The Wolf and The Fox

The Silent Accusation

Robin sighed as she finished the last of her logs for the day; three harvest accidents and an ill child. None of them major in their cases, however they were presented one after another. It was a wonder she had any time to breath that day. She placed her pen in its proper inkwell before stretching in her chair, a few choice pops resounding from her aching body as she sighed in satisfaction. It was the middle of the month, towards the lasting season of the harvest, and she was expecting to get busier between illness and accidents. Just as she had the year previous, she began to muddle the thought of taking on an apprentice, if nothing else to at least give her assistance.

A polite knocking on her side-door for private visiting woke her from her musings. She glanced curiously out the window, first noticing the early evening sky and then the familiar draping of Emily Chase, the wife of Robin's first patient of that day. The holistic doctor smiled and went to open the door for the good woman.

"Good evening, Emily." Robin greeted the slightly older woman with a chaste smile.

"Good evening, Doctor Bridles." Emily greeted in return, her smile bright and warm with welcome. She motioned to her full hands that were draped with a miniature quilt for the kitchen, her eyes brightening with her smile, "This is a thank you from Rodrick and myself for helping us this past season. If it weren't for you, he would never be able to finish the harvest in time." She chuckled nervously at mentioning her accident-prone husband.

Robin blinked in curiosity as she opened the door wider for the woman, allowing her entry as she walked to the adjoined kitchen and dining area. Robin watched her carefully as the jubilee woman placed the clothed item on the table, a heavy thud and grunt bringing to light the heavy weight the good woman had been carrying.

"Emily!" Robin exasperatedly motioned towards the woman as she took long strides to her visitor, "What have I told you about lifting heavy tools?"

"Not to," she sighed and placed a nimble hand to her face with a tired brow, "However, with Rodrick being induced to bed-rest for the next couple of days so his back heals, I had no choice but to bring our gift in town for you." She smiled and waved her hand at the fretful doctor, "I'm used to such loads in my arms, don't worry."

"It's not about you being used to it, it's about being gentle to the growing babe inside of you. Silly woman." Robin lightly chastised as she gently reprimanded the woman's hand. Emily merely chuckled with a shake of her head as the holistic doctor pulled out a chair and firmly placed the good woman within it for much needed rest.

"I thank you, kindly, for your gift, but next time have Jasper or one of Brooklyn's boys run the errand for you, alright?" Robin continued to fret over the woman, who was still in her first trimester, grabbing a quilted blanket from her pantry closet to drape over the legs of her guest.

Emily chuckled lightly again, this time in thanks, and opened her mouth to add to the conversation about this not being her first taste of motherhood. She stopped short as she saw an oddity expose from underneath the doctor's quarter-sleeve and, before she could stop and think, grabbed fast at the woman's exposed arm to examine it closely. A sharp gasp of horror resounded as she received an up-close look at the doctor's secret injury.

"How on God's Earth did you receive this, Robin?!" Emily demanded with a note of terror.

Robin tensed noticeably as Emily pulled the sleeve up higher past the doctor's elbow and saw that the mark went from the outer portion of her right arm to her upper arm where she could not see, possibly to her shoulder. It was a ghastly cut of four rows that depleted to three the further up it went, reminding Emily of when an animal strikes down its prey. She looked on horrified as she wondered with a shudder on what could have attacked the good doctor to cause such a wound.