Here ye go!!! I hope you likey!!! I brought in a new character or two...and I really like one!!!

Jaidie

Peter woke to the sound of voices nearby. He tried to open his eyes but it felt impossible. Right now, he felt too weak and his wrist ached with a sharp throb. He gave up on his weak eyelids and listened in on the voices.

“I ken Moonlight, I ken it was risky but I didn’t ken what else to do. I didn’t ken where else to bring him. He’s so young and seeing him in so much pain, I can hardly bear it.”

He knew that voice, it was Tyse. His heart swelled at the sound of Tyse voice. Tyse had saved him.

“I understand Tyse and I didn’t mean it like that, I just…I thought…well, we thought you were dead.”

Peter didn’t recognize this voice but he guessed it was the buck Tyse had called Moonlight.

“I ken, I ken it’s a surprise to see me, to be honest, I didn’t think I’d ever get out of there but when I saw them hurting that lad I…I…I don’t ken what came over me, I…I…” Tyse trailed off.

“I understand what you mean Tyse, children can often bring out the best of us but when hurting they can also bring out the strongest of us.”

There was silence in the room. Peter’s throat suddenly felt dry, he stirred a little and groaned at the pain in his wrist. He finally managed to open his eyes and saw a buck standing over him, who he guessed was Moonlight. He looked past him and saw Tyse sitting in the corner.

Peter grimaced as he stuck out his right arm toward Tyse, closing and opening his fist. Tyse looked at him then at Moonlight. Peter winced and said, though his voice was raspy and it hurt his throat to speak, “Tyse,” he croaked out.

Tyse stood and rushed over to him. “Are ya alright? Do ya need something, lad?”

Peter nodded letting his hand fall to his side and rasped out, “Water.”

Tyse nodded and went to a small table in a corner, he quickly returned with a small glass of water. Tyse put his hand beneath Peter’s head and lifted it up, then put the glass to Peter’s lips.

Peter gulped it up but Moonlight made him stop which was probably a good idea because some of the water went down his windpipe causing him to cough. Tyse lifted him into a sitting position.

“Shh, it’s okay, lad. That’s right cough it up, it’s okay.”

Once Peter stopped coughing Tyse laid him back down and put a cool rag on his head. Peter closed his eyes that felt nice.

“I should probably tell the doc he is awake,” Moonlight said before leaving the room.

Peter opened his eyes and looked up at Tyse, who smiled at him. “Tyse,” Peter said.

Tyse grabbed his right hand. “Aye lad.”

“I just wanted to thank you for saving me.”

Tyse smiled and squeezed his hand. “I’d do it a million times again if I had to.”

Peter smiled. “You remind me of my pa,” Peter said.

Tyse opened his mouth but the door opened and Moonlight came in followed by a tall white buck who carried a black bag. The buck smiled at Peter and stepped in, and then she came in. A doe who looked about his own age. She had white and brown fur, her ears were ridiculously big and swayed every time her head moved. She wore a simple dress, though the top was yellow and her skirt was bright blue, she also had a bright pink ribbon around her waist and one tied in a bow around her right ear. The bright pink ribbon fell beside her right eye and her eyes themselves seemed to glow they were so green. Her hands were behind her back when she entered and Peter couldn’t take his off her.

The white buck came over to him and laid his bag on the nightstand. “Hello Peter, my name is Doctor Johnston and this is my daughter Sydney,” he motioned at the doe.

Peter smiled at her, she curtseyed. “Hello,” she said smiling, her voice soft and full of kindness.

Peter felt himself blush and he quickly looked down. Doctor Johnston smiled then put a hand to Peter’s head.

“Well, the fever is gone, that’s good. So how do you feel Peter?” Doctor Johnston said as he placed his hand on Peter’s chest.

“I feel fine besides my wrist and I’m kind of tired,” Peter said.

Doctor Johnston nodded and touched Peter’s left wrist gently. Peter flinched and Doctor Johnston looked at him. “I’m going to have to change the bandage and clean the burn, it’s going to hurt.”

Peter took a deep breath. “Can they leave?” Peter said, nodding at Tyse and Moonlight, he didn’t want to scream in front of them.

Doctor Johnston looked at them, Moonlight nodded and left the room. Tyse hesitated then left closing the door behind him.

“Okay, you ready?”

Peter wasn’t but he nodded. Doctor Johnston took the bandage off, it wasn’t too bad but then he had to take the straps off Peter’s wrist to clean the burn. Doctor Johnston laid the cloth on the burn and Peter sucked in a breath and closed his eyes.

He felt a gentle hand on his own and opened his eyes to see Sydney smiling weakly at him. She squeezed his hand and said, “You can squeeze my hand to drown out the pain if you want to.”

He smiled at her and shook his head. He wasn’t a baby; he could handle this. A sharp pain shot up his arm, he yelped and grabbed Sydney’s hand. When the pain subsided, he made to let go but Sydney held his hand tightly.

“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone if you need to hold onto something, it’s okay, it’ll be our secret.” She smiled at him. He bit his lip still unsure. “If it helps, I still hold father’s hand when I so much as cut my finger. It’s not a bad thing to hold onto something or someone. Besides our little secret, now you know I’m a baby when it comes to pain, that’s my secret to you. Now, this can be your secret to me, I won’t tell I promise.”

Peter nodded and squeezed her hand. Doctor Johnston smiled and nodded slightly at Sydney with a look Peter could tell said, ‘that’s my girl.’

When doctor Johnston finished cleaning the burn he put the straps back in place and re-bandaged the wound and stood.

Sydney tried to do the same but Peter squeezed her hand. She looked down at him, he smiled weakly at her. “Thank you for letting me squeeze your hand, you were right it helped a lot. Thanks and don’t worry I won’t tell anyone you squeeze your father’s hand when you cut your finger,” he said chuckling softly.

She giggled. “You better not or I’ll knock your brains out.”

Peter laughed then winced. Sydney gave his hand one last squeeze before standing and leaving the room with her father, but she stopped at the door and waved. “Goodnight Peter, I hope we can be friends that is if we ever stop blackmailing each other into secrecy,” she said winking before closing the door.

Peter smiled, he hoped they could be friends too he liked Sydney. She was nice but then he felt suddenly sad inside thinking of friends made him think of Rexly. He hoped his friend was safe wherever he was but he didn’t get much time to think before sleep took over. The last thing he thought was where was Rexly anyway? Was he even still alive?