"EUREKA!"

The cry rang raucous through the trees, followed by the somewhat embarrassed clearing of a throat. The huge vulture from whom this shout had come quickly stilled himself from his brief, excited dance--a hopping shuffle, wings mantled around him.

Doctor had his different laboratories scattered throughout the caves, though some he frequented more than others. The one he kept in Tunnel P was seeing some use these days--when he needed dry, hot, relatively sterile conditions (except for that damned swirling dust!). But Pegasus-... Well, the sour memories of the place had long faded, replaced by the daily press of science.

His little 'office' here consisted of a raised alcove in a clearing. It was up atop a tall ledge in Pegasus's far northern hills, overlooking the source for the river here. A winding path led up to it, a treacherous one for a simple wanderer but easy enough to navigate once one had been shown the way. Of course, that mattered little for a creature with wings. Tall, wind-worn boulders formed a sort of wall between the alcove and Pegasus's open fields, and the open back of the alcove only faced north, toward the sheer mountain and the cave wall just beyond. Tall, slender trees ringed the inside of the clearing. It was, so far as Doctor could find it, the safest place for him in this cave--and after what had happened to Kethri, he'd spent quite some time scouting before selecting it. And that, after he'd even returned to Pegasus for his experiments.

Speaking of which-! Eureka! Among his scattered implements (threaded cord, overturned little skulls filled with water, scatterings of herbs) lay two red rats, their bodies limp, splayed atop a broad, flat stone. Blood--old and fresh--stained this stone; it was Doctor's operating theatre.

Both of the rats had had their backs carefully broken, and one of them was dead.

But the other-! The other, after so many tests, adjustments, corrections--the other was alive! Doctor danced for joy, his little hopping shuffle taking him in a spin before he drew closer to examine it.

He'd never had one survive being put back together after being dismembered, before, and he quickly thought over the changes he had made.

Time is imperative! he mused, head twitching this way and that so he could examine the survivor with his one good eye. I think that must be it. I am more experienced now! (And here, his thoughts continued into audible pondering, his beak clicking softly.) "Since I am finishing faster, there is less time for blood loss... shock. That must be it--yes? Or perhaps-

He paused, head cocking to one side as he scrutinized the rat.

"-Hm. Ah-! But I lowered your heart, yes? Its beats were very slow," he mused.

He'd need to do this again, as a control: to move very quickly on one, and lower the heart rate to near-stopped on another, and see which one survived. Or--perhaps it was both; he could find out, with time.

With time, and enough rats--but those, at least, were plentiful.

The advances in science they could make-! If he could treat Gembounds for such injuries, or at least prove it could be done, without them returning to their chrysalis? "Perfection," the vulture murmured, his single eye glittering.

Soh'ling's arrival was met with a curious tilt of Doctor's head. He hopped away from his experiment--and toward the eel-cat, blinking. He listened, and as the Valkhound spoke of its plans, glanced toward his... guests.

'Guests?'

Guests.

Doctor greeted them all cheerfully.

"Well, certainly; I can but try! Hello, hello. Welcome. Please, come... sit. Rats-?" he suggested, for he had no more use for them. He plucked up the still-living one and gave it a quick shake, enough to snap the neck along with the already-broken spine, and set it down--one for each of the canines. A keen glance toward Soh'ling, and Doctor sidled toward it.

"Fascinating! Yes. The suggestion is--perfect! We will try, I will try," he assured Soh'ling, his single eye bright and keen. "I think all we will need is... restraint? And they must not be awake!" he added, his voice kept hushed but the excitement clear. "You say one, but--how should they attach?" he mused aloud, peering at the pair. It was half a question toward Soh'ling, half one to himself; did he simply open up some skin and sew that together? No; surely it had to be something more... complete, or else they might simply pull free.

And he'd need something to dampen their bodies, their ability to fight disease. Doctor lifted one foot, flexing it absently, testing at the edges of his magic.

I think I can do it, he thought to himself. It'd be a new direction to turn his magic toward, but he thought that he knew just the thing.