With several crisp clicks of bone, Lorne reset all of Carrot's displaced broken bones with incredible speed and precision.
Unconscious, Carrot let out a muffled groan of pain, but her brow soon relaxed, and her breathing steadied completely.
Half an hour later, Carrot twitched her nose, and her long rabbit ears quivered a few times in the air.
"That smells so good..." Carrot opened her eyes groggily. The first things she saw were the brilliant stars overhead and the warm firelight around her.
She instinctively tried to sit up, only to find herself covered in bandages. Although it barely hurt anymore, she still struggled to muster any strength.
"Don't move around. Your bones have just been set. You need rest," Kuina said softly, walking over with a bowl of warm water.
Carrot looked at Kuina, then at the Marines around her in their strange uniforms. A flicker of terror crossed her eyes, and she instinctively shrank back.
"Who... are you? Where are those bad people?" Carrot's voice still held a tearful quaver.
"Don't be afraid. We've already dealt with all those pirates. You're safe here." Kuina brought the bowl to her lips. "Here, have some water first."
Carrot drank a few mouthfuls from the bowl in Kuina's hand. The water moistened her parched throat, and she gradually calmed down.
She looked at Kuina, then at Masha, who sat nearby watching her with a smile. Suddenly, she sprang up from the blanket and threw her arms around Kuina.
"Thank you for saving me! Karuchu!" Carrot rubbed her little face against Kuina's cheek with all her might.
Caught off guard by this sudden affection, Kuina floundered, her fair cheeks instantly turning bright red. "Hey! What are you doing? Let go of me!"
"This is our Mink Tribe's very highest expression of gratitude