InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Be Careful What You Say ❯ Chapter Thirteen: Surgery ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter Thirteen

A/N: I don't own Inuyasha. Just a comment or two... I have had requests for longer chapters (my daughters are threatening me with bodily harm) so I will try. As this is a short story, not a full novel, I am trying to keep in that spirit and not clutter up the story with too many details. Again, thanks for the reviews. I appreciate it greatly. (Besides, it boosts my ego! :) ) Now, let the games begin!

'First things first.' thought Nagura."We will begin by cleaning around the wound, then I will probe it to determine the exact depth. Even with the poppy, he will probably feel it. When I begin cleaning it, he WILL feel it. I will need his shoulders held to prevent him from thrashing about. Ito, Sato... You two are the strongest. Hold down his shoulders. Even with his chains, it won't be easy."

Kagome bit her lip. She had been warned that this might not be easy for her to see, but she had to be here.

"Healer, what about the stick?" questioned Yoshi.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Yoashi-chan. That's why you are my apprentice. It helps to have people who are well trained around me." Nagura grinned at Kagome. "Don't worry, Kagome-chan. I don't forget things. It helps keep my apprentices on their toes, though. This way I can tell if they are astually paying attention to me!"

Yoshi turned and produced a smooth stick with a leather strap attached to one end. Lifting Inuyasha's head, he passed the strap under his neck. Yoshi then pried open Inuyasha's mouth and placed the stick in it. He tied the loose end of the strap to the end of the stick, securing it in place.

Kagome watched this with some apprehension. Nagura noted her unease. To calm her, he explained the purpose of the stick. "In any procedure where pain is involved, we give the person a stick to bite on. It keeps them from biting their tongue off. Don't the healers use this where you are from?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. The medicines they use knock the patient out completely. They are in so deep, they feel nothing."

The healer shook his head in wonder. Even though this child was not a trained healer, there were things that she knew that could help him. He HAD to talk to her later.

'Enough of this!' he thought to himself, irratably. 'I have a patient to cure.' "Yoshi, let's clean his chest up so that we can get a better look."

The healer and his apprentice began gently removing the dried blood from around the wound. The cut was seeping blood that they kept in check with a folded pad of cloth that they changed every few minutes. After the chest was clean, the healer signaled Yoshi to uncover the wound. Nodding to himself, Nagura turned slightly, and dipped his hands in a basin of hot water. He took a towel from a nameless assistant and dried his hands. Yoshi did the same.

"All right, Yoshi. Pull the edges of the wound open. I will begin probing to see it's depth. Ito, Sato. Be ready."

As Yoshi pulled the wound open, Nagura gently inserted his forefinger into the hole in the hanyou's chest. Inuyasha's head moved slightly. A low moan could be heard, and the muscles in his jaw began to clench.

Nagura looked up at his two large assistants and noded. They placed their hands on the shoulders of the wounded hanyou. Nagura turned and accepted a clean towel from another assistant. He then turned to Kagome and dipped the towel into the potion she was holding. Wrapping the towel around his finger, he looked at Yoshi. "Pull the edges apart farther. This will have to be scrubbed thoroughly. Kagome, take a small pitcher from the table beside you and fill it with potion." he instructed. "Good," he stated as she complied, "When I start, I want you to slowly pour the potion into the wound. This will help eo wash away the poison in the wound and will keep me from having to reapply to this towel. Now, let's get this over with quickly. I don't want to hurt the boy anymore than needed."

Nagura began to scrub at the wound as gently as he could. A loud moan could be heard and Inuyasha's head began to whip from side to side. The muscles in his jaw were beginning to clench tightly. Ito ans Sato pushed down on his shoulders firmly. Even in his weakened condition, this was no easy task! The two men had to strain to keep his shoulders steady. Inuyasha began moving his feet. Nagura swore under his breath. "Tojo! Grab his legs! Sit on them, if you have to!" As a third large assistant rushed over to do that , Nagura looked at Inuyasha's face. "Just a little more, son! I'm almost done!"

Kagome's eyes were large and frightened. She had tears in them, but she never stopped pouring the potion into Inuyasha's chest. 'Please hurry, Nagura-sama! I don't know how much more of his pain I can stand!' Kagome thought.

"Finished!" cried Nagura. "Hold him for a few minutes more until the pain subsides. Then, I'll stich him up and we will let him rest." He turned to Kagome. Smiling tiredly, he began to tell Kagome that he thought it went well, but he was interupted.

"Healer! Somethings gone wrong!" yelled Yoshi.

Nagura spun back to his patient. Inuyasha was convulsing on the table. He saw the cause. The ends of the leather straps with pieces of wood in them told the story. The hanyou's strength was present everywhere in his body. He had bitten the stick in his mouth into and was choking on the piece of wood! "DAMN!" Nagura swore. "He's swallowed the stick! If we don't get it out, he'll choke to death!"

Additional A/N: Hey! Just remember, thirteen is supposed to be unlucky. See you soon!