Lumen's decision to raid the arena’s stockroom had been a good one afterall. Even he had underestimated the number of supplies their troop would need in his mind, the bandages, the splints, the medicines.
Certainly all could be gathered or substituted in some fashion. His mother, thanks to her time travelling along the border towns, had acquired a great deal of earthly wisdom.
Lumen however was not going to chance the health of the other Lions on lessons he only vaguely remembered as a boy.
He passed down a street of cracked cobblestone and overgrown weeds that peeked, and threatened to overtake the narrow alley. In this part of the city the buildings, mostly two story shops and taverns stood tall and almost seemed to curve towards the road, blotting out some of the sky.
It was here that he’d spent nearly all of his pocket money, gathering various books and tomes. Medical texts, particularly on the subject of the avian-human subspecies.
Perhaps the most out of place of these medical encyclopedias was the ‘Anatomy and biology of Equus Caballus’. Horses.
As he’d suspected earlier, the body of works regarding centaurs was practically non-existent.
Lumen wasn’t even sure it would be useful, in any capacity. Odds were, she wouldn’t even allow him close enough to treat her let alone answer a fairly invasive line of questions about centaur anatomy.
Having found no luck in sating her desires for food and drink without actually entering an establishment, Namida begrudgingly opted to collect the supplies they might need for their journey. It was certainly a better idea to collect them now than attempt to do so after she wound up too drunk to get back out through the tavern door.
Strapping the last bit of it securely within her saddlebags, she heaved a gruff sigh and flexed her wounded leg before continuing her slow progress through the streets. It offered a continuous ache with every step, but at least the bleeding had stopped.
As Lumen rounded the next corner, he was suddenly faced with the current subject of his woes. Many of the commoners had already cleared the street out of fear or anxiety at her presence, and the Doctor would have as well, had he not noticed her limping step.
An injury from the tournament no doubt. Even as mighty as she was, it didn’t seem like something she could just walk off as many warriors do. In fact, if he hadn’t been as blunt about it with the other Lions, nearly half of them would probably be starting their journeys with some sort of hampering injury.
“Hello!”, Lumen called with as much confidence as he could muster, which was suddenly killed when he realized she hadn’t given the group her name, “Fellow...Lionheart!”
Well, as far as greetings went he’d had worse.
As it usually happened, her mere presence parted the crowd like a royal procession of one. With a huffing laugh to herself, she wondered how the tavern's patrons would react to her entry. Her musings were soon interrupted though by the sound of a vaguely familiar voice.
With a irritated snort, she halted and half turned toward him. The lizard man from earlier, great.. What did he call himself again? Lumos, no... Lemon? Ah, hell... She gave him a flat look, staring him down. "You need something, scale-man?"
Well, he’d dealt with difficult patients before, the kind that didn’t accept help from anyone. Perhaps this would go more smoothly if she thought she was doing him a favor?
“Ahh, y-yes”, Lumen replied hurriedly, sensing the woman's impatience.
“His Highness asked me to examine everyone for combat readiness”
Well, that wasn’t exactly true, but he had gone along with it. More importantly, he avoided bringing attention to her rather obvious injury. Traditional warrior cultures, he’d read, responded to any implied weakness or injury angrily. “My name is Doctor Lumen, by the way. I don’t think we were introduced properly”
"Namida." The name was spoken as flatly as the look she was giving him. Her flaxen tail swished at her flank in annoyance. Two leggeds... always wasting time with things like that. Not wanting to chance irking the one person in this city able to humble her without even lifting a hand though, she heaved a heavy sigh.
Did she have any choice? No, none at all really. "Do your duty then, Doctor, but be quick about it."
That was...easier than expected?
Regardless, he couldn’t very well do this in the middle of the street.
“Lets go to the Tavern where everyone else is meeting up then,” Lumen suggested, “It’ll be easier, and a bit more private.”
Giving a gruff sound that could vaguely be construed as a short laugh, she shrugged before rolling her shoulders. "Well, at least it won't be a complete waste of my time. That's where I was headed anyway." With that, she turned away not bothering to wait for him to follow.
After a time, she found herself standing just outside the establishment. The door was low, even for some not roaming around on four hooves. It seemed that anyone standing over six feet high had to dip slightly. Why did everyone on two feet always seem to prefer meeting in places like this?
Shaking her head, she stooped her humanoid torso low and carefully stepped inside. It must have been quite a sight for patrons already well in drink to witness. Some were drunk enough to chance a chuckle, others murmured nervously, but all were smart enough to give her space even with as crowded as the tavern had become.
Glancing behind to make sure her saddlebags and hind quarters cleared the door frame without issue, she failed to take into account the height of the cross beams that helped support the upper level of the building. As she turned her sights forward, her head found the first of them with a heavy thud.
With a grunting curse, she stooped again and leered at the interior as she made her way forward. The bar was swarmed with customers, but there was one table further in that seemed still empty, save for one. Of course the table chosen would be at the back of the tavern…
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