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.