The Raven and the Wolf

Separated from the Wolf

This chapter's going to be pretty short. But now you get to find out what happened to the Doctor. Do you like it all so far? Read it please, and have a FANTASTIC life!

Ealdor

The Doctor woke up with a headache and a pain in his back. He wasn't in his bed on the TARDIS. His bed was a lot more comfortable, not that he actually slept in it that much. He was, in fact, in a bed, but it just wasn't his own. He sat up quickly and his head hit something hard.

“Ow!” the Doctor and the boy said. The boy couldn't have been more than five years old, and the Doctor was immediately envious of the boy's ginger hair. Although he wasn't very pleased when the boy jumped onto the his stomach, pushing all of the air out of his lungs.

“Who are you?” the boy asked.

“Where am I?” the Doctor said simultaneously.

“Ealdor,”the boy answered.

“The Doctor,” the doctor said simultaneously.

“What?” they both said.

A woman appeared at the door. Dark brown hair framed her face, and blue eyes, similar to the Doctor's previous form's eyes, glared at the boy. “Jethro, leave him,” she said, and the boy hopped off the bed and left the room. “I apologize for him. I try to raise as if he was my own son. My name is Hunith, by the way.”

“So he's not – .”

“No he's not my son. I do have one, but I haven't seen him in awhile. He's in the city.”

“Aren't they always?” She smiled and opened her mouth to say something but decided against it.

“You said you were a doctor?” she asked after minutes of silence.

“Yep,” the Doctor said, popping the 'p'. He motioned for her to continue.

“Do you think that you could help some of our people? I try to help as many as possible, but it's all just a bit over my head.” The Doctor nodded his consent. “Of course, you're my patient right now, but as soon as you're ready I would love your help.”

A few hours later, after the Doctor was fed and hydrated, he decided that it was time to help Hunith with the ill and wounded. He stuck his hand in his pocket for his sonic screwdriver, but it wasn't there. Sure, he'd lost things in his pockets before, finding them years later, but that was only because he forgot about them. He checked to see if anything else that he knew about was missing, and, sure enough, his psychic paper was gone too. Where had they gone? Maybe Hunith's people took them for safe-keeping, he thought hopefully. After searching around the village for a few minutes, he found her caring for a young boy. His brow was covered in sweat, and his black mop of hair was sticking to his forehead. All of her attention was on him as she put a wet rag on his forehead. A sad smile adorned her face as she held his hand and told him to sleep. The boy found no trouble in allowing his heavy lids to drop. Hunith stood up with a sigh and walked over to the Doctor.

“What's wrong with him?” the Doctor asked, pointing to the boy.

“He's running a high fever, and he has an infection in his leg where he was cut.” She lifted the blanket to reveal the wound.

“How'd that happen?” the Doctor asked.

“Boys being boys,” she answered. “He was playing and fell down a hill. His leg fell onto a sharp rock. Even if we can heal it, I'm not sure when or if he'll be able to walk again.”

“Oh, I don't know,” the Doctor said, smiling. “Sometimes children are more resilient than they let on.” The Doctor held his finger to the boy's head. “Yeah, he'll survive. He may not be able to walk on his own and he'll need crutches, but he'll be fine.”

“How do you know?” she asked.

He winked at her. “Because I'm the Doctor.”

“Doctor who?” she asked.

“Just the Doctor.”

“The Doctor?”

“Yep. And in order for me to be the Doctor, at least for your patients, I'm going to need my sonic screwdriver. Well, I say need and it's more like want. Well, I say want and it's more like prefer. Let's just say it will make things easier if I have it. So, do you have it?”

“Have what?” she asked. “What's a sonic screwdriver?”

“It's like this metallic cylinder. There's a blue ball at the top. Ring any bells?”

“I'm sorry, Doctor. We didn't take anything from you.”

“What about Rose? Does she have it? Where is she anyway?”

“Doctor, you were alone when they found you in the the Forest of Ascetir. Whoever Rose is, she wasn't with you.”

Sudden realization hit the Doctor. He remembered what happened. They had taken Rose from him and knocked him out. Most likely, they took his sonic screwdriver and psychic paper as well.

“I have to go,” the Doctor said suddenly. “They took her, and I'm going to get her back.”

“But Doctor, do you even know where they took her?” The Doctor considered this for a moment. “Who are they?”

“It doesn't matter who they are,” the Doctor began angrily. “Because they made things simple. Very, very simple.”

“How?”

“Because they took Rose and now, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me!” The Doctor was practically seething with rage.

“But Doctor, how will you find them?”

“You said I was found in a forest?” the Doctor asked.

Hunith nodded. “The Forest of Ascetir.”

“I'll start there, then,” the Doctor said and stomped out the door. He came back after a few seconds. “Where exactly is that?”

Hunith chuckled. “Doctor, you remind me of my son. You have so much energy, just like him.” The Doctor nodded wondering where this was going. “He would just do things sometimes without even thinking, and he'd get himself into trouble. Doctor, you can't leave right now. The sun is already going down, and it will soon be too dark for you to see. I will have someone guide you to the forest at first light and no earlier.” The Doctor nodded to confirm that he understood. “You are welcome to stay in the same bed for the night.” The Doctor's stomach growled, and Hunith chuckled. “Come. I'll get you some food.”

The Doctor thought that Hunith's cooking was delicious. A nice warm soup was just what his body needed. He wasn't especially cold as he could see the other people were. His superior body didn't feel the cold as much as humans do, but the soup's warmth made the place more homey. It also reminded him of the way he felt around Rose. He was always at home with Rose. She made him feel as warm as the soup did, and he smiled at the thought of being with her. Soon the soup was all gone and the feeling along with it. The Doctor retired to the bed to sleep. He didn't sleep at all.