Chapter Thirty Six

                                    

                                          


                          
"What do you mean, IF? Mercy's someone who will literally tell you to break a leg, and then do it for you. Of course she's going to be fine!" I yelled.
                          
I can't believe this insufferable child thinks Mercy won't be able to live through a little Ravener poison. How dare he? I've seen that tiny thing take on hundreds of trained murderers. 
                          
"Jean... You don't understand what Ravener poison will do in a matter of hours. Take a look at your stomach... The flesh peeling back and dissolving itself. That's whats going to happen to her head if we can't fix it. She literally has less than two days before it eats her brain." He told me seriously.
                          
"But..." 
                          
"No buts. Look" he said, moving away some of Mercy's hair... Revealing a small part of her skull without flesh.
                          
"It's eating her alive..." I said in shock.
                          
Elliot pursed his lips and looked at me sadly, a few moments later his eyes glimmering with hope.
                          
"It only eats while it's host in unconscious! While your asleep the body releases toxins that activate Ravener poison! We've got to wake her up!" He yelled, sprouting to his feet.
                          
I was stunned for a moment, but then I realized what he said. 
                          
"Mercy! Mercy wake up! You've got to wake up!" I yelled, shaking her.
                          
"Fuck off you ass hat!" She groaned at me, her green eyes fluttering open.
                          
"She's definitely awake." I smiled. 
                          
"Wait a minute... Why does my head feel like mice chewed through it?" She asked, putting her fingers to her head, drawing them away with blood.
                          
"Elliot. Jean. Explain." She almost growled. 
                          
"The Marauder's injected Ravener poison into your neck, and through your bloodstream it carried to your head... And began feeding while you were asleep. Now that your awake, the process will 'pause'. We have until the next time you fall asleep to figure out how to wash it out of your system" Elliot said, fidgeting with his hands.
                          
Mercy noticed.
                          
"Elliot, tell me right now. Is there any possible way that I'm going to live?" She said, narrowing her eyes.
                          
"The chances are slim you'll live more than three nights." Elliot told her, shaking his head slowly.
                          
"Well then," she said, sitting up, "We have four days to get to Ameron. There should be a market east from here, not too far off route. We can make it there by nightfall if we can move our asses right now. Then we'll have three days to get to Ameron."
                          
"Mercy, your dying. We need to take you back to the NA so Sam can have a look." I told her sternly.
                          
"Then it seems finding the key to Marauder's extinction is going to be my dying wish, now won't it?" She grinned. 
                          
"Your fucking insane." Elliot said, his eyes wide.
                          
"You cuss?" Mercy and I said I'm unison, our heads snapping towards him.
                          
Elliot shrugged. "Not till now I guess."
                          
I shook my head and looked back to Mercy. "We're in for many sleepless nights."
                          
"We may have more than four days if I can stay awake." She pointed out, "but either way, we seriously need to get our asses going. Right now." She said, pulling herself to her feet.
                          
I stood, and then Elliot followed suit.
                          
Mercy walked over to Max, leaving us behind.
                          
"Oh... Max..." I said quietly. 
                          
He was lying on his side, his hurt leg straight while the others where held to his body.
                          
He looked at me with understanding eyes.
                          
Gashes covered him, but the one on his leg tore wide open with Ravener poison. 
                          
"You can't walk... But I can't leave you here." I told him sadly.
                          
"Jean!" I called, my eyes welling up with tears, "I need you to bring me a knife." I sobbed.
                          
"Oh.... Mercy..." He said handing me the knife.
                          
Elliot hung his head. Max fought tooth and hoof for us all, ignoring the lashes and cuts to continue fighting.
                          
"Mercy! Wait!" Elliot yelled, a tear falling down his cheek, "it's just his leg... It might be fixable if we can fill the hole!" 
                          
I glanced at the dead horse that lied on his past rider. 
                          
"Wait.... Can't we take a chunk out of his leg? It'll even match." I pointed at the Marauder's horse.
                          
Elliot looked a little disgusted, but before they could say anything I was already cutting meat out of its left leg.
                          
"Jesus Christ Mercy! He's just a horse! Let's put him out of his misery and go on foot!" Jean yelled.
                          
"Just a horse... eh?" I growled, my voice dripping poison, "well. Your just a man then. Something not to be helped, hm? I'm just a girl then, so why should it matter if I live or die?" I seethed, turning the blade to my stomach.
                          
"Because you matter!" Jean screamed in panic.
                          
"Exactly." I sighed, taking the meat from the horses leg.
                          
"How are we even going to get it to stay?" Elliot asked, referring to the transferred leg meat.
                          
I thought for a moment, but then I had an idea. "Jean, pass me your shirt."
                          
He looked at me questioningly, but still took off his shirt and tossed it to me.
                          
Without a word, I sliced it into thin ribbons.
                          
"Alright Max... This is going to hurt like hell, but I swear it'll be worth it." I told him.
                          
Wincing as I did so, I first poked holes into the transfer flesh and then, carefully, into Max's own leg.
                          
He whined and neighed, even swung his head, but he didnt move. He stayed still and let me do what I needed to.
                          
I pushed the transfer meat into the gash in his leg, stringing the threads of Jean's shirt through the holes to hold it in place.
                          
"That won't hold you know..." Elliot said, his face green and a decent amount of vomit by his feet.
                          
"I know." 
                          
I tied the remaining string of Jean's shirt around the whole would like a bandage.