A bear, an huntress and a veterinarian walk under the moon

The night was dark despite the moon.

The sounds had finally receded, maybe the truce had done something.

“Why…couldn’t we…have just…taken off her armour…Vic!?” Ingrid asked, keeping the voice low to avoid losing too much energy.

“Because…it’s night…and I do not…know if I will need an…hammer to take it out.” I answered, slightly less tired due to my longer legs, but still.

It was seventy-five kilos being moved on a mountain trail, at night, while trying to not stumble in roots.

At least I could feel the Spirits laughing a tad less, and the crows no longer flying towards a direction and cawing in amusement, meaning we had almost arrived.

Brats, all of them.

“So…you could have tried…you idiot!?” Ingrid grounded out, while the Queen followed us, not a word being said or growled.

Many thoughts, I am sure of that, Hunin and Mugin had made quite sure to make their amusement known.

But not a word said.

“And then…we would have just…been there for an hour…while risking worse.” Sometimes I despised the Hippocratic Oath.

There were, and is, several reasons why I chose Veterinary instead of simply going for Medicine and then specialising.

One of which is, while animals may sometimes do stupid things, they are not stupid.

People, instead, are stupid.

Like this one, pissing off mama bear and then not backing off but doubling up, instead, by fighting her.

What a brilliant move.

And due to me being oathbound, and having actual morals, both from where I came from and from living in mountains, where if you left someone in trouble they would die, I had to help this idiot.

“I…really…want to drop her.” I grounded out, my arms hurting by keeping most of the weight myself, for half an hour.

Do not.

But please, be as amusing.

Damn you, brats!

I didn’t speak, but I knew they felt how I was feeling, due to the laughter coming back.

I will laugh when I will force you to help me heal this one, and when you will help, for a month, without exchange.

Wait.

Sorry.

Too late!

You were the ones to order me out, and now are happy? Well, now you pay!

“Ahahah!”

“Vic…do not…laugh…you…are…putting…her…on…me!” Ingrid suddenly had far more of idiot on her, enough to make it difficult for her to walk, so I quickly took back the weight of the stretcher and continued to walk, unheeding of the grumbling from the minute woman.

Even if it was about “tall idiots” and “kicking the shins”.

Oh, I see the wooden structure!

“Finally!” Ingrid exclaimed, and we started walking faster, the clinging and clanging of the armoured idiot sounding in melody at our march, alongside small groans.

Small, so we were not being too rough.

Just a bit of, shall we say, exuberance given by the situation.

When we reached the cabin, finally I add, the moon was high in the sky, almost at its zenith, and it showed its rough beauty.

Alongside the wood and salt store it stood, on two floors like the houses in the village, its roof made of wood, stone and then blackened stone tiles, to absorb and keep as much eat as possible, and to keep the inside as dry as possible.

Grandpa, in one of his fancies, had overseen me constructing it, and had directed me and even the Spirits in how to build it well.

Not helping, he was too old for that and I was still new and unknown, during a harsh winter. They did give me some food, but it had been bad for them as well.

Maybe someone would have been bitter about that, but I understood it, and thanked for the help they did give and exchanged it.

It had been a bad winter for all.

Oh well, no use thinking about that, it was behind us and we were prepared, both thanks to their hardiness and my knowledge and newfound abilities.

I opened the lower floor doors, the wider ones, and we moved in, the bite of the cool autumn night immediately calming down, the runes and rituals on the walls aiding with the insulation.

Hurray for the Bergbuis of the earth and Iyesis of the fire, a toasty eighteen degrees inside, without the fire roaring, the light of the moon shining from the brownish windows, reflecting on a metallic table, with its many runes and lines on it, and the water and clay tank under it, made of glass, sealed with willow resin and just as many runes, and that same light was absorbed by the grey beds, the covers made of rough, but easily cleanable and still soft, wool.

I then directed Ingrid towards one of the hay-filled beds, and slowly we slid the injured fool on it, while the bear’s heavy steps and the cubs’ far lighter ones made the wood under their paws creak slightly.

I directed the queen of the mountain closer to another of those beds and, with a groan of annoyance and sleepiness from the smallest cub, I laid her down on the bed.

Then I went

“Oh Lars, I plead with you to use the wood I have gathered for you in the hearth, as prescribed by the ancient laws, to protect those who have taken refuge in my house.” I recited, while putting down three logs in the fireplace, to start giving more heat to this place.

I heard a titter in my ears, and smiled at that.

They were the easiest ones to search help from, them and the Nissers.

Good little buggers.

Two strikes of the flint and a bit of hay, and our fire was ready, and immediately I set to work, taking from one of the now illuminated shelves burning salves of chamomile and anti-biotics of garlic. Just in case.

All done with the same kind of purification I did with Svadil.

I also took a pair of sheep-shearing scissors, to be able to see a tad better where the burn was, and to be able to apply the salve.

“Alright, Lis. We will start by shortening the hair of the subjected area, and then I will apply a salve.” And I put all of it in front of the queen, so she may investigate them.

Worry-wart.

“While I let you prepare, I will take off the armour of the idiot here, if that’s alright.” Ingrid was already prepared with my hammer, in case parts would need to have some incentive to move.

I moved on the other side, and I moved to unfasten the helm, which seemed to be not so damaged, luckily.

I would not have wanted to have much to do with cerebral injuries, even with magic.

With a quick action, it was out.

And under it there was a feminine face, as I had heard, with blonde hair, pale skin and very long ears.

Very long ears…Uh.

First time meeting an elf, but she was breathing with little problems, as before, so I could go back with the bear.

Ingrid, instead, had an open mouth, wide eyes, and was becoming slightly pale, while pointing at the sleeping idiot.

Wonder why.