There is a splinter in Assan’s foot, you guys.
“Come on, boy,” his dad says. “It’s not that bad.”
He’s not even certain it’s a splinter. It feels more like an arrow…a spear…a whole TREE.
He rolls on the ground in agony, foot elevated to try and keep the blood from gushing from the wound.
“I’ve seen Neve with paper cuts worse than that.”
Father does not know what he’s talking about. He is mocking Assan’s pain.
Assan is nudged gently with the toe of his Dad’s boot.
Assan screeches. Oh father is cruel! He does not care about Assan’s pain at all. Oh! Oh! He deserves imprisonment for a thousand years!
”What’s going on?!” says their friend who always smells like explosions, emerging from the trees that have caused Assan such pain. She is carrying a large, metal object over her shoulder. It is hissing and spitting. And Assan valiantly fights through his discomfort to hiss back at it.
She puts it down and it is quiet. Assan quiets as well. He has vanquished the metallic foe.
“Assan has a splinter in his foot,” his dad says.
Assan lifts the foot again to demonstrate, and wails.
“Oh,” says their friend, “it’s pretty big?.”
Assan screeches in agreement. But father is unmoved.
“He won’t even let me pull it out.”
“Oh, well, do you want me to try?”
Assan narrows his eyes suspiciously, and their friend recognizes his expression.
“Oooor not. Emmrich is coming up the path behind me, with Rook and Manfred. Maybe Assan would like him to try.”
MANFRED? Assan likes Manfred. He hasn’t seen Manfred since The Flight, when he was grounded indoors while his dad repaired his leg.
Assan gets to his feet and trots off.
Yes. He will find Manfred. Surely his skeleton friend, and Manfred’s dad, and their Leader, will be more understanding of his pain.
“Wow,” Bellara said, watching the griffon gallop off down the path. “He’s not even limping.”
“Mmhmmm,” said Davrin agreed, folding his arms comfortably across his chest.
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