We rushed into the forest and suddenly dropped down through the floor. Transports followed us until fifteen transports were inside and then the ‘ceiling’ of our cave moved to conceal us beneath the stone.

The lights of the transports flickered on as they all settled to a stop on the floor. For a moment, no one moved.

“We are dying!" I heard Abram gasp as he Looked down at his Brother.

“He cannot breath! I cannot stand it!"

A scar's bite would paralyze so the creature could take its time dismantling the victim. The man's ability to breath would be forfeit to the toxin. Anyone bitten by a scar would suffocate as everything shut down.

“Help him then!" I said fiercely stepping forward. The wounded family took a defensive position around their Brother laying on the transport and their teeth dropped.

“He is wounded," Bane whispered in my ear pulling me back, “they will attack any who come near him. Let the man and his family die in peace."

Everyone around us seemed to have the same sentiment. Let them die in peace.

“NO!" I shouted. "You can breath for him! It can be done! I learned on Earth. This man doesn't have to die."

In health at my high school they had taught us CPR. I'd even taken the class the community college offered so I was certified to baby sit. Paterians were Like humans, certainly it would work here also.

I looked at Damien and pleaded with my eyes.

“Give me a chance to help him,“ I begged quietly.

“I know what to do! I just have to touch him."

There was an unspoken agreement that passed between Damien and Basin before they acted. I saw it and was shocked at what they did.

Damien and his Brothers were fast. Faster than I remember them being, they had restrained Abram's family and pulled them away in a flash. Basin's family stood between my men and everyone else. The men from the camp roared in outrage. I knew I had to act quickly.

I rushed to the fallen man and knelt at his head. My memories of CPR were distant, but I pulled them up. A hand on his still chest proved he had a heart beat. I tilted his chin to open his mouth and held his nose. I breathed a huge breath into his mouth and watched his chest barely move. I counted to five and did it again and then again.

The cave was silent watching me. The fallen man's Brothers were no longer struggling with my family and I Looked to see if perhaps they were still dying, maybe this didn't work here.

They were staring at me, all of them. No one looked angry, just shocked. The men in the cave seemed to have paused, just before attacking Basin's family. Now they watched me looking utterly amazed.

“Teach us," Abram demanded hoarsely, “show us what you are doing. We feel this is helping.”

Damien's family released them and they came to kneel beside their Brother.

In the silence of the cave I taught them the basics of ‘rescue breathing’. Since they could feel their Brother's needs they could tell after a while he only needed one of their breaths at the count of seven, not five.

I stood back and looked up into Damien's amazed face. He looked stunned as he held his hand out to me. I took it without thinking and continued to gaze up at him.