Just A Flesh Wound

3rd of Autumn YSTR 115

“ He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.“

The lizard man struggled to breath as he lay limp on the ground. The movement from the broken arrows that still pierced his body ached tremendously. He was hearing a girls voice along with the sounds of animals. He felt like he had been moved but was to out of it to know how and by whom. He hoped they would show him mercy and help him since he was to weak to escape at this point. However he felt that if they wanted to kill him they could have just left him to die or finished the job already. Granted he could not remember anything, but he felt different and his chest was burning still. He had no idea how many injuries he had but it could not be good if he was in this much pain. He didn't even know how he got hurt in the first place. Too many questions and no answers were available. All he could do now was calmly rest and hope for the best.

As his thoughts raced a new voice hit his ear, deep and gravely of an older man. "By The Fair Lady, Mallow you can't just bring dead animals in here." he seemed to lightly scold her.

"He's not an animal. He's a person, someone shot him I think they mistook him for some animal." The one the man would guess is Mallow said.

"Well." the man said pausing, "Makes sense looks like a croc." he let out a gruff sigh. "Okay okay...lie him out flat. I need to get some things." the man said as he walked away and Mallow set to work gently placing and moving the lizard man's arms out. "Sorry...sorry..." she murmured as she heard the man make pained sounds as she adjusted his arms. The sound of the tavern having faded as people must have taken notice and started to watch the strange sight.

The lizard man moaned in pain as he was adjusted. He then heard the two voices much better now. The pain oddly cleared his senses a bit as he instinctly said, "Owww." They sound made by the girl sounded gentle which was calming despite the pain.

Eventually the other voice returned. "Okay Mallow move out of my way for a second." he said, as the floor boards creaked as the man squatted next to the lizard man. Soon feeling a finger tip touch each arrow. "Those are deep." he commented, "Don't look like hunting tips either." Gideon said. Ripping sounds filled the quite. "You owe me a new sheet after this." he said to Mallow.

"Okay okay just help him." she huffed, like an annoyed child.

"I'm working one it." the man said sounding like something was in his teeth, then their was squeak and pop of a cork. "If you can hear me, this is going to hurt. I need you to not move so the pulls are clean, don't want to waste the time saving you for you to bleed out." the man sounded both sympathetic but cold.

The lizard man groaned as the arrows were being pulled out. He wanted to cry out but his body was so weak and helpless that he lay there motionless in pain as the broken arrows were pulled out by the man behind him. Oddly enough a sense of relief was felt as each arrow was pulled out, much like pulling out a rather large splinter. So as each arrow was removed the lizard man moaned as his mind drifted back and forth from a dream to reality. In the dream he was a child and in an empty room in the dark. Suddenly the moon light lit up the iron bars on his window and revealed he was in a cell as it lit up the iron bar doors keeping him in the cell. He was scared, hungry and alone as he sat on the floor hugging his knees and stared at the moon wondering why he was there and who he was.

The man grabbed each arrow pulling it free and immediately pouring gut-rot alcohol to sanitize the wound. Eventually all the arrows were pulled free and ripped sheets were wrapped in place to keep the wounds from bleeding every where. "You focus on getting him up. I'll get him water and something to eat." he said. Standing and walking away.

"How do we know what he'll eat?" Mallow asked.

"Well if he wants food he'll eat it." Gideon responded.

Once he'd walked away Mallow set to trying to roll him over and sit him up. "Can you hear me?" she asked getting maybe too close.

At this point it was to hard to talk for the lizard man as he could only muster enough strength to moan. So he did the next best thing and nodded as best as he could while he lay in immense pain. He had no memory of his last meal. Well he had no memory of his past at all so it made aware of his basic needs such as food and water. His body ached at the ide of eating and then his stomach growled loudly as the idea of food stimulated his need for it. He was indebted to these people for saving him and he had no idea how to pay them back since he had no idea who he was in the first place. Through his blurry vision be could make out a young female with horns real close to his face. Then he managed to mutter, "Thanks" under his breath to the young girl.

Not long after being sat upright the foot steps of the man returned, along with the smell of food. Though it was hard to pinpoint quite what it was. It being the time of day it was the plate that was presented to the man was sort of a mishmash of what ever they had left from the dinner crowd. Some heavily seasoned crawfish, fried potatoes that seemed seasoned in similar spices, a strange mound of greens and an slice of slightly stale bread. "Eat up." he said placing the dish near that man. "You'll need your strength, and you won't want Mallow's medicines on an empty stomach." he said, as he went back to work behind the bar.

The lizard man was in bad shape but his instincts to survive were still strong. The smell of the food, regardless of what it was, smelled amazing at this point and stirred up the lizard man's appetite. His stomach growled loudly as his mouth opened up on its own to accept the food put in his mouth. It was hard to move his mouth but his body forced him to eat and swallow each bite as if it was going to be his last meal. It was hard to think as he took each bite and a few small tears welled up in the lizard man's eyes making them a bit shiny. When he was done he managed to mutter, "Thank you."

Once the man had finished eating Gideon spoke again. Saying a name the the Lizard man couldn't quite make out and told the person to watch the bar for a bit.

"Aye Aye." a new female voice said from the other side of the bar.

"Okay lets get you on your feet and back to Mallow's house." he said, helping Mallow get him back on the stretcher helping her carry him this time. Between the lost time of pain the man eventually felt himself being laid somewhere softer, "Be safe." Gideon said as he left.

"Get some sleep." the cheery voice of Mallow said "You'll need to wake up soon to get some of my remedies in you but I got to pick them first." she said, "I'll be back in just a bit so rest up."

Mallow moved quietly outside picking a few plants, but the most important being black sage, to help with his pain. The poultice made with it along with a few other plants hurt at first when applied to the wounds but after the initial shock it did a great deal to help the man sleep soundly.

(co-written with LSP)