Chapter 28
While Dixy continued preparations, Zak opened the back door of the treatment room which led directly to the fenced-in enclosure.
Moments later, he heard a vehicle and spotted his patient in the bed of an older pickup.
He hurried out to open the gate, and directed the driver to back in.
With help from the deputy and the driver, Zak placed a portable steel ramp between the truck bed and the ground—making it easier for the patient to enter the building.
The bear was awake, left hind leg wrapped with an old shirt and secured with duct tape.
Crude, but probably all the bear’s rescuer had available at the time.
It wasn’t soaked through with blood, which Zak knew was a very good sign.
Both men kept quiet as he climbed up to speak to the shifter and take a closer look.
He appeared to be young and fit, though huffing in distress.
“I’m Doctor Hall. May I examine you?”
The bear nodded and lay his head down again. Zak quickly checked the leg, listened to his heart, and felt for other possible injuries. When he’d finished, he asked the patient another question.
“Can you walk?”
He received another nod of the head.
“Good. Once you’re inside, lay down on the rectangular tabletop embedded in the floor and I’ll be able to treat you from there.”
While Zak and the others watched, the injured bear struggled to get up within the confines of the truck bed while keeping pressure off his damaged hind leg.
Huffing and moving slowly, he made his way down the ramp and into the building.
Zak followed him, but paused to make a request of the driver and deputy.
“If you’ll wait up front, I’ll speak with you as soon as the patient is stable.”
They both agreed and Zak closed the outer door.
The bear had managed to lie down on the steel tabletop as instructed, and Dixy activated the hydraulic lift with a push of a button, bringing it to waist height.
Zak began with a blood pressure check—wrapping the modified cuff around an undamaged forelimb, and informed Dixy that a bear’s normal reading was 170.
“Anything less than a hundred is critical, but he’s weak and lethargic, so we need to confirm soonest.”
Meanwhile, Zak carefully removed the makeshift bandage on the bear’s left hind leg and checked the injury site. It was still oozing blood, but thankfully the bullet had missed a major artery. With no exit wound, it meant his first step was to locate and remove the bullet.
Dixy called out the results of the blood pressure check.
“He’s holding steady at 140. Do we need to start an IV?”
Zak showed her where and how, and opened the cupboard to grab what they needed. Since major surgery wasn’t necessary, the bear didn’t need to be unconscious—only feel so good he wouldn’t care. Zak paused to explain things to his patient, calmly stroking the bear’s head as he spoke.
“The bullet is still in your leg, near the hindquarter, so I have to take it out, clean the wound, and stitch you up. I’m going to give you a shot that may put you to sleep, but you won’t feel any pain.
In a day or two you should be able to shift—just don’t try it until I tell you it’s safe. Do you understand?”
The bear nodded and gave him a thankful growl before settling down. He felt the needle go in, but after that, his brain went all warm and fuzzy and he forgot where he was or why it mattered.
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Zak found the bullet quickly, stopped by the bear’s upper femur, near the hip bone.
The femur wasn’t broken, only nicked, but the projectile must have entered his body at an odd angle or from quite a distance.
He preserved the slug as evidence, then cleaned the wound thoroughly before stitching him up.
Shifters normally healed faster than humans, and with reduced pain, the bear’s body could now focus on repair instead of survival.
He’d need a high protein meal sooner than later, and Zak called up to the front desk. Crew answered right away.
“What can I do for you, Doc?”
“Call the Honey Bear restaurant and order a to-go meal of five pounds of raw beef, cut into small pieces. Request delivery and offer to pay extra if they hesitate. We need it in thirty minutes or less if possible. Can do?”
Crew chuckled.
“Can do. How’s the patient?”
“Stable and resting. Send the Sheriff and driver to my office so I can speak to them, please.”
“No problem. I’ll bring the meal to you when it arrives.”
Zak gave Dixy further instructions.
“Keep a close eye on him and take his blood pressure every fifteen minutes until he awakens. I’ll be in my office for a bit, but come get me if there are any major changes.”
Dixy handed him the cleaned bullet and then settled in to observe.
This had been her first ursine patient, and knowing it was a shifter made it more intriguing.
She had no idea how or why he’d been shot, but was grateful that he hadn’t been more severely wounded.
Shooting a shifter was against the law, especially in the state-protected area around Bear Creek.
Whoever did this was in for a world of hurt, assuming the authorities could figure out who did it.
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Meanwhile, in Zak’s office
“…nice to meet you, Doctor Hall, I’m Calvin Shaw.
I live about ten miles northeast of Bear Creek near the Tobyhanna State Park.
I’m an arborist and was heading home after a delivery of firewood when I noticed him limping along the side of the road.
He wasn’t acting like a natural bear, but with the window rolled down, I knew right away he was a shifter.
I pulled over, told him I’d get help, and called the Sheriff’s office.
He had a hard time getting into the truck, but once he did, I took off for town, and well, you know the rest. His scent isn’t familiar, so I have no idea who he is. ”
Sheriff Deputy Wilson had already taken Shaw’s statement in the waiting room and allowed the man to go about his business. Zak thanked him for his help before he left and noted the aggrieved look on Wilson’s face once it was just the two of them in the office.
“I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the applicable laws, Doctor Hall, but a serious crime has been committed, and we need to speak to your patient as soon as possible.
Whoever did this may be out there looking for other victims, and none of our shifter friends are safe until we can apprehend the shooter.
Do you know when your patient can be questioned? ”
Zak shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Officer Wilson, but I can only approximate.
He’ll need a day or two to heal in bear form before I allow him to shift.
I’m sure he’s eager to tell his story, and I certainly want to see justice done.
If you’ll give me your contact information, I’ll call you as soon as the patient can be questioned.
I don’t recommend that he be moved at this point, and I have comfortable accommodations for him out back. ”
Deputy Wilson wasn’t happy about the delay, but he understood that the man’s health and welfare came first. Meanwhile, he offered funds to cover the patient’s care, and explained how the clinic could access them.
“I look forward to hearing from you, Doctor, and please call if there’s anything else we can do to assist you.”
Zak shook his hand and returned to the treatment room to see if his patient had awakened yet.
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Two days later, Friday May 2 nd
Feeding and caring for an injured bear was a lot of work.
Orrin had prepared nutritious meals and snacks for him while Zak regularly checked his condition.
The outside enclosure wasn’t intended for long-time use, but the patient was encouraged to sleep and take it easy.
When Zak arrived early Friday morning, the bear was walking without a limp and seemed happy to see him.
As he’d done all along, Zak asked him to rate his pain level by holding up fingers—one was mild and five was extreme.
The bear nodded at one finger and Zak was encouraged.
“Lets’ go inside so I can look you over, all right?”
The bear followed him into the building and lay down on the exam tabletop.
Zak raised it up and did all the normal checks before examining the wounded leg.
Avoiding sharp claws, he gently extended and contracted the hip joint, palpated the area, and asked the bear to growl if there were any sharp pains.
There weren’t, and Zak finished up with a wide smile.
“You’ve healed up very well, my friend. I think it’s safe for you to shift, but I’ll need to examine you in human form, so stay on the table, please.”
Zak covered him with a clean sheet and stepped back. The shift took place without a hitch, and a handsome young man smiled up at him sporting a tangled mane of dark brown hair and several days of beard stubble. He introduced himself before Zak could even ask.
“Hey there, Doc! I’m Malcom Nesbitt. I sure appreciate what you’ve done for me, but I have work to do and need to go home.”
Zak chuckled at the brash fellow.
“Not so fast, Malcom. I need to check you over first, and the Sheriff wants to talk to you. Afterward, we’ll find someone to take you home, all right?”
Malcom grumbled but turned on his side so Zak could check the lower left buttock. Some bruising remained around the thumbnail-sized entry wound scar, but most of the healing had already taken place. Zak asked him to extend and contract the leg, and was pleased that Malcom reported only a mild ache.
“Excellent. The bullet could have caused much more damage than it did, so consider yourself lucky. Feel free to shift at will, though I recommend less walking for the next three days. If you have any trouble at all, come back in so I can take a look.”