Page 148 of Wind Rider

“Are you okay?” Sora called over her shoulder.

“Okay enough! Go! Get out of here!”

The boats ahead of them had some idea of what was happening, because Wilkes and Sheena began firing at a group of Monkeys who were chattering and shrieking as they dangled from the ruin. The creatures fell into the water, creating more of a distraction so that as the boats sped past the temple, its sides were stained red and the water around it was filled with blood and grasping tentacles as Mouths feasted on Monkeys and Monkeys feasted on Mouths—ignoring the Pack.

It seemed a terribly long time before Antreas called for them to circle up. Sweat ran down Mari’s face and dripped from her arms, which shook with effort. Dove was sitting in the bottom of the canoe, cradling Cammy as she held pressure bandages on his two rear legs, which had been lacerated by the Mouth’s barbed teeth. The last six inches or so of his tail had been completely desleeved. The moment Antreas called a halt, Mari went to Cammy.

“His rear legs and his tail are injured!” Davis said. “I’m coming over there!”

“Hang on, Davis. Stay where you are until I see how bad it is,” Mari said. Then she called to Claudia. “How’s Mariah?”

The Companion was crawling along the ballast arm toward her Shepherd. “The second pup is coming. Mariah is fine, but she’s worried about Cammy.”

“Hey there, little guy. Let me check you out.” Mari gently unwrapped the makeshift bandages from his legs, grimacing at the lacerations—butthey were only bleeding slightly. His tail looked terrible, showing bare cartilage and bloody ooze. She knew immediately that she was going to have to amputate it down to an uninjured nub, but neither his legs nor tail had suffered life-threatening injuries. “I have some healing to do, but he’s going to be just fine!” she called to Davis, who sat so heavily Mari thought he was close to fainting. “Good job keeping the pressure on those wounds,” Mari told Dove before pulling one of her medical satchels out from where it had been stowed under her seat and searching through it for salve and proper bandages.

“Oh, I was so worried for him,” Dove said, feeling for Cammy’s head and stroking it gently.

Cammy was panting with pain and whined as Mari applied the salve, causing Davis to stand again. “Cammy?”

“It’s okay. I’ve just put some numbing salve on his wounds. Dove almost has the bleeding stopped. I’ll sew the lacerations as soon as I’ve cleaned the wounds.” She looked up, finding Sora’s boat just a few feet away. “I’m going to need the surgical knife.”

“Getting it!” Sora stood and hurried to the medical storage baskets stowed under the seats.

“Light that mini-brazier you rigged, too. I’m going to need to cauterize his tail,” Mari said.

“What? His tail?” Davis was looking very pale, and sounding worse than Cammy.

“It’s okay. It’s not a serious injury—just painful. His tail is going to be shorter, but that’s just a battle scar.” Mari stroked the Terrier’s head. “Right, brave boy?”

Cammy tried to wag his tail, but whined painfully instead.

“Good boy, Cammyman!” Davis said, tears in his voice. “You’re so strong and brave. You saved Mariah and the puppies!”

“Nik, would you hand me a dry tunic?” Mari asked. Nik quickly tossed her a shirt, which she put into Dove’s hands, saying, “Dove, could you carefully dry Cammy and then wrap this around him like a blanket? He’s going into shock, which is dangerous, and being wet does not help. We need to keep him dry and warm.”

“Of course! And I’ll be very careful.” Dove felt along the Terrier’s body, drying him gently as she murmured encouragement to him.

Sheena and O’Bryan paddled Sora close enough to Mari’s boat for her to pass Nik the surgical knife. Sora then began stoking the little brazier she’d used during the very long overwater trip to brew tea and render tinctures. She placed one of Leda’s valuable cauterizing irons in it, waiting for it to heat.

“Another pup!” Claudia said.

“Goddess! I feel like I’m going to pass out.” Davis sat again as all the remaining color drained from his face.

“All will be well.” Lily moved closer and patted his back with a tentative but comforting hand. “Mari and the Goddess will heal your Cammy—and the Goddess has already protected sweet Mariah and her puppies.”

Mari glanced up at Davis. “Put your head between your legs. If you pass out it’s going to agitate Cammy, and I’m going to need him to stay still.”

“Okay—okay. Cammy, everything is fine. I’m just worried about you, that’s all. But be a brave boy and hold still for Mari so she can fix you,” Davis called to his Companion before he put his head between his legs, breathing heavily.

Cammy panted and whined, but laid his head on Dove’s thigh, allowing her to dry and comfort him.

By this time the boats were circled around them and the Pack was watching anxiously. Antreas guided his canoe over to them. He looked from one boat to the other, shaking his head.

“You scared me. Badly,” he said. “Is anyone hurt?”

“My Cammyman is,” Davis said.

“He’s also a hero,” said Claudia, smiling through tears at the little Terrier. “He saved Mariah and all of her puppies.”