In a strange world as a Doppelganger

Chapter 21 - A helping hand

Sleep wasn't easy to come by. I kept waking up, clammy with sweat, throughout the night. When daybreak finally came I could tell that sleep had not restored me. My arm has a gross spot that's been colored black and purple around the puncture. Definitely infected or poisoned by the sting yesterday. There is a sickly pulsing that's almost visible as well. Just crawling out of the hole hurt immensely. Today, again, the rat is already up and eating. Considering how little time I spend with the rat, I almost nothing about its behaviors. The badger has been laying around for a while and I bet that the goblins have been treating themselves to it. Not going to eat from that anymore. It's still on my to do-list to ask the goblins about it. I should try visiting them at some point, after I gain a level. My reasoning is that I'll feel more safe by then. 

By the time I get to the river, and it was significantly slower than usual, the beating in my arm is excruciating. A frog visibly flinches when I exit the treeline and step down the mud bank, though it quickly goes back to its business. Sitting down on a stone with my feet in the water, I take a look at my arm. In my periphery I see another frog come up, a level two, and just stand on the other side. It's just keeping an eye on me, not really showing any hostility. I poke and prod at the small hole in my arm. Some gross smelling pus comes out and then a fair amount of blood. Dear lord, that hurts. I keep pressing on it while holding my arm under water until there is only fresh blood coming out. When I lift the arm up and inspect closer I can see something stuck in there, a stinger I'd think. I bring out a knife and consider how to best go at this, I should prepare something to tie my arm with as soon as I'm done digging in it. As I am sitting there, contemplating how to perform surgery on my arm in the safest way, I hear splash sounds coming near. The level two frog is coming towards me, no weapons drawn. I look up and give it a quizzical look. Level two frog holds out a hand and nods at my arm, I hold it up. Grabbing it carefully, the frog gives it a look over and pokes it very gently, I wince. Letting go of my arm the frog makes a gesture with its hands, motioning for me to stay and then bounds off into the woods. Before disappearing it gives the level one a quick croak. 

While waiting, I regularly rinse off my arm in the fresh stream. There is some movement and gossip among the frogs nearby. They keep coming up to the one nearest to me and talking with it and looking at me. Thankfully, everyone is honoring the truce. When the level two comes back to the river, there is a small gathering of level ones around. They quickly scatter after the level two gives them an angry sound. It's carrying a small pack of some kind, wrapped in big leaves. Frog motions for me to get off my rock and then places the pack on there instead. Inside there is a set of small tools that look to be made from bones or something similar. There is also a smaller leaf-pouch inside. The frog sits down in the water and gestures for me to do the same. It feels around on the bottom of the stream for a moment and picks up a fairly square rock. By placing using twine of some sort to tie up the ends of two long bone pieces and pushing the rock down their length it's suddenly holding a pair of tweezers. It holds out a hand and I offer my arm. The tweezers is put back on the rock and the smaller pouch is retrieved. From the small leaf, the frog pours a coarse powder and herb mixture into its mouth and starts chewing. Very quickly then, the frog grabs the tweezers and jams them into my arm. I try to pull my arm away as a reaction but it's being held firmly. With a quick flick of its wrist, the frog pulls out a small sharp object that is about half an inch in length. The small stinger is tossed away and the bone implement is washed in the river. To finish this up, the frog spits the powder mix into its hand and applies it to my wound. At first it burns hot and then quickly cools down. The leaf the powder was kept in is then pressed down over it and the frog instructs me to press down hard. 

The level two left me sitting in the river as it packed the items back up and left again. How long was I supposed to hold this? I am fairly certain that this one and I don't know the same language. After what feels like an hour, the frog that's been fishing on the other side from me waves at me. When I look up it makes a motion as if removing a hand from its arm and washing it. Tentatively I copy what it's doing and then look down at my injury. Most of the blackened veins have gone and the throbbing is minimal. There is still some significant swelling and redness but the results are brilliant. I wave back and make my way toward the clearing again. 

Is it just me or is the rat growing fat? I didn't react until now but I am sure it's grown around the belly. As long as it's healthy i don't mind. Could be that it had grown thin from resting after I hurt it to be fair. I'll make sure to bring more food back soon. It's still noon and I am just sitting in the grass when I hear rustling in the bushes. It's a goblin, carrying a neatly folded badger hide.