Fen opened the door to the Teas'n Tomes. In his arms he carried a dragonling. Not just any dragonling but Ammy. He kept stroking her long slender neck for a bit as he nodded to the lady behind the counter.
"Two cups of green chai tea please, and two muffins. I'll be in one of your nooks with my friend here." Fen explained with ease. The lady nodded. She'd seen the Lupinossai doctor a few times when he did research on non Lupe conditions. She walked away from the counter and showed him the nook with the cushiest cushions, then left. Fen moved to the couch and sat Ammy down.
Ammy chirped and purred the whole time she was being carried. She seemed quite happy in the bliss of being young. She gave another chirp as Fen sat her down. Inquisitive bright green eyes looked at him.
Fen sat beside Ammy and gave her another long stroke, slowly. "Well Ammy, where do we go from here? Your sick." he said softly. Pulling his messenger bag onto his knees he opened it and pulled out a file folder. "I had a feeling I would need this when Fleet called me asking where you disappeared too."
The nexus seemed to decide it wanted to be quite.. Mean, as it dropped an Elvin woman onto a booth. Serenity gave a yelp, startled out of her sleep, then peered around grumbling
A slight head tilt and chirp to Fen nosing the file.
Fem chuckled slightly. "Yes, why don't we open your file little one and find out what made you cough last time?" he said with a fatherly voice. He was in good practice as his twin pups recently born kept him working at it. Flipping open the manila folder, he read her file. It wasn't the happiest file. Ammy had a long list of hospital visits with multitudes of injuries during the last year or so. There was even a death certificate. He waded through the records. Another pet for Ammy
Ammy chirped again, craning her little bright crimson crested head over Fens forearm to read with him.
Serenity sat up, then looked around. Hm.. she wasn?t alone. And was stuck in the Elvin form.. Again. A quiet sigh
The lady behind the counter arrived with the green chai tea and muffins. She gave a worried glance to Serenity and hurried over to make sure she wasn't hurt.
Taking the tea, Fem sipped it slowly flipping through the reports. He sat the tea cup down as he came to the one he was looking for. "Sudden onset of coughing. Patient has difficulty breathing. Two incidents of near drowning in bloody phlegm. Patient reports fainting spells, blood sputum when coughing, complete loss of appetite, and the inability to sleep for length of time. Patients weight has rapidly decreased." he read softly as if he was reading a story to his pups.
"Well Ammy, seems like you're starting again with your new body." Another sip of the tea, then he continued to read.
"Treatment by her doctor and husband, Fleetwolf. Nebulizer was used. As well as herbal tonics and potions. Possible suspect of Tuberculosis but tests were negative. X-rays to be issued but Patient showed complete recovery before X-rays were given. Okay. This is a start. We should X-ray your chest Ammy."
Ammy chirped again hearing him read. Then she spoke. "Okay, Fen." Her form shifted to her demonic Lupinossai form, nude, but furred. She started to cough from the exertion.
"Easy Ammy. Drink the tea. It'll help open up your airways." Fen said with a slight bit of worry.
Fen took in her form. She used to be a quite stunning Lupinossai. One that he even sought out as a mate before Fleet came along. Now, her glowing green eyes were starting to sink into her head. Her body wasn't as filled out as it should be, and she was looking much worn.
Ammy finished coughing, her paw flecked with blood. Wiping the blood from her muzzle she took the cup of tea for her up and sipped it. As Fen said, it started to open her airways.
"Thank you Fen. I was going to come see you, but I thought by having Icer make me a dragonling that my body may be able to heal. I sleep well now, but I don't have an appetite and I still cough blood."
Fen nodded, writing this down on a new record entry sheet. "Have you been feeling faint lately?"
Ammy nodded. Another sip of tea and she looked to the muffins with distaste. The sight of food seemed to make her feel ill.
Noting an ill look on Ammy's muzzle, he followed her line of sight to the muffin. "Hmm." He jotted down a few more notes then sat the file to side for now. Leaning over, he poked into the messenger bag and pulled out something the size of a lap top computer.
Ammy looked at the item with interest. "What do you have Fen?"
"This Ammy, is a new portable Digital X-ray unit. Made possible by the technical research you did for the clinic. I do miss having you and Fleet on my staff. You know, you could get your exile mark removed." he said as he opened the portable X-ray and tapped a few buttons. It whirred to life and he tapped a few more buttons.
Ammy was captivated by the technology that she had helped spawn. "Maybe, Fen. Right now, it doesn't feel so bad being an exile. It does sting to have other Lupinossai hate me and my family, but so far me, Fleet, and Lene are managing." A cough seized her for a moment or two.
Adjustments made, Fen waited for her coughing to subside. "I am sure you are managing, but neither you nor Fleet is in good health, and Lene. Lene has her own issues to tend to. You do realize in the Den, only you and Fleet are truly exiled. Lene still holds the seat for both Den Wolf and Den Spiritor during the council of elders. You should reconsider the exile." Fen advised softly.
Ammy nodded weakly when the coughing stopped.
"Okay." Fen held out the X-ray device to Ammy. "Hold the X-ray with both paws, one on each side, and close to your chest."
Ammy took the X-ray device and held it as instructed.
Fen put out a paw and raised the device a bit higher. "I want a good view at your lungs, heart, and breasts. I have a suspicion about what is ailing you."
Ammy nodded.
Fen tapped two buttons. "Now, hold still, breath out, and hold your breath." he tapped a green button and the X-ray hummed to a high pitch and then pinged as it activated.
Ammy almost dropped the X-ray at the noise, but did well to hold still.
"Good. Perfect exposure." Fen said. He took the X-ray device from Ammy and closed it. He then operated the device like a tablet computer and brought up the digital image of the X-ray taken. "Lupis, it's what I thought." Fen softly whispered.
Ammy picked up her tea and sipped more, trying to keep her airways open. She didn't have any troubles with breathing as a dragonling.
Fen slid closer to Ammy and showed her the image. "What do you see?" he asked.
Her glowing emeralds took in the black and white imagery. Well defined ribs, the ghostly image of her heart. Faint ghost of her lungs, and "I see fluid buildup indicated by shadows in the lower third of my lungs." she kept looking and gasped. "Are those shadows what I think they are?"
Fen nodded. He put and arm around Ammy's bare furred shoulders in support. "It's cancer, Ammy. You have lung cancer. I don't see any spread yet, but it may spread. I'll need a few blood samples to run."
Ammy leaned heavily in Fens one armed hug. "When I was sick before, Lene used alchemy and put her paws into my chest. She pulled something black and nasty out before. Could it have been this before?" she asked. Her body shivered, not from cold, but from fear, worry, and knowing what was wrong.
Fen pulled her closer to him and nuzzled her cheek in old Lupinossai gesture of comfort. "According to your health records, I would say yes. Most likely not as advanced as this."
Ammy nodded. Her furred cheeks were damp from silent tears. She held out her furred arm to Fen. "Take as much as you need." she said hollowly. She grew up as a lab experiment, she knew the drill.
Verbosk roars as the Nexus drops him on the floor right in front of the crouch. He growls and rubs his backside. His tail didn't agree very well with the landing.
Fen glanced over at the Draconian. The place seemed to be raining people. Reaching into his bag he withdrew a rubber tourniquet, and several vials. Tying the rubber tourniquet in place, he tapped and felt where a good vein was. Taking a small bottle of alcohol, he wet down the fur. Picking up a needle and plastic receptacle, he gently pierced her skin and the vein. An almost purplish blood oozed into the receptacle. He quickly inserted the vial and let suction do the work.
Verbossks entry should have startled Ammy, but she was numb from a different kind of shock. The type of shock only dire news brings. Her ears flicked a little at the needle prick. She watched her blood flow into the vials a bit blankly.
The watchman shakes his head, clearing up his eyes, then looks around. The stifling odors immediately hinted at the Teas'n Tomes. He looks around and sees Ammy, in the nude, being worked on by what looks like a doctor of some sort.
Within seconds, four vials were filled. Fen removed the needled and held his thumb over the sight to stem any further bleeding. "Hold your arm tight. You know the drill." he pulled his thumb away the gently rocked all four vials in his paw to gently mix the blood with something in the vials.
Verbossk peers at them, confused, as he stands. "Ammy? What's going on?"
Holding her arm pressed to her chest and her own metal thumb over the puncture sight she looked at Verbossk. She didn't mind being nude as she was still covered in fur though it had the odd red fiber optic glow effect. "Verbossk. Meet Fen Stridar, an old friend of mine and the Head Healer of Whisper Paws Clinic. He took over my husband?s clinic when he retired. He's taking some blood to run tests for..." she didn't continue.
Verbossk bows his head to the doctor, Fen. "Nice to meet you."
Blood gently mixed now, he checked the blood visually, nodded once to himself and placed them in his bag. A glance to Verbossk. He swore Ammy knew more and more people. He nodded once to Verbossk. "Pleasure to meet you sir." Then he looked to Ammy. "I've noticed that in the dragonling form you don't cough as much. I would suggest you stay in that form until I've run the tests and find a course of treatment. Don't give up, just hang in there, Ammy." he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"What's going on? Is it involved with Ammy's illness?" Verbossk asked.
She nodded, looking quite tired. Ammy leaned against Fen for a bit. A look to Verbossk and she nodded a yes to his questions.
"Well, what is it," Verbossk asked, raising his hands in a questioning manner to emphasize his inquiry.
Fen gave Verbossk a long look for a moment judging whether to say anything. "This is a delicate nature, the news I have. Will you keep it private?" he asked Verbossk.
"Ammy is the mother-in-law to my Bromissk. If she desires confidence, I will give it to her," he answered with a very deep bow at the knees.
"You can tell him, Fen." Ammy whispered, then coughed some more.
"Alright then." he said softly. "Ammy has lung cancer. What type, and how far it has spread, I don't know yet, but that is what is making her sick."
The Draconian's eyes go wide a moment. "C-Cancer?"
"Yes. Cancer is something that happens to a body when cells in the tissue mutate into something harmful. The lung cancer is seeping blood into her lungs. That's why she coughs so much." Fen said slowly.
"I know what it is. But my kind never get it. Can you create something to get rid of it, Fen?" asked Verbossk.
"Neither are Lupinsossai. Ammy...seems to be the first case. That is why I am doing tests. It may be specific to her genes. If so..." Fen paused. "Then I would need to test Lene. She may be at risk later in life."
A look to Verbossk. "That depends. Our clinic isn't set up for cancer treatment."
Verbossk points a taloned hand at Ammy. "But isn't she among the first brood?"
"Not exactly. Ammy...well... Ammy is unique. She is a clone of someone long dead."
Verbossk taps his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is a... mutation?"
"I won't know until I run the tests. Either way, this has happened before." Fen sighed and rubbed Ammy's back.
"I mean, cancer is found in the genetic material. Perhaps the cloning process caused that gene to be active."
"I'm getting tired Fen." she murmured. Then, Ammy seemed to melt and shift back into the cute little dragonling again.
"That is one possibility." Fen stroked the dragonling. "She died in a battle to keep the Den safe last year before we could find out what made her sick last time. The symptoms all match to what is happening now."
"It has to be in the genes, then. All that needs to be done, then, is to activate the code that will nullify the effects." Verbossk stated.
Ammy curled up by Fen and closed her eyes falling asleep.
"Oh, I know Verbossk. Trust me. I know a lot about Ammy. She's very unique."
Verbossk nods anxiously.
Touching Ammy?s sleeping forehead Fen murmured. "Retre Til Iiceer laaiiroo." A small twinge made his head hurt and his nose bleed a little, but Ammy vanished. She would be back in Icers lair. Nodding that he was still able to do that spell at least, he wiped away the blood as if it was nothing. He picked up his tea and sipped it.
Verbosk sets himself across from Fen.
Finishing his tea, Fen set the cup down. "Please forgive me for having to leave so soon. The blood must handled promptly. If you need to speak with me, come see me at the clinic."
"So... are you related to the Alphas, Fen? Oh. Okay. Have a good evening." Verbossk offered.
"Just as a friend. Nothing by blood." Fen stood and nodded to Verbossk. "Pleasure meeting you Verbossk." He grabbed his bag and left the shop.
