above Tarkyn, then slowly drifted down into him.
Tarkyn just endured and waited. There was nothing he could do. He felt his body rebelling against the burning. It felt as though he was trying to run away inside himself. He started to go out of rhythm with himself, different parts of himself fighting against others. His mind drifted down into helpless misery with no strength left to draw on. Then through the haze of pain, Tarkyn first felt a strong, steady trickle of strength winding its way through him from his hand. He became vaguely aware that his whole body was jerking but it was beyond his ability to control it. Then a large, slow wave of gentle life force surged through him from his shoulder. He imagined a cool, clear stream and let it wash through his scorched blood vessels. He could vaguely feel coldness on the outside of him. Gradually, his body stopped fighting itself as the burning was soothed and his temperature dropped. Suddenly, he was freezing cold. He shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering in his head.
“Oh no,” said Stormaway. “His temperature is dropping too fast. Get those wet clothes off him. Someone, get a rug. We have to keep him warm until he adjusts to the lower temperature.”
Rainstorm touched Tarkyn’s shaking arm. “He still feels hot.”
Stormaway nodded, “He is, but he is a lot colder than he was and his temperature needs to go down more slowly now that we’ve stopped the burning. Give the wet clothes to Summer Rain. She can wrap her hand in them. That will help to soothe it.”
This time, Tarkyn was aware of the blanket being wrapped around him. His mind and body had regained their connection with the outside world. He opened his eyes. They smarted and were bloodshot but were no longer the ghastly red that the woodfolk had seen previously.
“Thanks everyone,” he said between chattering teeth clutching the blanket around him.
Stormaway frowned down at him. “Lie still. You’re not out of the woods yet.”
Tarkyn managed a shaking smile, “Very funny.”
“Hi prince. Good to see you back in the land of the living. You gave us an almighty scare.” Rainstorm squatted down next to him. “I hate to bother you, but what do you want us to do about Rushwind?”
Tarkyn’s eyes widened in alarm. “Whatever you do, don’t touch her.” He gave another big shudder. When it had passed, he said, “She has to be quarantined from all life forms; people, plants, animals.” He lay panting for a minute with the effort of talking, before adding, “Keep her knocked out. Maybe dig a trench around her so the infection can’t spread form the plants she’s lying on. Make sure you put any tools you use inside the circle with her. Otherwise they may transmit the infection too.”
Tarkyn forced his hand up out of the blanket. “I have to get strength from the tree,” he said as he replaced his palm against the oak. “I have to fight the infection before it destroys the forest.”
The woodfolk looked at each other.
“You’re not strong enough,” objected Waterstone.
Tarkyn nodded, “I know. I have to become strong enough, as soon as possible.” A shadow of fear passed over his face. “And then I have to go back and do battle with those parasites.” He shivered again. “No chance of a fire, is there? Somewhere close to this tree so I can stay here and get back my strength and keep warm.”
“You are warm, prince.”
“Well, I don’t feel warm. It’s freezing out here.”
“Get him his fire,” instructed Stormaway. He turned to Tarkyn. “Your temperature is all over the place at the moment. Actually it’s not your temperature. It’s your perception of it. Your actual body temperature is gradually coming down, but it’s still too high.” He shrugged, “Still, if you want a fire, you shall have a fire. We don’t want your temperature to drop too fast.”
Tarkyn gave a few shivers before asking, “Is there anything to drink? I’m unbelievably thirsty. I
Tarkyn just endured and waited. There was nothing he could do. He felt his body rebelling against the burning. It felt as though he was trying to run away inside himself. He started to go out of rhythm with himself, different parts of himself fighting against others. His mind drifted down into helpless misery with no strength left to draw on. Then through the haze of pain, Tarkyn first felt a strong, steady trickle of strength winding its way through him from his hand. He became vaguely aware that his whole body was jerking but it was beyond his ability to control it. Then a large, slow wave of gentle life force surged through him from his shoulder. He imagined a cool, clear stream and let it wash through his scorched blood vessels. He could vaguely feel coldness on the outside of him. Gradually, his body stopped fighting itself as the burning was soothed and his temperature dropped. Suddenly, he was freezing cold. He shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering in his head.
“Oh no,” said Stormaway. “His temperature is dropping too fast. Get those wet clothes off him. Someone, get a rug. We have to keep him warm until he adjusts to the lower temperature.”
Rainstorm touched Tarkyn’s shaking arm. “He still feels hot.”
Stormaway nodded, “He is, but he is a lot colder than he was and his temperature needs to go down more slowly now that we’ve stopped the burning. Give the wet clothes to Summer Rain. She can wrap her hand in them. That will help to soothe it.”
This time, Tarkyn was aware of the blanket being wrapped around him. His mind and body had regained their connection with the outside world. He opened his eyes. They smarted and were bloodshot but were no longer the ghastly red that the woodfolk had seen previously.
“Thanks everyone,” he said between chattering teeth clutching the blanket around him.
Stormaway frowned down at him. “Lie still. You’re not out of the woods yet.”
Tarkyn managed a shaking smile, “Very funny.”
“Hi prince. Good to see you back in the land of the living. You gave us an almighty scare.” Rainstorm squatted down next to him. “I hate to bother you, but what do you want us to do about Rushwind?”
Tarkyn’s eyes widened in alarm. “Whatever you do, don’t touch her.” He gave another big shudder. When it had passed, he said, “She has to be quarantined from all life forms; people, plants, animals.” He lay panting for a minute with the effort of talking, before adding, “Keep her knocked out. Maybe dig a trench around her so the infection can’t spread form the plants she’s lying on. Make sure you put any tools you use inside the circle with her. Otherwise they may transmit the infection too.”
Tarkyn forced his hand up out of the blanket. “I have to get strength from the tree,” he said as he replaced his palm against the oak. “I have to fight the infection before it destroys the forest.”
The woodfolk looked at each other.
“You’re not strong enough,” objected Waterstone.
Tarkyn nodded, “I know. I have to become strong enough, as soon as possible.” A shadow of fear passed over his face. “And then I have to go back and do battle with those parasites.” He shivered again. “No chance of a fire, is there? Somewhere close to this tree so I can stay here and get back my strength and keep warm.”
“You are warm, prince.”
“Well, I don’t feel warm. It’s freezing out here.”
“Get him his fire,” instructed Stormaway. He turned to Tarkyn. “Your temperature is all over the place at the moment. Actually it’s not your temperature. It’s your perception of it. Your actual body temperature is gradually coming down, but it’s still too high.” He shrugged, “Still, if you want a fire, you shall have a fire. We don’t want your temperature to drop too fast.”
Tarkyn gave a few shivers before asking, “Is there anything to drink? I’m unbelievably thirsty. I
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