Dragon Rider

Chapter 4

"Fuck!" I holler, dropping my Saber as the holographic person disappears, and I grab my damaged shoulder that is causing me pure agony. Harshly breathing, I cannot focus on the three Instructors staring at them with wide eyes, mainly Rivers. Instructor Ronning removes my shaking hand from the wound, so he can inspect the wound while River grabs the Emergency Medical Kit from the wall, and Instructor Boyd uses the Intercom to call Medical for someone to come down for me.

"Larken, stay awake, okay?" Instructor Ronning requests, and I bring my unblinking gaze to his worried expression.

"It hurts," I whimper as Instructor Ronning helps me to sit on a bench fastened to the wall behind us.

"I know it hurts, but this will be taken care of soon, okay?" he assures, and I whimper in reply as he pokes around the wound.

"River, I need a bandage and tape to keep the wound covered until a medic shows," Instructor Ronning requests, and River hands him the requested items, and hiss in pain as he presses the bandage to the wound before tapping it into place.

"Why did the program glitch?" I whimper as the pain flares again.

"Not sure, Larken, but it will be looked into, I promise," River replies, a deep frown on his face as his eyes search my face.

"I think I am gonna be sick," I whimper, wrapping my arms around my stomach as bile crawls up my throat.

River instantly places a vomit bag in front of me just in time for me to spew into the bag. When I start dry heaving, River removes the bag, tying it shut before tossing the bag into the nearest receptacle bin. I give him my silent thanks for not making a disgusted face at my vomiting, and I appreciate this. Breathing deeply through my nose, slowly, trying not to vomit again from the pain.

"Medic will be here in a few moments," Instructor Boyd says as she comes over to us with a worried expression on her face.

Leaning my head back against the wall, closing my eyes as my wound pulses with it's own beat.

"Larken, stay awake, and keep talking to us," River demands, his voice slightly shaky.

"I am awake," I mumble, keeping my eyes closed. "What do you want me to say?"

"Say anything as long as it keeps you awake," Instructor Ronning comments with a light chuckle.

"Okay. I am juggling between becoming a Warrior and a Scout, just like my dad and papa," I tiredly mumble. "I am leaning more toward being a Warrior like my dad because I do not have the stealth needed to be a good Scout. I think my dad is proud of Laria where I think he is disappointed with me because I am not as athletic like he is. I know being a Warrior needs athleticism, but I want to make him proud of me."

"I am sure your dad is equally proud of you and your sister," Instructor Boyd says. "There is more to being a Warrior than athletic."

"Every time as a child when I asked him to train me while he was training, he would ignore me, or outright tell me he would not. He would train with Laria whenever she asked," I mumble, rolling my head toward her with dull, opened eyes. "After years of this, I finally stopped asksing."

They do not reply because the doors open, and two Medics enter, and make their way over to us, and kneel down in front of me once the Instructors have moved. Instructor Ronning explains to them what happened, and the Medics exaimne the wound with probing fingers and eyes, making me hiss in pain, and thickly swallowing down the bile that is rising.

"Let's get you down to Medical to care for the wound," the male Medic states with a weary smile.

He and the female medic help me slowly stand to my feet, and I grit my teeth in the agony of my shoulder.

"We will take our walking speed at your pace," the female Medic says, and I grunt in response.

An hour later, my wound has been tended, and I have been given pain medication, and sent to my rest quarters to rest. I need to rest and take things easy for two days, and have someone at Medical check my injury in four days to make sure everything is healing properly. Sighing as I enter my rest quarters, I carefully lay on my back on top of my made bed. Staring at the ceiling with my right arm resting on my stomach, and my left arm bent under my head.

Closing my eyes to rest for a while before grabbing someting to eat for dinner. That is my plan at least until there is a loud knock on my closed door, and I try to ignore whoever is outside the door. They are persistent though, so I groan as I climb off the bed to answer the door with slight irritation. Outside the door is my sister, Mercy, and River.

Raising a tired eyebrow at them; "Yes? How can I help you three?"

"River told us what happened to you earlier," Laria states, her voice high ptiched. "Why did you not tell me? Have you contacted our parents yet? They need to know!"

"Laria, I love you greatly, but I am exhausted, and I just want to sleep for a while," I groan win an eye roll as I turn to lie back on the bed, leaving the door open. "No, I have not told them yet, and sorry for not telling you."

"They are gonna freak out," Laria states with a frown as the three of them enter the room, and River shuts the door behind them. "I think you should call them now."

"I will later," I grumble. "I do not feel like being yelled at for screwing up my hologram program."

"Daddy will not do that, and you know that, Larken," she sigh, and an eye roll of her own.

Mercy and River remain silent as Laria and I argue over this topic.