The New Assistant Healer

[Esme]

Ana stood outside the Infirmary door, feeling a little nervous about was ahead of her. She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, before knocking on the door and jumping back a little.
No answer. Her long ears waved a little, and then she started gathering her courage to open the door.
When she did, it was to find several patients sleeping, but no sign of the Infirmary Keeper, Roseleaf. She'd been told that she was to report here, but if there was no sign of her, should she go and find her...?
Ana shook her head and carefully made her way into the Infirmary, looking around to see if there was anything she could do. Noticing an unfinished label on the desk, she examined it, and then wrote out a new one, leaving it on the desk for her superior's inspection when she returned.
Determined to do something, at least, she picked up a broom and then started to sweep the room, trying not to bump into anything like she normally would.

[Grath]

“Excuse me.” A haremaid stood in the open doorway of the infirmary, paws on her hips. She looked rather irritated to find a random leveret in her infirmary. “Exactly who are ye and wot are ye doin’?”

Roseleaf moved towards the younger haremaid, reaching out to take the broom. “I’ve told and told the instructors, not to send you miscreants up here without telling me first. There’s no reason they can’t discipline ye themselves. I am not here for the sole purpose of keepin’ their classes in line.”

She tilted her ears, raising one eyebrow demandingly. “Speak up now, who are ye and why are ye up here?”

[Esme]

Without the broom, and taken by surprise, Ana stumbled a little over her footpaws, but managed not to fall over. Realizing that this must be her new superior, she immediately stood to attention.
'Anastasia Greeneye, Ma'am, reporting for duty, wot! I'm th'new Assistant Healer for the Infirmar-yeek!'
Unable to keep her balance, Ana managed to trip over her footpaws-despite the fact that she was standing still-and fell straight into the haremaid that had questioned her.

[Grath]

Startled, Roseleaf barely caught the young haremaid. As soon as possible she set her on her feet, dubious though that support seemed. Great seasons, how had she gotten stuck with this one? There were always some leverets wanting some healing training, but this one seemed so clumsy it was likely the Patrol wasn’t even an option. What was she supposed to do with a green, wet behind the years recruit?

Roseleaf sighed. The way this was going she’d probably end up dropping every single fragile thing she touched. She’d better keep her away from the stillroom, then.

“Who decided this? Was it that idiot badger? Dumb barbarian should know better than to decide on things like this without my input. Well? Speak up!” She glared at Ana again, arms akimbo.

[Esme]

Ana blanched and pulled back a little. 'I don't know, Ma'am. All I know is, I can't scout or Gallop for the Patrol.'

She had been standing slightly out of view before, but now that Roseleaf had set her upright again, it was clear to see the reason why she couldn't run like the other leverets could.

Thick scars were wrapped around her ankles, cutting deep into the flesh there. Despite the fact that they were clearly old scars, no fur grew in the area, making them stand out even more against the fur that grew on top and below them. When looked at closely enough, chain marks could be seen, even as Ana scuffed the floor with one footpaw nervously.

'I can learn, Ma'am, and learn well. I came top o' my class in the school. And I would have been up here earlier, but I was in the library doing some research and lost track of time.'

[Grath]

Roseleaf rubbed the arch of her nose, closing her eyes. Just great, and they’d sent her a cripple. How long had this girl been at the mountain? Obviously those scars were very old—perhaps from before Roseleaf’s time as Infirmary healer. Hadn’t they given the poor child physical therapy to strengthen her ankles? She sighed. It didn’t seem likely.

“Fine. But you’re staying out of the stillroom and if I catch ye handling glass you’re out, understand? Its expensive and I can’t have it shattering all over the floor.”

She pointed the broom at the closest empty bed. “Now let me look at your feet. There’s no reason we can’t do something about them. If you’d been given the proper exercises whenever you were found I’m sure you wouldn’t have a lot of the problems you have now. Sit!”

[Esme]

Ana sat on the bed, lifting her ankles up. 'They tried, but it was too late. I was being held by a group of vermin when they found me. The Sarge didn't hesitate to charge in and kill'em all.'
She fiddled with a gold bracelet as she stared at the chain marks. 'They think I was six at the time. The chains hadn't been adjusted from when I was taken, so they'd dug in as I grew. The exercises they gave me helped a little, and I can use a rapier, but I can't run for th' Patrol like the others can.'
She blinked sadly, and then smiled at her comment about glass items. 'And I try to avoid handling glass if I can, anyways, wot!'

[Grath]

“Psh, its never too late. Ye were young, still growing. I don’t know why they didn’t bring ye to the healer. Kemmy would have set ye straight.” As she was talking, Roseleaf was gently inspecting the haremaid’s ankles and feet, running her fingers over the scars, bending the foot back and forth, probing the muscles and tendons with strong fingers.

“I want ye to do sets of these as much as possible during the day.” To demonstrate Roseleaf flexed Ana’s foot and ankle back and forth and side to side. “I also want you to do heel-toe rocks. Stretch up as much as possible when you go onto your toes, then lean your upper body forward when you lean onto your heels. I want you to feel the stretch in your muscles and tendons.”

The infirmary keeper stood, paws crossing under her chest. “Do them as much as you can, but don’t overdo yourself. I’m also going to have you start running. In the sand.”

[Esme]

Ana nodded, wide-eyed. 'The-the exercises I'll gladly do, Ma'am, but running? In the sand? I-I'm not sure that's a good idea..'

She copied the movements for a moment, letting everything Roseleaf had said sink in. The comment about her still being young was true, but there was a bit more to it that she needed to say.

'It-it wasn't just the wounds, Ma'am.' She sighed before continuing. 'The Sarge that rescued me told me about it, Ma'am. He said that... after those chains came off, I crawled straight t'one of the vermin, and started tugging on a bracelet it was wearing.'

She slipped the bracelet off and lifted it up so it could catch the light, glinting slightly. It was worn, but the engraved pattern of an never-ending knot could still be seen on the side.

'Old Sarge Onestrike, he said... he said that I was only repeatin' one word, over and over. 'Mama's'.' Ana trembled, but kept going. 'I don't remember any of it, though, Ma'am. The first thing I can remember... Is waking up here, in the Infirmary, a year afterwards.'

Her paws were trembling slightly, but she carried on with her tale, knowing that it might have a bearing on the exercises that Roseleaf had given her. 'It took me three years t'walk again, and that was with the exercises they gave me before. At the time, they made it clear that I wouldn't be able t'run for th'Patrol. I still can't remember anything that happened before th'day I woke up, either...'

[Grath]

Ana nodded, wide-eyed. 'The-the exercises I'll gladly do, Ma'am, but running? In the sand? I-I'm not sure that's a good idea..'

Roseleaf’s eyebrows shot up, and her mouth pressed into a thin line. But before she could come up with a response that wasn’t likely to send the girl into tears, she spoke again.

'It-it wasn't just the wounds, Ma'am.' She sighed before continuing. 'The Sarge that rescued me told me about it, Ma'am. He said that... after those chains came off, I crawled straight t'one of the vermin, and started tugging on a bracelet it was wearing.'

'It took me three years t'walk again, and that was with the exercises they gave me before. At the time, they made it clear that I wouldn't be able t'run for th'Patrol. I still can't remember anything that happened before th'day I woke up, either...'

“That’s very sad.” She said drily. It really wasn’t anything she hadn’t heard before. Slavery, parents thrown overboard by a storm, fires, battles, deaths upon deaths, injuries beyond number. She had heard more than her share of sad stories over the years. “BUT.” She pointed a stern finger at Ana, standing now. “That doesn’t mean you’re not going to run like I told you. We’ll start you on a walk to jog program. We’ll have you walking miles in the sand, then you’ll be running. If I have to go out there with you, I will. But you’re young, and there won’t be any nonsense about ‘I can’t’s’. If you don’t want to be in the patrol, that’s fine. But there’s no reason to let you run around with a fixable problem for the rest of your life.”

[Esme]

Ana drew back, shocked. Her eyes were wide, revealing the green ring around the pupil. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, and finally closed completely.

She swallowed, and looked down at her bracelet. Determination filled her gaze. If I don't run, I can't fight. If I can't fight, I can't join th'Patrol. No Patrol, no chance t'find my family.

She looked up, and nodded. 'Yes, Ma'am. When d'ye want me t'start the running? This evening or tomorrow morning before I come up here?'

She wanted to join the Patrol, not just to try and find her family, but to possibly help others who had been in her position. She knew what it was like, even if she couldn't remember, and she wasn't about to just let it continue.

[Grath]

“Tomorrow. Walk on the firm sand for five minutes, then run for three, then walk for five. I want you to do this until you get a half mile down the coast. Then find deep sand and walk back. We’ll discuss changes to your regimen in a month. And of course, if you find anyone to teach you in the patrol, send them up to me. I’ll need to talk to them.”

Roseleaf handed the broom back to Ana, motioning towards the broom cupboard. “Put it away now, and run along. You’re not needed here right now.” Roseleaf made shooing motions with her hands towards the door, then turned towards the door that led to the three private rooms and her office.

“Midmorning tomorrow. And if your ankles hurt, you’re to stop running and walk.”

[Esme]

'Yes, Ma'am.' Ana smiled as she stood and took the broom from Roseleaf, returning it to the cupboard she'd taken it from. With that done, she made her way to the door, and stopped to look back.

'Ma'am? Before I go, wot, I also wrote out that label for you.' She pointed at it on the desk. 'I didn't touch th'jar, though.'

With that, Ana left the Infirmary, smiling as she headed for the library to see if she could find any particularly interesting books on her new profession.