Zorlon - Levdia

[Emry]

Lisette seeing Midge in the bushes halts in her tracks. Knowing that flailing about can disturb more of the insects, she says very calmly to the boy, "Midge, get out of the bushes and we'll get those ticks off you. The guys have got the repellent. We can burn the ticks off if we have to. I need you to get out of there now though, before any other ticks attach."

[ThetaOrionis01]

Lurel waits anxiously to see if the bear will eat the apple. He keeps looking in his pack for anything else to feed to the starving bear.

 

He looks up at Ford. "What do bears eat?"

[ShinJiOh]

Midge rolls out of the bushes scratching madly

 

"Nasssty Ticks"

[Malchik]

In fact they are not ticks but they do bite and have given Midge a lot of small lumps and bumps all over his skin. Ford throws over the insect repellent muttering that they should all have used it already.

 

The bear is distracted by the apple. It eats it but is clearly unsatisfied. Ford says "It looks pretty weak to me. Maybe if we can catch it we can get that trap off its legs and splint them. Lisette knows about first aid she says. You don't know any spells to help Lurel?"

[ThetaOrionis01]

Lurel sighs. "I don't have a lot of power to cast spells - that's why I didn't heal your wound. What I have I need to conserve for emergencies - but there must be something we can do for the bear."

 

He uses his elemental magic, attempting to raise a wall between them and the bear.

 

"That way it can't attack us, and we won't have to kill it," he mumbles, "and we can feed it some more. If we have enough to spare. But if there's enough food here to feed a bear...well, there should be something we can hunt too. And we need to watch out for those traps."

 

He fishes more food out of his pack, and lobs it on the ground in front of the bear.

 

"We'll help you," he says softly. "You and your cubs."

 

He turns to Ford. "Yes, let's see what Lisette says when she and Midge get back in here. This looks like the safest place to spend the night we've come across today - might as well stay here. Even with a lame, starving bear for company."

[Malchik]

The wall appears as Lurel called for it.

 

Ford says "If the bear is starving, won't the cubs be in trouble, too? Should we go and find them?"

 

He calls over to Lisette to bring some branches to be used as torches.

 

"Midge, if we are going into a cave we need someone who won't get lost. Do you think you'll be able to remember the way back?"

[ThetaOrionis01]

"I'm sure the cubs will be starving too," Lurel says, "but if you get between the mother and her cubs she'll muster what strength she has to defend them. She'll only worsen her injuries - and she would certainly try to attack us. The best thing we can do is to get her fit to look after her cubs again."

 

He thinks for a minute. "Maybe we can get some food to the cubs too. I suppose the bear isn't going to let us walk up to it to splint its legs - we'll have to knock it out somehow. We could use that time to feed the cubs. What do you think...do bear cubs like porridge?"

 

He sighs. "Let's see what Lisette says - I think she's the one most likely to be able to help the bear. And I suppose, if we do help the bear, we also need to check for more traps - we don't want it to get caught in another one once we're gone."

 

He walks to the cave entrance to see how Lisette and Midge are faring. Remembering the spoon he starts looking for it - it has proven very useful so far. And, he thinks, it might be useful to collect some firewood too.

[Malchik]

The spoon is less shiny than it was but has not returned to a rusty state either.

 

As Lurel searches for the spoon, there is a sound from behind the wall holding the bear. The creature has collapsed.

 

Ford peers at it. "I think its leg joints have been dislocated. I can probably fix it. I used to have to on the farm sometimes. But it's very weak. Lurel can you channel a bit of my strength into it? After I've tried to fix the legs, not before."

[ThetaOrionis01]

"I'll do what I can," Lurel promises Ford.

 

He carefully picks up some dry vegetation, mindful of the thorns he encountered earlier...and of the hideous poisonous plant he escaped so narrowly. He keeps on looking for the spoon, uncomfortably aware of the gathering dusk.

 

"Lisette! Midge!" he calls to the other two. "Hurry up and get into the cave, will you? We need your help in there, and it's getting dark!"

[Emry]

Lisette, hearing the yells from the cave, gathered the requested branches and ignites some as torches.

 

As she enters the cave, she pales when she sees the mutilated bear. "Greats gods above! Who would do that to such an animal?" Her eyes flash an angry red at the sight of the poor beast. "And it's in such a state.... starving too. Has it eaten anything? Bears will eat almost anything put in front of them."

 

She looks at the bear again and sighs debating internally as to what they should do. "Here is our dilemma. Bears eat a lot. If we feed the bear and the cubs then it will deplete most, if not all, of our travelling rations. That will affect our journey. We have options. First, we could leave and let nature take its course. I would be uncomfortable leaving this creature like this to suffer and die. The bears will not be able to survive very long without our aid. Secondly, we could kill the bear and the cubs and move on. I know that is a callous suggestion but a mercy killing is better than a lingering death. The other option is to try to heal them. If you think you can heal it Ford, that is your decision and I will support it. However, realize this - we may have to confront a now healthy bear who is willing to defend its cubs in its den from intruders. Although we have aided it, the bear might then see us as a threat and we would have to kill it."

 

"What do you others think?"