Splitting Up Is Hard To Do cont.|Sensatiamens

[Northen Light36]

Tres scanned the crowd, ignoring how her stomach churned and her heart ached at her people's suffering. She'd been spending enough time in the healers' huts to know what to expect though and she kept her emotions under control as she moved through the crowd, looking for her leader and soothing people she passed with a few words of reassurances.

Aideen arrived with Estella then, but barely so much as nodded to her uncle before the two healers threw themselves into trying to bring the chaos under control so they could resume tending to their people.

"Aideen, where's Ann?" Tres called to her niece.

Aideen touched her wind sign, summoning a slight breeze to lift her just above people's heads so she could get a good view, then dropped lightly back to the ground. "Over there," she replied, pointing briefly before returning to trying to get the Mind Healers either being useful or simply out of the way.

Tres hurried over to where Aideen had indicated, knowing Thelon would follow her. Ann was in bad shape, you didn't need to be a healer to see that - though she had been stablised that she wasn't in danger of dying. The Fire Leader looked like she'd been almost trampled by the Nightmares - there was that many hoof shaped burns and cuts visible on her, and a blood stained bandage warped around her shoulder hinted that she'd been either hit with a spear or, more likely, stabbed by a stallion's horn. And, like everyone else who'd gone up against the Nightmares, she had some painful looking burns. Even drugged into sleep, her expression was somewhat pained.

[Kender Bard]

"This isn't going to fix all that," Thelon replied mournfully, shaking the little vial. I need to get to Ronduin. I need to get to Fira. I need, I need, I need. Where are you NOW, Soahc? "But it'll help." He moved to her side and carefully administered the water to her. ~Libre, I'm not sure if I can bring her back.~

~That bad?~ Libre whispered into his father's mind, sounding shaken.

Thelon didn't answer.

[Northen Light36]

"I know," Tres murmured softly, stroking Ann's singed hair and sighing. "Damien would be proud of you," she muttered to the sleeping young woman. "You matched his levels of stupid bravery, foolish girl."

The healing water did help, visibly. Some of the more minor burns and the bruises on her body vanished and, under the bandage, the hole the Nightmare's horn had left in her shoulder closed up somewhat.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon stared at the young woman, for a brief moment feeling at a complete loss of what to do.

~Libre~ he spoke up again after a few moments. ~Why did you want to know where Ann was?~

~Alyssa~ Libre said simply.

Thelon reached up and shoved the palms of both of his hands into his eyes and ground them in until he saw stars. I can go to Fira and help many more people there, or I can go to Ronduin and get the healing water we all so desperately need and help many people here as well as Ann...

He didn't ask Tres because he got the feeling she would say Fira in a heartbeat. She valued her people as he valued his own. And as Master, they were ALL his people too. So he was more than a little torn.

He reached out to Aideen's mind. ~Are there any children or wounded left at Fira or are there only the warriors left?~

[Northen Light36]

~The wounded and the kids are all here, Uncle,~ Aideen replied. ~So it's just the warriors left at Fira.~ She looked up, looked across the room to meet his eyes. ~I know you, Uncle. Don't kill yourself trying to take care of everyone at once. You can't, three signer or not and the last thing anyone needs - particularly Aunt Tres and your children - is for you to work yourself into a collapse.~

Either Aideen's empathy was flaring or she was so exhausted her shielding was falling apart, because her exhaustion and her love for and fear that Thelon would hurt himself trying to save everyone were easily felt as she 'whispered', ~Please Uncle, I can't take seeing anyone else I care about hurt today.~

[Kender Bard]

Thelon shook his head slightly. ~Even I know I'm up against the last of my strength. But I can manage one more thing. I have a choice now--Fira, to gather the rest of the people or Ronduin to get more healing water for everyone here.~ He breathed out shakily. ~I want YOUR opinion on which I should do.~

[Northen Light36]

Aideen thought it over for a moment then replied, ~Ronduin. The warriors still in Fira are just that. Warriors. They can handle themselves for one more day if that's what they have to do, but some of the people here may not make it through the night.~

She knew burns infected easily and some were already showing signs. If that wasn't stopped soon, it would start to spread. And there was the pain a lot of her patients were in to consider. She'd heard stories from her mother of seriously hurt people simply giving up in the face of agony and losing the will to push past it and live.

No, the wounded's need outweighed the need of the warriors.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon gave a small nod to himself--he'd been leaning towards that course of action anyway. "Tres, I need you to look after yourself for a bit," he told his wife. "Either go to the children or stay here, but I need to go get some more supplies for the injured." Leaning forward, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then touched his signs again, leaving before she could protest.

[Northen Light36]

Tres sighed, both resigned and irritated at Thelon's actions. "You, Thelon, Shade and Damien are all cut from the same cloth," she told Ann, shaking her head. "You'd all kill yourselves for your people without a second thought." Sighing, she left her sleeping Leader and went off in search of the children.

Flame was still trying to soothe Alyssa when Tres arrived and looked grateful when Tres simply picked up the toddler and rubbed her back soothingly. "Hush now, Aly. Hush," she murmured to the whimpering Heir until the little girl did quieten down. Tres sighed as she set the child down again and told Libre, "Libre, take Amneris, Flame and Alyssa home now. Your Father's gone to get more healing supplies and I need to get people here settled."

And she wanted to find where Artica had gotten to in the chaos, make sure she was all right then bully her into getting some sleep before she collapsed.

[Kender Bard]

Libre nodded but bit his lip lightly as he looked at his mother. ~Are you going to be okay, Mother?~ he asked her hesitantly. ~You've been doing so much. You and Father need to rest a bit. We're in Sensatia now, so why don't we just find someone here who can take care of that?~

[Northen Light36]

They are my people, Libre love, Tres thought back. It's my duty to look after them. She sighed and gave Libre a gentle pat on the back. Thank you for the concern, Libre. I do need a rest, and I'll get some soon, I promise. Just as soon as things are settled here.

She subtly dug a fingernail hard into the base of her thumb, trying to use the pain to clear her mind of the fog of exhaustion and murmured, "Go home children, and look after Aly. I'll be home soon." Seeing Flame hesitate, Tres frowned and added, "Home, Flame. That's an order."

Flame sighed. She knew where her mother's limits were and a Clan Heir did not argue with her Clan's Elders when a direct order was given. "Yes, Elder," she murmured, taking Alyssa's hand. "Come on Amneris, Libre. Let's go."

[Kender Bard]

~You sound just like Father~ Libre told Tres. He sounded sad when he said it. He ushered his sister, cousin, and friend along.

By then, Thelon had returned with several small crates filled with carefully packed vials of healing water. It was a lot less than he'd wanted. He made sure to appear back in the Healatorium, and flagged down Aideen as he pointed out the boxes. "For you, my dear. It's not much. And I had to promise to pay out of Sensatia's coffers. Not so much that anyone will be angry but more than just pocket money. Ronduin's been forced to see to their own people. Apparently the River is brimming with nasties. This is turning into a worldwide pattern I think."

[Northen Light36]

Aideen looked at the boxes, then hugged Thelon tightly. "Thank you, Uncle," she murmured. "It's a great deal more than we had. Estella!"

The older healer came over and her eyes lit up at the sight of the small treasure contained in the boxes. "Efil bless you, Elder Thelon," the healer murmured, taking out several vials. "Well then, let's get our Honoured Leader back on her feet so Elders Tres and Artica can finally get some rest." She hurried over to Ann, carefully dosing the young woman with both the healing water and the antidote to the herbs keeping her asleep.

Within a few minutes, Ann slowly opened her eyes and looked around in sleepy confusion.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon smiled slightly--the praise of the healers warmed his weary self like a hot drink on a winter's day. He knew he was still tired, but he felt a little more refreshed at least. It was always good to see things turning out well for your labor.

He walked over to Ann and bowed his head to her. "Hello Ann," he greeted her softly. "You're in Sensatia, along with much of Fira."

[Northen Light36]

"Most?" Ann asked, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. "Who's left?"

"Just the warriors. Everyone else is here," Aideen replied. "Uncle Thelon saw to that."

Ann closed her eyes and sighed in relief before looking at Thelon. "Thelon, thank you," she told him seriously. She glanced at Estella and Aideen. "How long was I out?"

"Three days," Aideen replied. "You had us worried we were going to lose you for a while there."

"Sorry Aideen," Ann replied. She glanced at Thelon and added bluntly, "Thelon, you look like you're ready to fall over. Which probably means Tres and Artica aren't looking much better. What still needs doing, Thelon? I can take over for Tres and Artica so they can get some rest." With an effort, she got to her feet - though she had to lean against the wall for a moment.

"Careful, Honoured Leader," Estella warned, looking at her in disapproval. "You won't be at your best just yet. You still need rest."

Ann waved her off. "I've been resting long enough," she replied.