"That's impossible." Gumlittle cried in disbelief.
"True, but here our fellow gummi lies afflicted with that very illness."
Spinwillow hated admitting it also but what more could be said?
"But…" Plucki was also at a loss. What could have brought this on? NO cub had the fever lately! He remembered well what happened when he, Blastus, and Gumlittle caught it… "Councilor Berrybottom, your wife treated Sir Blastus when we were cubs. It was very hard on him because of his allergy. What of now? Will he pull through?"
Deathly still lay the room as Tavi and Corvi absorbed the cold and frightened words of Sir Plucki.
"We… can't say. I'm sorry."
"No! What do you mean you don't know? You're the Gummadoon Council, aren't you? Aren't you?" Corvi demanded, a new terror building.
"Gumlittle…" Flurryfeather indicated the distraught squire.
With a nod, Sir Gumlittle took Corvi by the arm. "Lad… We'll do everything we can. He's strong. He wants to live. C'mon. Standing here bellowing won't help. He needs his rest." With such gentle urgings, the big gummi knight led Corvi away.
"Aunt Toffi, something's wrong, isn't there?" Tavi felt certain. Felt as sure as she'd been about anything.

Councilor Wooddale, Toffi to her niece, nodded gravely.
"We have no means of determining from what source this illness came?" Spinwillow asked.
"Why don't you use your magic?" Tavi suggested, impatient.
The Council turned to Tavi. Flurryfeather answered. "Child, we can't heal with magic. You know that."
"Yes I know but can't ya use it to find the source?"
The adults looked at one another and blinked.
Wooddale replied, "We could try."
"Finally! What do we do first?" Eager to help, Tavi wrung her hands.
"You? Nothing. You're a bit young to start at the top, don't you think?"
Flurryfeather's head tilted to one side, regarding the gummi girl.
It wasn't meant to be rude but Tavi took immediate offense. "But I wanna help! I AM helping!"
"Sir Plucki," Berrybottom interrupted. "Perhaps Tavi could help you look up the medical records Sarrika keeps. We must know who has never had Cub's
Fever and keep them away from anyone who has had contact with Sir Blastus. Including you, Tavi. You might be contagious, and don't tell us you didn't go in. We're fairly sure you did. Can't keep away when others need help." He smiled gently.
Tavi blushed, then gulped. She did, and they were right there. The last thing she wanted was to spread the fever to others.
"Come." Sarrika waved the two on ahead of her, toward the back of the clinic, where she kept her meticulous records.

Sir Ramsei heard the shouting but he'd been up late after a lecture from Sir Plucki. He did not need to be reminded never again to say the 'b-word' to the cubs. Silly. Silly reaction from them, and silly reaction from the young cubs. He simply didn't get it. Being clean was part of being a knight. The cubs should embrace it as part of their training. And the other knights should not laugh it off.
Ramsei sighed, knowing he couldn't ignore the commotion outside, just as he could not ignore that he'd never had cubs of his own and therefore little
experience with children. Except for Aldi… He sat up, trying not to think of the loss, nor the fact there could be no one to blame but himself. After all, he was as set on going after Zorlock as Plucki, and left his sister and nephew -- unknown sick -- to stand by his brother-in-law. It was supposed to be a day of triumph, returning with the news that they'd finally imprisoned the terrible wizard. Only… No. He would never feel truly triumphant again. Never again.
But there was trouble afoot. Sir Ramsei pushed on his boots and stamped out, ready to demand the meaning of the early raised voices, when he burst into the hall and saw absolutely no one around. A brow quirked at the oddity, he headed down. The Council might know what was about.

It seemed that nearly everyone over the age of 5 had had Cub's Fever, thank Gum. Plucki was beginning to feel a tad easier about the whole situation. There weren't too many cubs under 5 and most of those weren't around the knights. Only Maci of the pages and he could be stopped from coming over, or if he happened to get sick, at least he was young enough to overcome it.
Tavi looked up with a great sigh. "Is that all of the records? We only got about ten names on the list."
"Yes. This may not be so bad." Plucki ruffled her hair, trying not to think of Blastus sick. Anything but that.
"Good, cuz I really need to talk to Cubbi. Am I off quarantine then?" She put her hands to her hips.
Sarrika inhaled sharply. Plucki's eyes got big. Cubbi…
Sarrika spoke it. "Do you know, Sir Plucki? Has he had Cub's Fever?"
After everything the cub had already been through! Plucki's teeth ground. "No. I don't know. But we'd better find out."