THE DIAGNOSIS
979 Words
The room remained silent.
Liyana stood frozen beside the bed, her eyes fixed on the bloodstained cloth in the healer’s hand.
The healer carefully set it aside before turning back to Maren.
“I need to examine her properly.”
Liyana nodded immediately.
“Please.”
She stepped back to give him room, clasping her trembling hands together.
Maren offered her a weak smile.
“It’ll be alright.”
Liyana wanted to believe her.
She really did.
The healer gently helped Maren lie back against the pillows.
He rested the back of his hand against her forehead.
“A slight fever…”
He reached for her wrist, feeling her pulse.
His brows furrowed.
“Your heartbeat is weaker than it should be.”
Next, he listened to her breathing.
“Take a deep breath.”
Maren inhaled slowly.
Then exhaled.
Again.
The healer frowned.
“Does your chest hurt when you breathe?”
“A little.”
He nodded before carefully lifting one of her eyelids.
Her pupils reacted sluggishly.
He examined her gums.
They had lost much of their healthy colour.
Finally, he picked up the cloth stained with blood.
He studied it quietly.
Liyana watched every movement.
The longer he remained silent…
The more frightened she became.
The healer reached into his satchel and removed a small silver-free blade.
Maren looked at him curiously.
“What are you doing?”
“I need to check your healing.”
He gently took her hand.
“I’m going to make a very small cut.”
She nodded.
The blade lightly grazed her palm.
A thin line of blood appeared.
Liyana waited.
Normally…
A werewolf’s wound would begin closing almost immediately.
Seconds passed.
Nothing happened.
The cut remained open.
Only the bleeding slowed.
The healer’s expression changed.
Liyana noticed.
“What is it?”
He didn’t answer.
Not yet.
The healer looked at Maren thoughtfully.
“I only have a few more questions.”
She nodded.
“Have you been around silver recently?”
“No.”
“Come into contact with wolfsbane?”
“No.”
“Have you eaten or drunk anything unusual in the past few weeks?”
Maren shook her head.
“Nothing.”
“Any recent injuries? Even a small bite or scratch?”
She thought for a moment.
“Nothing serious.”
“Has anyone else in the pack shown the same symptoms?”
Liyana answered this time.
“No. No one.”
The healer fell silent.
He looked once more at the shallow cut on Maren’s palm that still hadn’t healed.
Liyana watched his expression carefully.
“What is it?” she asked quietly.
The healer took a slow breath before looking up.
The healer slowly put his instruments away.
He looked at Maren.
Then at Liyana.
“This isn’t silver poisoning.”
Liyana held her breath.
“It isn’t wolfsbane either.”
“Then what is it?” she asked quickly.
The healer was silent for a moment.
Finally, he spoke.
“Maren is suffering from a very rare illness.”
“Its name is Lunar Wasting.”
Neither of them had heard the name before.
The healer continued.
“It is one of the rarest illnesses known among werewolves.”
“It doesn’t attack the body itself.”
“It attacks a werewolf’s healing ability.”
Liyana frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
He looked at the small cut on Maren’s palm.
“A healthy werewolf would have healed by now.”
“Maren’s wound barely closed.”
“As the illness progresses, healing becomes slower.”
“Strength begins to fade.”
“The body struggles to repair even the smallest injuries.”
He paused.
“Eventually…”
“It can no longer heal itself at all.”
The room fell silent.
Liyana slowly looked at Maren.
Then back at the healer.
“The blood…”
The healer lowered his eyes.
“Internal bleeding.”
Liyana’s heart sank.
He continued quietly,
“By the time a patient begins coughing blood…”
“…the illness has already reached its final stage.”
Liyana stared at him.
“There must be medicine.”
The healer remained silent.
“There has to be herbs.”
Nothing.
“Another healer.”
Still nothing.
“We can go to another pack.”
His expression softened.
“I’m sorry, Liyana.”
“I’ve only ever read about Lunar Wasting in old healer records.”
“I’ve never treated a patient with it.”
“I’ve never read of anyone surviving it.”
“No.”
The word escaped Liyana before she could stop it.
“There has to be something.”
“We’ll find another healer.”
“We’ll travel if we have to.”
“We’ll ask other packs.”
“We’ll ask every Alpha.”
“There has to be someone who knows how to cure it.”
The healer wished he could agree.
Instead, he lowered his head.
“I’m sorry.”
Liyana shook hers.
“No.”
“There has to be a way.”
“There has to.”
Maren reached for her hand.
“Liyana…”
“No.”
Tears rolled down Liyana’s cheeks.
“I’m not giving up.”
“I’m not.”
Maren gently squeezed her hand.
The healer left.
As night fell over Moon Shadow Pack.
Liyana refused to leave Maren’s bedside.
She held her aunt’s hand, afraid to let go.
Inside the wolf realm…
Nova quietly lay beside Maren’s wolf, Aster.
The older wolf rested with her head on her paws.
Neither wolf spoke.
Neither needed to.
Liyana looked at Maren as she slept.
The healer’s words echoed through her mind.
Final stage.
She clenched Maren’s hand a little tighter.
“No matter what they say…”
She whispered the words so quietly that only Nova heard them.
“I’m not giving up on you.”
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