Teàrlach watched Willa leave as his mind raced. The badger was beautiful, even more beautiful than his Siubhan. Of course he’d met other women with just a few of her ample assets; bar maidens with large full breasts, a few neglected innkeeper’s wives with lush curvy bodies, but he’d never felt anything for them, well, other than a need to end up in their bed.
The fox’s ears flicked before pressing to the side of his head, his short front teeth pressing down onto his lips. He wasn’t able to suppress the memories any more. Siubhan with her soft fur and ample curving frame pressed up to him at night. Siubhan with her soft lips kissing his in fiery passion. Siubhan whose body looked almost exactly like Willa.
He didn’t want to remember his beloved rabbit. He didn’t want to have any feelings whatsoever for this badger. His clawed fingers started to flex, clenching into fists before extending. Partially from the pain in his side and partially from the pain in his heart. Teàrlach ignored his surroundings as he fought to keep the lie he had been telling himself for so long intact.
“I see you’ve met Willa,” a voice called down to the fox, the sound mixed in with a stool being dragged across the wooden floor. “She is rough around the edges, but once you get to know her, she’s actually very sweet,” he continued for a moment before pausing, “Can’t do much about her voice though. She always sounds like she’s about to rip your head off.”
Teàrlach flicked an ear before turning his head to see who was talking to him. It was an old, greying mouse. He really wasn’t anything special; light brown fur covered his body, though his muzzle was nearly completely white as a pair of mud brown eyes rested in his skull. “I’m Father Aldred,” the mouse continued, “And you are?”
The fox’s ears pressed themselves to his head as he looked at the rodent. “Teàrlach,” he replied, “Teàrlach’s of Clan Todd.”
Father Aldred smiled back, his lips parting in a warm, very friendly expression. “Well, Teàrlach of Clan Todd, I would say, ‘Welcome to Warrington Abbey,’ but I’m afraid you haven’t experienced us in a pleasant nature. The abbey has not had many,” the mouse paused for a brief moment to collect his words, “pleasant encounters with those of your species.”
The rodent looked over the vulpine, eyes already getting to work as he leaned over Teàrlach. Father Aldred’s paws moved over the fox’s ribs, squeezing and poking them, making the todd grunt in discomfort. That was until he found the broken ribs. As soon as a finger touched the area, Teàrlach let out a mighty yelp of pain. “It seems I found them,” the mouse said dryly as he pulled his paw away, “Broken ribs are troublesome.”
The fox glared at the other male, “What do you mean by that?” Father Aldred looked back, an expression of concern covering his face, “You could end up with Winter fever.” Teàrlach’s face began to slacken and he looked at the rodent. Winter fever. He was all too well acquainted with it.
Siubhan had contracted it. She had coughed for days, expulsing liquid onto the ground each time. Her head had burned as if she had been set ablaze for witchcraft. He’d tried every healer he could find, but their remedies did nothing. His beloved rabbit had only gotten worse, getting weaker and weaker as the days went on until she finally passed in Teàrlach’s arms.
The todd looked at Father Aldred. “But you can prevent it,” he questioned, lips stammering as his body shuddered.
“If you do as I say, young fox, yes. Now,” the mouse paused again, “I’ll need you to take off your shirt.”
The rodent didn’t need to ask twice. Teàrlach unraveled his tartan, or at least the part that was draped across his left shoulder. Since the entire thing was one piece, he made sure the rest of the tartan was still on his body, not wanting to overly expose himself to the healer or anyone else that would enter. Then the painful part began.
Teàrlach’s started to move his arms over his head, but as soon as he did, pain rushed through his body. The fox whimpered and yelped as he fought through it, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling as hard and fast as he could. The white cloth eased up, slowly revealing his body.
More and more of his soft, cherry red fur started to appear as the shirt was painfully dragged over his head. The deep crimson pelt faded into white as it reached his chest and belly and ran north and south to connect with the white on his chin and throat.
The entire ordeal of removing his shirt left him wincing in pain. His jaw hanging open as he tried to suck in as much air as he could only to have his side stab into him. The fox shut his eyes as he let out whimpering moans, but Father Aldred wouldn’t give him any rest.
While Teàrlach had been undressing, the old rodent had been preparing to wrap the fox’s chest. Slowly, Father Aldred pressed a hand to the unbroken side of the todd’s ribcage, rolling out a long strip of cloth. As one hand held onto the start of the cast, the other moved to roll the fox onto his side, working as quickly as he could.
The pain didn’t stop as the healer bandaged Teàrlach’s broken ribs. Each time he was rolled, pain shot through the fox, making him clench his eyes shut and cry out in loud yelps which faded to whimpers. It went back and forth like this for what felt like forever as he was rocked from side to side while the mouse mended his wound.
Finally, Father Aldred stopped. “There, I believe that should do it,” the old grey mouse said as he finally sat back onto the stool. Teàrlach panted deeply as he finally was able to open his eyes, “Do you have anything for the pain?” The rodent looked at the vulpine, “Yes.”
Father Aldred’s paw was stronger than Teàrlach had imagined for an old rodent as the mouse lifted up the todd’s head. “Drink this,” the healer said as he placed a small wooden bowl in front of the fox’s lips. Teàrlach could smell the still liquid in the container. It smelled fowl, but Father Aldred had said it would ease the pain. Slowly he opened his jaws as the rodent poured the contents of the bowl onto the todd’s tongue and down into his gullet.
The first thing Teàrlach thought was, This stuff tastes aweful! But then the world around him started to fade, darkness began to close in from the sides as his vision blurred. The fox’s eyelids began to droop as his muscles relaxed. This isn’t so bad. No, this isn’t bad at all, was the fox’s final thought before he gave in to the night.
