Ok, Chapter 2, yay! Anyways, the first Sohma. cheers In this one he's still kind self-absorbed like in the beginning of the series, but it should be a fun chapter. This definitely had some similarities to the first chapter of the real All Creatures Great and Small but I needed some idea of how to write it with everything going wrong.
Description of the diease is fromThe Indiana Toxic Plant Indicies. (sorry, I can't link . .) Niether Fruits Basket, nor All Creatures Great and Small is mine.
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Chapter 2 in which she realizes exactly how fun being a country vet will be.
A crusted eye opened. Was it mine? It was, wasn't it? There was some sort of unholy demon making a very loud noise in the hall. I picked up a rolling pin from a box by my bed, ready to kill whatever it was. Yes I needed to finish actually moving in, but I was planning to do that in the morning. After tripping over a half dozen boxes, I finally made it to the racket. I stared blankly at the phone.
I was about to turn back when I remembered my doctor talking about how I would get calls at all hours. I winced, still about to turn back when my mother came to mind. She told me that I had to help others, no matter what. I finally turned back to the phone, picked up the receive and mumbled something that was supposed to sound like hello.
"Oh, erm... hello." From the voice, I could tell that whoever was calling me had no idea what I just say. "May I please speak to the veterinarian?"
"You're speaking to her," I mumbled. I was still very tired.
"I need you come out and see my horse." Any insecurity was certainly gone from the male voice.
"Ok, I'll come in the morning."
Apparently he was a little irritated because his next statement was a bit sharper. "I need someone to look at him now. He is one of my prized stallions and I don't want him to be hurt when it could be avoided."
At this point I could tell it would just be one of those nights. "I'll come. Where are you?"
He gave directions as I was busy trying to fully wake myself. "I'll be there as soon as I can be," said through a yawn.
There was a pause, I could almost imagine someone on the other side blinking, trying to figure out what was going on with me, but he finally said a polite goodbye.
Again, I was being called back to bed, but my mother intervened, as well. I trudged to the bathroom, washed my face, and threw on a coat. No it wasn't professional, but neither was I at ...whatever time it was now. Whoever the customer was, he'd just have to deal with it.
I got into my still mud-splattered car and drove towards the horse. As I pulled into the drive I noticed that this was a stable, not a farm. The man who owned this raced horses, not just kept them for work; this was both good and bad. He would at least not blame me if the worst happened, but he'd probably want to do things his own way. As I stepped out, I didn't even have time to think of how ridiculous I must have looked getting out of a mud-covered car in my nightclothes.
I stumbled up to the door and knocked sleepily; the door opened and I think I might have knocked the person answering in the forehead once. I stepped back and began apologizing before I was cut off.
"It's fine, but why are you here?"
"Umm... I got a call that there was a stallion here that needs medical attention, can I please speak to the master of the house, or whoever called me, umm... miss?"
I got the worst glare I had ever seen at that point. This is why I vowed that I should get to bed earlier from now on. "I am the master of the house and who called you."
I think I could have died right there, but my still-sleepy brain couldn't think of anything but stand there dumbly.
"Follow me," he said, still clearly annoyed. As I trailed behind him I tried to talk to my mother. It really wasn't my fault! I was half-asleep and he was so pretty! I couldn't help but mistake him, but maybe if I hadn't been so out of it I wouldn't have made that mistake. I ran into his back and found myself falling on the cold ground. He turned and gave me a look that clearly showed exactly how little faith he had in me. At that point I think I turned red, but I couldn't be sure.
"Well this is the horse." He stood to the side and let me look. It was a beautiful dapple gray horse. It had a lighter area on its shoulder that turned to a darker hue on its legs. Overall it was a beautiful beast, or rather it would have been, but it was a little on the skinny side and was trembling as it stood. I had to save this beauty.
"What symptoms does he have?" I asked as I began taking the horse temperature and started listening for his heartbeat. His heartbeat was a little slow with a few oddities to it, which I took note of.
"He has had weight lose and weakness. Also in the last few days he has had a bit of an odd gait." I nodded, nothing the fact that he stood with his back arched and his legs widely placed.
"Has he been out in meadows last month?"
The young man nodded. "Probably, I was out of town for a bit and I wasn't too thrilled at the care in general."
"Then I'm thinking it's probably bracken fern poisoning. Luckily it can be treated with some shots of thiamine. I'll go back and get some for... what's his name?"
"Kumo, and I'm Yuki Sohma." I nodded and turned to the door.
"I'll go back and get some thiamine, and give him the first injection."
After returning I gave Kumo the injection without any problem. I stepped back and took a look at him. "I'm going to stop by later in the morning, just to make sure that every thing's going well, and then I can show you how to give him the shots."
"Should I get a blanket?" I smiled and nodded, I hadn't been planning to stay, but I was so tired, I had to look at the idea. Finally I collapsed into a pile of hay. As my eyes were closing I saw Mr. Sohma coming back with the blanket. I sat up to properly thank him and reached out to take the blanket. I lay down with it and was about to close my eyes when I saw Mr. Sohma giving me an odd look.
"I was talking about a blanket for the horse," he stated bluntly. Ouch. I sat up and wrapped the blanket around the horse. "If you're really that tired you can stay. I'm afraid that all our guest rooms are taken tonight, but you can stay here, if you like. I can send someone with blankets for you." I nodded, I could not possibly drive home like this.
"Right, sleep well. We'll take another look at Kumo in...." he glanced at his watch, "about 4 hours. I'll see you then." Later I'd figure out the significance of that statement, but for the moment I was already gone.
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Hime no Ichigo – Thank you, I tried not to murder people too badly. Well, ok I might have murdered Tohru, but please forgive me. Yep, it will end on a happy note as far as I can see. She's female competition, as you'll see later. Thanks again!
rabbitTsukino – Thank you very much!
Merigold – Thank you very much! XD
catgirlversion3.0otakufan05 – Thanks That's such a great compliment.
See those four cool people? Be like them! Review! ...Please? big eyes
