Chapter 14-8

Garkhen, now thinking his friends safe enough, immediately fell asleep, too exhausted to stay conscious.

It did not take long to mop up the remaining Javni'Tolkhrah after that, but Zakhin'Dakh was hardly the only wounded, and there were many dead among the griffon-riders. It was a weary and wounded lot that flew back into Midport after the battle, many splitting off to visit various healers and priests in the city. Captain Theris found them and waved them over.

“We've not enough healers for everyone, but that wound takes priority over some,” he shouted as the three friends neared. They could see that he and his griffon both bore a few cuts and scratches of their own, but nothing too serious. “This way.”

He led them over the city to what was obviously the religious district of the city. A number of different temples—most of them to Mashano, but also a few to some other deities—seemed to compete with one another for beauty and size. A number of griffons had already landed in the various plazas and squares scattered about the area, with priests and acolytes rushing out to tend to them.

The Rider Captain landed in one of the less-crowded plazas and waved over one of the priests, pointing to the larger griffon descending behind him.

“Look to that leg—check it for poison, and stop the bleeding, at the least,” Theris ordered.

“And I suppose you're confident that your own wounds aren't poisoned?” The priest asked, already moving over to Zakhin'Dakh as he landed, keeping his weight off his injured leg. “Don't answer that, I have something that will handle it.”

He pulled out a large amulet, which seemed built around a straight white horn.

“Unicorn,” he stated, briefly touching it to some of the blood trickling from Zakhin'Dakh's injured leg. He examined it as he continued, “Given willingly, at the noble creature's death, to one of my predecessors, or so the story goes.”

He seemed satisfied by what he saw. “You're lucky. Whatever it was just had big teeth, not big poisonous teeth.” The priest murmured some words and waved a hand over Zakhin'Dakh's wounds, and the bleeding stopped.

He quickly examined his work. “It will heal naturally, now, if it's dressed. I doubt we've the power to spare for more right now.”

Almonihah, who had been trailing behind, landed behind Zakhin'Dakh while the priest went over to Captain Theris. The big griffon looked back at his friend.

Hurts, but not lots, he screeched.

Almonihah nodded. “Let's see about getting 't cleaned up 'nd bandaged, now.”

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Just a bit of time to calm down and clean up after the big battle. Next week, it'll be a new chapter! This is getting fairly close to the end now--chapter 19 or 20 will probably be the last one, by my current plan.