Rita, the robin, was sick and her soft groans filled the class. “She must be taken to a doctor,” suggested Ms Thrush, who was taking their Math class. “She has been in pain since morning. Dazel, can you take her to Dr Owl’s clinic, please, before she feels even worse.”

Dazel nodded at once and led Rita out the Aviary School premises. Dr Owl’s clinic was some distance away from the school and Rita was too weak to fly fast. When they finally did reach the tree house built on a large oak tree where Dr Owl attended to his patients, they saw a sign which read: “CLINIC CLOSED FOR THREE DAYS.”

“Oh dear,” cried Dazel, while Rita whimpered from the pain in her stomach. “Dr Owl must have gone for his annual visit to the Northern Mountains.”

Dazel looked around frantically. She knew that Dr Trish dealt with the dinosaurs but she lived too far in Fruit Park. The only other healers in D’Land were Dr Lobo, the lobster who was a tooth doctor at the Southern Beach, and Dr Madderick, the rabbit who dealt with eye ailments, while Dr Solomon, the salamander, was a mind doctor.

“I’ll take you to my home. You can rest there, until find a remedy for your stomach pain,” Dazel suggested.

Once Rita was resting in a bed of fresh green grass at the edge of Dazel’s artificial pond, Dazel gave her a few mint leaves growing on the outskirts of the pond. “Mint is supposed to have soothing and cooling properties; perhaps it will make you feel better.”

As the robin nibbled weakly at the leaves, the duck then rushed to Wiz Rooster’s office at the Aviary School.

“Sir, Dr Owl is on leave and Rita is suffering from a severe stomach ache. I have left her to rest at my pond,” Dazel explained hastily to her principal.

Wiz Rooster shook his head, “I have always felt a need for a healer at school. Not just at the Aviary School but also at the Terrestrial and Aquatic schools for students who fall ill due to minor ailments.”

“What shall we do about Rita right now, Sir? She is too weak to fly to Dr Trish,” Dazel asked urgently.

“The only thing you can do is fly to Dr Trish yourself and tell her Rita’s symptoms. Bring back whatever she prescribes… and do inform Rita’s mother about her condition,” Wiz Rooster said.

With those instructions, Dazel flew to Dr Trish’s clinic. Luckily, because it was still early part of the day, there were very few patients.

“It’s a good thing that you have given her mint leaves. Take this ginger tonic and give her a sip every hour,” Dr Trish advised. “Also, tell Wiz Rooster I want to call a meeting of all the healers of D’ Land. We need to train more healers so that no one has to run around for a doctor like you did today.”

When Dazel had given the ginger tonic to Rita and dropped her off in her mother’s care, she delivered Dr Trish’s message to Wiz Rooster.

“I agree with her a hundred per cent! I’ll send a message through the pigeon post to all the leaders and healers of D’Land and we can meet at the Aquatic School premises,” the rooster agreed.

So, that Sunday evening, in the flickering glow of the ever cooperative fireflies and the light of the gently rising full moon, the leaders of D’Land including Wiz Rooster, Olly the octopus and Old Rex sat with the healers — Dr Owl, Dr Trish, Dr Lobo, Dr Madderick and Dr Solomon.

A light dinner had been arranged by the Aquatic School management. “Let’s get down to important business,” Dr Trish said in her brusque manner. “We need to train more healers. Dr Owl and I are the only general healers here; the rest of you specialise in specific ailments.”

“We are all getting old with each passing year and we must pass on our knowledge and expertise to the younger generation,” Dr Owl agreed.

“We need you all to choose apprentices,” Wiz Rooster suggested. “Each one of you needs to choose one or two young creatures who can assist you in your clinics and learn your trades. They can, in time, substitute you when you are not available. In the mornings, they can come to school so that if there is a medical emergency, someone is trained to handle it.”

“This will also ease the work load for each of you,” Old Rex added. “Ever since Dr Trish has been elected as the leader of the dinosaurs, she feels exhausted juggling her clinic as well as her administrative work.”

“You all must start choosing students for apprentices who are graduating from our schools this year. Interview them, take suggestions from their teachers who know their skills and interests,” Olly the octopus advised.

“This is a good way to start,” Dr Owl and the other healers agreed unanimously. In the next few weeks all the schools of D’Land were abuzz with excitement regarding interviews of the graduating students.

“It will be a matter of such pride for whoever is chosen as an apprentice,” said Dazel as she and her best friends relaxed at the lake bank one evening.

“Dr Trish has already chosen David, the stegosaurus, to be her apprentice,” shared Din Din. “David is the school topper and very responsible. He was thrilled to be chosen because he loves science. Boris, the bear, might also be chosen to assist them.”

“That’s wonderful! The interviews at the Aviary School have concluded and most creatures are sure that Ralph the raven will be selected by Dr Owl. Ralph deserves this position,” Dazel revealed.

“Maybe some day, when we have graduated from school, one of us could be a healer’s apprentice,” Delma said wistfully. The other two nodded in awe.

“It’s great to have a goal to look forward to,” Dazel quipped.

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