CH 124 — You Do What You Can

For one so small and frail, the hoglet proved to be the most difficult patient. It thrashed and wailed, raking Meike’s arms with its sharp claws. They hissed through clenched teeth. It was like being attacked by a kitten, still adjusting to the limits and lethality of its body. And like a mishandled kitten, the poor hoglet was just frightened. It meant no harm, but why did it have to struggle so?

“It’s okay,” they whispered, to no avail. “I’m just trying to help—ow!”

“Careful, careful,” Erzin said, having just finished administering a potion to the elderly patient. “Ah, Capsule! You’re holding it all wrong. Here, let me do it!” He whisked the hoglet into his arms, shushing and bouncing it. “There you are, my little hog! We’re going to make you feel all better…” He thrust a hand under Meike’s nose. “The potion, if you will!”

Meike begrudgingly placed the syringe in his palm. The baby couldn’t be expected to swallow a potion like an older child or adult, so this was the only way. They thought it would be much easier and quicker, but that went as well as dipping a cat in a bath.

Erzin’s shushing turned into a low hum. He lightly stroked the hoglet’s mouth until it popped open, and fitted the syringe between its snapping jobs. It whimpered around the device, but took the potion without further fuss.

“Good, good little hoggie. You’ve been lovely.” He made a face as he tucked the hoglet back into its crib. “Horrible things, aren’t they?”

They just stared at him, too exhausted to confirm or deny. If all babies were like this, they wanted nothing to do with them. Except maybe baby animals…those, they could handle. Little Alek was proof of that.