He shoved my hands away, pushing himself to his feet.
 
 He limped painfully towards his cot, grunting with each agonizing step.
 
 The air around him was a mixture of sweat and blood, a pungent aroma that told a tale of pain and perseverance.
 
 I watched him from a distance, my fingers itching to help, to ease his suffering.
 
 But I knew I needed to respect his boundaries, even if it felt like I was failing in my duty.
 
 His restless shifting was a testament to his discomfort.
 
 He groaned, his body thrashing on the thin mattress as he tried to find a position that would offer him some relief.
 
 His pain was almost palpable, a tangible entity in the room that I desperately wanted to banish.
 
 As I studied his agonized movements, I realized what I had to do.
 
 I knew he wouldn’t let me touch him while he was conscious, so I had to wait until he was unconscious.
 
 The medical device hummed softly as I dialed up the required medicine.
 
 My eyes widened at the dosage recommended for Ceara’s size and species.
 
 It was enough to knock out a large horse!
 
 The vial in my hand was filled with a deep, purple liquid.
 
 I felt the cool glass, the ridges on the cap, and the dull edge of the needle.
 
 My hands were steady as I filled the syringe, my years of nursing training kicking in despite the circumstances.
 
 I looked over at Ceara, his body finally still in an uneasy sleep.
 
 His rhythmic breathing was loud in the quiet room, a soothing cadence that did little to ease my nerves.
 
 I moved quietly, my feet silent on the cold stone floor as I made my way over to him.
 
 His body was a mass of hard round scales.
 
 No way the pathetic little needle was getting through that shell!
 
 I noticed the area where his scales met were much softer.
 
 That was where I would have to go in, I thought.
 
 I took a deep breath and placed a hand on his colossal muscular back.
 
 I might have been placing my hand on an elephant.
 
 As I injected him, I hoped that this medicine would give him some respite from his injuries, that it would allow his body to recover while he slept.
 
 “Get better, Ceara,” I whispered into the cold, empty room. “You have to get better.”
 
 I withdrew the needle.
 
 And that was when Ceara reacted.
 
 It was immediate and primal, his body jerking as the needle left his skin.