[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"One of those divers was the Medic's younger brother, and he didn't come up - so the Medic went in after him. With all of the confusion, and pulling you all out, we didn't realise until it had been quite some time." The cook wiped his eyes, and Iilanthys closed his own, frowning as he let his head fall back against the pillow.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"They were good men, and they will be sorely missed" he choked out, stomach hollow, and the cook nodded his head in response. It wasn't his fault, and Iilanthys knew that, but the thought of having lost two men - two good men - whilst everyone was busy focusing on him and his injury made him sick.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

As if he had read Iilanthys' thoughts, the cook put his hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault - they were brothers, he would have gone after him anyway. And there was something down there - just look at what it did to you."

Iilanthys nodded, but didn't open his eyes, choosing to grieve instead in silence and darkness.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

The rocking of the ship woke Iilanthys a while later, and the smell of rich stew filled his nose as he opened his eyes.

"I brought you stew - you must eat." The cook was sat beside him again, and he rose to help Iilanthys sit upright, before placing a tray on his lap with the plate of stew and a chunk of bread resting on it.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Iilanthys didn't feel like eating - his ankle was aching, a deep stomach-turning throb which had him wondering about how much exactly was left of his leg under the blankets, and he was still mourning at the loss of their crewmates. Selfish thoughts pervaded his mind, but he determinedly ignored them - it was the risk they took, as underwater archaeologists, and sometimes the risk became a reality.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"The sea takes." He didn't even realised he had spoken until the words were out of his mouth, but the cook just nodded solemnly and repeated it back to them. It had been a long time since those words had been spoken last, but now they rang true, and Iilanthys felt something settle inside of him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He ate dutifully, if slowly, and once he had finished the cook gave him something which didn't quite dull the pain, but definitely helped somewhat, and an extra pillow so he could sit up more comfortably.

He began to pull the covers back, but the cook stopped him, fearful of what he would see.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I need to know" he said, meeting the other male's eyes. "I need to see the damage, to see what - if - there is anything I can do to save it. We're a couple of days away from port, and I may not have that time."

The cook paled again, but nodded, though he did not release his grip on Iilanthys' wrist.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Iilanthys looked up at him, and he spoke; "Very well, but you're not doing it alone and not like this - I will boil some water and instruments for you, and I will call the Captain to help."

Iilanthys frowned, but nodded his agreement and let go of the covers, leaning back against the pillows to wait.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

A short while later, an assortment of medical tools were lined up on trays on the bedside table, and Iilanthys was permitted to pull the sheet back whilst the Captain and Cook watched him. The sight of his leg, mangled and weeping, was enough to turn his stomach and he retched into the bucket the Cook had prepared beside him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

First, he submerged the leg in a basin of hot water and stinging alcohol, wiping the tears away as they rolled down his face, the Captain lending a hand to bathe the area from his better vantage point. Iilanthys then used tweezers and scissors to cut away and pull out anything foreign, such as shards of the suckers and bits of shell, from inside the wounds.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Finally, once all of the dead flesh and debris had been removed, Iilanthys gritted his teeth and held the threaded needle with shaking hands, wound stinging under the sulphite dust he had packed it with.

"I will help, if you wish, though it will not be pretty" came the gravelly voice of the Captain, and Iilanthys handed the needle over and gripped the covers tightly.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He felt faint by the time the Captain was done with the stitches, his leg now a haphazard mess of crossed lines where the flesh had been pulled back together, tinted orange with the sulphite powder which coated and stained his fur and the bedsheets. Too weak to move, he moaned as the Captain and Cook worked together to bandage his leg in clean, new dressings and covered him over as he began to shiver and sweat.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

For two days, Iilanthys twisted and turned, delirious with fever, and for two days the Cook sat by his bedside and wiped his forehead, or poured water into his dry mouth.

At last, they pulled into port, and Iilanthys felt himself carried out of the ship on a stretcher down to the docks and into a carriage.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Urgent whispers stirred Iilanthys, and he looked up through blurry and bloodshot eyes at the doctor and nurse who were crowded around his leg. Although he could still feel the pain, it was as if it were detached from him, floating somewhere nearby yet still resonating. He tried to raise his hand, but felt too weak, and instead lay there waiting for them to look at him.