"Congratulations," said Raidou, by way of hello. "You have eyes." He looked at Kuromaru. "And you never said you needed breaks. Or that the kids needed to be up by your shoulders."

It was a touch of balm to his weary soul that the nurse was on his side enough to laugh behind her hand.

He continued before anyone could yell at him more. "And it was your own damn fault for limping because you wanted to be a drama-hound about stepping on a thorn!" He looked back at the doctor. "I had to carry him all the damn way home, where's my outraged physician?"

He limped to a chair in the corner by the bed and slumped down. "Hell, I'd even take some decent morphine." He gave Kuromaru a tired glare. "I hope Tsume flays you when she gets back. I could make a nice belt out of your fur."

Raidou folded his arms and leaned back, catching his breath now that he didn't have to move. "Okay, I'm done speechifying. Can someone treat the dog before I need to kill him?"