The child woke with a piercing cry as Ferra attempted to retrieve a discarded extraction needle from the floor.
Her hands flew to her hair, and she scrambled behind Loccy before the metal implement could draw any closer.
Loccy remained seated on the flagstones with her knees raised, forming a broad, unyielding barrier while blood dried on her armor.
Ferra set the tool down instantly, resting both open palms where the child could clearly observe them from safety.
"The tool stays on the floor, and nobody touches your hair while the room is still settling," she promised in a steady voice.
The girl's screams subsided into ragged gasps, yet her eyes remained fixed on the glistening needle across the tiles.
Vella approached slowly on her knees, halting well outside the perimeter they established during the earlier extraction.
"May I touch your wrist again, or should I keep my hands on the floor while you breathe?" she asked softly.
