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Arri & Dae
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A'Rillia sent the young woman off to get the supplies from Jindalie and Baeta with a small sigh of relief. Things were rough enough for her right now tihout having to comfort young dragonriders too eager to help out. At least if she was off rounding up hatchlings, Arri didn't have to try and explain where she'd been for so long. She wasn't ready for that part yet.

This was not what she had expected at all, the healer mused as she swabbed antiseptic on a cut belonging to an unfamiliar face. She was supposed to follow Mother into the fire, and somehow she ended up back in the Warren. Then after finally resigning herself to being around for a while longer, there was no more Warren.

A'Rillia paused for a long moment, trying to bend her brain around that thought. No more Warren. Even if the people there managed to survive, the place wouldn't be safe to return to for years, likely. They would have to make do.

<:Gods, Dae - my instrunments, my herbs... everything is gone.:>

The dragon, settled outside the tent and quietly watching others land, sent a wave of comfort and affection.

<Well, hopefully when things calm down, Carie will let us teleport back for the important things. We'll be okay for now.>

The healer nodded and rubbed her gloved hands idly across the short spikes that covered her scalp. Just like the hair. She'd manage somehow.

The flood of faces seemed endless. Was it just that she was too tired to be doing this, or were there really all that many people there? Perhaps a little of both, the thought as she took a minute to walk outside and catch the breeze.

In the distance, she picked out dragons... red, black, green, peach, midnight blue...

<His rider is here too, but I think he's mates with Jindalie's rider now.>

Arri looked at Grall for a moment and suppressed a laugh when her stomach wrenched. Well, it was only to be expected. Jindalie was a wonderful person, and if he was seeing someone else, she could just ignore that slow crawling feeling every time she saw him.

<Shall I tell him you're here?>

<:No point, he's happy and I won't mess with that. And besides, you're awfully hard to miss, my love.:> She rubbed the great silver's hide affectionately and watched T'rend and Baeta talk and hug in the distance while Ailill unloaded the supplies. 

Two or three young men picked up the supplies and jogged past her into the medical tent, sparing her a nod and a quiet "M'lady". She was NEVER going to get used to that honorific, she concluded. No matter how much they tried.

Settling down beside the tent flap, out of the worst of the sun, Arri closed her eyes and tried not to think too much. She didn't manage to rest for nearly as long as she might like to have when she sensed a dragon spiraling in for a clumsy landing. Well, clumsy for a dragon, but considering everything they'd all been through, not too bad of one.

<It's Ribbon. Her rider seems awfully upset about her hatchling.>

Hatchl... Oh yes, right. Lakoda had a baby.

<:Can you tell Ribbon I'll be right there?:>

<No Arri, you rest. Someone's talking to her now anyway. And Fiera's rider is going over there, so I assume they're okay. It will keep.> The dragon scowled mentally at Arri  and added <You. Rest. Don't make me sit on you.>

<:Okay love, okay.:>

"Gael?"

The woman who had helped her so much with the dragon illness before she left started at the sound of her name. A'rillia was too tired to ask - or care - how she'd managed to get there if she wasn't a Rider. Probably hitched a ride.

"M'lady A'rillia, you're alive. Most of us as thought you were dead," began the woman while she struggled to curtsey and balance a tray of wet washcloths.

"Easy, easy. Don't fret on me. I will explain later. For now, could you make sure I'm not disturbed for a few minutes?" The healer walked into the back of the medical tent and arranged herself on a cot. "I need a catnap."

Gael chuckled. "Yes m'lady."

<:You tell me the INSTANT Lakoda is done, you hear? We need extra h me and let me have a look at you."

<Arri, Ribbon says she's waste-sick. She forgot who her *DRAGON* was...> supplied Daetyn with some indignity, <How do you *forget* that?>

<:You get waste-sick. All the more reason I need to get at her somewhere quiet.:>

"Besides, little raven, the dragon tells me you're suffering from the effects of waste sickness, and I really need to examine you if thats the case," chided the healer softly. "Please let me look you over."

When Lakoda didn't move, Arri reached out to take her hand. This time, the little woman didn't resist. Slowly, with halting steps, she allowed herself to be led toward the medical tent.

"Who did you leave Talera with, if she isn't with you?" 

"Sina," replied Lakoda with a choked sob, "C'tain told me to."

"She is in as good of hands as she can be, then," said the elder woman as she sat Lakoda down in a chair under the edge of the tent. An orderly ran over with wet cloths and some antiseptic, setting them on the table beside her. "Now lets see what we can do to help you."

Arri took off the gloves and laid her hands gently over Lakoda's temples with a wince. Hopefully she wasn't TOO hurt.

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**time passes -- assuming later that day**
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The blonde healer took a break to sit outside and enjoy the last of the sunset. It had been one of her longer days, but she felt good to feel useful again.

Once she helped Lakoda through the worst, they started taking shifts through the rest of the afternoon and evening. The beginnings of a pounding migraine slowly blossomed through the course of the day until a few minutes ago, when Arri had to beg off and leave. Between the Healing, not eating anything and the antiseptic fumes, she was feeling very unwell at that point.

Fresh air was doing wonders. Food would do more, she thought as she rummaged in her sleeping dragon's saddlebags for some fruit. It was a good thing the dragon always had some food and a rucksack with a sleeping bag hooked up to her. The healer's tendency to run off on late night jaunts finally paid off.

<How is Ribbon's rider?>

<:As well as can be expected,:> Arri replied betweek mouthfuls of fresh peach. <:She's still very frightened, but I can dampen a certain amount of that by tying off certain parts of her energy. Honestly, she needs food and rest too, and I think I'm going to shut her down soon. There is only so much I can do.:>

The healer paused thoughtfully.

<:It was very strange trying to Heal her. There was this huge... space ...in her mind from when she teleported to when she got here. There's a sense of loss and confusion, and of being *alone*, but nothing concrete.:> She dropped the peach pit to the ground. <:I don't know if that's because the memory isn't there, or because it's wrapped in the sickness somehow. I didn't pry. If it isn't there, I may not ever be able to help her remember. And I've got one hell of a headache for my troubles.:>

Arri hugged her dragon fearfully. <:I can't imagine that. Not even for a minute. Being without you. Or worse, being with you and not knowing.:>

A wash of affectionate worry came from the dragon. <Me either. Tell Ribbon's rider to get some rest and then find a shady spot to sleep. You need it, and I'll be here.>

The dragon was right, as much as her rider hated to admit it. The aches and pains had settled into more than her head now - her shoulders, knees, back - if she didn't sit soon, she was going to fall. 

Working on Lakoda had taken a little more out of her than she expected or than she would admit, but she didn't know any other way to fix that splitting of the mind that came from waste sickness than the strange ability through her hands.

The sun had dropped now, and stars were winking in, both in tiny fires on the ground and between patches of cloud in the sky. The exhausted woman held hands that felt far too brittle this night to the moon and sent a silent prayer of salvation. The silvery light filled her closed eyelids while the wind whispered in her ears for a long moment of reflectful silence.

Arri walked back into the Medical tent to see Lakoda stitching up a small cut in some young Rider's knee. He probably fell off his dragon and knocked himself across a rock somewhere, she mused.

"Lakoda..."

"Yes-mother-I'm-coming," the other healer replied in a singsong, "I know, I know. Just let me finish this up. I'm about ready to start eating bandages."

"I have some fruit and sandwiches in the saddlebags, and there should be enough supplies around here for us to make actual food if you want it. Jindalie and Baeta brought quite a bit back." Arri laughed. "Besides, bandages would give you the WORST case of indigestion, trust me."

Koda nodded and tied off the wound. "I guess they would at that." Standing and looking at Arri, the young woman held her hands to the small of her back for a moment. As soon as her patient left, a tear rolled down the young woman's cheek. "Do you think she's okay, Arri? Do you really?"

The elder woman walked over and hugged Lakoda reassuringly. "I' sure she's right as rain, little one. Right as rain." Smiling, she added, "But for now, come on and let me get you something to ea..."

<Incoming, Arri. He's carrying someone who's really badly hurt and I don't know him OR the dragon. He's not one of ours, but he's asking for help.>

Lakoda's eyes met Arri's and they sighed as one.

"It never ends, does it, little one?"

"Nope. Not until they bury us, I don't think. Let's go see how many pieces of him there are." replied Koda as she rubbed her eyes and headed for the door.

Arri threw a plum at her. "Well, at least eat that on the way. We can't help him if we drop dead of hunger either."

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Barb:
Well, I wrote in a little time for your argument with Martyn and changed it from panic to anger (I don't really know why at this point - probably mostly due to being kissed by a stranger - I don't imagine Koda would like that.) Arri still won't be able to get at what happened while Lakoda couldn't remember either. That doesn't mean she can't function, but I think it's because some part of Lakoda is ashamed of not remembering - draconic/rider post-traumatic stress syndrome or something. Hope this is okay.

Dave:
The calvary's coming, dear. :) Just let me get some fruit into the surgeon before she falls down on her face from exhaustion. Talk about the pot and the kettle. :)