.

Of course you are dear Tesni said to soothe the blue. Of course, she would never want to replace her dragon, but that didn't keep her from being curious. She leaned up against the counter, idly stroking the heads of her firelizards while she waited for Sanrev to finish.

[Mik]

Sanrev carefully took the plate, wincing from the strain on his wrist. Must have damaged that a bit, too. He had done a number on himself this time. Neek's nose followed the food from Tesni's hands to his Pets where he dared to get his tongue on there for a treat. Sanresk sat quietly, calm, happy eyes watching his Handler closely as soft croons vibrated from him. He could not be happier that his Bonded was okay and awake now.

Sanrev stared at the food on the plate, waiting for something to attract his senses. Now that he was sitting up, he was not very certain that he did want to eat at the moment. Neek's bright blue head with its sneaky tongue soon changed his mind as he picked up a breadroll and dipped it in the soup. He never liked things normally. Neek scored the small meatroll while his Pet was busy putting soupy bread into his mouth. Feline green eyes glared at his firelizard silently, receiving a triumphant chitter in return.

A short while later, the guardsman's stomach had had enough and his wher scored a bite along with his firelizard again before he looked up at the Healer woman. "I ain't eatin'...no more," the redhead told her pointedly. He knew that he had not eaten enough, but his stomach was full and he knew when to stop.