Spock was shaken violently awake
by one of the natives. "Wife hurt yours!" he babbled urgently. "Must
come you!"
Spock dressed quickly, concerned for his student. What trouble had she gotten herself into this time? He followed his babbling guide deep into the forest. Saavik lay, bleeding and unconscious, at the base of a tree. Her leg was bent at an odd angle, and the gashes on her face and arms spoke of a violent struggle. There was no sign of her opponent, though a handful of onlookers ringed the clearing.
"Touch her we not," one woman, the village healer, announced. "Allow touch we her not."
Spock ignored the villagers, kneeling down beside Saavik and reaching out to check her pulse. He had barely touched her when she jerked away, smearing green blood on the ground and further damaging her broken leg. He tried again, with the same results.
"Saavikam, at least let me carry you back to the village!" he whispered fiercely in Vulcan. She must have heard him, for she allowed him to pick her up and bring her back to the village. The only sign of consciousness was her reaction any time someone tried to touch her. Spock managed to hold her still long enough for the village healer to set and splint her broken leg, but treating her scratches proved to be impossible. Spock brought her back to their tiny room and watched her sleep.
Saavik lay still, her eyes closed, cursing fate. During her wandering the day before, she had encountered her first large predator. The creature had clawed her badly, but it was apparently not used to prey that fought back and eventually left her alone. Its claws must have been poisonous, though, for she had developed a fever, mild enough to be no danger, but disorienting enough to impair her judgement and coordination. She had fallen off a small cliff and broken her leg, then attempted to crawl back to the village. In her fevered half-conscious state, she had remembered only that she hated someone, thus her violent reaction whenever someone tried to touch her. Now she lay quietly, feigning sleep, trying to remember, cursing when she could not. Eventually, despite her best efforts, she fell asleep, slipping effortlessly into a healing trance.
Spock dozed in his chair as he watched Saavik sleep. Her breathing changed as she entered a healing trance, and Spock waited ten minutes before approaching her. His fingers barely touched her face, his thoughts sliding easily between hers. With effort, he centered himself and focused on his chosen task – to make sure Saavik had sustained no lasting damage.
There were traces of a mildly toxic substance, but the only effect was a slight fever, which receded even as he observed. Her broken leg was healing well, considering the damage she had done to it. The damage to her leg muscles was extensive, but easily repaired, and he was pleased to note that her body had already begun the process.
Spock brought his thoughts back to himself, allowing himself a brief caress of Saavik's unconscious mind before he completely withdrew. He dropped his hand from her face and sighed, returning to his chair. He watched her without moving for a long time.
Spock jerked awake when Saavik stirred and cried out. He hovered at her side, hesitating to touch her, afraid of causing her to injure herself and erase the effects of the healing trance. She opened her eyes and stared at him, then tentatively reached out a hand. He took it, and a wave of relief crossed her face as she closed her eyes. She slept.
Spock held Saavik's hand for several hours, until she started shivering uncontrollably. Not knowing what else to do, he climbed on the bed and slid under the covers, curling his body protectively around hers. She smiled in her sleep and relaxed into him. He cautiously put his arms around her and held her until he fell asleep.
This could end here, or I could add one last chapter. Depends on the responses I get. Oh, and I didn't proofread this yet, so if you find a typo, I'll probably have it fixed soon. Thanks for reading my story!
Spock dressed quickly, concerned for his student. What trouble had she gotten herself into this time? He followed his babbling guide deep into the forest. Saavik lay, bleeding and unconscious, at the base of a tree. Her leg was bent at an odd angle, and the gashes on her face and arms spoke of a violent struggle. There was no sign of her opponent, though a handful of onlookers ringed the clearing.
"Touch her we not," one woman, the village healer, announced. "Allow touch we her not."
Spock ignored the villagers, kneeling down beside Saavik and reaching out to check her pulse. He had barely touched her when she jerked away, smearing green blood on the ground and further damaging her broken leg. He tried again, with the same results.
"Saavikam, at least let me carry you back to the village!" he whispered fiercely in Vulcan. She must have heard him, for she allowed him to pick her up and bring her back to the village. The only sign of consciousness was her reaction any time someone tried to touch her. Spock managed to hold her still long enough for the village healer to set and splint her broken leg, but treating her scratches proved to be impossible. Spock brought her back to their tiny room and watched her sleep.
Saavik lay still, her eyes closed, cursing fate. During her wandering the day before, she had encountered her first large predator. The creature had clawed her badly, but it was apparently not used to prey that fought back and eventually left her alone. Its claws must have been poisonous, though, for she had developed a fever, mild enough to be no danger, but disorienting enough to impair her judgement and coordination. She had fallen off a small cliff and broken her leg, then attempted to crawl back to the village. In her fevered half-conscious state, she had remembered only that she hated someone, thus her violent reaction whenever someone tried to touch her. Now she lay quietly, feigning sleep, trying to remember, cursing when she could not. Eventually, despite her best efforts, she fell asleep, slipping effortlessly into a healing trance.
Spock dozed in his chair as he watched Saavik sleep. Her breathing changed as she entered a healing trance, and Spock waited ten minutes before approaching her. His fingers barely touched her face, his thoughts sliding easily between hers. With effort, he centered himself and focused on his chosen task – to make sure Saavik had sustained no lasting damage.
There were traces of a mildly toxic substance, but the only effect was a slight fever, which receded even as he observed. Her broken leg was healing well, considering the damage she had done to it. The damage to her leg muscles was extensive, but easily repaired, and he was pleased to note that her body had already begun the process.
Spock brought his thoughts back to himself, allowing himself a brief caress of Saavik's unconscious mind before he completely withdrew. He dropped his hand from her face and sighed, returning to his chair. He watched her without moving for a long time.
Spock jerked awake when Saavik stirred and cried out. He hovered at her side, hesitating to touch her, afraid of causing her to injure herself and erase the effects of the healing trance. She opened her eyes and stared at him, then tentatively reached out a hand. He took it, and a wave of relief crossed her face as she closed her eyes. She slept.
Spock held Saavik's hand for several hours, until she started shivering uncontrollably. Not knowing what else to do, he climbed on the bed and slid under the covers, curling his body protectively around hers. She smiled in her sleep and relaxed into him. He cautiously put his arms around her and held her until he fell asleep.
This could end here, or I could add one last chapter. Depends on the responses I get. Oh, and I didn't proofread this yet, so if you find a typo, I'll probably have it fixed soon. Thanks for reading my story!