Hot flares run through me as he digs around searching for the bullet, the muscles cording in my neck so hard they send another layer of pain darting down my spine. I clamp my teeth down as hard as I can on the branch as my lungs burn with their need for air I can't give them right now.
My vision is fading to black by the time he finishes, then I lose track of time.
When he speaks again, I push through the haze, though I don't know what he said.
"Ree!" He's pressing a hand hard against my arm. "There's too much blood."
I take in a ragged breath. My teeth are chattering against the stick in my mouth as my body quakes.
I spit it out so I can speak to him. "W-rap your t-tail around m-my arm."
I take another long breath in to collect myself as he unwinds his tail from the branch above us and does as I ask.
"Higher. Yes, t-there. Now squeeze."
My body arches again from the pain, and he loosens his tail in response.
"No. Keep going."
I close my eyes and focus on each breath in and out, just like we teach so many of our patients.
In. Out. Over and over.
When the pounding pulse in my fingers becomes too insistent, I open my eyes again.
"Pull your hand away," I tell him.
The bastards might have skipped the pain reduction feature, but the nanites have already started to do their work. The wound is still gaping open, but at least the blood flow is under control.
Well, at least with a tourniquet in place.
"Ok, loosen now."
My whole arm pulses and aches as blood flow returns to normal. I let out a huff of breath when there's only a small increase in the rate the blood oozes out.
"Will your skin close itself?"
"Let me guess. Yours already did?"
"I'm sure my scales already shifted, yes."
I grunt. "Will the nanites close mine up anyway?"
"Eventually. But it'll take more time and resources."
For now, I ask my suit to expand back over the wound. Hopefully it will keep it moderately clean that way.
My teeth are still chattering and now that we've done all we can the fear rises to the surface. I can't stop trembling. My heart pounds as he repositions us so I'm cradled against him.
He pets my hair and I take deep breaths to get myself back under control.
As my heart rate lowers, I realize that the pain in my arm is rapidly diminishing right along with it.
Soon all I can feel is a slight ache.
"It doesn't hurt very much now. That's weird."
He growls. "They must have programmed in a delay."
