Totem of the Bear - World of Ranicke 1

Chapter 2

Over the next few days he tended to wake and eat and sleep.  He was helped to a chair as much as possible to take care of business and Jim hated having to be helped for that.  Eventually Jim was well enough to take care of his needs to an extent.  The dressings kept getting less and less and eventually the White Lady quit coming.  Jim looked at Sorrel and asked.  “Where is the White Lady and when can I get out of here and start taking care of myself?”

Sorrel looked at him and smiled.  “She has moved on since she is a roving healer and has some special powers.  She travels between the clans and acts as a healer and a diplomat.”  She held the tray for him as he ate the food.  “She said that today you can remove the dressings and take a bath as long as it isn’t too long.”  She had what was needed for him.

“Where is here?”  He had been awake enough to see Sorrel, the White Lady, and several other species.  What he wanted to know was where he was.  The information he had gotten from the systems wasn’t a huge deal since it had all been uploaded.  It was rather obvious but the fact that he appeared to be in a different world was more important.  At the moment he didn’t care about the other issues.

She gave him an odd look.  “Um, you are on Ranicke and it has been a week or so since you were injured.”  She carefully helped him up and wrinkled her nose.  He had been bathed several times but it wasn’t the same as getting into the hot springs to get clean.  “I am going to get a carrier to take you over to the bathing area and help get you clean.”

He slowly moved up so he was sitting upright and then looked at her.  “Excuse me?  What world?”  He shook his head.  “Never mind since it doesn’t really matter.”  His brain contemplated exploding but simply wasn’t in the mood for it.  “Clean is good and I think I can take care of it.”  He didn’t realize they used communal bathing areas.  Not knowing how far the bathing area was he didn’t complain about a wheel chair.  Well he assumed a wheel chair.  “Where am I going to be staying?”

She had talked to the White Lady and had been told that he could bathe today as long as he didn’t stay to long in either the cool pool or the hot pool.  “Um you will be staying with me for the time being.  I found you and have been taking care of you as you know.”  She helped him out of the bed and into some loose cloths.

When she helped him up and into some cloths he blushed deeply since she was a good looking woman even she wasn’t totally human.  She was just a bit shorter than he was and was slender.  Sorrel had just the right amount of breast and hips for him though the fur looked sort of odd.  Her clothing wasn’t tight but when she turned just the right way he could see sort of how she looked.  “Um, you don’t need to let me force you out of where you live.  I can use a small tent and cot.”

She looked more than shocked when he said that.  “I don’t think so.  The White Lady told me to take care of you and that means you are going to be in my tent.  I have plenty of room in my bed for you and it will ensure that I can keep an eye on you.”’

Jim blushed even more when she said that and hoped that she wore something to bed.  Normally he went to bed nude but this was going to be different.  As she called for help several people came in and helped him into a carry chair and they picked it up.  He wanted to groan since it felt like he was being paraded in front of others but most of the people didn’t bother looking.  When he settled back in the chair his wounds did complain but nowhere nearly as bad as they had been.  He still drew in a deep breath at the surge of pain.

Sorrel followed the males and once they were at the bathing area she helped him out and into the bathing area.  As they were heading in the direction of the bathing area she could hear his breathing though when she looked could see his teeth clenched as he struggled not to make any noise.  They didn’t have any sort of nudity taboos and she started helping him out of his clothing till he resisted.  “What is the problem Jim?  Don’t you want a bath?”