5
Steve and Jerry carried Daniel on the stretcher down the side of the mountain and into another huge cave. The cave had been divided into several living areas. One was a sitting area complete with rug, sofa and two large leather chairs. Just beyond that was an alcove of sorts that led a bedroom. A king size bed dominated the room, there were also two dressers and a nightstand; another large Persian rug was on the floor, Coleman lanterns lit the way.
They carried Daniel to the bed, folded down the blankets and place him on it. The woman began to remove his boots; Jerry and Steve removed the rest of his clothes. They washed him off and bandaged his shoulder up and got him settled in the bed.
“Thanks guys, I’ll need a basin of water and a towel,” she said to no one in particular.
“I’ll get them, my Lady.” Sally answered right away from the cave entrance. She had a worried look on her face. “I’ll get them and anything else you need. It was my entire fault.” She burst into tears.
“It’s all right Sally. He’s going to be okay. He’s a strong man, he’ll be real sick for a day or two, but he will make it.” Lady Kate went to her and put her arm around her to ease her worry. “It was not your fault.” Sally let out a long breath nodded and ran off to fetch the items.
Daniel was unconscious for about 16 hours. He was fighting the infection that had engulfed his body. The acid from Jake’s saliva had destroyed most of the bacteria, but some had entered his bloodstream and this was what he was fighting. The woman didn’t leave his side. She kept putting cold compresses on his forehead, and wiping his neck and chest. With Big John and Steve’s help she had bathed his heated body twice. Several times he yelled out in his delirium, calling on the names of those who were long dead. She could see what their deaths had done to him. It was all she and Steve could do to keep him in the bed. It was touch and go for a while, but around 4 pm the next day the fever finally broke. She sent Steve off to bed, and then she wrapped a blanket around herself and curled up in one of the big over stuffed chairs. She was so tired that she fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.
Daniel opened his eyes. It was very quiet and there was little light from a lamp. He tried to raise his head but he couldn’t. It was pounding, and he felt so weak. He could barely raise his arm to his head. He tried to focus, but even that was too much of an effort. Slowly he turned his head to see where he was, and it was then that he saw her asleep in the chair beside the bed. He stared at her for a long time. She really was an attractive woman, but so damn tough. Then he remembered her kneeling down beside him, holding his hand, telling him to hang on, and soothing him with her concern.
Just like the dreams.
Memories started to flood his mind. There were flashes of Sally screaming; the ‘thing’ charging; burning pain in his chest; blood flowing on the ground, and the woman by his side; so tender, so soft. His mind was trying to play catch up. There was something else; he was trying to remember…
Oh shit - I remember! Daniel shook, eyes wide. Jake…huge…towering over me…. he was talking to me… the burning… Oh God, the pain!
His mind was trying to hold down the rising panic in his gut, but in his weakened state he was loosing the battle. Daniel closed his eyes and slipped into unconsciousness again. A stronger will than his lulled him back to sleep.
Sleep Daniel, sleep. You can remember tomorrow, you need rest now.
When the woman woke it was dark outside. She went over and checked on Daniel; he was sleeping peacefully. She changed his bandage and saw that his wound was healing already. The fever that had raged for so long had broken, and now he was in a deep restful healing sleep. She finished with his bandage and stood and looked down at him lying there.
He’s a rugged looking man, she thought, chiseled features, and a very strong will, like in the dreams. She could see he was in good shape; his upper chest and arms were well developed. His body was lean and hard. His salt & pepper hair was long (as was most men), and he kept it tied with a piece of leather at the nape of his neck. She brushed his hair away from his face. She had always been drawn to his eyes; they were grayish in color, and could bore thru a person. There was a tuft of salt and pepper hair on his chest. I’ve always been a sucker for a guy with chest hair. She lightly dragged her hand across the left side of his chest. He had a strong masculine smell, not all that unpleasant. She could imagine his hands on her doing what he did in the dreams… damn it! I’ve got to stop doing this… it’s those damn dreams! She could hear a deep chuckle filling her mind, all right Jake, I get the point!
She got up and went toward the back of the cave where she had a dressing room. She washed up and brushed her teeth and changed her clothing. God I’m hungry! Better go now before he wakes and get something to eat. And bring some soup back up here for him. Just as she was leaving the cave Steve came in.
He smiled at her, “How’s he doing?”
“The fever really broke this time; he’s in a deep healing sleep now. I’m going to get something to eat, would you mind staying here till I get back?”
“I was about to suggest the same thing. Everyone wants to know how he’s doing. He’s a hero to them; the way he stood up to that thing. I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to do the same. Of course, I knew about Jake and he didn’t; any way you look at it, it took guts!”
“You don’t have to convince me, Steve,” she said, softly putting her hand on Steve’s shoulder..
Yes, and he will be more important to our survival than you think, My Lady. Jake added, but now you must refresh yourself with good food and drink. Go, he will sleep for some time. I will watch over him. Go with her Master Steve, she is weakened also, and can use a friend to fend off all the questions.
Thanks Jake, I could use some food and drink myself! Steve grabbed a jacket for her.
Thank you Jake, thank you my friend. Kate was tired, bone tired. I do not know what I would do without you. You are my rock.
I thought I was a Dragon! Jake said in a joking manner.
You know exactly what I mean! You just wanted to see if you could still get a rise out of me.
Ah, you know me too well, My Lady, he said softly, almost lovingly. You are very tired My Lady, you need food and rest. Now go, both of you!
They walked outside the cave to a pathway and followed it down to a landing; from there they went inside a smaller cave and continued down about a hundred feet. There they came to another opening which brought them to a stairway along the side of the mountain leading downward towards the camp.
Steve mentioned how cool the evening it was and Kate speculated that winter would come early this year. As they entered the great Hall everyone stopped talking and looked in their direction.
Sam and Lucy came up to them. Sally ran across the Hall from the kitchen area.
“Is he ok ; is he going to make it?” they asked in unison.
“Yes, yes. The fever broke and he’s in the healing sleep now.” She said it loud enough so all would hear the news, “Jake says he thinks we got to the poison in time, he says Daniel is strong and a fighter. All we can do now is wait and see.”
“All right! Yea!” Several cheered.
Big John came up to her, “is there anything I can do to help? I like the guy Kate; I think he’d be good for us, for the Community.”
“Thank you for the offer John,” she placed her hand on his arm, “but believe me, all we can do is wait. It’s all up to Daniel now. On a positive note, Jake has every confidence that he will pull thru.”
Sam came up behind Kate and Steve and slipped his arms into theirs and led them to a table. “Come and sit, I’ll get you two something to eat and drink. You must be starving; you’ve been up there for a day. We were beginning to get worried.”
Two big steaming plates of food were brought to their table. Steve attacked the food with gusto; Kate wasn’t far behind him. They didn’t realize just how hungry they were until they were on their second helping. Stuffed mouths murmured, “Umm… this is great Sam,” and “oh I want more of this… umm, thank you.”
“You know Kate, I’ve been thinking about those beasts,” Steve began as he was pouring honey on his second plate of biscuits; “maybe I could rig up some kind of a warning device. Something we could avoid, but a dumb beast wouldn’t notice. At least we would have a warning the next time one of them makes it up here. That was too close a call. If Daniel hadn’t been there, Sally and a lot of the others would have been killed before Jake could have taken him out.”
“We think a lot alike Steve. I’ve been trying to come up with something myself. Why don’t you get on it and let me know what you recommend we do. When Daniel is out of the woods so to speak, I’ll take you to town and we can get any kind of equipment you may need. And you would finally get to fly again,” she looked at him with a sly smile.
“Oh, don’t you be teasing me now; you know I’ve been dying for another ride. I’ll have something for you by tomorrow.” She knew the promise of a ride on Jake would motivate him.
After they finished eating, she asked Sam if he had any soup. She wanted to take some with her just in case Daniel woke up. “Lucy figured you would want something like that so she made a batch of chicken soup. It’s all ready to go. And here’s a thermos of tea too, I figure you’ll need that for yourself!”
“Thanks Sam, you’re a doll! I’m going to walk the camp first. I’ll stop by and pick these up before I head back up top.” She stopped for minute and sighed. “We came too close to a real disaster this time Sam, we have to be better prepared. I think we’ve gotten lazy, relying too much on Jake and Lady Jennie. They won’t always be around to protect us.”
“Haven’t I been saying that all along?” Sam admonished her; “we have to set up a defense by ourselves, Kate. We can’t rely on them all the time!”
“Just between us, Sam, think about who would make the best candidates for riders, male or female…. you know most of the people. I believe that Jake will be going for the eggs as soon as Daniel is ready. Think on it for a few days and then let me know your decision, OK?”
“I appreciate your confidence in me. I can tell you right now that Daniel, Steve and Jerry will be on that list. As to the others, that will take some thinking,” he tilted his head and smiled at her, waving as she went off.
She left the Hall and started her walk around the camp. Everyone was settling in for the night. She thought to herself how they had grown from the four of them to over a hundred fifty people. Sure they had their fights and arguments, but on the whole they were a pretty solid group of people. Jake had spoken of making more riders when they were a larger community, that they would be needed in the future. He seemed to be waiting for something.
I’m positive that Daniel is the key somehow. Jake has been waiting for Daniel to arrive before he begins his so-called ‘task’. Damn his ability to ‘see’ future events.
But, in the long run, she trusted him more than anyone. Now this business with Daniel getting hurt, she liked him a lot; he was kind to Sally, plus he had a good head on his shoulders.
And what a set of shoulders! Damn it, she had to stop this kind of thinking; it was those damn dreams! Secretly, she had to admit that she had entertained some pretty lusty thoughts about him.
She stopped back at the hall and picked up the soup and tea and headed up the mountain. She met Michael coming down.
“Everything’s fine in the surrounding area. No signs of anything or anyone. Lady Jennie couldn’t pick up anything on the ground. If there are more of them, they’ve gone to ground,” he smiled at her, “but she did say that she has a line on a possible hatching ground. Say, you look beat, you need to rest too you know!”
“I’m headed back up there now. I’m going to check on him, and then get myself some sleep, don’t worry yourself about me.” She gave him a quick hug, “hatching ground? Do you really think it will pan out this time? We really need more riders.”
“I think so. Lady Jennie said it was a new one,” he hugged her back and turned and made his way down the mountain, “keep your fingers crossed!”