Sly as a Siren

Part 6

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Wakefulness found her in a large medic tent, lying on one cot among many that lined the walls. Her throat felt like a desert, and the backs of her eyeballs felt as though they were being pinched. She blinked away the grime that had settled in her eyes, squinting as the flap of the tent near her was pushed open and a flash of bright light was allowed in.

A quiet groan issued forth when she levered herself up on her elbows that she may take better stock of her condition. She tried to move her legs under the standard military issue blanket but that proved to be a most painful undertaking. She brought a hand up to her pounding head and for the first time realized that it had been wrapped.

It took a moment to rally herself but she finally managed to push herself into a sitting position on the edge of the cot. All the attending nurses appeared to be too busy with other patience to notice as she pushed herself to her feet.

Her leg had been bandaged nicely as far as she could see, and it wasn't broken so she proceeded to hobble to the tent flap. She was in desperate need of a large drink of water, and the call of nature would need to be attended to promptly as well.

She limped out the flaps and stood blinking stupidly in the sunshine for a long moment, before standing in the entrance caused someone to cuss at her. The maze of military tents was unfamiliar to her and she was left at a momentary loss as to how she would begin looking for the things she needed. This gibbled leg wasn't going to take her very far before she was in a bit of pain.

She grabbed the sleeve of the next orderly that strode past.

"Water?" she croaked out of a dry throat. He paused in his busyness to take in the fact she was one of the wounded that he was supposed to be attending to.

"Water can be brought for you," he began.

"Save your effort for those who really need it" she rasped. Speaking was becoming a rather painful affair.

He gave her a skeptical look but pointed off down the rows of tents.

"Cook tent is off that way, there should be someone there who can get you some."

She limped off in the direction he had indicated and sure enough she came across the cook tent with tables lined outside, most of which seemed to be just emptying from the noon crowd. Already her strength was starting to flag, her overuse of magic rendering exhausted much faster than normal. So, when she saw a familiar face she went a found herself a spot on the bench next to him.

"What'd I miss?" she croaked to Pip.

He turned to her in surprise, eyes wide, mouth still full of food. She reached over and grabbed his mug, downing the contents of it in a few swigs.

"You really feel the need to make a statement," was he exasperated, or awed, she couldn't tell. She just shrugged one shoulder.

"I was thirsty"

He sighed in exasperation. That clearly had not been what he was talking about.

"Did you have something against the City? No, let me guess, you have a grudge against the leadership for....," he adopted a thoughtful look. She leaned her elbow on the table chin cradled by her palm. "Removing your family from a position of power" he guessed. She just smiled at him.

"Or I was just hungry" she snagged a piece of bred off his plate, he jerked the rest of it back with a scowl, guarding it with his forearm.

"Remind me never to let you starve" he muttered like he was cross but the twinkle in his eye belied his acting.