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The non-answer was an answer in itself, and something in Malodore's unbeating heart twisted painfully. "They are aberrations, and we will eliminate them," it reassured her as it tried to think of something it could do to help. "But - Shehk, your neck, do you not feel it? I believe it is broken."

Luce, meanwhile, was still laying down by Shehk, but she was stock-still and staring straight ahead - uncomfortable, but trying to pretend otherwise for the sake of her sometimes-four-sometimes-two-legs friend.

"Just now... those spasms I mentioned. Strong, abrupt physical movements - they are not conscious, clearly..." It sat down in the snow with a soft sigh. "Cricket can put that back to rights. We can explain it as a... a sparring accident, if you wish..." It looked over the rest of her, anxiously. What other injuries were hidden under that white fur?

"It would, ah... likely make it more startling," the plague doctor said, after a moment. "I have noticed that injuries manifesting on humanoid forms often look more... hm, wrong? It is hard to explain. I would suppose that because more beings share that type of form and have an innate instinct for what may be painful or, ah, off."

At her question, Malodore ducked its head. "I am not sure if she would ask, truly... and she would, probably." It opened its beak in a slight smile. "She does have better supplies than I do, however. Particularly when it comes to bone setting. Much of my personal kit is more suited to flesh wounds."

A pause. "I, ah, meant more... that I would support you, should others question you. In a general sense. I do not give my emblems lightly."

Malodore winced visibly at the pop - yes, yes indeed, the injury definitely did look more wrong on a humanoid form. The additional sound effects hadn't helped, at least. "That definitely needs attention. How rapid is your healing factor, usually? I wouldn't want to have to rebreak it later." Even though it knew such things were sometimes required for healing, the thought of placing its hands around Shehk's neck and snapping was highly repugnant.

"Understood." Malodore headed for the nearest tree, assessing branches before reaching up and snapping off a small amount, enough for a splint. As it returned to Shehk, it began wrapping the stick up in gauze to make a soft, clean surface that wouldn't irritate her skin. "Perhaps a splint and some support would help? Unfortunately, I do not carry a true neck brace, but something makeshift should work until we get to the nurse's office."

"Only if I obtain a... what is it they are called? 'Bag of Holding'?" Malodore opened its beak in a wry smile. Riley had mentioned such an artifact at one point, and the plague doctor had determined that it would be a very useful item to have, if potentially unwieldy should too many items be placed within it. "Alas, I have never seen one."

As it spoke, it carefully began wrapping Shehk's neck, splinting it - not a proper boneset, but enough to keep her head from flopping around while walking, so that the damage wouldn't get worse. "How does that feel?" it added, after a moment. It hoped she wouldn't have another spasm... or if she did, it hoped she'd do it in Cricket's presence, so the nurse could get some idea of what was happening.

"That is good, if there is no pain," Malodore agreed, though it did glance down at her hands quickly. "Shall we be off? The sooner Nurse Cricket can tend to this - or have me do it," it added, wryly, "the less likely it will be that it will heal oddly and have to be rebroken. I would, ah, rather not do that, if it can be helped."