Felix looked at me imploringly. The desperation mixed with hopefulness was etched clearly all over his face.
Immediately, I knew he wanted the answer to my declaration - the answer to what was wrong with River.
"On the edge of your fence, River found a piece of steak," I said slowly. "It looked delicious so she ate it. As soon as she had swallowed it, the smell of raw potatoes went into her nose. She thinks this steak is what made her sick."
Suddenly, a tall man in a white coat entered the room. It was Dr Redwood, the vet. His reputation in Forks was as a caring and compassionate vet who always worked most fervently to revive his patients or help them in any way that they may require.
"Did you say she ate meat that smelt like raw potatoes?" he asked with excitement.
"Yes," I said with hope.
"It sounds like the meat was laced with Amanita Pantherina, commonly known as the panther cap mushroom. This mushroom is highly poisonous, especially to dogs."
A poisonous mushroom! I now understood what was ailing River most evilly. Felix scribbled frantically upon his notebook. He pointed it in Dr Redwood's direction. "Will she survive?" was written messily over the page.
"I will have to pump her stomach and flush out any of the remaining mushrooms," said Dr Redwood firmly. "I will also give her IV fluids to combat dehydration and flush toxins from the body. Fluids will also support her kidney and liver function while toxins that have already been absorbed are processed."
With frustration, Felix pushed his notebook with the words "Will she survive?" right in front of the vet's face.
"Please just answer our question," I said firmly. "Will she survive?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that," he said regretfully, "but I will try my best to save her."
Felix sat in an uncomfortable clinic chair and I sat in my wheelchair for what seemed like many lifetimes. Felix rested his hay-coloured curls upon my shoulder. The precious weight of his head against me was a welcome relaxant. I could hear his worried sighs and feel his warm breath upon my neck.
Suddenly, Dr Redwood walked slowly out of the operating theatre, a relieved look on his face.
"I have operated on River with all the skills I possess," he said. "Now all we have to do is wait."
The operating room doors opened again. A gurney emerged that was being pushed by a nurse. Upon the gurney lay River. Many tubes were hooked to her unconscious form; these were essential to help her fight the poisonous mushrooms that were most ardently infecting her with their deadly spores. Felix and I followed the gurney as it was wheeled through the hallway and into a recovery room. The nurse busied herself hooking the machines and tubes and positioning the IV pole next to River's head.
Suddenly, Felix started scribbling on his notepad. He didn't need to say anything, his facial expression communicated all that I needed to know. He held the notebook up in front of me. The words "How did you know that her steak smelt like raw potatoes?" were written upon the page. Felix looked at me with a quizzical expression.
I was rendered speechless. "How am I supposed to answer this question without revealing my supernatural abilities?"I thought desperately.
Felix's eyes bored into me as I weighed my options; tell him that I was a vampire or stay silent and come up with an excuse that he would hopefully believe. If I told him I was a vampire, that could put both of us in danger. This was because of the Volturi's laws in the vampire world and the fact that if they found out that Felix knew about me, they would kill him. But if I kept it a secret this would mean I would have to lie to someone. Before I could answer, however, River opened her eyes and uttered a small yip.
Felix leapt to his feet and rushed over to River, he then embraced her furry body tightly.
Tears glowed from the corners of his cornflower- blue eyes.
Dr Redwood burst happily into the room. "Well this is a very good sign indeed. I can safely say that River is going to make a full recovery."
Felix moved to me and swept me up in a hug. I allowed him to cry tears of relief onto my available shoulder. River's recovery had saved me from answering Felix's question for now, but no doubt he would want to know how I had known about River's affliction. What I didn't know is what I would say when he undoubtedly asked me again...
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