Treating A Wound (open)

[Esme]

Esme gritted her teeth as the Infirmary Keeper, Sister Astarisa, probed in her back for the shard of wood that had caused her wound to become infected. Her paws tightened on the head board of the bed she was lying on, and she desperately tried to keep herself from yelling in pain. She succeeded, but only just.

'There! Got it!' Sister Astarisa smiled as she dropped the wooden shard into a bowl, along with a few other splinters that she'd found. 'I think that's all of them, now. You were lucky none of them went any deeper, Esme. As it is, you're going to have a nasty scar on your back.'

Esme had relaxed the instant Sister Astarisa had pulled away, dragging ragged breaths into her lungs. 'F'give me, Sister, but I was lucky t'survive bein' hit by that branch in the first place.' She sat up carefully as the Sister carried over a bowl of hot water that she'd mixed some mint leaves into to help cleanse it.

'Yes, I suppose you're right. Now, this will hurt, but it will help clean the area, Esme.'

'D'ye have to, Sister?'

'I'm afraid I do. If I don't, it could turn nasty again.' She smiled apologetically at Esme. A pretty young mouse, Astarisa had lived at the Abbey her entire life, and had gladly taken over the Infirmary when she had been asked by the other inhabitants of the building.

Picking up a cloth, she dipped it into the water, and then started wiping down Esme's back with it. It wasn't long before Esme was gritting her teeth again, but she also found that Astarisa had been right. It didn't hurt as much as it had before.

Looking around at the others in the Infirmary, she managed a grim smile. 'I suppose I owe ye all an explanation, then, mates...'

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo could not believe how fate would play out for him. He didn't think that after walking for about 3 hours he would help a couple of beasts help carry a passed out otter into the famous Redwall Abbey. When he first set eyes one the red colored building, he couldn't believe something like this existed. He heard a few rumors when he was still with his family, but he didn't expect it to be true.

Truslo was brought back to reality from his flashback when he heard the ottermaids statement. "A explanation would be good, though you had quite a few abbeybeasts worried about you." he said to her. That, and you had me worried quite a bit to as well. Truslo thought to himself.

[Esme]

Esme winced again as the cloth ran over her wound. 'I'm sorry about that, mate, I really am. I got th'wound in that last storm. A branch got broken off in all the wind an'rain and smashed into me from behind. Knocked me head over rudder down a small cliff.

'As for why I was out in it, I was trackin'the vermin that have my two sisters. I've been followin'them for near on ten years n-ow!'

'I'm sorry, Esme. I didn't mean for that to hurt you, then.' Sister Astarisa paused, worried. She had finished cleaning the wound, and had started applying a poultice. 'Not much longer now and I'll be done. You need some bandages, but otherwise you'll be fine.'

Esme nodded. 'Thank ye, Sister.' She turned back to the hedgehog that had helped her up to the Infirmary. 'It's a long story, mate. Are ye sure ye want t'hear it...?'

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo winced slightly when the ottermaid said "ow!". After hearing her question, he pondered slightly. Then he gave her his answer. "Yes, I want to hear your story. Though ten years is a very long time indeed." he said to her kindly. He thought if he heard her story, maybe he could help her in some way. It goes against his nature to not help a beast in trouble.

[Esme]

Esme nodded, and tightened her grip on her bow. Her wound forgotten, her eyes turned hard as she remembered what had happened all those years ago.

'I have two sisters, mate, Iris an'Daisy. Daisy's mute, has been since birth. I was jus'ten years old at the time, Iris was six, and Daisy four.' Esme was so caught up in her memories that she never even noticed Sister Astarisa bind her wound with some linen bandages.

'Ma and Pa loved each other, and loved us, too. Pa went out that mornin'to find firewood, as he did every day. Ma stayed with me an' my sisters. She cooked and cleaned while I taught Daisy and Iris their letters. Daisy couldn'quite get th'hang of it, though, so I showed her how t'draw a daisy flower instead.'

She grunted when Sister Astarisa tugged lightly on the bandage, making sure it would stay in place.

'Pa came back, and we ate lunch. Twas in the afternoon that they struck. We sisters had been playin' Hide-an'-Seek, an'I had found an ole cupboard in th'back of our Holt. Iris had jus'found Daisy when they came runnin'in th'entrance.

'They were a real mixed band o'vermin, rats, stoats, even a weasel. Pa took a spear to th'gut right off. It pinned him t'the ground, but didn't kill him right off. He was still alive when they dragged Ma and m'sisters away, along with any goods they'd been able t'find.

'I came out o'my cupboard, and went straight t'Pa. He tol'me where to find th'bow he'd been makin'for me, in another hidden cupboard. There was also his ol'sword and Ma's prized locket, too. She'd painted th'miniatures herself, not long afore.'

She reached up and unlatched the pouch with the locket inside, fishing out the locket and opening it, holding it out so he could see the picture of the three young ottermaids and their parents inside.

'Pa died not long after, an'I buried him best I could. He'd said t'head for Redwall, just afore he died, but not long after I left I found Ma, face-down in a puddle. I did th'same for her as I did Pa, and started following th'vermin that had my sisters. Daisy helped, though. She lef'the same drawin'that I'd taught her jus'that mornin' everywhere they stopped, if they had th'chance.

'I've found a few that weren't finished, but I've never caught up with 'em. I came close, though. Tis why I was out in that storm.'

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo brought up his feet to his chest and curled his arms around them. "Thats....quite alot to take in. I mean, I just left my family not to long ago. It was hard to say goodbye to them, but hearing your story though...it...I can somewhat feel how it is. To leave family, its hard. But for you, I just can't find the right words to help you feel better. I really want to help you, but I just don't know if I'm just going to be a burden." he said to her with sadness in his eyes.

[Esme]

Esme chuckled dryly. 'No'much ye can do, mate. Unless you're willin' t'come with me when this wound's healed. I know where t'head, now, anyways.'

She snapped the locket closed and slipped it back into the pouch, hanging it back around her neck carefully. 'Sister, that tapestry, downstairs, who is th'mouse in it?'

Sister Astarisa blinked in surprise. 'Why, that's Martin the Warrior, Founder of the Abbey. He appears sometimes in dreams to creatures, guiding them on their way. Why do you ask, Esme?'

Determination filled Esme's gaze. 'Because he's been visitin' mine for th'past three years, Sister. Always the same dream, over and over. First, he talks about some place on th'coast up north called Stormhold, and about how I'll eventually find m'sisters there. Then he follows it up with a rhyme that goes like this:

'Away to the north,
Your sisters have gone,
To that Northern coast,
Cold and alone.

Your kin are trapped,
Held tight and strong.
Follow the daisies,
As you have for so long.

Trust the Patrol,
That band strong and true,
They are there to help others
Like you.'

The Infirmary Sister stared at her a moment, and then started bustling around the room. 'In that case, I won't keep you here, Esmerelda. You have somewhere to be, after all. Now, you'll need to apply a fresh poultice and bandages to that wound at least once a day until the swelling dies down and it scabs over. Don't put too much weight on it, either, for that matter. You could cause it to start bleeding again.'

Esme gaped at the Sister, completely taken aback by her actions.

[unknownsoldier]

"So thats who that mouse was on the tapestry..." Truslo said to himself quietly. He had seen the tapestry on the way up when he helped carry Esmeralda up to the infirmary. Then his mouth dropped when he saw the sisters behaviour.

"Wh-what are you doing?" he asked surprised.

[Esme]

Sister Astarisa sighed as she dropped more ingredients on the table. 'Preparing the poultices she'll need to take with her. That wound could easily turn bad again if not properly cared for, and after that tale, I doubt Esme will be staying long.'

Esme stood and caught the Sister's paws. 'I appreciate th'thought, Sister, but why do ye think that? Wouldn't it be better for me t'stay and heal here?'

'Usually, I would say yes. But not this time.' Sister Astarisa pulled her paws firmly away from Esme and continued gathering the herbs she needed. 'You're the kind of creature, Esme, who can't sit still when something is wrong. The worst kind of patient there is, in fact. Not only that, but the longer you stay here, the colder your sisters' trail gets. One piece of information I can give you, though. The place you're looking for is Stormhold, up on the Northwest coast.

'If you go straight west from here to Salamandastron, and then North up the coast, you should eventually find it. Just make sure to keep that wound clean, or you'll never get there, understand?'

Esme gaped at her in shock as she nodded. 'Aye, Sister, I understand. And I promise ye this-when I get t'Salamandastron, I'll get my back checked. Just t'be sure.'

'You do that, Esme. And be careful, understand?' The Sister smiled at her. 'I know we only met today, but you're a good one, following your sisters like that for ten years. I hope you succeed in freeing them.'

[DanceMastah]

OOC: So she's now setting out, right? If not, I'll edit my post or delete it.

IC: Now was the time! Word had quickly spread that the ottermaid was traveling to Stormhold. Deathfang was already formulating a plan: he would capture her, and sell her to Obsidius Bane! Still perched in the tree, he ripped off a piece of flesh from a fish he had killed earlier. As he savored the taste, he smiled wickedly....

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo sighed and then said, "I'm coming with you then. Its against my belief to not help another beast. Besides, its better then traveling alone right? It also certainly isn't bad to have a cook with you at least. " he said with his usual kind face. Now he was determined to help her.

[Esme]

Esme chuckled dryly. 'Are ye sure, mate? At some point, we'll be comin'up against vermin o'some sort. And while it'd be good to have a cook along-especially as I don't know how t'even start a cook-fire-ye'll need t'be able t'defend yoreself.'

She accepted the pouch of medicines from Sister Astarisa, tying it to her belt alongside the pouch of dried strawberries she took everywhere she went.

'It'll be hard work, too. Long days o'walkin, and little rest. Are ye sure ye can manage that?' When she looked over at the hedgehog, she was smiling, eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo smiled right back at her. "Well mate, unless you didn't know, me and my family are travelers by blood, so long walking and such is no trouble for me. Defending myself, well, my father taught me a bit on how to defend myself, so no problems there. I also know quite a bit on whats edible out in the wilderness to."

"So, do I fit all your expectations then?" he said to her and chuckled slightly.

[Esme]

Esme couldn't help but smile. 'Pa always did say t'not think about such things much. 'Wot happens, happens.' That was his motto, right up til the day he died. Here's my paw, mate, and my word t'go with it, too!'

She held her paw out to him, her eyes shining with determination. 'We've a long journey ahead o'us, that's f'sure!'

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo took a grip of her with his. "Same goes for me, and we do have quite a long journey ahead of us." he said to her with a determined look as well.

"My name is Truslo Mcfinniagen if you didn't know." he said to her with a smile.

[Esme]

She grinned. 'Esme, Esmerelda Jade. Ye'll find Esme easier, though!'

She laughed, released his paw, and started gathering her things. 'No time like now t'head out, then. I want my sisters out o'that place sooner rather than later.'

She swung her quiver over her shoulder, settling it on her back so it wouldn't cause her back any pain, but she could still reach the arrows if she had to.

[unknownsoldier]

Truslo grinned and shouldered his backpack. Then, he checked to make sure everything was still in it, and satisfied that everything was in order. "True, sooner would be better, but you had to at least get better or you would've had trouble trying to rescue them Esme." Then a question came to mind.

"Esme, you do remember what the general direction is that your sisters went right?" he asked her.

[Esme]

Esme nodded. 'Aye, they were takin'them north-west when I last saw their tracks. That was before the storm, though, so I reckon we're best off with the route Sister Astarisa suggested, mate. West t'the mountain, and then north along th'coast.'

Sister Astarisa looked between the two of them. 'You two be careful, understand? I don't want you back here by the end of the day because you've broken a bone or something equally silly!'

Esme hugged her with one arm. 'Don't ye worry, Sister. We'll be fine.'

[unknownsoldier]

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. We'll have each other's backs." Truslo said to the Sister. "That, and we both have everything we need for our journey. " he said and chuckled slightly.

"You ready to go then Esme?"

[Esme]

Esme grinned. 'Aye, mate, I'm ready. The sooner we get goin' the sooner we get to this Stormhold place. I've never seen Salamandastron, either, f'that matter. 'Twill be an interestin' trip. Sister, I'll bid ye goodbye, now, and thank ye, for th'help ye gave me, too.'

'No need to thank me, Esme. You just get your sisters somewhere safe, and make sure you stay safe at the same time.' Sister Astarisa smiled as she watched the young otter head to the door with her new friend. 'And make sure you take good care of that wound, too!'

'Aye, I will, Sister.' Esme smiled at her, and then walked out of the Infirmary, her paw on her belt knife from years of cautious tracking.