Cut Hands and Broken Toes

Writers: Aaron, Devin
Date Posted: 11th April 2024

Characters: Ç'pier, R'lor
Description: Ç'pier tries to convince a classmate he isn't scary during first aid class.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 26 of Turn 11

Ç'pier

R'lor

"I want to emphasize that if you feel any soreness or pain, it's best
to inform one of the weyrlingstaff immediately so you can be checked,"
R'lor said. "Minor injuries that aren't treated can become problems
later." He looked over the class to be sure they were paying
attention.

Ç'pier was diligently taking notes. He had learned a lot over the
Turns about first harm, but not much about first aid.

"Bleeding should be reported as well, anything beyond minor scraping
or a very small cut," R'lor said. "I know you might want to tough it
out, but your duty is to take care of your own safety as well as those
around you."

A strange guilt gnawed at him at these words. He never would have felt
guilty before. But there was something about the very thought of
disappointing Yuliuth that turned his insides to water.

}:You are not beyond redemption. No one truly is.:{

**No one ever wanted to buy me back before.**

}:You never gave anyone the chance. I can't pay the debt for you. But
I can help you repay it yourself.:{

**Is this something than can be repaid?**

}:No one is dead. Nothing has been lost that cannot be repaired.:{

**That's mighty optimistic of you.**

}:One of us has to be.:{

"Now," the Weyrlingmaster Third said. "I want you to split into pairs
to practice identifying and treating common injuries. Each of you will
get a piece of paper with an injury and symptoms written on it. One of
you will report these symptoms to your partner, and they'll diagnose
and apply first aid. Then you'll switch."

**This sounds awkward,** Ç'pier complained.

}:You will be grateful for the practice should it ever become necessary.:{

Ç'pier peered around to his right and left. He felt he barely knew
most of these people despite living and working so closely with them.
He wished he could partner with Blue.

Penseta happened to look over at the same time and their eyes met for
a second. "Um, I suppose we could . . ." None of her friends had
Impressed so she didn't have anyone to partner with.

"You don't sound very happy about the idea." Ç'pier grinned. "I won't
bite." Not with everyone watching.

"Well I'm not _afraid_ of you." She drew herself up a little.

}:Is something wrong?:{ Baeryth lifted her head from where she'd been
dozing beside Penseta.

**No, no, everything's fine.** She still wasn't used to all her
emotions leaking to her dragon. Around them chairs scraped as people
moved to sit beside their chosen partners.

Ç'pier laughed and shook his head.

"Well, I'm not scary, so..."

}:You can be a little scary. But you don't have to be.:{

**I'm just sitting here. I'm not scary.**

"Sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

She was spared from replying as R'lor came by and handed her a small
square of paper. She made a face at what was written there.

The paper R'lor handed to C'pier said: broken toe. Symptoms: pain,
swelling, bruising, very painful to bend toe.

"Now, decide which of you will be the injured one first," the
Weyrlingmaster Third said as he continued to pass out scraps of paper.
"The one applying first aid will determine what to do and get any
needed supplies from the front desk. Treat this as a real injury."

"You can be injured first if you want," said Ç'pier. "As I assume
you'd rather not have to touch my feet."

"Ew." Penseta wrinkled her nose. "Well, ok. Uh . . ." This was all
very awkward. She held up her hand, slightly cupped. "I cut my hand
while cutting up meat. The knife slipped. It's pretty deep and it's
bleeding a lot." She stared at her palm and she could almost _see_ the
blood. Penseta swallowed.

Ç'pier reviewed his notes quickly.

"Alright. Stay here, I'll be right back." He went to the front desk
and returned with supplies.

"We would want to wash it with soap and water if we can." He took her
hand in his and massaged it. "And we would want to squidge a little of
the blood out to make sure it doesn't get infected."

He took a bit of gauze that had been soaked with 'redwort' and wiped her
hand, then applied a clean, dry bit of gauze and some pressure to the
simulated wound. Then he wrapped and tied off the dressing.

"And then we would want to get you to the Healers for stitches."

"That seems right." Penseta had tried not to squirm when the
brownrider touched her. This was _class_. They were _learning_. Still,
it was unpleasant to have someone she barely knew touching her.

"Everyone done?" R'lor looked around the room for confirmation.
"Alright, then switch."

Penseta's discomfort drew Ç'pier's mind back to the relatively recent
remedial consent class he had to take after what happened with
Saedyna. What appeared to have happened, anyway.

"Hey, so, I smashed my toe," said Ç'pier. "Uh, stubbed it on my foot
locker, probably. And it's all bruised up and swollen, and it hurts to
try to bend it. But if you go grab the stuff and tell me what to do,
I'll do the hands-on part for you. So you don't have to touch me. If
that helps."

She let out a breath. "Oh, yes. Thank you. It sounds like a sprain?"
She frowned. "No, um, broken toe. I think." She went up to the front,
not entirely sure she could remember what to do. **Do you remember
what the Weyrlingmaster said about how to treat a broken toe?**

}:Remember what?:{ Baeryth said sleepily.

Clearly her dragon would be no help. She grabbed a few things and
returned to C'pier. "I think clean it first?" She handed him a small
piece of cloth soaked with "redwort" (which was only water for the
purposes of the class).

Ç'pier was not sure that was entirely necessary, but he supposed it
could not hurt. He removed his boot and sock and then went ahead and
scrubbed his whole foot for good measure. Maybe she just wanted to
make sure it would smell as little like a foot as possible.

"And then umm . . ." Oh shells. If she couldn't remember she'd make a
fool of herself. This shouldn't be so hard. Her glance flicked over.
Some of her classmates were laughing, and they were making it look so
easy, The Weyrlingmaster Third had _just_ told them not a quarter
candlemark ago. "Oh! Wrap it to the next toe. Is that right?" She held
out a roll of gauze.

"That's good." Ç'pier put his foot into a nearby empty chair, as
elevating it was also recommended, and then bound two of his toes
together with the gauze. "You're doing great."

"And then take you to the Healers?" She didn't know if she'd forgotten
something.

"Honestly, I don't think there's much else they can do, aside from
maybe wrapping it better than what I just did," said Ç'pier. "But aye,
they'll probably want to see it anyway. Make their call about how long
you're supposed to stay off of it or whatever."

"Alright," R'lor said. "Now I want you to write down what you did and
exchange the injury descriptions with your partner, so that the injury
and the treatment are turned in together."

Penseta quickly wrote down the treatment, hoping she was right. She
passed her slip with the "cut hand" description to C'pier.

Ç'pier wrote down what he did with her hand and why and then gave her
his broken toe slip in turn. He was not terribly worried. If he did
not get it, it was not as though anything worse than having to try
again would happen to him.

Penseta chewed her lip. Well, it was what it was.

Baeryth lifted her head and yawned. }:I'm hungry!:{

Some of the weyrlings had started to chatter and R'lor called for them
to quiet down. "It's a little early, but I can see some of your
dragonets are getting restless. You can go feed them and then have
your own lunch. Don't forget to leave your assignments on the front
desk."

Last updated on the April 11th 2024

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Cut Hands and Broken Toes