Welcome to Gaia! ::

The entire snafu with the birds was a learning experience for Beth. She was finding the edges of her considerable inexperience in a crisis quickly remedied by the amount of tasks involved in the defense of the lodge. She's gone out for a search and rescue. She'd searched (with friends!) for useful items to help shore up their position. She had not yet made it to the rating of wounds, physical or otherwise. When she managed to work up the motivation, she wandered over to the biggest concentration of people in need of medical attention and started working.

In theory, she thought it would be perfect for her. Away from the fighting, away from manual labor, just her trying to figure out how to make the ouchies go away.

Of course, that was the problem. What did she know about stitching flesh together or staunching blood flow?

Cuts and scrapes, like the one on the man she was tending to, were ready enough. Some of them just needed something to bleed on while they forged back out into the snow. Or sat quietly with their family, hoping and praying to come out of this alive. It sobered Beth’s normally good cheer. She stared intently as she wrapped a silk tie around a gouge in the man's forearm. The man--Jim--had been attending a conference and during all the chaos his cell had died. As she worked, he spoke to his family on her own rapidly dwindling device. His grateful tears tracking through the grime on his face put a knot in her chest, but she held on long enough to tie off the fabric.

He thanked her profusely and a ghost of her smile was all she could offer him. She looked up, wondering who might need her ministrations next, and meet the icy gaze of a platinum blond stranger.

Instinctively, she smiled at him, a full wattage compared to the one she has given Jim. He seemed well put together, all things considered. She ruse, collecting her cell phone back, and walked over to him. He seemed to be resting next to a stack of books. “Anything to recommend?” He didn't look injured, but she's quickly learned that such things meant nothing. “I might need something to read. Take advantage of this lull, you know?”

Beth's eyes widened at the cover of the book. ‘I didn't know Liaisons in a Mage Tower got a sequel! I should...look at that….’ Aloud, she said, “Well I guess grandma has to find something to do when she's not skiing.” Her eyes followed the book as Jan set it down, noting its position in the pile. “No accounting for taste, I suppose.”

She snapped her gaze back to his face, smiling and hoping he didn't see her interest in the paranormal fantasy romance novel he had poo-pooed, however lightly. Beth waited quietly as he checked another civilian for injury. When he was intent on his patient, she slowly wrapped her fingers around the spine of the book and slipped it under her coat. Luckily the waist band was snug to keep out the cold--it also kept contraband secure too.

Beth returned her attention to the man as he introduced himself. She took his offered hand, marveling at the lotion he used, and replied, “Pleasure to meet you, Jan. I'm Beth!” Her own delicate and well kept hand dried away after shaking his. Once she heard the magic word “competent,” however, she straightened her posture. It was now critical for her to prove his judgement of her abilities correct. “It does wonders for the self esteem, doesn't it?” She watched him work, thinking that any assistance she might offer would be more hindrance than help.

She turned automatically as another civilian was deposited nearby. As she pulled gloves onto her hands, she sized up the situation. She stepped lightly toward her, trying to make the elbow tucked to her side (keeping the deeply shaming book in place) as natural a move as possible. The teenage girl was not much younger than her and had three long marks down her calf. The blood was dried but it looked tender to the touch. Beth gave the girl what she hoped was a reassuring smile, and explained that she was going to wrap up the wound. She tied up her leg with strips from some poor fellow’s evening shirt. She knew she should put something on the wound, but other than some household cleaner, she didn't have anything to offer. Making a mental note to keep an eye on the girl, she made her as comfortable as possible and turned to see how Jan had progressed.

Seeing more people filter in, she said, “The work is never done, is it? I thought the goal of being here was to relax!” Softly, she indicated the girl she had been tending to and continued, “She might have an infection but I don't have anything for it. Help me watch her?”