ORIGIN - Healing

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Winter was about to let Kielo know that she could try hunting for herself, but they spoke before she could. She stared at her. Flowers? Mosses? Mushrooms? She didn't even know those were edible. She had only ever hunted mice and rats and small animals because it was natural to her. She wondered if plants tasted good.

Also, how would she eat them? She swallowed things whole. It wouldn't be easy to just open her mouth to gobble up some moss without any teeth. She suddenly had a visual image of her leaning over a flower with her mouth wide open. It was a pretty funny image.

"Okay, I could try it. Could you show me where?" She wasn't too worried about the edibility of plants. If Kielo could eat them, she probably could too. She didn't understand that she was a carnivore, or even what that term meant. So she was oblivious to her inability to eat whatever Kielo offered her.

When I speak.

When I think.

@Kielo

Kielo dipped their head instinctively, feathers twitching in excitement as they raised their nose skyward. they were beginning to grow hungry themselves, and with their keen senses guiding them day by day, they felt sure that they could find something good for Winter to eat. The young one raised their nose and sniffed the air, combing for a tendril of scent.

They paced around in a small circle, before finally picking a direction from which they could smell some scent rising, bountiful and enticing, but distant. They were so engrossed in picking out the scent that they hadn't taken the time to pay attention to the other scents and sounds that intertwined around them... and with barely the chance to let out a shrill yelp, disappeared headfirst into the river. it took a few moments for them to resurface, growing tail feathers tugging them away downstream, and their avian paws flailed at the surface. feathers and fur alike were plastered to their sides, making their neck seem long and lanky. their wings fluttered, throwing small gems of water.

After a few long moments of flailing and panicking and spluttering, Kielo managed to grasp onto the riverbank, sinking their claws into the muddy banks, but they couldn't tell how far the river had tugged them, or where Winter was. "Winter!" they yelled in a panic, the cold making them shiver as they struggled to haul themselves out onto the bank. "I'm here!"

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"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Winter
notes: here

Winter followed Kielo, moving slightly awkwardly with the moss bearing down on her back. It was heavy and she wasn't used to carrying anything that wasn't in her mouth. She was so distracted by it that she barely noticed they were coming back around to the rive. By the time she had looked up and saw Kielo steps away, it was too late. She opened her mouth to cry out, but her friend was already plunging into the water.

Horrified, she shot to the edge of the water and watched as they bobbed to the surface, pawing frantically at the waves. "Kielo!" She turned and hurried along the shore, trying to keep pace. But for what? She couldn't help her. She could swim, but she doubted she could drag them back. Bad time to be a snake, she thought, grimly.

She could do nothing but hope that Kielo could get out herself. She soured at her uselessness. After everything Kielo had done for her, in their moment of need she could do nothing.

But relief overcame her anger as they managed to drag themselves back onto the rocks. She hurried over at their call and stood up, checking over her body for injuries. "Oh my gosh, are you okay? I was so scared!"

She saw that they were shivering. However, she couldn't think of anything to do to make her warm. She wasn't exactly warm herself. She looked at her friend, disappointed in herself. "Sorry, I wish I could have helped you, but I didn't know what to do."

When I speak.

When I think.

@Kielo

As they struggled to haul themselves ashore and finally managed in a fit of sneezing and trembling, Kielo was almost immediately brought back to reality by the worried voice of their friend. Hearing the worry in the snake's voice, the hybrid immediately felt a sense of guilt in their chest, and nodded, although their lower jaw still trembled in cold. they shivered and shook, flicking droplets from the tips of their wings, and shaking their already trembling body. Water clung to the soggy remnants of their baby down and their fur was soaked through. Their tail, although it only just reached the ground, was waterlogged and heavy. Kielo sneezed, one last time, before finally managing to speak.

"I-I'm fine, don't worry about me!" they stuttered out shakily, an embarrassed giggle shaking their cold chest. "I was s-scared too. Brrr..." they shook their head, droplets sprinkling in all directions. "Th-that's okay! i got out, didn't I? B-but... I b-bet you're even hungrier now!"

Still determined to fulfill the task they'd set out to do, Kielo staggered onto their slim limbs, and once again they sniffed at the air hopefully. Maybe since they'd been swept a little way downstream, they could smell something this time? and maybe some warm moss to roll in and dry off would be good too. Kielo liked to sleep on moss, and sometimes it made good breakfast as well. it might appreciate a little extra water!

A faint tendril of scent reached them, and the still-trembling hybrid set off, this time in the opposite direction of the river- they weren't about to make the same mistake twice. and although it took a while, Kielo managed to find a small ring of fungi, and they could smell a few sparse tufts of grasses poking from amongst the rocks. it wasn't much, but Kielo would take grass over moss any day- and perhaps Winter would like the mushrooms! They were the same kind as the ones Kera had grown. Kielo had liked those- they were plain, but had a soft texture and a nutty taste. The hybrid plucked a small mushroom in their jaws and shakily carried it back towards Winter's scent.

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"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Winter
notes: here

Still worried that their friend was somehow hurt, Winter watched Kielo shake out her pelt with concern. She looked like she was cold, with all of her shivering and chattering. However, she could do nothing - she could not give Kielo the warmth they needed.

"N-no,
that's okay. I'll be..." but it was too late to stop Kielo from finding her food as she had already bounded off. Angry with herself for being helpless, she curled into a coil and awaited Kielo's return. This was frustrating, not being able to help. Having to be looked after and babied. If she was strong enough to hunt, Kielo wouldn't have fallen in the river and they would be curled up and warm, their bellies full.

But there was no going back now. Kielo was getting her food and she might as well be grateful.

When Kielo came back, carrying a small mushroom, Winter couldn't help but be intrigued. She slid forward and her tongue flicked curiously. The mushroom didn't smell bad. It was strange, but not uncommon. There were mushroom all over the place and she had scented them before. She wondered what they would taste like.

She let her jaw unhinge as she opened her mouth to engulf the fungus. However, the instant her tongue touched the side, a strange taste shot into her mouth. It was awful, like rotten prey and dirt and decay. Her body shuddered and she felt her stomach flip as her mouth close around the end. It felt strange and uncomfortable in her stomach, squishing down with rubbery skin.

Against her will, her throat convulsed and she spat the mushroom out, her tongue stinging with the taste.

Guiltily, she looked up at her friend. "I don't think I can eat them," she whispered, hoarsly.

When I speak.

When I think.

@Kielo

Kielo listened, at first eagerly, and finally with their ears lowering in shame as they heard their serpentine friend choke out the mushroom. Their shoulders sagged slightly, wings drooping, blind eyes flickering. "Th-that's okay!" Kielo said, fighting not to let disappointment show through in their voice. Winter couldn't help what she needed to eat, after all. Kielo would still do all they could to help.

The blind hybrid leaned down, sniffling around for the mushroom and pawed it slightly towards themselves. "Uh, may I?" the hybrid asked slowly, feeling a twinge of hunger in their own belly. A diet of plants and fungi didn't keep one satiated for long, and furthermore, the cold wasn't gonna stave off itself. though the tips of their fur were beginning to dry out, they still shivered softly.

"J-just, tell me what you need to eat, and I'll find it for you. Or, ah. I'll try my best to, anyway." Kielo said finally, a note of determination entering their voice.

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"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags:
notes: here

Winter looked away guiltily, not wanting to meet her friend's face. After they had gone and found her food, she couldn't eat it. In fact, she had spat it out right in front of them. She couldn't believe herself. Why couldn't she eat it? She wanted to, but she couldn't!

She gave Kielo a nod, letting her know that she could eat the mushroom. It wasn't like she was going to eat it. But what now? She wondered if she could even hunt for herself. The wound still throbbed and she hoped that it wouldn't make her clumsy. She couldn't ask Kielo to hunt for her.

"No, really, that's okay. I would prefer to hunt for myself."

When I speak.

When I think.

@Kielo

Kielo hesitated, unseeing of Winter's nod. Recieving no response, they slowly lowered their paw and sat back, giving up on the idea of eating the mushroom. Their ears pricked. They sniffed the air, scenting for the traces of cave mice that they so often sensed. If einter needed to hunt, then they would hunt for her; they didn't want her to starve!

Although, a cold panic set in at the thought.

They shook their head, thoughts written plainly on their face. Mice and cave rats weren't plants; Kielo didn't even know if they had it in them to catch, let alone kill, the things. They doubted it would be easy. But they couldn't let Winter go in the state she was in. What if something happened to her? Kielo couldn't bear to think about it. They inwardly cursed their lack of skill and practice. "N-no! I don't wanna leave you alone! what if you get hurt, or..." they hesitated, eyes widening for an instant. They shook their head. "C'mon, let me try. C'mon, how hard can it be?" the hybrid forced an optimistic smile that didn't extend to their eyes or their lowered ears.

But they had to try. For Winter.

_________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Winter
notes: here

Winter shifted uncomfortably. All love and comfort from their night together was gone now, replaced with awkwardness and more hurt. Why wasn't Kielo eating the mushroom? She had offered it back to her, since she wasn't going to eat it. But then it struck her that Kielo was blind and wouldn't have been able to see her nod. "Oh, uh, sorry, yeah you can have the mushroom." But she didn't want Kielo to hunt for her, both because she liked to do it herself and because she wasn't sure Kielo would be able to do it. They were gentle, kind, and inexperienced with hunting. She wondered if they would even be able to kill it.

But she knew that they would be hurt if she refused again. There wasn't really any harm in letting Kielo hunt for her, right? But what if they were freaked out by the way she ate? What if they were disgusted by how she devoured her prey with a single bite, pushing it through her throat? What if they hated how she had to kill to eat?

She had to take the risk. She didn't want Kielo to be hurt anymore by her. "Okay,
well, I guess. But if you need help, I'll do what I can to make it easier. I know you're probably not experienced with hunting..." She managed to get the words out, but worry clogged them down like mud.

When I speak.

When I think.

@Kielo

Kielo's ears pricked up in surprise and excitement. the canine hybrid stooped down, sniffling around until their muzzle brushed against the... admittedly a little slimy, fungus.Taking it into their delicate muzzle, they chewed with gusto and tilted their head back as they swallowed. With no crumbs left to speak of, they straightened up, inching forward and gratefully snuffling at Winter. "Th-thank you! I might be a little better at hunting if the mice can't hear my stomach rumbling," they half-joked, feathers standing on end and quivering, perhaps in mirth, or perhaps nerves. Either way, their drying fur made them somewhat of an eyesore.

The hybrid then raised their head and sniffed the air, trying to pick up the scent of the cave mice that they were so used to smelling on the paths they walked, or scuttling through the rocks and grasses. At least, the hybrid thought optimistically, this would be an experience at the very least. And maybe they'd need to learn one day; plants weren't the most filling, and they hungered often. They quietly squashed the apprehensions rising in their breast.

They stood still, sniffing carefully at the air, until they finally caught a tendril of scent. Faint, but warm and... alive. Kielo gulped, avian paws carrying them slowly up the riverbank and a short way from the river. They heard something rustling, the sound of tiny teeth grinding, eating maybe. There was the small skitter of paws occasionally. Kielo stood frozen, eyes wide, ears twitched and followed the slightest sound. Their nose softly twitched as they drew in the scents.

Slowly, but surely, the hybrid lowered themselves into a crouch, folding their wings to their sides and pressing their chest to the ground. They hoped it was right, but they weren't sure.

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"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags:
notes: here

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