Chapter 2: Waking Up
Disclaimer: While I am borrowing many of the characters created by J.K. Rowling, all rights to those characters remain solely with her. I am neither receiving nor soliciting any monetary recompense for this story.
High Noon
Severus slowly woke up and immediately realized three things. First, he was hot. Not just hot but almost boiling. The sweat was pouring down his face and his heavy clothes were nearly soaked through. Second, he had a splitting headache and the sunlight that was piercing his still closed eyes was adding to the agony. Third, he hurt, everywhere, especially his ribs. Moaning as he rolled to his side, he slowly opened his eyes, trying to keep them out of the direct sunlight. His vision was blurry and it took a moment for him to blink the grit out of his eyes and focus. Keeping his head as still as possible, he cautiously looked around. The area was strange to him, but, a little ways off, he could see a copse of trees around what looked like a small lake.
He noticed a tree stump next to him and gathering what little strength he had, Severus managed to push himself painfully off the ground and stand, holding on to his aching ribs and moaning at the pain the movement caused in his throbbing temples. He rested for a moment, using the tree stump to steady himself. Straightening up completely and fighting off a wave of nausea, he managed to stay on his feet and he carefully took a step in the direction of the trees. He wasn't completely steady but he felt strong enough to make what looked like a short walk. At this point, he would walk forever just to get out of the relentless sunlight.
Slowly, Severus made his ways to the tree line, grateful that each step brought the trees closer. Once he reached the outer edge of shade offered by the trees, his strength gave out and he managed a somewhat controlled fall back to the ground. Still, the jolt to his broken ribs and his aching head was agony and he cried out, rolling onto his back. Keeping his eyes closed, he concentrated on just taking his next breath, breathing shallowly to keep from aggravating his ribs. After a few minutes, the pain faded enough that Severus was able to open his eyes again. Rolling back onto his side and then pushing himself up to his knees, he crawled to the edge of the small pond that stood just a few feet away. Taking a cautious sip, the water was cool and sweet. Leaning down as far as his aching body would allow, he carefully took a couple of swallows of the cool water, relishing the feel of it as it made its way down his parched throat.
Severus wanted to drink more but he was feeling dizzy and exhausted. Staying by the edge of the pond, he managed to get himself back onto his back and closing his eyes, he slipped back into blessed unconsciousness.
A few hours later
Sara was riding slowly, looking around to make sure everything was secure. There had been recent reports of poachers in the area and she was damned if she'd let a bunch of lawbreaking idiots hurt her stock. She liked riding in this direction as this was the area of her favorite place on the entire ranch. A copse of trees provided shade around a freshwater pond that was fed by a cold underground spring. The water was pure and the foliage and trees offered shade and a scene that just begged to be put on canvas. Sara had spent several hours sketching out the scene but still wasn't satisfied that she had captured it well enough to actually put it on canvas.
She was pulled out of her wandering thoughts as the coal black stallion she was riding snorted as he smelled the water.
"Easy boy," she crooned to him, patting his neck gently. "Almost there and then we can both drink. Micah will have my hide if I get overheated again and that is only in addition to what Doc would do."
Denying the stallion his urge to hurry to the water, Sara carefully guided him to the tree line, dismounting just as she crossed into the shade. Looping the reins over the stallion's neck, she patted him gently and urged him forward. "Go ahead boy, take a drink," she said affectionately. The stallion nuzzled her for a brief second before he walked over to the pond....and stopped, his head jerking upwards. Hearing his snort, Sara made her way over, ready to shoo off a bird or fish, whatever the stallion was finding so startling. "Honestly," she thought as she walked over. "He's the size of a house but he acts like a fairy princess." As the stallion heard her approaching, he turned his head and nickered at her, then lowered his head to the ground. Following his head, Sara gasped when she spotted a man lying on the ground, his face badly bruised and flushed. He was wearing clothes made of some heavy black material and for a moment, she thought he was a priest. Ever wary of the poachers, however, she unsnapped the keeper that held her pistol in its holster, and crouched down next to the man, her right hand on the butt of the pistol. She was always armed when she came out this way and while she was no Jesse James, she was still quite skilled.
Watching the man for a moment, she noticed that the bruising on his face was more pronounced than what she had already seen, and even though his face was flushed, he wasn't sweating overly much. A glance at the rest of him confirmed the fact, however, that his clothes were nearly soaked through. Biting her lip at what she was thinking, she put the palm of her hand on his forehead and gasped. The man was burning up! "Shit," she said out loud, "heat exhaustion at least, probably closer to heat stroke." She got up and going to the stallion, she pulled a piece of her sketch paper and a pen out of the saddlebag. Dashing off a quick note, she tied the note securely to the saddlehorn and securing the reins so they stayed out of the stallion's way, she turned him back towards the way they had come. Removing her two canteens, she patted the stallion firmly on his haunches and told him, "go get Micah boy, hurry." The stallion nickered back at her and then trotted off, breaking into an easy, ground eating canter once he had cleared the tree line.
Carrying the two canteens, she removed the neckerchief she was wearing and walked quickly back to the edge of the pond, soaking the neckerchief and refilling the canteens. Walking back to the stranger lying on the ground, she poured the cold water all over his clothes and used the neckerchief to gently bathe his face and neck. A few more trips to repeat the actions and the man started to stir.
Severus groaned as he came to. He was aware that his clothes were wet and something cool was moving over his face and neck. At his movement, the cloth was taken away and he muttered in denial, bringing his hand up out of instinct to keep the coolness there just a little longer.
"Easy," he heard a soft voice say. "Someone beat you up pretty bad and you've probably got a bad case of heat exhaustion. I know your head probably feels like someone buried an axe in your brain but help is on the way; try and relax."
At the soft voice, female he realized, he opened his eyes just a little bit. Once his eyes focused, the woman smiled at him. "Welcome back to the living," she said gently. "Lie quietly, I'll be right back."
Sara got up and went back to the pond, re-soaking the neckerchief and filling the canteens for a fifth time. She walked back, noting the man was till watching her.
"You were out the first few times I poured this water all over you. I need to get you cooled down; this might feel a little cold," she warned.
Taking the cap off one canteen, she started out pouring the water up the arm furthest from her and then poured the water across his chest and down the arm nearest her, switching canteens when the first one emptied. She put her arm behind his back and helped him sit up a little, putting the canteen to his lips.
"Take a few swallows only," she said firmly. "Don't drink too fast."
Tipping the canteen slightly, Sara was able to control the water flow and watched as the man swallowed once, twice, three times, before she took the canteen away. Severus growled in protest but Sara stayed firm.
"I'll give you some more in a few minutes," she said gently. "If you drink too much too quickly, you'll just bring it back up again. Blast it where is Micah?"
Easing him back to the ground, Sara ran her neckerchief back over Severus' face and neck and then folding it, she laid it across his forehead.
"Micah, my foreman, should be here shortly. Can you tell me your name at least, and how you got out here?" she asked him.
Opening his mouth automatically to answer, Severus then furrowed his brow. His thoughts were muddled and he couldn't seem to remember what had happened to him. He looked at the woman crouched next to him and his confusion must have shown in his eyes.
"Never mind," Sara said quietly, "it can wait. Close your eyes and rest."
Severus closed his eyes, exhaustion again claiming him as he slipped into the welcoming blackness.
