It took a while before Aya's sobs finally fell into silence. Through it all, no matter how damp her shirt became, Raveena never loosened her hold.
"Are you… okay now?"
No reply.
She tried again. "Aya?"
Still nothing.
Raveena frowned in concern, then she adjusted Aya slightly so she could see her better. But then, she saw that the rabbit-folk's eyes were closed shut, her tears had left some streaks on her cheeks.
"Oh. She fell asleep? How could she fall asleep this fast… after all that?"
She reached into her pocket, pulled out her folded napkin, and carefully brushed it over Aya's cheeks, wiping away the last of her tears.
"You really can't just fall asleep on me now," she mumbled under her breath.
But as she brushed a strand of Aya's hair from her face, her fingertips caught something that made her pause.
Heat.
Unsure, she tried again, this time laying her palm flat across Aya's forehead. Indeed, there was warmth, but it was far too hot to be normal. Not to mention that she just noticed that her breathing was a little ragged.
"Wait, She's burning up…"
Her first thought was to get her someplace safe, someplace she could actually rest.
"The infirmary."
Professor Vask had mentioned in passing that there was one here in the venue… though she had no idea where exactly.
"Then I'll just have to ask someone on the way."
She looked at the untouched plate of food and water pitcher, worried about leaving it here. But with Aya as a higher priority, she could only sigh. "Guess I'll come back for that later."
Balancing Aya carefully with one arm, Raveena reached for her folded jacket with the other. She shook it out once and draped it around Aya's shoulders, pulling it close so her small frame was covered. "At least this way, no one will stare too much…"
Then, adjusting her hold, she slid her arms beneath Aya and lifted her fully. The rabbit-folk's head came to rest against her chest. After making sure that her grip was steady, she started to make her way back toward the main halls.
Ignoring the guests and the chatter from every corner along the way from the outdoors and into the indoors, Raveena made straight for the reception desk as soon as she entered the building.
"My friend's sick," she said. "Where's the infirmary?"
The sparrow-folk staff looked at her for a moment, confused. But as soon as he saw that Raveena was carrying a person, he immediately nodded. "Right this way, miss. Quickly."
Raveena followed close as they moved through the corridors until at last, they reached a broad wooden door with the carved symbol of a cross. The receptionist pushed it open and called inside.
The infirmary smelled faintly of herbs and soap. Raveena saw that there were beds lined in neat rows, separated by pale curtains. At the far end of the room, a panda-folk doctor looked up from his desk as he heard the staff member's call. With haste, he stood up.
"She's burning up," Raveena explained immediately. "Fever hit her hard outside."
The panda-folk nodded briskly and came forward. "We'll see to her. Over here," he said as he pulled back a curtain, revealing a vacant bed.
Raveena lowered Aya carefully onto the mattress, sliding her jacket off so the heat wouldn't worsen. She brushed a hand once through Aya's hair before stepping back to give space.
The attendant pressed his broad palm gently against Aya's forehead, his expression confirming what Raveena already knew. "High fever. Hold her up a moment, please. I need to check her breathing."
Raveena moved right away, placing an arm behind Aya's shoulders and lifting her into a seated position against her chest. Though Aya stirred faintly at the movement, she didn't wake.
"Hold her steady," he said, before slipping the cool disk beneath Aya's collar. He set the diaphragm gently on her back and listened.
After a long moment of moving the stethoscope in multiple spots, he straightened and pulled the instrument away, exhaling a small sigh of relief.
"What is it?" Raveena asked.
The panda-folk shook his head. "Nothing dire. I was checking for any strain in her lungs. Her breathing's clear."
"I see…"
"Tell me, did her fever come on suddenly, or build up slowly?"
Raveena shook her head. "I don't know. I only realized it when I touched her forehead. She was already burning up. But… I do know that she's part of the Summit's culinary team. It looked like she was working herself hard before I found her. By then, she already seemed exhausted and upset."
The doctor gave a slow nod. "That makes sense. Then it's most likely fatigue and overwork catching up to her. A normal fever. Nothing more concerning."
"You looked concerned for a moment, though?"
"Forgive me," the panda-folk replied, "but yes, I worried for a moment. Rabbit-folk are more prone to sudden fevers that can be tied to deeper illnesses. They can come on like a shock, almost without warning. But this isn't one of those. Thankfully, just a tired body that gave in."
"That's… good," Raveena said, relieved.
The panda-folk smiled, tucking the stethoscope back around his neck. "Indeed it is. I'll prepare some medicine to help her recovery along. Will you be staying with your friend tonight, or do you have other duties?"
For a moment, Raveena hesitated to answer as she thought of the food she'd left outside that she had no intention of wasting.
"If it hasn't been cleared away by now, it'll be a miracle…" she thought.
"I'll stay with her," she said after thinking for a second. "But I need to step out for a moment first."
"Of course," the doctor replied with a nod. "When you return, I'll have the medicine ready. I'll also ask one of the nurses to get porridge. Something easy for her to eat when she wakes."
Raveena inclined her head gratefully. "Thank you."
Carefully, she eased Aya back against the pillows and stood. The panda-folk drew the curtain halfway, waiting for Raveena to pass, then pulled it fully shut behind her.
Thankfully, when Raveena returned to the gardens, the bench was just as she'd left it. The absurdly loaded plate was still there, and the water.
"At least wasted food won't be part of my guilt tonight."
She touched the rim of the plate. It was cool now, but that hardly mattered. Cold or not, it would still fill her stomach.
She bent to lift both the plate and the pitcher and steady them in her hands. But the moment she stood straight back up, a strange breeze stirred through the lantern-lit tree's branches. It wasn't the ordinary kind, but a sudden draft that snaked down her spine, enough to make the fur on her tail stand slightly.
Not to mention that she felt something was off, like her instincts were telling her that someone was watching.
Raveena turned and looked around, but there was nothing. No footsteps, no shapes in the dark.
"Hn. Probably just me… I'm getting tired too."
With a shrug, she started back toward the path.
And then… tap!
"Ow! What the?" Something had struck the top of her head. It was small, but sharp enough to sting.
She looked down and spotted it: a light grey pebble lying in the grass at her feet. She was certain that what hit her was this, because the rock did not look like it belonged on this part of the garden.
"Alright… who's the prankster?" She said as she checked her surroundings once more.
Despite that, no one revealed themselves.
No one hid behind the hedges, or behind the corner of the building nearby, or in the tree.
She couldn't hear anyone, nor could she catch the scent of another animal-folk.
Frustrated, all she could do was click her tongue as she ultimately decided to ignore it. "Tch. Not worth it."
Still holding the plate and pitcher, she straightened and turned back toward the building. Because whatever it was, she wasn't about to waste more time on it.
Aya was waiting.