Ravenwings (Imaged + Completed) [1st in Trilogy]

Part III: Chapter 54

How Raven would hide his wings in that coat, I wasn't sure, because he could hardly fit them in the car; I had to push them out of the way as I closed the car door behind him. Potatonut, loose in the car, struggled to find a good spot to hide as Raven was constantly trying to refold his cramped wings more comfortably.

"Raven, it's an hour-long drive," I said, stifling a yawn as I pulled out onto Robin Hood Drive. "Are you sure we can't just stop somewhere for humans?"

"Yes, I'm sure," he insisted, taking a deep, pained breath as he wiped an oozing drop of...clear something...from his chest, the wound red, throbbing, and inflamed. Sh*t, that looks pretty bad.

He winced each time the car hit a pothole or a sharp turn, so I did my best to drive more gently, despite my instinct to hurry him there the best I could. I had fragile, precious cargo I didn't want to break. Damn it, why do we have to live out in the middle of nowhere?!

At some point along the way, I looked to the backseat to see Raven leaning against the window, holding his head with his eyes closed, as if in pain.

"Hey, are you okay?" He looked carsick.

He took a deep shaky breath, shivering a little. "I'm cold," he admitted in a quiet, hesitant voice.

"Raven, it's over seventy degrees," I said, reaching into the backseat as I kept my eyes on the road. "How cold could you possibly..." I trailed off as he pressed my hand into his cheek for comfort, and I was aghast to feel that he was way too hot to the touch. Oh f*ck...

I sped up, panicking and cursing myself for ever letting him brush off the injury. Just because you're superhuman doesn't mean we shouldn't be taking your injuries seriously! Raven hardly let go of my hand so I could return it to the steering wheel.

"You're burning up, you've got a fever," I said tensely. "Damn it, I knew we should have left the moment we got home!"

Raven remained as still as a statue and quiet as one too as I started checking on him every two minutes.

"Raven? You good?"

He reached up front, grabbing my hand and clinging with a warm, sweaty palm. He gave me a nod, but it was more than obvious that he was most certainly not good.

"Damn it, Raven, we need a hospital! We need an ER!"

"No!" he burst. "I won't be locked up again, I can't be locked up again..."

I bit my lip, shaking my head. "If you go into septic shock I swear to god...we're only fifteen minutes away, just...hang in there..." My stomach remained in knots as I held onto Raven's shaky hand the rest of the journey.

The stars had shifted in the sky by the time we rolled into the streetlamp-lit parking lot of the Western Trails clinic, Raven still quiet as the dead.

"Come on!" I rushed him the moment I parked the car.

As I looked back, he had a green, nauseous expression, and his forehead glistened with sweat. "I just...one minute..."

"You're getting worse, we need to get you inside-"

"Just wait...I've never been, you know...in public before. Around people... People I don't know, people who..." He trailed off. Though no one was around, he surveyed the scene around us in paranoia, feeling exposed by the un-tinted windows.

"Well...you got this. I'll be right there with you the whole time. You won't even have to say a thing."

"And...how many people do we have to meet? How do we know they're safe?"

It abruptly sank in that Raven had only ever met ten people in his life...including me. And most of the people he'd met had severely intentionally hurt him. "Those awful men you know...no one else is like that. Especially not anyone we're going to meet out here at an animal clinic. I promise."

Raven nodded slowly, taking a deep breath, and delicately stuffed himself into the big coat before I took his hand and led him inside, carrying a disgruntled Potatonut in one arm.

As we got through the doors, I rushed to the receptionist, holding up the cat. "Excuse me, I need an emergency Veterinarian! Quickly, please!"

The receptionist looked up at me, startled. "What's your emergency?" she asked urgently, until her eyes fell on Potatonut and she untensed a bit, besides wrinkling her nose to the smell. "Ah, I see..." She doubtfully added, "You said it was an emergency?"

"He was missing for days, he's lost probably a dozen pounds since we last saw him, we're afraid he might be sick."

"Well...I'm sorry to tell you, but unless it's a life-or-death emergency, Dr. Fike goes home at eleven."

Raven, evidently very anxious and probably now worried about his health too, squeezed my hand so tightly to the receptionist's response it started to ache.

Resuming packing up her purse to leave, she said, "I know it's a scary situation, but unless there's something I'm not seeing, I think you can breathe easy. The good news is he doesn't look to be on death's door. He's certainly hungry and rattled, but perhaps all he needs is some food and some sleep."

"No, please, you don't understand, we really need to see the vet."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help, but I've seen her turn away animals that looked much worse than your kitty right now. We open at seven tomorrow morning; would you like to make an appointment?"

"No, I need Dr. Fike now."

"All due respect, but-"

"I'll pay whatever it costs," I interrupted. "At least have her come see him. Please?!"