"Make sure the medicine's as fine as ground flour. You don't want it to be too chunky or else it won't stick together when yew add water." Sathe watched with a raised eyebrow as Brin rolled up her sleeves and feverishly ground the assortment of dried yarrow, willow bark, ginger, hollyhock seeds, and a various assortment of other plants and herbs together into a dried mint green paste.
"Once you've finished, mix it with water until it's as thick as mud."
"I thought ye wanted it as a powder?" Brin asked as she strained to further mash the paste to the ferret's wishes.
"You need it to be as fine as possible, so you only need a little bit of water so that it becomes sticky. That way it won't break apart and reopen the wound."
Sathe responded with no noticeable malice. It was a struggle, but it got easier to remove the frustration and anger that laced her tone. She had tried and failed to do so over the past fortnight, slowly and painfully getting better at it. Brin and Mildred's gentle correction and praise had assuaged her ego so far. She could be cheery and happy with Mildred, Brin, and Trilloway, for the most part. Showing the same kindness to other beasts, including the vermin, was a bigger challenge. The other day she couldn't bite her tongue after a clumsy dormouse collided with her at supper sending her plates of food clattering to the floor. He had apologized profusely, but Sathe still unleashed a restrained tirade of anger at the poor beast that echoed through the hall. From the scathing looks she received, she figured it was best to eat her meal in one of the adjacent hallways. Trilloway followed her out like a loyal wretched slave, not that he seemed to mind. Now he was peering over Brin's shoulder tapping back and forth on his toes eager to help. Brin's needle-like paws were covered in flecks of mossy green and snowy white powder, her claws wrapped around the mortar like a snake squeezing the life out of a baby bird.
"How does it feel t' run the infirmary dearie?" Mildred asked with a loving voice. The old squirrel had thought it a wise decision to let Sathe be the lead in the infirmary. Mildred hoped they all would learn something from it. Sathe couldn't complain, the infirmary was far nicer than that of the horde, and she could boss beasts around without looking like a villain.
"It feels… right. Aye don't know if dats a good way t' put it."
"Didja have something like this in yer horde?" Brin asked. The Redwallers were a bit wary of asking about Sathes' past. The ferret had shut down any conversation about her background before showing up in the abbey. "Like yer own infirmary, of sorts."
"Naw nothin' like this, I just had a single tent. Half of it was my private room, the other half was the infirmary. We had a few blankets for cots and a single table whose legs were all different lengths. Nothing close to what Redwall has." Sathe reminisced for only a moment before hurling the thought from her mind. There was nothing left for her in the horde, Redwall was her only home now.
Trilloway shook his head. "How'd ye manage t' survive all that time ol' jill?"
"Ye make things work. Yell at beasts that need t' be yelled at, stab the beasts that need t' be stabbed, and keep yer mouth shut around those who'd wanna stab you."
"Sounds terrible." Brin shuttered. "I don't understand why any beast would want to live like that."
Because I was one of the few beasts who decided who lived and died. I was important! Sathe shrugged. "I was safe. A horde is far better than being alone."
"Look on the brighter side, it made you one of the best healers in the land," Mildred interjected as she looked to change the subject. "And as for you sweetheart, you're with some of the best healers in all of Mossflower!"
Mildred's sweetly weathered voice soothed the injured dibbun. Ripeye had been brought to them by a concerned Redwaller who found him crying alone covered in snow with a nasty cut along his arm. It wasn't deep or anything too bad, but it bled so it needed to be cleaned and closed. Sathe found she was surprisingly eager to share her vast knowledge of the plants and herbs with these Redwallers. She knew that in turn she might be taught something useful by Mildred who was as eager as a sugared-up kit to share her vast knowledge. A part of Sathe was proud to bring something to the discussion, another part of her cursed her foolishness to give her valuable information to woodlanders. She did her best to silence the vitriol that bubbled in her heart.
"That's enough. The powder should be fine, the key is the right amount of water. Too much and it becomes runny and useless, too little and it's dry and gets everywhere."
"Aye. Just in the middle then." Brin responded as she carefully poured water from a pitcher that looked like it had been stolen from Friar Willard's kitchen. Sathe stood on her toes as Mildred and Trilloway crowded near the squirrel to watch the simple yet delicate process.
"That's enough! That's enough! Stop! Stop! Stop!" Sathe barked. Brin jolted to a stop as water sloshed out of the jug.
"That's not a lot, wot." Trilloway mused. He had been ordered to follow her about everywhere she went, and he cheerfully did his duties without complaint. His cheery demeanor might be looked highly upon by the abbeybeasts, but Sathe found him annoying and dim. To make things worse Sathe didn't exactly trust his healing abilities. She asked him for elm bark, and she brought her some oak! Sathe was so shocked she couldn't even find the words to yell at him. It seemed to her that the Long Patrol accepted everyone that was a hare. What made it worse was that the oaf couldn't stop smiling. What kind of mad beast does that?
"Less than you expect," Mildred added clearly interested in what the vermin was making. "Suppose once it's mixed and applied to the cut you don't need to bandage it?"
Ever curious you old hag. Sathe shook the thought from her mind. "Aye. Although I don't expect this one to be careful with his arm, I'd wrap it. Give it a day and the bandage can come off, let the wound breathe and re-apply the salve. It shouldn't need to be wrapped from then on."
"And this is good for all matter of cuts and scrapes?" Trilloway asked as Brin stirred the salve with her claw and applied it to the weasel.
"Aye. Closes the cuts without stitches or cobwebs, lessens the swelling, and helps kill most infections. I've used it on many beasts returning from skirmishes." Sathe said, trying to put the memories of the horde and the dirty savages, she was forced into service out of her mind.
"Wonderful Sathe just wonderful!" Mildred cheered as she clasped her paws together. "I'll be sure to record this somewhere. I wonder if Samuel would be willing to spend a day with us to record our learnings! Better yet Brin, I've seen you helping the abbot record-"
"Nooooooo!" Brin cried. "I'm sorry Miss Mildred but please don't make me write again!" Brin pleaded. Sathe seemed to miss the joke.
"Alright, I won't." Mildred laughed. "But I'd like what Sathe's taught us to be put on a tapestry. It would certainly add more life to the room!" Mildred was speaking of some of the several ornate tapestries that hung on the walls. Ever the artists, the Redwallers seemed to take pride in their tapestries and Sathe had to admit they were quite good at it. One could easily follow the woven drawings instructions, supposed they had the most basic knowledge of Mosslowers foliage. Sathe couldn't read but her pride puffed like a dandelion at the thought of her work being displayed for eternity in the infirmary of Redwall Abbey. She was the best healer the Abbey had ever seen after all.
"I'd be willing t' record what we've learned." Trilloway offered. "It'd be helpful for me if I get stationed anywhere else. I'll also be able to share this with the rest of the Long Patrol."
So, you can use it against vermin! Sathe bitterly thought but kept it to herself. Trilloway wasn't trying to be mean, but he was a hare so he could only think as far ahead as his next meal. He was a bit of a rule-following oaf at times, but he hadn't tried to hurt her. Had he? Sathe had apologized to Trilloway about slapping him after sobbing into Mildred's shoulder for almost an hour. A pleasantly wry grin graced his merry brown and white freckled face as he accepted her apology. Sathe remembered feeling numb during the whole ordeal, only when looking back at it did she feel a slight twinge of embarrassed nausea. She didn't know why, but a bit of her still blamed him for losing use of her paw. The cut had left a nasty scar that remained wrapped up. It made teaching Trilloway and Sathe a bit easier knowing that she had a valid excuse if she didn't want to do something.
"As long as I get a copy of it for Redwall." Mildred smiled and the decision was made.
"Now !" Mildred lovingly viewed the weasel as if he were her flesh and blood. "While Brin's wrapping your arm nice and tight, would you like a candied chestnut?"
Ripeye nodded. His teary eyes were now dry, and the back of his paw was covered in crusty snot. As hard as Sathe tried, she couldn't find much empathy for the weasel kit. The information would've disappointed Mildred, but it was the truth. He had made her life much more difficult back when they were in the horde. Over half a season before her desertion, she threatened Ripeye and his miscreant followers with a whipping after they asked if she would look into their future. The next evening her tent had been set on fire and nobody seemed to know who did it.
"Of course, sweetheart!" Mildred responded with a heart full of love for the dejected, arsonist vermin kit. "Can you tell me how ye got that nasty lettle cut?"
Ripeye's eyes widened in terror before he quickly shook his head. Concerned lines formed on the cinnamon and silver-furred squirrel. "Well, can you tell me why you were alone or covered in snow?" Once again Ripeye kept his mouth shut and shook his head.
Mildred frowned, "Well you should be more careful when you're by yourself. You're lucky it was just a scratch on your arm." Mildred's warm smile reached from both sides of her aged and frazzled face.
"Who found you, dearie?" Brin tried to emulate Mildred with less success.
"I dunno…. some mouse. Didn't catch the name." Ripeye stammered. "Can I have some candies now?"
Brin appeared to be taken a bit back by the weasel's demand. Mildred laughed away any unkindness.
"Of course you can dearie! I can't believe I forgot such an important part of the healing process!" Mildred reached into one of her many pockets and deposited the sweet treats into the vermin's claw.
"You can stay here until one of your parents comes to pick you up. In the meantime, would you like to learn how to stitch a wound?" Mildred asked with a wild twinkle in her eye.
Ripeye shook his head a 'no' as he stuffed his mouth full of the sweets. Sathe couldn't help but feel that something was a bit off with the little nuisance. His eyes were glassy and hollow as if he had watched his mother get swept away in a swiftly flowing river. If you looked at him for the first time, you'd suspect he was a little coward rather than a terror to older, more mature beasts. Perhaps the brat was just afraid of blood? Sathe had seen a fair share of vermin scoundrels blanch at the sight of their insides. They become unresponsive and hide away in a mental shell the same way a snail hides from a bit of salt.
"I thought his mother was still resting?" Trilloway quipped.
"Naw, her foot had healed up and Sister Lilac and I agreed that she was fit well enough to be put to work. She's either peeling vegetables in the kitchen or mending clothes with the other sewing beasts. Whichever it is, I can't remember now." Mildred responded, a noticeable vein in her head squirmed about like a worm in the rain.
"I'm sure Samuel wouldn't mind you if joined him and your father in the library," Brin told Ripeye with an awkward attempt to be cordial. "He might actually enjoy having a dibbun to teach."
"Aye, I bet he would." The old squirrel plopped onto a stool with a tired huff. She had been on her feet for most of the morning and her haggard appearance looked like that. "Sathe dearie would you close a window? It's far too warm in here."
"I don't think any windows are open," Sathe said with a bit of annoyance in her voice. Every other night the snow fell and blanketed the abbey and surrounding countryside, just to partially melt in the glaring sun and freeze when the snow fell once again. It was a vicious and unrelenting cycle. Today the peaceful blue sky broke through the windows and filled the Abbey with warmth and light.
"You're right, you're right. I just got hot all of a sudden." Mildred said as she mopped at her brow before popping right up with her standard joyful energy. "Well in that case dearies, Trilloway you can find some parchment and a bit of ink in one of the private rooms. Brin you can clean the mortar and pestle, and Sathe can wait with me and this sweet baby until Trilloway returns. Then I would like a list of the ingredients, uses, and instructions on how to make your miracle bandage paste."
"M'lady do you know what room the inks in?" Trilloway asked.
"Well…" Mildred stopped as a pained thoughtful expression cascaded over her. "I haven't got the foggiest clue!"
"It's quite alright. I'm certain I can find it."
Mildred took a deep and unsteady breath in response before turning to the weasel. "Twinetail is it? No, no… Ripeye. Are you certain you don't know what hurt you?" Mildred twitched her ears and blinked several times. Ripeye squirmed under the odd beasts questioning. Trilloway's raised eyebrow further drove home the need for the absolute truth.
"Well… I was playin' in tha snow…and then Do-"
"Just a moment dearie." Mildred's voice was light but panicked. "Sathe… where… oh goodness! Sathe I can't see!"
"Miss Mildred?" Trilloway stepped toward the squirrel as she spun about her mouth opening and closing. Her eyes were wide and cloudy like a dead fish left in the blazing sun before the old squirrel collapsed onto her stomach.
The squirrel began convulsing, flopping about like a pike on the searing deck of a skiff. Sathe felt a lump snag in her throat as Brin screamed and Trilloway swore.
"Brin grab her arms!" Sathe ordered, and the young squirrel jumped on a thrashing limb.
Sathe flipped the spasming beast onto her back. She couldn't help but gasp in shock seeing the old squirrel's face. Blood was pouring from her nose, as spittle flew from her mouth and onto Sathe's dark smock. Her eyes were peeled open and rolling back into her head. Sathe grabbed the old squirrel's head desperate to stop the shaking.
"Let go of her! Let it run its course!" Trilloway boomed as he yanked a pillow and blanket off the nearby bed and tossed it to the floor next to Mildred. He began to haul nearby pieces of furniture away from the squirrel.
"No, you idjit! You've got to stop her from hurting herself!" Sathe snapped back as she struggled to hold the squirrel's head in place as the rest of the body flailed about.
"You're gonna break her neck if you hold on any longer!" Trilloway ordered as he pushed a small nightstand away from them.
"I know what I'm doing hare!" Sathe spotted Brin wearing an unsure mask as she glanced between the two beasts. "Don't listen to him! Keep her arms from thrashing against the floor!"
"Brin, let her go! We need to make sure she doesn't hit anything." Trilloway ordered overtop of Sathe.
"And how do we do that idjit! By lettin' her flop about like a fish?"
"Yes, yew-"
"Shuddup rabbet! I've healed more beats than yew've ever seen!"
"Don't mean a blinkin' think iv ye act like a plum dumb fool when it mattahs, wot!"
"Stop fighting!" Brin cried. "Someone tell me what to do?"
"Keep her still squirrel!" Sathe barked as she attempted to grab the squirrel's arm that was contorting itself in unnatural angles. "She's probably been poisoned. There's enough in this infirmary to send all o' Redwall to the gates of the Dark Forest! There should be some medicine for her."
Sathe wasn't sure if the squirrel had been poisoned, but it was the best answer she could come up with at the time. She thought of a general antidote, the same one she had given to Ruddy and Crooksnout after they consumed the deadly fungi.
"No, she hasn't been poisoned! This is natural, you just have it run its course." Trilloway barked. "Don't put anything in her mouth unless ye want her to choke t' death, wot!"
"Do you wanna see her die?" Sathe spat. "Yew toadbrained fool! I'm the only one here who has any healing experience! You're just an oafish dolt who's here because it makes Sister Lilac feel better with vermin crawling about Redwall!"
Trilloways face darkened. "I've seen this before, yew bloody fool! Swallow what little blinkin' pride ye still have and listen!"
"Go get some help or at least try an' act useful you buck-toothed, limp-livered, thee-toed, simpleton!" Sathe snapped with a venomous shout that echoed through the whole of the abbey.
"If you don't listen, you're gonna hurt her." Trilloway barked, taking a step toward the ferret. "An' I won't stand t' let that happen."
Trilloway grabbed Sathe's shoulders and tried to yank her away from the squirrel, barking orders at Brin. Sathe screamed and clawed at the hare as he hauled her away from the shaking squirrel and kicked a pillow underneath Mildred's head. The ferret thrashed, kicked, spit, bit, hit, screamed, and cursed the hare. Eventually, a lucky kick found its way into his midsection. The muscular hare doubled over with a whump but strengthened grasp on the ferret, pulling her further away from Mildred. Sathe tried scratching him with her lame claw but only ended up flailing her useless claw in his face. Unfortunately, Sathe managed to jab his eye. A sudden furious look rippled across the hare's round face. With a sharp gulp, she felt her fur turn white as her senses caught up with her. His anger was quickly subdued as he spun about and tossed her away from the squirrel. She crash-landed hard on her rear.
"You brute! I should kill you!" Sathe barked, all pretense of being a changed vermin tossed to the wayside.
"Calm down, I'm not trying to hurt you." Trilloway sternly said. "You don't know how to deal with this."
"I don't know!" Sathe screeched. "I know far more than you ever would know you maddened maggot-brained slug!"
"Shut up you stupid vermin!" Trilloway caved, furious hidden lines of anger springing to his face. "I know what I'm doing, wot! I've seen this before and you… you haven't!"
"You-" Sathe started before Trilloway cut her off.
"Stop acting like you know what you're doing! You don't!" Trilloway shouted into her face.
Sathe paused for a moment, looking for the words to throw back into the burly hare. She was interrupted by the door to the infirmary flying open.
"What's going on here-! Oh, my goodness Miss Mildred!" Sister Lilac shouted as the plump hedgehog stormed into the room.
Mildred was twitching on her back as spittle and foam pooled at the corners of her mouth. Brin sat silently holding one of the old squirrel's paws with tears running down her cheeks. The infirmary was a disaster. Furniture was scattered about the room and pillows and blankets strewn around the seizing squirrel.
"Brin, roll her on her side. You don't want her to choke to death." Brin looked up at the hare. Seeing his expression was deadly serious, she hurried to do his bidding.
"Corporal Trilloway what happened? I'm with the dibbuns one minute then I hear screaming and find Miss Mildred dying the next!" Sister Lilac demanded.
"She's gonna be fine ma'am. Just a slight injury that's all, wot."
Slight injury my ringed rear! Sathe bit her tongue. Mildred had finally stopped convulsing and her cloudy fish eyes finally shut as she fell into a cold slumber. Ripeye looked on in terror. Sathe wasn't sure if he was scared of what had just happened to Mildred or of Sister Lilac.
"Slight injury! Are ye daft! She's clearly been poisoned or cursed by that vile ferret! I told you and Abbot Micah to get rid of her and of course, she decides to hurt poor Mildred!"
Sathe felt her blood boil.
"Sathe wasn't what caused this. As far as I'm concerned this happened naturally." Trilloways calm voice cut through the elevated emotions in the room.
"You're a fool Trilloway. I've only ever seen or heard beasts convulse like that when someone slipped poison or some other foul concoction into their food. The ferret took a page from Veil Sixclaw's book, and I demand you detain or slay her at once!"
"Nobody's getting thrown into-"
"Shuddup hedgepig!" Sathe snapped. She had kept her mouth shut for the sake of the other beasts in the infirmary, but the hedgehog had been a bully ever since she arrived.
"Sathe," Trilloway started before Sathe could unleash a vile tirade. "Please leave. I can handle this."
All the anger that had been billowing in Sathe vanished like the morning mist. Her eyes felt heavy, and her vision blurred with hot tears. Trilloway's words hurt far more than any beating she could imagine. She felt small, alone, and utterly worthless, like she had felt when her mother had died.
"Fine!" Sathe snapped, biting her lip and storming past the hare without another glance. She shouldered into Sister Lilac before fleeing the scene. She was so blinded by a furious embarrassment she couldn't hear the angry voices shouting her name from the infirmary.
I hope you enjoy!
As always please let me know what you think and what I can improve on. Any and all feedback is appreciated!