The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 49

                                                       Joann

All I could do was mop his damp forehead. I felt so helpless against this. Torl had died. Sean was probably next. It didn't seem likely he would pull through. Behind Sean was Maisies elderly grandmother. She had gone from having delusions to being quiet quickly. Kroser had stopped pulling at his bindings a couple hours ago. That couldn't be good.

I heard something going on at the edge of camp, and briefly wondered who would be joining the quarantine next.

A few minutes went by, and Lieutenant Apin came in. The shelter wasn't much more than an earthen berm made by earthcasters, and given a roof of woven sticks and grass made by the clean up teams warriors. Apin held a large satchel, and a letter out to me.

I smiled bleakly, "Now they have you working as a messenger too? You better get a raise."

He shrugged, "Maybe. I do have some urgent news though, and things you will want to read."

I was astounded as he dropped the entire satchel at my feet. When would I have time to read all of this?

Apin seemed to be reading my mind. "Start with this. It's a letter from your father to Captain Harris."

I snatched it from him, hungry for news from people I loved. Hungrier than I thought possible as my eyes teared up while reading his familiar script. His words were comforting, reassuring.

I felt strength I didn't realize I'd lost seeping back into me. I dug through the satchel for the letter I knew would be there. The script was wobbly, and letters were either too large or too small, but the message he wrote was clear, "I will keep you safe momma."

I sobbed. "Oh, my boy. My sweet, sweet boy."

I took a moment before gathering myself together and looking at my three charges nearest death. "Full body cold baths," I mumbled. "How?" We didn't have even one tub, and none of the Veneran tubs would fit a Lycant warrior properly. I looked around myself. Earthcasters, large warriors, nurses, a river. A cold, cold river. "River."

"River?" Apin asked.

"Full body cold baths for everyone who needs one. Get rope. Get earthcasters building something we can secure ropes to. I'm going to get others gathered for moving them, and stoking up a fire for when they come out."

Apin blinked at me curiously, but nodded, and left. He spoke to the Venerans in camp, while I spoke to the Lycants. I spoke to the warriors, and nurses. "I have need of you. Finton is going to be getting help from far away. Great healers, with far more training than I have, are going to be communicating with us. By law, none can be here at this time to help. However, hopefully, we will be able to save more people."

A grizzled old warrior named Argin spoke. "There are over 50 people and Lycants here now, young healer. This is an awful blight. Do you think we will make it?"

I stood my ground. "Argin, I do not have all the answers. You are right that this is an awful blight. The only thing I do know with all certainty is that we have to fight this blight, or none of us will make it. We are being armed with knowledge. Are you ready to help in the fight?"

That had their full, undivided attention. All ears were facing me, not so much as a whisker twitching. "Good. Now, the ones with higher fevers will get this treatment first. They will be put in the river to be cooled down. We will use ropes to keep them from being washed away in the current. When they come out they will be placed near a fire, and turned every so often. It will be hard to move everyone, and make sure the ones in the river aren't drowning, and the ones by the fire aren't cooking. Along with all of that, these people will still need to eat and get rest. I will also need time to work on them in a tub."