Aiden's Quest

Chapter 1.5 Part 5

The little child looked over at Jashion's leg.

"Ye's bleedin'," she said.

"Aye," he said, feeling faint and lying down.

She stood and walked over to his other side to have a better look. She crouched down and looked for a few moments.

"Ye need a bandage, ye does."

The cut was about mid-cafe on the right side of his right leg. The pants kept them from having a good look at it.

Jashion began to think. He did need to do something about his leg. He tried to roll up his pant leg, but it was so blood soaked that he could not. A sharp edge rock was in sight.

"Fetch me the rock, will ye," he said to the girl.

She hopped over quickly and brought it to him. It took some time as he worked at cutting the pant leg off just below the knee. The girl watched him for a bit, and then stood up and walked around the area some. She then came back and crouched near him again, and watched.

"Me's Jemma," she said.

Jashion stopped for a moment and looked at her with a smile.

"Glad to know ye, Jemma," he said kindly and then went back to work.

"Who's ye?" she asked.

"Oh, Me's Jashion."

She nodded, and then sat down beside him. He stole another look at her face, and saw the sheer exhaustion. She needed sleep, food, better clothing or a blanket, and shoes. He had none, and needed to take care of himself. But she sat patiently and did not complain.

Finally, he was able to get through the material, and after removing his right shoe, he gently pulled down the lower pant leg and removed it, exposing the wound. Jemma pulled up to her knees and leaned over for a good look. It was a deep gash, but bled less than would have been typical owing to his extreme sympathetic response to all of the trauma. Warriors often survive deep cuts because of their blood being brought deeper into their tissues because of their bodies autonomic response to excitement or danger.

Jemma grabbed the pant leg and began to wander off.

"Where ye goin' wi' that?" he asked.

"Me's goin' to wash it."

Jashion had been so preoccupied that he had not noticed the stream nearby. Jemma was gone for some time. He began to be concerned, but he was in no position to get up. He thought of calling to her, but worried about making too much noise. He lay back, filled with fatigue, and closed his eyes.

The next thing he knew, he felt moist coolness on his aching leg. He opened his eyes and realized that he had drifted into sleep. Jemma was by his side and was attempting to clean his wound with the washed pant leg. He watched her for a few minutes. It was painful, and she was so little, but he let her to her work. Again, he closed his eyes, and again he was awoken by the same sensation. This time he did not open his eyes, but rather drifted off again.

In reality, Jemma cleaned and washed the pant leg over ten times in the stream. The bleeding had not stopped, but it had slowed. Finally, she sat next to him and just held the makeshift bandage on his leg. He snored peacefully. She saw that the bandage was not being filled with blood, and so she let it stay there. Jemma was glad to help this young man, who she knew had saved her life. She was, however, famished. She was also cold. Her feet had spent a lot of time in the cool stream. It felt good on her feet at first, but then she was having a hard time staying warm. Food, a fire, and a place to lay her head were all that she wanted. She saw her doll, and tried to turn the dolls belly into a pillow. It was uncomfortable, and she was so cold. So, she walked back over to Jashion. Jemma could feel his body heat on her feet as she stood next to him. She lay down close and rested her head on his shoulder. Jashion did not move, but rather snored deeply. It was only a matter of moments and Jemma was snoring softly as well.

Thiswooded area was indeed the only place on the path from Dargaer to the lair ofDromreign that was safe from the attack of the dragon. If they had not made itto the woods they would not have survived. This wooded area, however, was not aplace of safety—far from it.elete