Ocean’s Medical Emergency

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The Elders at the Gathering were enjoying a pleasant evening meal together when Poppy ran in, panting.  “Quick Fern.  It’s Ocean, his heart!”

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Fern stood up immediately alert. “Where is he Poppy?”  Bob rose to follow

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“At the Healing Lodge. His family brought him in.  His legs are so swollen and he’s having trouble breathing.” Poppy cried as she rattled off his symptoms.  The lodge was utterly silent for a brief moment.

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“OK”. Fern looked at Bob.  He Nodded. “We’re on our way” Sol also rose from a far corner of the Lodge and joined them. They ran as fast as they could as Fern asked Poppy between sucking breaths.” Did you get out the foxglove?”

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“I couldn’t find it!” cried Poppy as she ran; tears of failure in her eyes as she held out arms; hands loose in her helpless frustration.

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Fern was abrupt. “No matter. We’ll get it”.  They had reached the lodge and Fern looked at Ocean on the cot.  His legs and body were indeed more swollen than usual.  She felt for his heart beat on his wrist and could feel its fast; too fast pace. “The foxglove, Sol” Fern called.

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“It’s not here!” yelled Sol, in panic.

Rose, Ocean’s daughter broke in “He’s very confused; doesn’t seem to know where he is.” She had tears running down her cheeks while her husband Fiddlehead comforted her from behind.

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Fern turned to find the foxglove. Sol was checking every vial he could find, while Fern looked at the empty spot where the foxglove usually sat.  It was gone!  She turned to Sol. “Has any other healer asked for any today?’

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“No, Fern.  Not once since the Gathering started!”  They looked gravely at each other They both knew that without the foxglove, Ocean, who was now gasping for breath, had little chance of surviving this bout.  The gravity of the situation was sinking in.

Fern turned to her patient holding one of Ocean’s hands while Bob crooned a calming tune under his breath. Fern just watched, feeling for Oceans’ pulse, powerless to help and with a growing rage, tears of frustration were falling down her cheeks. Ocean was such a good man and so well respected both among the Elders and the folk in general.  To be robbed of more life was a crime in her mind for such a great man. Rose laid her head gently on her fathers’ chest as Ocean gasped for breath and wheezed out his last words to Rose.  “I’ll be with your mother now, dear”.  Rose had tears pouring down her face as they all watched Ocean, starved for air, let out one last breath and died.   The healers stood in silence while Fern checked his vital signs. “He’s gone” whispered Fern.  She closed his eyes while Rose wailed, keening over her fathers’ still warm body. 

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Later, after Bob and Fiddlehead had moved Ocean to the Mourning Hut, word had passed amongst the folk and all of Oceans family that were present held vigil, taking turns to go in and sit with him in the small space.  Bob had returned alone. He went to Fern and gave her a bear hug as she cried on his shoulder.  “It’s gone, Bob.  We’ve searched everywhere.  And it would have saved him.”  She released herself from his arms and looked him squarely in the eyes.  “It’s been stolen.  And whoever took it is not only responsible for Ocean’s premature death, but is a danger to everyone!” her distress was palpable. “What is their intent?  There’s enough foxglove in that vial to kill a bear!” She was clearly upset.

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Fern, Bob, Poppy & Sol all looked at each other in shock.

Bob spoke up decisively. “We’ll need to make sure that someone is always here from now on.  This is dangerous, and we have a potential murderer in our midst.  Between all the healers and apprentices, we can keep the hut occupied at all times.  I can sleep here every night.”

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Fern nodded while her eyes slid over the crew in front of her. “Sol, can you round up all our people and draw up a roster?”

“No problem” he said.

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Fern turned to Poppy and put her hand on the young girls arm. “Poppy, could you stay here now, while Bob & I go and report to the Elders?”  She nodded.  Bob and Fern were off.

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Fern & Bob Break the News of Ocean’s Death to the Elders

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As Fern and Bob solemnly entered the lodge, the grim looks on their faces told all.  With heads down, the Elders listened as Fern, in a lowered voice, showing their great respect as she told them of Oceans’ death, his move to the Mourning Hut and the family vigil.  Then in a more serious tone she went on to inform them of the stolen foxglove and how it could have saved him, for at least a little while longer.  She went on to explain to her colleagues just how dangerous it could be.  “It’s a horrible death, poisoning with foxglove is.  The victims lose their appetite; then the pain sets in as they continually vomit, have diarrhea then blurred, yellow vision. They become delirious, and then they just die, in a lot of pain.  There’s enough foxglove in there to kill ten of our folk!  Whoever stole this must have bad intentions towards someone, because I can’t see removing it from Ocean as a motive. He was not a man to have enemies.  We’ve all got to think.”  Her eyes moved with serious intent from face to face. “What feuds do your people have?  What grudges do they hold?”  Then placing individual emphasis on each word she said “Who wants to see someone dead and who is that someone.”  Humphrey looked somewhat uncomfortable in his chair, as if he were sitting on a hot rock.

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Columbine looked at Raven. “You’ve never been comfortable with Lee and Chip being allowed to marry; but you’re not the only one.”  Raven nodded, admitting his intolerance, but comfortable with it.

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Bak spoke up. “Well my brother Granite has always held a grudge against you Humphrey since Tansy left him for you, but not only can I not imagine it going that deep, he’s not even here.  He stayed home to look after some of his grandchildren” Bak held his hands open by his sides, his eyes, resigned.

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Columbine spoke up, stealing a quick glance at Raven as she addressed him. "You were never comfortable with Lee and Chip being allowed to marry, although, I admit, you were not the only one."  Raven nodded, acknowledging his prejudice.

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Pine spoke up next.  “I can think of something Bak that happened in both our clans some years back.  And I don’t see it as ever having been resolved; in one girls mind at least.”

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“What’s that?” barked Bak?

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“Unfortunately, I’m talking about my own granddaughter Mus.”  He hung his head in family shame.  “Remember twelve or so years back when she was pushing herself at Acer and Snowberry?  She was only fourteen! They were eighteen and nineteen.  We finally had to ship her off to your Bog Clan where Rush and Laurel tried to control her.  She was their niece and they are known as good disciplinarians.  All their children have turned out to be upstanding, responsible folk.  But I don’t think they ever were able to control that little minx.  Do you remember Sphagnum?” Pine asked, his head held sideways as he spoke.

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Sphagnum sighed.  “The boys, Cranberry and Perri would know, but of course they’re both gone right now as we all know.  Better get Rhys in here. I know Mus was a real flirt, always working on my boys.  Cranberry, Perri and Sorel, were all unmarried back then.  Sorel may know something.  Daisy might know too.  She knew her from the Skeena as well, before Mus got sent away, but I’d rather not bother her right now.”  Doug nodded his agreement.  He would have no one questioning his daughter tonight.

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Fern stood up.  “I may have something to add on Mus. Yesterday when the search party was ready to head out, Mus sent Perri to see me.  Said Perri was in no shape to join the search party and she wanted me to tell Raven he was too ill to go.  I looked him over and I swear he had buttercup poisoning.”  She shook her head in disbelief.  “Said he hadn’t been near any, but had just drunk a little too much mead last night.  He was covered in a red blistering rash all over his face, neck, hands and lower arms. Now, even if he had been pulling out any buttercups, the rash is usually confined to the hands that did the pulling, with some on the face when the hands touch it.  But his rash covered all of his face.  And as for the lower arms, possibly a bit on the lower parts but not on his upper parts. Now I can’t prove anything here but I could swear he was rubbed with it.”  Her eyes met those of the other elders one by one, “and Mus didn’t want Perri going on that search party for some reason” Fern ended.

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Raven stood up, slowly shaking his head from side to side in befuddlement. ”Two nights ago, that inane girl stopped me as I left our meeting. Didn’t seem too clever to me. Had the nerve to flirt with me, can you believe it!  Wanted me to kick Perri off the search party.  I told her to leave it alone. She said he wouldn’t know when to stop.  Then she pouted, of all things; curled her lower lip up and pouted!”  His face drew into itself and took on a quizzical look. “I couldn’t figure out what she was up too but she strikes me as being a few logs short of a load.”

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Bob spoke up then. “Well if it is Mus gave Perri the rash, maybe she’s got in in her to escalate to the foxglove  If so; who would she want to hurt?  And does she know it will kill?  If it was her that pulled off that little buttercup scheme it shows she can be nasty; but that wasn’t fatal.”

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Fern asked “Sphagnum, could you go get Rhys now?  I don’t think this can wait.”

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“Sure, I’ll get her, and if I see Sorel I’ll try to get him too” and he was off.

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Fern continued “Just to be sure, we’re making sure that from now on someone will always be in the in the healing hut.  Sol’s making up a watch roster right now from all the healers and apprentices.  Bob’s offered to sleep there tonight.  Hate to have any more thefts.  We’ve got a few herbs that can kill with a big enough dose.”

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Bob turned to her. “Fern, remember when we were talking in here the first day of the gathering and you were grinding the foxglove?”  She nodded. “I asked you about it and you mentioned that it was for Ocean and that too much could kill.  Then some small hooded figure slipped out of the lodge. Remember?”

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“Yes” Fern said, slowly nodding her head, recalling the incident. Her mouth and eyes showing deep concern.

Barnacle was next to speak, all his worry lines crinkled in unison. ”She’s staying at my daughter Star’s place with her kids.  Bones and his mother Viola are there and their youngest boy Ash.  I hope none of them are in any danger.” 

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They all sat and ruminated on Mus.  Could she be that ruthless?  And if she could, who was her intended victim?

Sphagnum reappeared, Rhys and Sorel in tow.  Viola waddled in after them, hoping she would be able to add her bit, if she could think of what ‘her bit’ might be. “Rhys says she remembers very well what happened, and Sorel remembers her too.  Rhys why don’t you start”

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As before, Rhys held her head high stood in the centre of the Elders circle and started telling the tale of Mus and the boys. “She was shameless!  Fourteen years old, wearing her tunics cut low.  Well-developed you could have called her.  Didn’t want to be with the girls; kept slipping away and throwing herself at my boys.”

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“Any boy in particular?  Was she going after Perri then?” asked Columbine.

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“No” Rhys spoke in a lower tone. ”Poor Perri was just an afterthought.  A second best in her eyes. Tell them Sorel”

Sorel rose, cleared his throat and spoke “She was shameless.  Just throwing herself at him.  If any of my students acted like that I’d have their parents in for a talking too right away.  She was a flirt alright.  She was after my oldest brother. She was after Cranberry.”

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“It’s time we talk to Mus” Raven said.