After leaving the injured fox under Roho's expert care, Piper returned to the sewers, collecting the damaged wheelbarrow, and checking on the area where he had found the vulpine. Several of the vermites who had been scared off by him earlier had returned to feast on their dead fellows, and the Gallah was able to catch most of those. With enough vermite corpses to pay for food for a few more days, he was content.

The next day, he returned to the healer's clinic to see how the little fox fared.

A Rath'ani nurse sits behind the receptionist's desk, carefully counting pills into a bottle.

The Gallah sneezes into his hand and then absently wipes it off on his tattered trousers. The antiseptic smell in the air seems almost as strange to him as the sewers. Nervously, the dog walks towards the desk and bows. "Pardon me, Madame, but I was in here yesterday with a lady fox who had fallen into the sewers. Her name was Kassie; may I see her?" He fights the urge to tuck his tail between his legs in these strange surroundings.

The attendant lifts one finger at him in a "wait" motion, and finishes counting the pills under her breath. Using a chitin knife, she ushers them from the flat plate into a small bottle, and caps it, placing the rest back in large square container which she likewise seals. She next looks up at Piper quizzically, then smiles in recognition. "Ah, yes. I almost didn't recognize you c… " she stops, looking embarrassed, and then hurries on, "Yes, quite right. She's doing much better today. Let me go check and make sure she's awake."

"Merci," Piper barks. He sniffs at his arm just to make sure most of the sewer smell is gone. "I'm glad to hear she's healing up."

Standing, she nods and makes a little "wait here" motion to Piper before walking briskly up the staircase. A few moments later she comes down, smiling again. "Kassie's awake. Come on up – please be quiet so that you don't disturb the other patients."

The dog nods and puts a hand over his muzzle to accentuate the fact that he intends to be quiet, and then makes his way up the stairwell.

The ward, a large room with ten simple, narrow beds, contains several other patients in varying states of health, most of them lying quiescent on their beds. Off-white, translucent curtains between the beds – but not extending past the corridor between them – offer the individuals a little privacy when drawn, if no sound-absorption. The nurse motions to the end of row to indicate that the vixen is on the far side of the room.

Piper releases his muzzle and grins. "How long am I allowed to visit her? I don't want to wear the Mam'selle out and make a bother of myself," he whispers.

Nodding appreciatively, the assistant replies, "I think she can use the stimulation of company – she's been a little restless already, and that will no doubt get worse while she's recuperating – which will take a long time, I'm afraid. Anyroad, she should be fine for an hour or so. I'll check in now and again to make sure everything's all right."

"Thank you for your help, and please pass my gratitude to Monsieur Roho as well." The dog fidgets with his shirt and tiptoes towards the bed.

The raccoon nods again, and watches Piper's progress before moving to check on another patient.

Piper peeks around the curtain sectioning the vixen's bed off from the others. "Um… bonjour, Mam'selle Kassie."

The vixen looks, if anything, smaller now than Piper recalls. A massive cast encases her right leg from foot to hip, which a sling keeps elevated at the foot, although a blanket conceals much of it from above the knee onward. A splint binds her left arm, with additional gauze wrappings further bulking it out. In her right hand, she holds a small wooden toy Drokar, and while Piper was approaching, she played with it carefully, scampering it up and down the right side of her bed, making little neighing sounds. At his inquiry, she glances up and beams a smile. "Hi!"

The dog lolls his tongue out happily. "You seem much better than before. I … er … I don't know if you remember me or not. I'm Piper." He sniffs at the air noisily. "I almost didn't recognise you."

Kassie giggles at the loud snuffling. "I don't know if I would reco'nize you, 'cept that Naomi said you were coming up to see me." She pauses, then adds, "But I remember you. Except that I remember you being … um … bigger." She points to a chair near the bed. "Naomi brought a chair for you in case you wanted to sit down." She adds this last a little shyly.

"That was very nice of Madame Naomi." The Gallah seats himself but fidgets a bit. His wagging tail occasionally smacks against the dividing curtain. "Have they located your family yet?"

Without the muck and wounds masking her appearance, it becomes clear to the Gallah that the fox isn't just small, but probably not full grown yet – an adolescent, most likely. Kassie smiles at his wagging tail, and then bites her lip. "I, um, don't have a family." She toys with the little Drokar in her right hand. "I used to be apprenticed to a healer … but he, umm, died. Last winter."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mam'selle. Perhaps someone here could apprentice you instead." Piper flicks an ear. "If it isn't rude of me to ask, where do you live?"

She makes the toy jump onto her stomach and walks it from side to side there, then gazes out the window. "Nowhere, now, I guess." She looks at Piper and then asks boldly, "What about you?"

"Here and there. Usually I rent a room on the fringe of the Bazaar. That way I can be in the middle of things early in the morning and catch jobs here and there. When work is slow, I'll rent in Darkside, but it's not so bad." The mutt scratches at his ear. "You lost your family, your home, and your mentor? I'm dreadfully sorry, Mam'selle."

She nods. "I was sleeping in the common room of an inn at the Bazaar for a while, after my master's airship left me here. They used me as the ship's healer for a whole trip," she says, proudly. "But then the ship's captain said they needed to get a real healer, and the one they got didn't want an assistant. So they left me here. I like Rephidim better than lots of places I've been, though."

Kassie asks, "What kinda jobs do you do?"

Piper wags his tail again. "I was an exterminator on an airship until they … um … well, I don't remember why they left without me, they never came back to explain. But Rephidim is nice." He makes a quizzical sounding whine at the fox's question. "I'm sort of a bounty hunter, but not the kind that hunts people. I catch loose bugs over Little Babel, clean Creens out of belfries and rooftops, and catch vermites in the sewers. It's a fun job, and I get to eat well." He lolls his tongue out again.

Another giggle comes out of the little fox, and then she coughs for a few seconds, before reaching for a half-empty glass of water beside her bed. She takes a few sips and smiles at the dog. "A lot of ship's captains aren't very nice. My master told me some bad stories about some of them. What ship were you on?"

"Oh … my captain was very nice. He'd always laugh and tell the other people on the ship how good I was at catching vermites. They called me the Vermite-Dog because I was so good at my job." Piper's brow furrows. "I don't remember the name of the ship, only that it had a lovely masthead of a Kujaku flying through the air."

Kassie furrows her own brow, trying to place the ship. "Ummm … maybe it was the Bird of Paradise? I think I saw that one in dock once, with a Kujaku figurehead. But I never went on it."

The Gallah rubs his chin. "That may be it, indeed. Maybe they'll ask me to join up with them again. I am curious how things are back in Gallis." He sniffs out his nostrils. "So where are you from, Mam'selle?"

Lifting the glass with her right hand, she starts to bring it over to her left, and then stops herself. Instead, she rests it on her stomach, turning the glass slowly in place. "My mother lived in Elamoore. Before the Boomer. She had me apprenticed when I was really young, though. I've spent most of my life with my master, Usilin, on airships where he worked. Two different ones. I love airships."

"That's why I like Rephidim best. 'cause it's like an airship. You're always going somewhere, even if you're just standing still." Kassie takes another sip from the glass of water.

"Ahh! Flying through the air and tasting the breeze on your tongue. I understand exactly. If it wasn't for the fact that airships get so cold on the outside I might spend the entire trip with my head out a porthole." Piper giggles. "You should explore the sewers sometime. I'm told that if you go down deep enough you can pop out on the underside and maybe get a peek at the dragon that lives there."

A little shudder passes through her frame, and then she smiles again at Piper. "You must be very brave to go down into those sewers. It's so dark and ugly and nasty down there. I don't think I could ever go back. Not after … well. I wouldn't want to go down there. Not even to see a dragon."

The mongrel presses the tips of his index fingers together. "Well, it's not so bad when you go down there properly prepared. But I can understand your concern. Do you remember why or who pushed you down there yet? I still can't believe that someone would do such a horrible thing to a charming young lady like yourself."

For a long moment, the vixen doesn't answer, then she shakes her head. "I don't remember anything. Did you like living in Gallis?" she asks. "I went there once. I saw a lot of pretty buildings, but Master Usilin wouldn't let me off the ship. He said it was too dangerous."

"Gallis was nice. I lived in the Mongrel Quarter since I'm not a purebred, but sometimes the nobles would ride through to visit and I'd get to see the pretty carriages and the balloons up in the air during the Miles Mortant." He looks like he's going to say more but then stops himself. "The Mongrel Quarter isn't as pretty as where the nobles live, but well … that's what makes them nobles."

She ohs softly, listening. "Master Usilin said the Gallees would 's soon kill you 's look at you, worse'n in Darkside. He wouldn't let me go into Darkside, either. But we went together to the Bazaar sometimes, for supplies." She looks into her glass. "I guess maybe he worried too much, if you lived in Gallis 'n Darkside both and you don't think they're bad."

Piper coughs into his hand. "Well, I suppose they might be a bit eccentric, but they had manners at least. Gallis wasn't so bad; you just had to understand the rules." He shrugs, unsure of how to explain something that's just the understood way of things. Gallis didn't seem cruel after all; he went hungry now and then and lost a few friends… but that was just how things went. "Um… tell me more about your master Usilin. Was he from Himar as well?"

Kassie drains the last of the water from her cup and sets it beside her bed again. Her fingers drift down to the coverlet again, and clasp about the body of the toy Drokar. "No, he was from Rephidim, I think. At least, this 's the place he talked about the most. This 'n other airships he served on. But if you like airships, you're bound to end up here, I think. It's like they go everywhere, but they all come home to Rephidim." She looks thoughtful, then smiles brightly. "Did you see what Naomi gave me to play with?" She lifts the object in her hand, holding it out to Piper. "Isn't it beautiful?"

The Gallah sniffs the toy Drokar thoroughly, as though that's what was intended for him to do with it. "It's very nice, Mam'selle! And you handle it so well, you must be a trained rider – I can tell by the way you handle it." He winks and then his expression sobers. "Your master seemed quite cautious. What became of him? He does not sound like the type who would meet a bad accident."

The wooden toy smells nice, a little like aged cedar. It has finely articulated legs, jointed by wooden pegs at thighs, knees, neck and head, and possesses a stringy mane and tail. Someone crafted it with considerable care – and repaired it with equal skill, judging by the faint marks around some of the leg joints, where part of the piece that secures the pins has been broken and then glued together again.

She looks sad, the tip of her tail waving for a moment where it peeks out from beneath the coverlet. "His heart failed, I think," she says softly. "He was kinda old, I guess. I tried doing some of the things he showed me, to make it keep beating … but … he died anyway." The vixen sniffles loudly.

Piper licks his nose, whining. "I'm sorry to have brought up such a bad memory, Mam'selle Kassie. How long ago did this happen?"

Kassie wipes at her face with her right hand. "He ate too much. He always said it was bad for him, but he did it anyway. People are so … so stupid!" She looks angry for a moment, and then sighs. "A few months ago. Third day before Landing, last year."

The mutt fumbles with his pockets, but a handkerchief is not one of the items that he normally carries amongst his usual extermination gear. "I think you will make a fine healer someday; you've the heart for it. And for someone so young to have managed on their own in Rephidim for so long! I came here at thirteen and merrily made my way."

The vixen leans back into her pillow, and smiles at Piper again. "I haven't been managing very well, really. I still need to find a new teacher. Naomi doesn't think that Roho needs any more people right now, but she said that maybe one of the other healers they know might. I tried at the Temple infirmary, but they didn't want me." She pauses for a bit, then says. "Thank you for coming to see me. I'm glad I'm not dead, and I would've been if you hadn't found me down … there."

She giggles again. "I remember you being larger. Like there was this great big giant wolf rushing into the room, making a noise like a thunderstorm, and all the vermites just melted away before it."

"I consider you to be my lucky charm, Mam'selle," Piper grins. "And I'm sure you'll find a job here soon. I don't hear much in my particular circle, but perhaps I can ask aro – " Piper blushes and covers his muzzle. "A wolf? Perhaps all the sewage stained my fur, and the pipes do odd things with the echoes – but I'm just a mongrel Gallah. I think I'd make a funny wolf."

She twitches her whiskers, smiling at him. "I don't think I was very clear on most things. It seemed like I'd been down there forever, and there were millions of vermites, all over me. I kept trying to get up but I couldn't stand … and then I'd forget why I couldn't stand and try again … or I'd try crawling, but that hurt too much, too. I could bat away a vermite … but there always seemed to be more, lots more of them." She makes a face. "I'm glad you came."

"Master Roho says that my leg was broken. That's why I couldn't stand. And my arm … wasn't broken … it's, ummm… " She concentrates hard, "Fractured! That's why I couldn't use it to crawl. And I was de- … de-hy-drayt-ed," she says, pronouncing the word with great care. "That means I hadn't had anything to drink in awhile. Naomi says it means I really was in the sewer for a long time before you saved me, and I wasn't just thinking that it was a long time."

The dog rubs his nose again. "What were you doing when you were pushed down? If you like, I could see if I can find the people who pushed you. My father told me he came from a long line of scent trackers, and I've inherited some of his skill." He whimpers. "It was a horrible thing to do."

A long pause from the young fox before she answers. "I was carrying a message for the innkeeper, from the place where I was staying, to a fix-it shop. I was on my way back when … it happened. I don't think I'd gotten very far from the tinker's … maybe a couple of blocks." She speaks with a lot of hesitation. "I don't think you should try to find them, Piper," she says at last. "I think they must be very bad people … and maybe if you found them, they'd do something awful to you, too."

Piper's ears droop. "I hadn't thought of that. You're probably right. I can deal with Creens and angry bugs but people are another thing entirely." He clears his throat and brightens a bit. "Speaking of Creens, would you like for me to catch one for you sometime? They're very pretty and I hear you can tame them easily. The smart ones can even imitate words."

The fox-girl perks. "Really? I love Creens. The first mate on Finder's Dream had one. They're soooo cute. Master Usilin said they were too expensive and too much trouble for me to own, though." She looks a little sad, then adds, "But I guess if I got one now, no one could say I couldn't keep it." She smiles again.

The Gallah's tail wags, pleased that he managed to lift the girl's spirits a bit with the offer of a gift. Of course, actually catching one and taming it will be a chore … but not as much of a chore as the young fox has been through already. "I'll try to catch the most beautiful Creen in Rephidim for you then. Oh! The inn you were staying at, do you have any belongings there? Perhaps I could fetch them for you."

The sound of footsteps on the staircase heralds the nurse's return, while the vixen nods slowly in response to Piper's question. "The innkeeper let me store my change of clothes in a box in his office. If you could get it, that would be great … especially since that's my only clothing, now." She looks wry, currently wearing a dressing gown of cheap, loose cloth, presumably supplied by the clinic.

Piper blushes and stands up. "Well, it wouldn't do to not have any clothing of your own. Just tell me where is this inn is and I'll go and fetch your things right away."

Naomi approaches, carrying a glass of water on a ceramic tray, along with scissors, tape, and pile of clean gauze.

"I should probably leave you be now. It wouldn't be proper for me to stand here and gawk at a lady." The Gallah coughs into his hand again. "Unless there is a sudden and unexplained flood of vermite into Rephidim I should be able to come and visit you again tomorrow. And I must say again that I'm very pleased to see that you're doing better."

Looking thoughtful, Kassie answers, "It's got a sign out front showing two swords making an 'X' shape on it. Everyone calls it the Crossed Swords. It's on Vine Street, just a little ways down from Landing Avenue."

Piper barks happily and then slaps his hands over his mouth at his outburst. "Mph. I mean, I'll go there right away and fetch your things, Mam'selle."

The Rath'ani attendant smiles at Piper cheerfully as she sets the tray down on a nearby cart, and takes up the scissors. The vixen looks a little sad to see Piper leaving, but nods. "Thank you again for coming. And thank you for offering to get my stuff, too … Maybe I should give you something so the owner will know it was me who sent you… "

The mongrel tilts his head sideways. "Probably a good idea, yes. Do you have anything I could use? I'd thought you lost most of your belongings when they … um … " He makes snipping motions with his fingers.

She fumbles at a drawer in the bed side table, pulling it open to reveal a small worn bag. From it, she takes small scrollcase. "This is my reference from the captain of Finder's Dream. If the innkeeper looks dubious about you, he ought to give my things to you if you show him this. He knows it's worth more to me than the clothes are."

As she holds out the round case in her right hand, she adds, "Oh … ummm … and can I have the Drokar back, please?"

The Gallah yips as he realizes that he was still clutching the toy. "Oh yes, your steed, I'm terribly sorry. I suppose I'm a bit to big to ride it to the inn." He swaps the wooden Drokar for the scrollcase. "And this I shall guard with my life, Mam'selle. You have my word."

She smiles warmly as she sinks back onto the pillow, and holds out her left arm for Naomi to begin work on, although the nurse is politely waiting for the canine to leave before she begins, sensing he might be a touch squeamish. "Thank you, again, Piper," Kassie says earnestly. She searches for something more to add, and finally ends simply with another, "Thank you."

"Vous etes bienvenue, jeune dame," Piper replies. "I mean, it was nothing. I'll see you soon." He gives a shy little wave and then scoots towards the stairway.