Shenzi Goes to Thra C 6

The next morning, Aughra checked his wounds, which were still closed and she put new mosses and bandages on. Chamberlain was still alive.

Aughra saw it was possible to get him back to her place, but if he couldn’t walk, she and Shenzi would have to drag him there on something flat. Or in something. She asked Shenzi to go look around many water holes to see if she could find something flat to put him in.

Shenzi found a curved shell near a flowing stream. It looked like a Garthim shell. She pulled it back to the den. Aughra had sent her since she was younger and could move faster.

“Will this thing work?” Shenzi asked as she pulled it up.

Aughra saw it was a Garthim shell. “It will do, Shenzi.” She said. Shenzi smiled.

Now came the hard part of getting the unconscious Chamberlain into the shell for transport.

Aughra advised that they bring it over and behind him, and gently roll him into it. By getting the edge of the shell under him, it would be a bit easier.

The shell was dragged over and put under Chamberlain’s back well enough. Shenzi stood on her hind legs to hold the shell in place, while Aughra went around front and began to push on him carefully. Shenzi began pushing upwards to accommodate his body.

When he was finally in, he was on his back. Aughra put some cloth behind his head for a pillow. She now had a great idea. She went to gather up vines and such from trees. Shenzi watched her as she came over to her.

“Shenzi, need to make harness so shell with skekSil to be pulled by you. Faster way of getting him back.” Aughra explained.

The hyena got the picture. She let the woman start tying the vines around her lower neck around her chest and shoulders. Soon a harness was complete. There were side vines too. Now Aughra just needed some holes to tie them to on the shell.

Aughra found a small sharp rock and went and jammed holes in the shell. Then she tied the vines’ harness to the shell. The supplies were all put in the shell too, so neither female would be carrying it and getting tired of it.

Aughra was now leading the way back to her home, and Shenzi was right behind her, pulling a Garthim shell with an injured and unconscious Chamberlain and medical supplies in it. Shenzi put all her strength into it. He was kind of heavy, but she had power in her head, neck, and shoulders. If her neck could withstand the twists and turns on the African plains of her prey, she could handle this too.

---

It took all day to get back to Aughra’s home. The shell was dragged into her Observatory. It was put well away from the moving planets and moons moving in the room. Shenzi was untied from her harness. She didn’t dare leave Chamberlain’s side. He stayed in the shell. The supplies were removed. A couple of blankets were brought forth and put in the shell to cover Chamberlain up.

There were some herbs that Chamberlain could take to help with his fever and infection, but he had to wake up first. A wet cloth was still kept on his forehead to help calm his fever.

---

In the Valley of the Mystics, Chamberlain’s counterpart, Chanter, was hurt and sick with the same thing. The Healer was trying to do what he could for him. His wounds had been sewn up good and covered in its own bandages to prevent further infection to the wounds.

---

Aughra offered Shenzi some food, but she downright refused. The old woman let her be. She wasn’t leaving him for nothing until he was well. She licked him every now and again. She laid or sat by the shell all the time. She rested herself as well while her own leg healed too.

Within 3 days of the fight, Shenzi’s leg was well enough that it was scabbed over and nothing else was needed as long as she left it alone.

After 4 days, Chamberlain finally began to come around. It was nighttime right now. It was dark wherever he was, but he did hear breathing too. He raised himself a little and noticed the form of Shenzi on the floor next to him and whatever he was lying in. But he also noticed that he was not in the same place. He would wait until morning.

---

Chamberlain awoke as soon as light hit him in the face in the new morning. He groaned. He tried to raise himself up. He was able to sit up, but when he tried to move his right leg, it screamed at him. “OW!” He cried out and grabbed at his leg. He removed the blankets and saw the bandages. The cloth had also fallen from off his forehead too.

Shenzi was now stirring too at the sound of her friend’s voice. She raised her head. “Chamberlain? You’re awake!” She smiled at him. He turned his head to her.

“It hurts!!!” He screamed.

“I know it does. And it will for awhile.” Shenzi said, getting up and coming over to him. “At least you fought the fever and infection in your body. You should be just fine in time.”

“Where are we?” Chamberlain asked.

“In Aughra’s home, SkekSil.” Aughra answered. She was not pleased to see him as he was a Skeksis, but he had needed treatment. Nor was he happy to see her.

“You asked for help, and I got her.” Shenzi said. “In helping each other, we brought you here until you can get some strength back. She has some medicine for you to help finish fighting infection. It would also be safer here for you to be than out there.”

Chamberlain couldn’t argue with that. He let Aughra give him some medical herbs to help with pain and help him fight some more against his infection. But then it was time to change the bandages. “No!” He snapped at Aughra. She had them ready.

“Not touch me!” The Skeksis growled.

“Your wound covers need changing, SkekSil. Or wounds become real bad without changing.” Aughra said.

“Still not touching me!” Chamberlain was protective of his leg wounds.

“Chamberlain, please cooperate. I don’t want to lose you like I did my mate.” Shenzi begged at him.

Chamberlain saw the sadness in her eyes and couldn’t believe she had just said that and to him. “Alright. I do it for you Shenzi.” He said.

She smiled. “Now lay back down.”

Chamberlain complied. Shenzi came over and stood by the shell. Aughra now came over to change the dressings much to Chamberlain’s dismay and discomfort. He began whimpering in pain.

“Now hold still and let her do the job.” Shenzi said.

“It hurts!” He said. “OW!” He screamed when his sore leg was now touched. His breathing increased to a heavy panting.

Shenzi began moaning to him in a mother hyena way. Chamberlain glanced at her. It got his attention and stopped his whining. She now put a paw on his right hand. It was wrapped too he had seen, but it wasn’t as sore. He now saw the spot on her leg. There was a scratch there now, but he had recognized it as the wound that she had gotten from the animal.

“You make same sounds as me?” He asked.

She giggled. “Not exactly. These are just some groans and moans that my kind use when trying to call or calm a baby of ours. Our real loud calls that even lions really hate is the sound we make when we start laughing real hard.”  

That had distracted Chamberlain long enough for Aughra to secure a first new dressing. Then he winced in pain. He bared his teeth and closed his eyes. It had even made his stomach flinch. “Enough Aughra!” He cried out.

“It all needs to be dressed. You have stitches in your leg. They need to be protected, Chamberlain.” Shenzi tried to calm him down.

But he was already trying to get her away from his leg. But Shenzi couldn’t let him do it. She growled and bared her teeth to get his attention.

The Skeksis turned. Now he stopped. Even Aughra was shocked to see her do that. The instant he stopped, she calmed down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do that, but it was the only other way to get your attention then.” Shenzi said. “Now just let her finish.”

Chamberlain knew he had no choice now. A second dressing finished and it was now done for the day. He wanted so much to stand up. But he was pushed back down again. “I want up.”

“No. You could tear the stitches out. Stay down.” Shenzi said. “Get some more rest. I’m here if you need me.” She went over and laid down a little further away this time, but did watch him.

He hated this injury. Now he couldn’t even get up. Chamberlain rolled to his left side and tried to sleep. He was gentle with his leg. He was a little mad at her right now for nearly trying to threaten him.

Shenzi had had no intention of biting him at all, just to get his attention when she had bared her teeth at him to let Aughra finish dressing his injuries.

Chamberlain fell asleep.

Shenzi was now very hungry again, and while her friend was sleeping, she said she needed some air and Aughra let her leave. She needed in truth to hunt. Maybe coming back with some food would make him happy. He hadn’t eaten within the same time script as her. Four days.

She traveled a short distance and caught many animals for herself. She had much to eat since she was eating for at least two stomachs, maybe three. Then she caught a good sized animal for Chamberlain. It was a grayish creature that resembled a kind of fish. It was small, but it would do for her to carry it back. She cleaned the blood off herself first before making her way back.

---

Chamberlain awoke a little bit later to his stomach growling loudly. He moaned. Now that he was awake again, he was ready to eat again. How long had he been out anyway? He rolled to his back and sat up. He saw that Shenzi was gone. “Where is Shenzi?”

“Out SkekSil. She said she needed some air. Not blame her. She has been sitting in here for last 4 days watching you every minute, waiting for you to wake up. She has not eaten at all, no matter what I offered her. She has been gone awhile. She probably mad at you.” Aughra said.

His mood had softened again. He hoped he had not upset her that she wasn’t coming back. She had shown the most courtesy and appreciation to him more than anyone else had in his life. She might not have been his species, but to him, she was likeable.

Then his stomach growled again. Now even Aughra heard it. He rubbed at it. “Hungry, Skeksis?” He heard her say.

“Yes. Very.” SkekSil said. “Not eat for many days because of fever.”

“I know.” Aughra said.

---

At the Castle, Chamberlain’s fellow Skeksis were so glad to have Chamberlain out of their lives. General especially. He had always annoyed him the most. They were having all 3 meals a day with some small snacks in between meals. They were eating better than Chamberlain indefinitely at the moment.

---

Aughra knew she had nothing to feed the hungry Skeksis. She didn’t want to kill anything to feed him. But then, her prayers for food for him were answered when Shenzi came back inside. She groaned in the way she had before. It got Chamberlain’s attention. He turned.

Shenzi trotted up to him proudly and she waited until he held his hands up to take the prize in her mouth. She released it. “Hope you like that thing. It wasn’t easy to catch.” She said.

Chamberlain was happy that she had hunted again for him. Being hurt, he couldn’t even try. Then he noticed her fur. It was all wet. Evidently, she had been swimming or just got wet to catch this fish thing for him. Now she had gone away from him and settled down to rest. She went to sleep shortly after while he was now munching on the fish.

The fish would stop his stomach growling for a little while. Then he went back to sleeping again. His fever was broken and all, but he still needed lots of rest.