Rain poured over Mei as she staggered through the Tameka Forest. The pain had spread to her shoulder and down to her back. She predicted it would soon spread down to her lower half of her body; possibly her legs. It seemed impossible that an animal bite would cause so much damage to her body. It did not feel normal at all; it was paralyzing her entire body almost as if she was poisoned.

She had experienced being poisoned before which was why she knew the symptoms were very similar. But how could a wild cat bite be venomous? Alacats were not like venomous snakes or spiders, or at least she knew of. Was it possible that the alacat had something in her mouth that was toxic to humans?

Off in the distance was the town Lesendi in the horizon which took about a mile to walk there. Mei and her troops had walked through the Tameka Forest to burn down the trees according to the queen's orders. Sweat dampened Mei's forehead as she continued in the forest. Her body was burning up with heat although the rain supposedly should cool down her skin. 

I will get there any minute now, Mei encouraged herself.

Spread of worry seeped into her mind as she felt vertigo increasing each time she walked. Mei halted and reached for her canteen to get a drink of water, hoping it could make her feel better, but it was hard for her to find it when everything spun before her. Her body began to feel increasingly hot despite the chilly air and cold rain droplets that pelted her skin.

Giving up on the canteen, Mei shut her eyes and bent down on her knees. It was not good to stand while being dizzy. She squeezed her eyes, frustrated by the unknown symptoms she was feeling. Immediately she knew that it was caused by the alacat bite, but how was that possible?

Mei tried to open her eyes, but all she saw was spots filling her vision. She fought against the overwhelming dizziness and nausea as she squinted helplessly toward the town that was still a distance away. 

I must get there…

Her head spun, the more she thought. She tried to reach for her canteen again, but it looked farther from her than before. Mei grabbed clumps of grass to retain her posture, squeezing her eyes tight. Consciousness was lost as darkness swallowed her vision.

~~~

"Ma'am."

Mei tiredly opened her eyes and found herself in her inn's room. Beside her was a physician whom was a tall thin bald man in a red robe. Troy and a couple of her soldiers were surrounding her, glancing at her worryingly. She must had fainted back in the forest where her troops found her.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Mei managed to mutter. As she spoke, she felt as her lungs slowly drained from speaking a few words.

"Not long?" the physician replied. "I had just entered the room."

Mei sighed with relief. The physician examined Mei's infected wrist attentively which the wound was a hideous purple engulfing down to her forearm. He felt her pulse on her other wrist, and after several seconds, he released her wrist. He looked gravely at her.

"Your heart pulse is slower than the average rate," he began. "Does it tire you when you speak?"

Mei nodded her head. The physician asked she felt other symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, dizziness, dry mouth, and hot flashes. Mei nodded to all of them.

The physician continued questioning her. "Have you ingested something recently or been bitten by an animal?"

"She was bitten by a wild alacat not too long ago," Troy answered for the knightess. Mei sighed with slight annoyance, having a feeling the soldier would stir trouble. The air around the room was getting shallower and tighter to breathe as if she was being squeezed.

The physician raised his eyes. "The alacat is not classified as a venomous animal, but it possible that it ingested poison and transferred it to Knightess Mei."

"We need to find the alacat and kill it before it harms innocent people of the town," Troy demanded. The soldiers around Troy murmured among themselves, agreeing with him.

Mei glared at Troy. Her sudden voice startled her soldiers. 

"You are not in charge of my army," she said with a growl. "Do not dare perform any actions without my orders." 

Although Troy was right that the alacat could harm other people if it was venomous, Mei did not want the alacat to be taken away from the woman she rescued. 

Flashbacks of the alacat and woman she rescued showed that the alacat was not as dangerous as it seemed. It would surely anger the ranger whom would avenge her alacat's death. There must been another reason for her poison. The knightess closed her eyes as exhaustion increased from raising her voice.

"But—" Troy was cut off by the physician whom cleared his throat.

"This is not the time to have a discussion," the physician retorted. "Knightess Mei is in a critical condition which can cost her life. If the poison is not removed from her body within a few hours, she can die."

Troy grimaced with silence at the news. Who would be the next knight if Mei died? He still could not understand why Mei ordered them to free the alacat. Why was she 'protecting' it?

"How long do you think I can live?" Mei asked.

"It depends how severely your body reacts to the poison," the physician replied. "I am unable to estimate the hours you have left without knowing if it was caused by a venomous animal or if the poison was transferred from an animal. I am sure that alacats are not venomous."

The knightess sighed heavily. The venom would be a big mystery if the alacat did not cause it. However, she did deserve being in this state since she accidentally destroyed the ranger's home by being careless. If she was going to die, then she deserved it.

The physician smiled weakly at her. "The most I can do for you is apply a fresh sage poultice on your bite every hour, but you will need to drink a glass of sage wine every time and so. It will help get rid of the toxins in your body. Do not give up."

Mei nodded in compliance. She was soon left alone in the room with the physician as Troy and her soldiers left her in peace.