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First chapter: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/35536506/

A Leap Into Destiny

Chapter 4

The wheels of the cart clacked against the wet earth. Rain spattered against Jenny’s determined face; she ran hard, pulling the cart with her fallen comrade lying inside.

Less than a quarter of a mile to go, she thought to herself. She repeated her thought aloud afterwards to Jelani, with hopes that it would offer him some consolation if he could hear. She couldn’t tell, since she had covered him with a cloth to keep him dry. At the very least, voicing her thoughts helped her keep her head.

Beyond the path, a few lights were visible through the heavy, gray rain and mist. An exhausted, yet relieved wind escaped her chest as she powered towards town. “There it is,” she huffed, before raising her voice, “There it is! Please! Someone help me!!”

A few men near the town gate took notice, and were quick to make a move to investigate.

A blondish highland bull brushed some wet hair out of his eyes as he met Jenny on the path. A couple of others followed behind him. “W-what’s wrong, ma’am?”

“I have a man in the back of my cart!” Jenny exclaimed, breathing heavily, “He was shot with an arrow! He’s hurt badly!”

The big bull trotted up to have a look, and another one of the guys, an otter, spoke up. “There’s a doctor near the middle of town!”

The bull winced at the sight. “Whew,” he breathed, “Let’s go,” and he turned around, and grabbed up the cart’s handles with command. “Let’s go!”

Jenny, along with the men, flanked the cart as it bustled through the gates, and rattling past weathered, adobe-style buildings. The otter ran vigorously alongside the bull, yelling to him over the noise of the rain and the clattering cart.

“You know where the old well is? You hang a left there, and it’s about four or five residences down on the right side.”

That sounded familiar. Yes, the image appeared in Jenny’s mind; it was at a crossing she was familiar with. There was an old infirmary there.

-

It was somewhat of a quiet afternoon within the dull, stone walls of the town infirmary. The muted thunder from outside the shudders prevailed over the murmurs that floated back and forth between the folks inside. Though far from empty, the large, dimly-lit room was quite tranquil, albeit a bit solemn.

Candlelight flickered closely against a lioness’ face; her eyes seemed to study intensely.

A young zebra child winced with just as much intensity. “Please, don’t hurt me.” His skinny, striped arm shook fearfully. “Ow!”

Bandages wrapped around the young boy’s forearm, guided carefully by the lioness’ hand. “There,” she comforted, tying the last bit of bandage, “That should take care of it. Just don’t try balancing on any high walls from now on, okay?”

“Bless you, Dr. Saba,” an older, male Zebra sighed, placing his hand on his son’s shoulder. “This little ball of fire just scared me to death!”

The little zebra smiled with a bit of a flushed face, and looked down to pick at is bandage.

“He should be back to normal in a few weeks,” Dr. Saba laughed. “Just take care, and make sure to come back to let me check up on him.”

The father nodded. “We’ll do that,” he said, standing up from the floor easily along with his son. “Careful now,” he reminded. “And say thank you to Dr. Saba.”

The boy’s round eyes meekly met with Dr. Saba’s above. “Thank you,” he mumbled bashfully, holding his newly-doctored arm.

“You’re welcome,” Saba beamed, and the father and son bade farewell. Saba sighed, and brushed a few of her long, light brown bangs out of her eyes with the back of her hand. She turned, and made her way to the water pump in the back to clean up; her work day wasn’t even close to being done.

She walked past a cohort who smiled at her. He was a middle-aged, blondish-brown dog with glasses and wisps of brushed-back hair. “You holding up okay, Saba?” A bit of concern showed from behind his glasses as he folded some cloths.

“I have to,” Saba responded with sureness, as she disappeared behind a torn cloth that separated rooms. “We have a long night ahead yet, Bernard.”

“Right,” the dog acknowledged, his eyes refocusing on the cloths he had been folding.

Saba’s voice rose again. “And can you shut that window the rest of the way? A mist from the rain is coming in, and I don’t want anyone to catch cold.”

“Sure thing,” Bernard chimed, and he laid down a folded cloth on top of the pile.

He approached the window, nearly lowering the wooden shades, until a distant rattling amidst the sheets of rain caught his attention. He paused, and then leaned forward with a squint. It was quite misty, but Bernard was able to make out what appeared to be a cart being pulled with great haste.

He dropped the shades down, and paced quickly towards the door, which instantaneously flew open. Before Bernard could even process what was going on, a woman stumbled through the door, and caught herself on him. “O-oh!”

“Please!” The woman pleaded in exhaustion. It was the flaxen kangaroo, Jenny. Wet strands of hair stuck to her distraught face, and remnants of rain trickled down. “Help me! Th-this man, outside!”

-

Within seconds, the limp body of the ragged, dreadlocked roo was heaved onto a table. What few aides were there rushed about the scene, and Jenny helplessly looked on with wringing hands.

The dog bernard spoke up as he placed a box of medical items next to Dr. Saba, who had already begun work. “You want me to see if I can free up a bed?”

“No,” the lioness replied quickly as she pulled up the victim’s shirt. “No time.” Her eyes skimmed all over the wound. It was deep, and the victim’s weak breaths pushed more blood from it. She winced. “We have to work fast. What’s his name?”

“Jelani,” Jenny answered immediately and attentively . “He-“

“Jelani? Jelani! Hey!” Dr. Saba tapped the side of his face several times. “Come on, Jelani, speak to me!” The few shakes she gave him on his shoulder did no good either; his jaw remained slack, and his eyes closed. Her hands quickly went back to work on his abdomen. “Unresponsive,” she breathed.

Jenny shook her head in solemn dismay.

Saba’s hands worked vigorously to clean the open wound. The gauze was visibly wet and smelled strong. “How long has he been like this?”

Jenny’s mind rushed to answer. “I-I’m not sure,” she stammered. Her eyes were wide as she hurried to recollect. “I-It took me around fifteen minutes or so to make it the rest of the way here with him.”

Saba seemed to hesitate; her eyes settled on the wound.

“And when those men shot him, it just happened so fast, I-“

“Bernard,” the lioness called, her eyes still closely settled on the still kangaroo’s wound. Jenny blinked, and watched in apprehensive curiosity.

The blondish-brown dog edged between a couple of other aides. “Yes, doc?”

“Lend me your nose.”

With that, Saba, along with her aides, made room for Bernard, and he promptly leaned down easily, very close to the open wound. The whole infirmary had gotten so quiet from watching the scene, that a few light sniffs from Bernard’s nose could be heard.

The circle of concerned folk looked on as dog’s scruffy brow furled. Saba looked on as well, with an expectant, yet solemn look. Bernard rose, and removed his glasses with a sigh. “Wolfsbane.”

Saba’s eyes lowered in response, and her lips pressed together. Jenny noticed the change in the atmosphere, but Saba spoke up before she could say anything. “Come on,” the lioness ordered, prompting the aides to move about.

The apparent lack of urgency puzzled Jenny, and her eyes followed as a few aides broke from the group and headed different directions. “W-wait,” Jenny stuttered, and her eyes met back with the doctor’s. “What are you going to-“

“Miss,” Saba interrupted, while her hands began removing some cups and containers from a box she had nearby. “Is this man your husband?”

Such an unexpected question broke Jenny’s train of thought for a moment. “N-... no,” she responded confusedly. “I only just met him this morning. He was kindly enough to serve as an escort.” As she anticipated a response, she watched as Saba stirred something in a bowl. “He’ll be all right, won’t he?”

The doctor continued to thoroughly mix her concoction. “It’s not in my hands now.”

Jenny studied the lines on Saba’s face. “What? What do you mean?”

A sigh escaped Saba as she scraped some of the concoction onto a small piece of cloth. “The arrow that he was shot with was infused with wolfsbane. It’s a plant poison.”

Jenny blinked a few times, feeling a bit ill at ease. She wasn’t sure she heard right. “W-will he be... I’m sure there’s something you could-“

“I’m going to give him this medicine for pain,” continued Saba, “but that’s all I can do for him now. His heartbeat is already slow. He may die within the hour.”

Jenny’s heart skipped a beat.

The lioness doctor’s hands massaged an earthy-colored goop into the red-tainted, furred flesh that lay before her. “I would ready a bed for him if I could, but we’re completely full.” Her eyes lifted from the wound, and noticed the dispirited kangaroo woman’s expression. “I’m sorry.”

Jenny’s eyes were tired and glassy as they looked over Jelani’s motionless body. Her lower lip quivered in an attempt to say something.

“I can keep him here,” Saba added, hoping to offer a bit of consolation. “I still need to wrap up that wound, and once that’s taken care of, I can move him to the back, on the-“

“No,” Jenny spoke, with a hint of a quiver in her voice. She breathed, and closed her eyes for a moment to maintain composure.

Saba tilted her head with sympathetic emotion, awaiting a response.

Jenny’s hand eased up, and rested gently on the fallen warrior’s shoulder.” Her heavy, misty eyes looked upon him in his stillness. “I owe this man my life,” she whispered, taking in the hero’s subtleties. His short fur was roughed up all over and wet from the rain, his whiskers were bent, and his breaths were shallow, but labored.

Saba looked up from Jelani’s body. She could feel Jenny’s sombre. The doctor laid her ears back. “Where do you want to take him?”

-

To be continued