[littlemanpoet]

Raefindan had slept fairly well before his turn at the watch, but by the end of his limping, sniffing, head-filling watch, he felt more exhausted than he had at the end of the day. He had fallen asleep fast and hard, but not peacefully. When Ravion had jostled him awake, he was sure that he had been asleep for perhaps five to ten minutes, and groaned when he was told that a couple of hours had passed.

What made the morning too soon, and too bright, and too cold, and too - well - awake, had been his dreams. Raefindan wasn't sure whether his illness had brought the dreams, or if the dreams were making the illness feel worse. And his hip! When had he thrown it out, if that was what had happened? In the water? Or did he just have a cold in his bones? He felt like it.

He sneezed. Jorje's head came up and his ears went back. He had been lying quiet.

"G'ealth," said the others.

"Thags."

Wherever he had been before, this was certainly no better.

He sneezed again. Jorje barked at him.

"G'ealth," said Gwyllion again.

"Tha- tha- tha!!" He sneezed again. "gyouverybuch!" Gwyillion snickered, and Jorje barked at him, his ears back, his tail wagging. He got up and came over to Raefindan, his ears back grimacing in anticipation of the next bark to come from his new master.

A humdinger. He mumbled the word.

"What did you say, Raefindan?" asked Mellonin.

"Hubdigger!!" He said it so loud his head hurt.

"What does it mean?"

"I duddow."

"Then why did you say it?" He forced his painful eyes up to her; she was grinning.

"Thad's dot dice. You are a cruel wubid. The word is-" he plugged his nose "-humb dignger." He wiped his fingers on his breeches. Gwyillion pulled a face. "Sorry. I dod't have eddy kleedex. Hubdigger meads a really big ad dasty wud."

"What are clear decks?" asked Gwyillion.

He looked at her blankly for a moment, then realized what she was trying to say. He enunciated the word more clearly, and explained it.

"Oh!" said Aeron. "You mean a nose rag!"

Raefindan's eyes crossed and he fell backwards, hitting his head on the ground. "Ow! If oed-ly I had a doze rag! But it wouldd't help take away by dreeb!"

"What dream!" Mellonin was at his side in a moment. Raefindan groaned. "Dot dow. I'll tell you wed I feel better." He shut his eyes hard, and tried breathing out of his mouth. Jorje came up close, sniffing; Raefindan pushed him away from his face, knowing which scent attracted the dog. Mellonin pulled Jorje away.

"Just kill be dow! Put be out of by bisery!"