Book 1: Something Stinks (1)

Rafe

Standing at the foot of a bed next to Jerim, we look at one of the feeders who has suddenly become very ill. Like the others that have died recently, this one has severe body aches, can’t keep anything down, and is pale with a high fever.

“I’ve tried all of the treatment options I’m aware or,” my friend whispers, “but I just don’t know what to do. Nothing seems to help, and none of it makes sense.”

The patient appears to be sleeping. Either that or she is simply unconscious at this point from the illness or the treatment. She’s a forty-five year-old-female shifter who has been in our care for over twenty years since she was gathered during one of the cullings from her village of Graysummit.

I’m not sure what to say or do because Jerim is the best doctor I’ve ever known. He lists all of the medications he’s tried and shakes his head as he says, “None of it is helping.”

“Have you been able to improve the conditions of any of the shif