Chapter 50: Strength And Weakness Part 2

Trals clenched his teeth, sweat pouring down his shivering skin. He would not scream.

"All right. I've done what I can," said Mree.

Pressure tightened around the throbbing agony in his leg. Trals opened his eyes, and the red mists of pain cleared to show Mree's face.

"Now tell me," the Healer said, "why that wasn't a waste of time."

"Trals has a plan." That was Njrea's voice. Trals rolled his head, and found that solid, beloved figure. She walked with one hand on his travois, Driver Mlan at her side. Trals was alive, which meant Njrea had held their strategy hostage against medical aid. Oh, what a woman he had found!

"Yes," came Mlan's rockslide voice, "and what is that plan?"

"We must - " Trals coughed, trying to summon a good bellow. But his action might kill Njrea. Dare he speak?

"Yes? What?" Mlan demanded. "What is it you want to gouge from me now, you monitor lizard?"

"Trals? Tell them," said Njrea.