To her surprise, Chase grinned. “My sister has been talking to you again, hasn’t she? She’s always accused me of being an adrenaline junkie. Undeserved, I have to say.”

“As a matter of fact, no, Sarah is innocent. That conclusion was relatively easy for me to come to on my own.”

“I know my limitations, Lily, and this is not a problem. I’ll take my antibiotics, I’ll keep it clean, I’ll be careful to avoid any undue physical strain, and it’ll heal up in a week. It’s no more of a problem than a bad sunburn.”

Lily laughed, she couldn’t help it. “I don’t think we can equate a second-degree burn with a little blistering to being clawed by a bear!”

“Just as annoying.”

Lily shook her head. “I’m starting an IV and giving you an intravenous dose of cephalosporin. Then you report here every twelve hours for the next two days for a wound check. If you’re not willing to do that, then I’m getting on the phone to Natalie right now.”

Chase gave her a long stare, and Lily’s chin came up. She’d had a lot of practice dealing with difficult patients, and even though this one annoyed her more than most, she was willing to go to the mat to see that her orders were carried out. Chase was a classic risk-taker. From everything Sarah’d said, and the things Chase had revealed about her childhood and her free-climbing, Chase was into extreme physical challenges. Now, deprived of her natural outlet of climbing, she answered any emergency call, even when it wasn’t her primary responsibility. She either lived on the adrenaline rush, which was pretty typical of extreme sports or risk enthusiasts, or she had something to prove.

Right now, Lily didn’t care which. Her only concern was to see to Chase’s safety and health.

“Well?” she asked when Chase only smirked. Definitely a smirk, not a smile.

“I have to check in with you every twelve hours. Take my shirt off, alone with you somewhere?” Chase’s eyes glinted. “Not a hardship, Lily.”

“Not personal, Chase.”

“Whatever you say.”

“God, you are so annoying.”

Chase laughed. “You say that to all the patients who irritate you?”

“As a matter of fact, no, I do not. You are an exception.” Lily waved a hand. “Now turn back around so I can get this dressed.”

“Go ahead, get this done. I want to get the day started.”

“I’m serious—you need to take it easy.”

“All I’m going to be doing is walking. I won’t even carry anything heavy, I promise.”

“I’m going to keep an eye on you today to make sure you follow through on that.”

Chase laughed softly again, and the sound brought heat to Lily’s midsection. “That’s not going to be a problem either, Lily.”

* * *

After all the other campers in the cabin left for breakfast, Marty sat on their bunk, opened their backpack, and took out all the items one at a time to double-check they had all the required gear for the day’s hike and would be able to find it when needed. Mentally reviewing the list they’d gotten the day before, Marty put their water bottle in the side pocket, already filled with fresh cold water, their field first-aid kit, snakebite kit, compass, waterproof box with matches, flashlight, and MREs inside, and strapped their heat resistant thermal blanket and individual pup tent—compressed into its own go-bag—onto the back of their twenty-five-liter backpack. The tent wasn’t strictly required, but they’d never set out on a hike without it, so it seemed they should take it along even if this was just an exercise. Since Marty hadn’t backcountry camped since the fall before with their dad, this was a good refresher. They slipped on the pack, adjusted the straps, checked that the load was evenly distributed, and had just swung it off again when the cabin door opened.