"Well, that was something. Can we finally go now?" said Brian with exasperation.
"Sure, just let me get cleaned up. That bite really hurt my hand, " said Christine.
Brian threw up his own hands in frustration, but the others agreed to her request. Christine walked over to a nearby pond and began to wash her hand. But no matter how hard she tried, the dark red splotches around the pinprick markings left behind by the little dragon whelp's teeth wouldn't wash off. In fact, they seemed to get worse. The red markings spread across her hand, getting thicker as they gradually formed scales.
No, this can't be happening. A dragon bite shouldn't do this, thought Christine as she continued to watch her hand change before her eyes.
Then she noticed her bag. In her mad dash to hide, several of the bottles had broken or simply tipped over, at least one of them leaking into her wound. She couldn't be sure which one it was: the kobold, the naga, the lamia .... even the dragon whelp was a possibility - she hadn't used all of the potion on the farmer. But the one she feared the most was labeled 'Dragon Brood Mother'. She doubted the others would let her continue with them on their adventure if she turned into something like that.
Please stop, please stop, she begged internally as she continued to stare at her hand.
Mercifully, the changes did slow and gradually stop, leaving her with a scaly hand and short dark black nails. She began to wrap it up with a bandage.
"Everything alright over there?" called Joe.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be with you guys in a minute," said Christine as she quickly finished wrapping her hand.
Christine couldn't let the others see it. Not yet at least.
Christine gathered the rest of her things and jogged over to the others. As they walked away from the farm and continued their journey, Christine consoled herself with the thought that everything would be back to normal when the game was over. Her hand would be restored once they reached the exit of the game. As long as she kept it hidden from the others, it wouldn't be a problem.
That is, unless she continued to change.
Christine didn't think that was likely. The effect of the potions on her friends and the farmer was almost instantaneous. Because she had stopped changing, Christine did not think it was likely the potion was going to alter her appearance any more than it had already. That was the logical conclusion and it was a very reassuring thought.
But a small part of her was a little disappointed. That mother dragon had been so large and majestic, almost beautiful in her own way. What would it be like to glide through the sky on leathery wings? To breathe fire? To be so big and powerful that all creatures fear you and cower before you?
Christine's hand tingled a little under the bandage. She absentmindedly scratched it as she continued to walk through the forest with her friends.