08-28-2009, 12:05 PM
[html]
Word Count: 427 As the female apologized for her absence in the ceremony, Dawali nodded. He had informed her before the ceremony happened, what it involved. He might be lenient with the children, but the adults should hear it when he was not pleased. His face was grave as he spoke, but still something told him that this was not why she had come. "Your lack of presence was disappointing, but I trust you did not break the faste? You can conduct the little ceremony in your home if you wish, but remember for next time that these are collective happenings." He did not like this part of his job, but he knew the importance of having strong spiritual bonds within their community. The demands were the same for everyone, and those who failed at meeting them should be reminded of their importance. But he had no doubt Catherine would make up for it - he could see how troubled she was. As she started to explain the real reason for her presence in his den, he was at first surprised, then puzzled. It wasn't that often that anyone came to him with medical issues, and he saw that as a positive sign. One day he hoped medics would be redundant in their society, but for now he was still needed, even if it was not so often. His gaze wandered and lost its focus as he thought, going through a series of possible solutions. She could have weak blood, which was quite easy to solve. And she could be allergic to something as well, perhaps something she ate. But that would not account for her moods, although maybe that was nothing but an effect of her fatigue. A series of questions poured out of him - she would have to supply him with more information before he could solve this riddle. "This nausea, does it occur after you've eaten or all the time? And the dizziness - is it always there or only in particular situations?" He paused and took her hand, feeling her pulse on her wrist as he continued; "What about other things, have you noticed any changes? Is your appetite good?" Pausing again, he concluded that her heartbeats were steady enough, and they were strong. "Let me see your tongue". His mentor had said once, that looking at the tongue was the best way to see if there was something fundamentally wrong with the parts of a creature. It was in every way an organ, and if the tongue looked unhealthy, chances were the rest of the organs were not happy either. |