RPGTopia

Ivy looked up. "That's probably a good idea; but I'm not sure how to set a bone, or make a splint..." She bit her lip. "Did you ever do anything like that?"

Randy shook his head. "No, but I've read about it before. We just need a stiff, strong piece of wood, and something to tie it with..."

"Okay..." Ivy looked down at her pants, worn and ripped badly at both knees. "Well, there's certainly plenty of wood out here...would this do?" She tugged at the hole above her unbloodied knee.

Randy nodded. "Tear that off. I'll go find some good wood." With that, he stood and started examining the tree he had been sitting against...

Ivy nodded and started to work at tearing a couple of long, thin strips of the fabric. The hem was dirty, and she worried about that, but she didn't have anything to cut the dirty sections off with.

Randy focused a stream of fire around his hand, and put his fingers together in a spade shape, before slicing downwards along the tree trunk, effectively slicing off a good-sized chunk of the stiff wood. Snapping off a piece of the charred wood that would be more manageable, he walked to Ivy. "This ought to do it."

Ivy nodded again and held out the strips of cloth. "Are they long enough?"

"Pretty sure they are," Randy said. "Hold up Stryker's arm, and I'll do my best with this thing..."

Ivy gently grasped Stryker's elbow, supporting the injured limb with her other hand, trying to stop the older woman's hand from flopping around and causing more danage.

Randy, as gently as he could, applied the splint, wrapping the piece of wood around Stryker's broken wrist and immobilizing the joint to prevent more damage. As he worked, Nabonidus returned, clutching some aloe in both shadowy hands...

Ivy chewed her lower lip a moment, looking at the bloodied mess that was her teacher and friend. "I'm worried her wounds will become infected before we reach anyone who can do more for her," she admitted. "If any of them turn septic..." She winced at the thought.

"Let's try to stay positive, okay?" Randy said. "Unless Stryker had antiseptic at her house, we'll just have to find somewhere else to go when she wakes up." Nabonidus crouched down and handed Ivy the aloe. "Do what you can," he hissed.

Ivy nodded, taking the precious plant. Setting all but one of the stalks aside for the moment, she pinched it tightly at the top of the stalk and began to work her way down to the base. A thick, clear liquid began to ooze out. She caught it in her cupped palm and started to smear it over the burn on Stryker's face. The older woman flinched at the gentle touch and Ivy almost drew back, but kept going.

Randy paced back and forth, concern evident on his face. "So, what's the closest town to here anyway?"

"Umm." Ivy tried to remember what she'd been taught as she went on applying the aloe to Stryker's burns. "A...few days' travel, I think. To the...the southwest....or..." she frowned, biting her lip. "...or was it southeast?"

Randy sighed, rubbing his temples. "We'll just go with south, then..." "Perhaps we can ask someone in the village?" Nabonidus asked.

"We could..." Ivy said. "A couple people have maps of the nearby villages. Whether they're Elemental or human villages, or a mix of both. We just can't ask the cranky old librarian, though she's our best bet...she'll think we're criminals on the run and raise hell." Squeezing more aloe from another stalk, she added to herself, And we have enough to worry about as is...

Randy nodded. "Then when Stryker's healthy enough to walk, we'll ask around," he said.

"I can walk now," Stryker muttered, opening her eyes and trying to stand. Ivy put a restraining hand on her shoulder. She scowled at the raven-haired woman. "Don't kid yourself. You wouldn't make it three steps."

Randy hurriedly crouched down next to Stryker. "You're insane, you know that?" he said with a chuckle.