As The Clock Strikes

     Her fiery, orange hair was pulled back from her face by a clip and she was wearing in a simple black dress. Her orange eyes filled with worry as she put a paw on the brow of the limp form on the bed. She gently brushed some pastel pink hair back from the Pink Kougra's haggard face, whose bright blue eyes were closed. Her fever had come on a few days before, suddenly and devastatingly, and it continued to get increasingly worse.

     Another chime of the clock gave the Xweetok a start and she jumped as it chimed eleven times, announcing that it was eleven at night. Standing up and stretching slightly, she set the cloth on the bedside table and padded out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed softly behind her.

     The hallway was lit up with moonlight, but once she glanced out the window, she saw that dark clouds were moving to cover the moon. A storm was on its way. Moving silently down the hallway, she made her way to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Once she reached it, she filled the teakettle with water from the pitcher on the table and set it in the low embers of the fireplace. Opening one of the cupboards, she took out a few mint leaves.

     Soon the kettle was whistling and the Xweetok dropped the mint leaves into it, leaving them to steep while she got out a mug. Grabbing the jar of honey and a honey dipper, she drizzled some of the sweet mixture into the tea, stirring it with a long-handled spoon. Putting all the dirty things in the sink by the fire, she poured a cup of tea and hurried back down the hall, slipping back into her sister's bedroom. She sat down on the chair beside the bed, gently bathing the Kougra's forehead with the damp cloth.

     *

     For a long time, the Xweetok sat there motionlessly, holding her empty mug in one paw, watching the Kougra lying on the bed. She roused herself from her thoughts, blinking a few times. She set her empty mug on the nightstand next to the bed, beside a vial of clear medicine and a cup of water. The doctor had said that the medicine would begin working within a few hours of the first administration, but it didn't seem to be doing what it was supposed to do, and the Xweetok was afraid that there was something wrong with the medicine. Maybe it was the wrong kind, maybe it was fake. So many things to worry about, so little that she could do.

     Reaching over, her orange eyes filled with tears, the Xweetok took the limp paw of her sister, squeezing it gently a few times. The Kougra didn't move, didn't give any suggestion she had even felt it. Her tears spilled over, and she had to wipe them away with the sleeve of her dress. Several deep breaths, and she managed to get them under control.

     The Xweetok blinked away her tears, leaning back on her chair. Heaving a short sigh, she took the mug in one paw and the cloth in the other. Standing up, she stretched her legs before walking slowly across the room. She left the room quietly, closing the door as she left, making her way to the kitchen.

     The hallway was dark and the Xweetok had to feel her way as she went, moving stiffly around the grandfather clock. Once she was in the kitchen, she put her mug on the table. Silently, she wet the cloth in the sink, wringing it out before heading back towards the bedroom. Entering the room, she once again sat down besides the bed, pushing the hair away from the Kougra's face and lightly sweeping the cloth over her forehead. Setting the cloth on the nightstand, she sat back in her chair to continue her lonely vigil.

     *

     Absently, the Xweetok flipped through the pages, reading, but not really reading. Her eyes saw the words, but her mind didn't comprehend them. She was too worried and tired to be focused on the book. A soft moan caused her to jerk her head up from the book, heart racing. The Kougra's eyes were squeezed tightly shut, but she writhed and thrashed, whimpering and crying out. Dropping the book on the floor, the Xweetok leaned forward and put a paw on her sister's forehead, stroking her hair, singing to her softly.

     After a few moments, the thrashing stopped, and the Kougra relaxed, sinking into the bed. The Xweetok lifted her into a sitting position, re-arranging the pillows before laying her back down. She untangled the blankets, smoothing them and pulling them up to her sister's chin, tucking them securely down the side of the bed against the wall.

     Blinking quickly a few times, the Xweetok turned towards the nightstand. A vial of clear medicine was resting on the surface, and she picked it up, uncorking the top. Swishing the liquid around a few times, she poured a few drops into the cup of water before replacing the cork and setting it back on the nightstand and pouring the water into her sister's mouth.

     A crack and a pop made her spin around, scanning the room nervously. Her gaze rested on the fireplace. The fire was getting low, she noted. Stepping away from the bed, she cast a glance over her shoulder at the still form in the bed, blinking away the tears threatening to fall.

     The basket of wood by the fireplace was well stocked, and taking two logs from it barely made a difference. The Xweetok tossed one into the fire, taking the poker leaning against the wall in her free paw, pushing it onto the embers. She threw the other one beside it and watched as the logs caught fire, burning cheerily.

     *

     Wind tore around the house, rattling the window panes. Angry clouds were swirling across the sky, covering the moon and stars. Soon, the pounding of rain on the roof could be heard. The Xweetok was thankful for the warm fire burning in the fireplace and the blanket she had draped around her shoulders. She held the Kougra's limp paw in her own.

     The screech of a branch scratching across the window made her clutch her blanket tighter around her shoulders and pull her chair closer to the bed. She laid a paw on her sister's forehead. It was hot, hotter than it should have been. The fever seemed to be getting worse. Picking up the damp cloth, she laid it gently across the Kougra's forehead, hoping it would bring the fever down. She was resting easier than she had been before, which was a relief to the Xweetok.

     Another branch scratched across the glass, sending a chill down her spine. She looked away from the bed and out the window. A flash of lightning tore through the sky like scissors through a piece of paper and thunder rumbled overhead.

     Leaning back in her chair, she yawned, stretching her arms above her head. Blinking several times, she reminded herself that she couldn't go to sleep. Through the crash of thunder and the pattering of rain, she could faintly hear the clock chiming. She yawned again, pulling the blanket around her shoulders more securely.

     *

     The strike of the clock on four caused the Xweetok to fall off her chair. Standing up, she realized she had been sleeping. The room was silent. The fire had burned down to ashes while she slept. Silvery moonlight poured through the windows, making white blocks on the ground. The storm was over, she realized.

     Then, half in a panic, she stepped closer to the bed, stooping down over the Kougra's still form, listening hard. A soft, ragged breath caught her attention. It was shaky and barely audible, but she heard it nonetheless. A second passed, then two. Halfway through the third, she heard another shaking breath.

     Stay here, stay with me. Please don't leave!

     Her silent pleas went unnoticed. A few more seconds crept by, and another rough breath stirred the air. Stepping away from the bed, the Xweetok reached for the vial of medicine, dripping some of it into the Kougra's partly open mouth. She swept the dry cloth into her paws, depositing it onto the nightstand. Another breath rattling breath. Snatching up the cup from the night stand, she ran from the room, bursting into the kitchen. She grabbed the pitcher from on the table and filled the cup with water.

     As she hurried back to the bedroom, her worries caught up with her, and tears were slipping down her cheeks when she entered the room again. Kneeling by the bed, she smoothed back the Kougra's pink bangs, pouring some water into her mouth. A shaky breath. The Xweetok felt a twinge of hope flutter in her chest. Picking up the cloth from the nightstand she dipped it into the cup, wringing it out slightly.

     After spreading it across the Kougra's forehead, she picked up the medicine bottle, dripping several drops into the cup. She gave the Kougra another drink, pulling up the blankets and tucking them securely around her. The Xweetok strained her ears for the sound of another breath, but none came. More tears filled her eyes and soft sobs pushed their way out.

     Please don't go.

     *

     The Xweetok slumped down on her chair, burying her face in her paws. Sobs racked her body and tears matted her black fur, dripping from her nose and spilling onto her dress. Her orangey hair, messy and unkempt from the night's work, was sliding out of the clip holding it up, sticking to the dampened fur on her cheeks. How long she sat there, her emotions out of control, she didn't know, but when the clock chimed softly five times, she stood up, smoothing her dress, flinging her hair back over her shoulder.

     The Xweetok scrubbed at her eyes with the backs of her paws, taking a few shaky deep breaths stepping closer to the bed. Tears welled in her eyes again as she stared at the face of the Pink Kougra. Dropping onto her knees beside the bed, she took the limp paw in her own, which she noticed were shaking.

     "I love you," she whispered, smoothing the hair around her sister's face. Tears were beginning sliding down her cheeks again when she heard a soft, weak whisper.

     "I love you too."

     A soft gasp leaped unbidden from the Xweetok's mouth, and she leaned forward slightly, her eyes shining bright with hope and unshed tears.

     "Get better soon." Her voice caught in her throat, and she swallowed hard. She wrapped her arms around her sister in a warm, solid embrace.

     "I will, I promise."

     *

     Balancing a tray laden with a mug and a bowl against her hip, the Xweetok shut the door behind her before walking across the room. The Kougra was sitting up, propped against the wall. The blankets were bunched around her, pulling up to her waist so that her arms were free.

     "Soup," the Xweetok said. "It will make you stronger." She sat down beside the bed, sliding the tray onto her sister's lap. She took the bowl and set it on the nightstand before picking the mug up. The Kougra, arms shaking slightly, wrapped both paws around it, leaning forward to slowly drink the broth. Her eyes, still dull with fever, looked over at her sister, who was sipping soup from a spoon and watching her in a worried manner.

     The two sat in silence for a while, eating, before the Xweetok said, "Why don't you rest now?" She took the half-empty mug and set it on the tray, which she moved to the nightstand. Pushing the Kougra down, so that she comfortably settled on the bed, she pulled the blankets up. Settling back in her chair, she picked up her book, which was still lying on the ground from the night before.

     "Would you read to me?" The Kougra's voice was drowsy, but her blue eyes followed her sister's movements.

     "Of course." Opening the book to the beginning, the Xweetok took a deep breath before starting. And, as she read, the clock chimed.

The End