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+--- Thread: everything stays (/showthread.php?tid=10549)
everything stays - Hunter - Jan 15 2022
The cool, misty air brought with it an impending sense of inescapable pressure. Rain must have been on its way to paint the grasses and leaves of the ethereal Cepheus with fresh dew. Once, Hunter had been excited by the idea of rain. He still was, in some ways-- it didn't rain very often in the caves. It was still exciting, nouveau even! But...
Hunter grimaced as he finally saw his family's home in the distance. He still had a long way to drag his tired body before he could crash, and judging by the atmospheric pressure, he wasn't going to get any good rest. Still, at least if he was home he could probably get his dad or siblings to bring him something to eat.
He SHOULD have been able to catch something to eat on his own. That was why he had gone down to Leo, to go looking for a hare or something... To come limping back home with nothing to show for it really wounded his pride-- and he didn't think he was all that prideful! Compared to the blossoming, surging discomfort that spread through his shoulder and into his lungs with every breath, he should have been able to ignore it. Still it smarted, a sharp bitter taste on his tongue.
Some days, you just had rotten luck. It was fine.
His arm curled against his body, held awkwardly against his chest as though that would make the discomfort magically vanish, more habit than anything at this point. He had to carry his spear in his off-hand to avoid stressing his already sore shoulder, though the weight of it made him miss his old wooden one. The sugilite blade was a prize to behold in itself, but it was difficult not to think of it as... well, a replacement. The butt of the polearm dragged in the dirt behind him as he resisted every urge to use the spear as a walking stick; the last thing he needed was his family spotting him limping about and jumping down his throat.
They cared. He knew that.
But dammit, Hunter just wanted to get better. Back to one hundred percent. Sure, it wouldn't happen overnight. He knew that too. But it had been cycles, and all it took was one growing rain cloud to make his whole body ache.
He didn't know if he wanted anyone to be home or not. He was hungry, but he also kind of wanted to be left alone... At least until he laid down for a minute, and then maybe he could get the twigs and dirt out of his hair and...
Drip, drip, drop. About a good twenty paces from home, and there came the rain drops, big and heavy on to his nose. Surprisingly cold, too. Shivering, he picked up the pace, racing for the back entrance of the house-- the family bedroom-slash-barn, depending on how generous you wanted to be to the open wall plan his father had made to let Carja and the other big siblings able to squeeze in and sleep with the rest of the family if they wanted to. He threw aside the pelts that protected the opening from the elements, gritting his teeth as a jolt of lightning shot up his neck.
"Ffff-oww," Hunter hissed, stumbling forward and flopping down on the nearest bedding he could find with a wet slap of soaking mustelid fur and hair. He neglected to notice that he wasn't alone, and just then, for a mere moment, he couldn't care less if anyone else was around as he tossed his spear aside and rubbed at his collarbone with tightly shut eyes.
Hunter grimaced as he finally saw his family's home in the distance. He still had a long way to drag his tired body before he could crash, and judging by the atmospheric pressure, he wasn't going to get any good rest. Still, at least if he was home he could probably get his dad or siblings to bring him something to eat.
He SHOULD have been able to catch something to eat on his own. That was why he had gone down to Leo, to go looking for a hare or something... To come limping back home with nothing to show for it really wounded his pride-- and he didn't think he was all that prideful! Compared to the blossoming, surging discomfort that spread through his shoulder and into his lungs with every breath, he should have been able to ignore it. Still it smarted, a sharp bitter taste on his tongue.
Some days, you just had rotten luck. It was fine.
His arm curled against his body, held awkwardly against his chest as though that would make the discomfort magically vanish, more habit than anything at this point. He had to carry his spear in his off-hand to avoid stressing his already sore shoulder, though the weight of it made him miss his old wooden one. The sugilite blade was a prize to behold in itself, but it was difficult not to think of it as... well, a replacement. The butt of the polearm dragged in the dirt behind him as he resisted every urge to use the spear as a walking stick; the last thing he needed was his family spotting him limping about and jumping down his throat.
They cared. He knew that.
But dammit, Hunter just wanted to get better. Back to one hundred percent. Sure, it wouldn't happen overnight. He knew that too. But it had been cycles, and all it took was one growing rain cloud to make his whole body ache.
He didn't know if he wanted anyone to be home or not. He was hungry, but he also kind of wanted to be left alone... At least until he laid down for a minute, and then maybe he could get the twigs and dirt out of his hair and...
Drip, drip, drop. About a good twenty paces from home, and there came the rain drops, big and heavy on to his nose. Surprisingly cold, too. Shivering, he picked up the pace, racing for the back entrance of the house-- the family bedroom-slash-barn, depending on how generous you wanted to be to the open wall plan his father had made to let Carja and the other big siblings able to squeeze in and sleep with the rest of the family if they wanted to. He threw aside the pelts that protected the opening from the elements, gritting his teeth as a jolt of lightning shot up his neck.
"Ffff-oww," Hunter hissed, stumbling forward and flopping down on the nearest bedding he could find with a wet slap of soaking mustelid fur and hair. He neglected to notice that he wasn't alone, and just then, for a mere moment, he couldn't care less if anyone else was around as he tossed his spear aside and rubbed at his collarbone with tightly shut eyes.
@Vivilene
RE: everything stays - Vivilene - Jan 16 2022
It was an intricate ritual.
Rain had come in a brief shower about a few hours before Hunter had (unbeknownst to her) stepped in Cepheus. Vivilene had expected it to last longer-- but it was fine. She prepared a blanket; a thick hide, and set the fire low and smoldering. By the time she got sufficiently cozy in her bed for the rain to knock her out, it had stopped. She fell asleep anyway.
What was it about the smell, the pitter-patter of droplets on stone, that eased her entirely? Not that the cervitaur would ever argue with the rare event that brought her peace, but it seemed odd that something as simple as rain could send her to sleep so easily, even after moments it had stopped.
When she woke up, at least, it had continued. A downpour of the heavy kind of rain she liked best with a hard plit-plit-plit-plit of rainwater hitting the roof above the family home. Vivilene would have stretched out and gone back to sleep, if there had not been a series of strange sounds.
The door opened. Someone grunted in pain. The fwap of someone falling.
In her plush bed, Vivilene shifted and cracked open her eyes. The mass of wet hair had made it to a pile of bedding, at least, but she was concerned upon recognizing who that fluff belonged to.
Vivilene wasn't one to interrupt someone's rest, but when Attikias was gone, it was her responsibility as Eldest Daughter to look after her younger siblings in his stead. Even if this particular little sister was only 'little' by mere seconds. She lifted herself from the soft base of her bed and quietly clicked her hooves around the home, slowly, as not to disturb him.
When she approached Hunter in his new bed, it was with some essential items-- some special relics, perhaps. The first was a special kind of blanket, rough and dense to the touch, made of thick linens. It wasn't very nice to sleep under, but it was good at sucking up moisture-- she planted it over Hunter's mass and began gently kneading, catlike, to dry up his fur.
His back, first, to help him get used to the sensation. A circling, back-and-forth motion before she moved onto the hair on his head-- and ahh, there was much more of that. It felt more as though she were scrubbing something out of his hair, trying to dry it, but eventually once he had graduated to damp, but not soaking through, the second item was produced.
A blanket. An actual blanket-- weighted with thick hides and fluff. This was placed over his back and shoulders carefully, and she tucked it into him gently for maximum comfort.
And the third-- if she had somehow not woken him up yet, even with her gentle scrubbing --was a bowl of hot soup. Little chunks of venison in a broth of salt, onion and carrot and spices. With Vivilene satisfied in her Eldest Daughter caring, she stepped back towards the fire with a deep yawn and loafed by the hearth, getting comfortable in her new spot.
They could talk later, whenever Hunter woke up.
@Hunter
RE: everything stays - Hunter - Jan 16 2022
Hunter hadn't exactly fallen asleep by the time Vivilene approached, despite the exhaustion that tugged at his bones. Too many thoughts rattling around in his aching head, his arm painted with a generous brush of throbbing heat. He couldn't quite get comfortable, shuffling this way and that-- until he heard the clicking of hooves on the floor.
Then, despite being laid out like an awkward mangled impression of a corpse, Hunter fell completely still. He'd pretend he was sleeping, sure-- better than facing the embarrassment that was already crawling around inside his chest. He was certain when Vi approached him that she's notice the slightest twitch of his delicate ears or the fact he wasn't in a deep, breathy slumber and say something... but no, instead came a thick, heavy cloth that she worked into his fur.
Though her concentration was on pulling the wet from his hide, there was no way she couldn't feel the tension that he held in his shoulder. It was made all the more taunt by his effort to not move; a thick knot that formed in the muscle around the injury after never given proper attention or time to heal. He still expected her to say something, but no, not Vi. She just moved up, drying out his thick hair, the ruffling sensation enough to briefly dull the soreness that pervaded his entire existence.
Hunter nearly whined when she stopped, a quiet huff puffing out from his jaws. He missed the soothing motions immediately, quieted only by the heavy, warm blanket that dropped on to his shoulders. The crackle of the fire murmured in his ears, and the smell of hearty soup drifted idly by his nose.
It was then-- as he only imagined slurping the tasty broth and finally satisfying his stomach-- truly, that he actually did pass out.
It had been a blink and miss it: he jerked upright in what felt like seconds to him but had easily been encroaching on the better chunk of an hour, bleary eyed with a kink in his neck. His stomach rumbled with aggravation that it had been tricked out of a fresh bowl of soup, but that wasn't going to stop him from blinking the sleep from his eyes and reaching out to grab the wooden bowl. It was still warm in his hands, and though they had wooden spoons-- Vivilene even provided one!-- he just raised it to his mouth and sipped at it.
Hunter's gaze drifted over the bowl toward the crackling fire and his sister's silhouette. The fog in his mind cleared somewhat as he stared at her, idly putting together the hazy moments that were almost completely lost to his blackout.
Aahh, I better, he thought reluctantly, dragging himself out of bed. He crept over to the fire, clearing his throat of the mucus that lingered before quietly breaking the silence. "Hey," smooth-like, right? "Thanks, Vi."
Then, despite being laid out like an awkward mangled impression of a corpse, Hunter fell completely still. He'd pretend he was sleeping, sure-- better than facing the embarrassment that was already crawling around inside his chest. He was certain when Vi approached him that she's notice the slightest twitch of his delicate ears or the fact he wasn't in a deep, breathy slumber and say something... but no, instead came a thick, heavy cloth that she worked into his fur.
Though her concentration was on pulling the wet from his hide, there was no way she couldn't feel the tension that he held in his shoulder. It was made all the more taunt by his effort to not move; a thick knot that formed in the muscle around the injury after never given proper attention or time to heal. He still expected her to say something, but no, not Vi. She just moved up, drying out his thick hair, the ruffling sensation enough to briefly dull the soreness that pervaded his entire existence.
Hunter nearly whined when she stopped, a quiet huff puffing out from his jaws. He missed the soothing motions immediately, quieted only by the heavy, warm blanket that dropped on to his shoulders. The crackle of the fire murmured in his ears, and the smell of hearty soup drifted idly by his nose.
It was then-- as he only imagined slurping the tasty broth and finally satisfying his stomach-- truly, that he actually did pass out.
It had been a blink and miss it: he jerked upright in what felt like seconds to him but had easily been encroaching on the better chunk of an hour, bleary eyed with a kink in his neck. His stomach rumbled with aggravation that it had been tricked out of a fresh bowl of soup, but that wasn't going to stop him from blinking the sleep from his eyes and reaching out to grab the wooden bowl. It was still warm in his hands, and though they had wooden spoons-- Vivilene even provided one!-- he just raised it to his mouth and sipped at it.
Hunter's gaze drifted over the bowl toward the crackling fire and his sister's silhouette. The fog in his mind cleared somewhat as he stared at her, idly putting together the hazy moments that were almost completely lost to his blackout.
Aahh, I better, he thought reluctantly, dragging himself out of bed. He crept over to the fire, clearing his throat of the mucus that lingered before quietly breaking the silence. "Hey," smooth-like, right? "Thanks, Vi."
@Vivilene
RE: everything stays - Vivilene - Jan 16 2022
It should be noted that Vivilene did notice the tenseness, the little discomforts, the huffs.
Her silence wasn't only provided by her muteness, however. Her time healing throughout the Deathmatch had taught her some core tenants when it came to dealing with the injured. The first was that the majority were too proud to admit how bad the pain really was. Some tried to ignore it completely. The second was that if someone can, they will be difficult.
And Hunter-- Hunter was definitely too proud to just let Vivilene tend to his arm, even if he was unconscious. He'd wake up and he'd thrash and he'd cry about it-- and he'd make his shoulder worse. She could help him later, when he was better, when he was comfortable.
Hunter wasn't the only one that needed a nap, anyway.
A clatter of the wooden bowl on the stone floor and Vivilene flinched awake. Hunter was moving-- drinking the soup and blinking and eventually speaking, and in quiet response, she dipped her head quietly. Rain still pitter-pattered on the roof above, and the quiet told her that no one else was home. The cervitaur wiggled her nose.
She hesitated.
Fingers curled around hardened stems and a glint of magic filled the conversation where she couldn't, verbally-- a gentle touch of thoughts to be shared with her sibling. There were no exact words, but the feeling and implication: Vivilene had been worried. She missed him. He'd been gone a long time, and she wanted to help. Like a whisper, they were then, and then they were gone, and the hybrid was chewing on the stems.
Vivilene mulled on what she had shared, for a moment, as she crunched along.
She spat the paste into her palm and studied it for a moment, before looking back up towards Hunter.
@Hunter
RE: everything stays - Hunter - Jan 16 2022
It came as no surprised that his family had seen him fighting in Deathmatch. Half of the point of it was to show off for his family, to show them how far he had come, how strong and capable he was. And he had survived, danced through the whole show, and came out the other end with trophies to show for it.
"Yeah," he nodded, giving a half-shrug with his good shoulder. He settled down, sitting cross-legged in front of the fire and reaching out a hand toward the warmth. As he did so, Vivilene's magic crossed the boundary, whispering the soft nothings of her concern.
Hunter could barely grasp the brief feelings as they drifted across the threshold of his mind. Soon enough they were gone, passing from present to memory, despite his attempts to hold them in place. He dipped his head, tucking his cheek quietly down into his shoulder, as a creeping sense of shame picked away at the fading sensation of Vivilene's magic.
Maybe he should have apologized, but as he lingered on how to say, sorry for worrying you, his sister's soft words crept over the crackle of the fireplace. His ears twisted forward, straining to make out what she was saying.
Vi's pale, silvery eyes came up to meet his, striking him with the question before she so much as spoke it. A breath caught in his throat as he opened his mouth.
Dammit.
Hunter sighed, shuffling upright and giving a small shake of his head. "I guess I don't have a choice," he replied reluctantly, with all the petulance of a child. Too late to take back the snide remark, his nose tipped downward, his odd-eyed gaze slipping down to the dancing shadows cast on to the floor from the hearth.
"Yeah," he nodded, giving a half-shrug with his good shoulder. He settled down, sitting cross-legged in front of the fire and reaching out a hand toward the warmth. As he did so, Vivilene's magic crossed the boundary, whispering the soft nothings of her concern.
Hunter could barely grasp the brief feelings as they drifted across the threshold of his mind. Soon enough they were gone, passing from present to memory, despite his attempts to hold them in place. He dipped his head, tucking his cheek quietly down into his shoulder, as a creeping sense of shame picked away at the fading sensation of Vivilene's magic.
Maybe he should have apologized, but as he lingered on how to say, sorry for worrying you, his sister's soft words crept over the crackle of the fireplace. His ears twisted forward, straining to make out what she was saying.
Vi's pale, silvery eyes came up to meet his, striking him with the question before she so much as spoke it. A breath caught in his throat as he opened his mouth.
Dammit.
Hunter sighed, shuffling upright and giving a small shake of his head. "I guess I don't have a choice," he replied reluctantly, with all the petulance of a child. Too late to take back the snide remark, his nose tipped downward, his odd-eyed gaze slipping down to the dancing shadows cast on to the floor from the hearth.
@Vivilene
RE: everything stays - Vivilene - Jan 16 2022
His words-- his reluctance --stung in a way Vivilene could not entirely describe. Subtly, she tensed as though she had taken the hit directly to her gut and exhaled slowly without letting her expression show too much through. A third lesson she had learned while healing was that when people are difficult, they can be easily guilted into changing their minds.
Often, she had cried. It was manipulative and messy, but it worked. No one wanted to see a little cervitaur cry, and no one wanted to be the cause of it! Hunter, though-- she knew Hunter too well. Guilting him into doing something would just make her feel bad.
Vivilene needed a different plan.
Fingers curled around the paste smeared in her palm with thought, before she stood up.
... this wasn't also manipulation, was it? No, no-- it was just helping Hunter decide for himself if he wanted the salve or not. The new object in her hand was a strange one, almost sweet-smelling. A nice chunk of rabbit had been woven inside doughy flatbread and baked to create a crunchy, bite-sized treat.
She paced along towards Hunter's side, juuust out of reach, juuuust a little too high-- and offered the biscuit to the arm bearing his tense, injured shoulder.
@Hunter
RE: everything stays - Hunter - Jan 16 2022
It would be easier (still, even as it wounded his pride further?) if Vivilene forced his hand. Making it his choice, well... he'd have to admit weakness first, and the frustration that gnawed at him kicked and screamed at that idea.
He knew he was being childish.
"Mmn," Hunter grunted. His shame continued to weigh him down as Vivilene rose to her feet and wandered off. That kept his gaze from following her across the room, kept said gaze pinned to the floor.
At least, until his sister returned, waving a small something in the air. Here, she beckoned, and his head turned ever so slightly, eyes flicking up to catch sight of whatever she had. His nose twitched, catching the scent just a moment after.
Oh. Ohh, he knew what that was. He pointedly kept himself away from where they were kept, because otherwise he'd eat every last one. Sniff, sniff, sniff went his nose as his mind reeled, trying to figure out logistics--
-- but while his brain was playing catch up, his body reacted. He was caught, hook line and sinker, as his arm jerked up. There was a jolt of pain, but he was used to that now. All it did was cause a shutter up his arm.
Higher his arm went, stubborn and determined, his thoughts snapping to full attention. He wanted the meat bun and a little bit of hurt wasn't going to stop him. So he put some more effort into raising his hand, stretching, reaching...
But, as it was, his arm didn't want to go higher. It stopped shy, shuttering, not even managing to get his hand above his own chin. That was to say nothing of the sharp, biting feeling that dug deep into his collarbone, shooting down his forelimb and up his neck, racing an inferno down his back. "Hnnnn--" --just a bit farther! His eyes started to water, and as he blinked at tears, his arm suddenly dropped and he twisted away from Vivilene, ears pressing down against his skull.
He cradled his arm with the other, muzzle wrinkled into a silent snarl. The ache didn't fade after that, instead lingering in a way that made his leg jitter as he struggled to remain composed under it. "Okay-- you made your point," he muttered through teeth. "I'm sorry, okay?" Deep down he knew that Vi wasn't trying to rub his weakness in his face, but it still stung to-- to be incapable of even a basic range of motion.
He knew he was being childish.
"Mmn," Hunter grunted. His shame continued to weigh him down as Vivilene rose to her feet and wandered off. That kept his gaze from following her across the room, kept said gaze pinned to the floor.
At least, until his sister returned, waving a small something in the air. Here, she beckoned, and his head turned ever so slightly, eyes flicking up to catch sight of whatever she had. His nose twitched, catching the scent just a moment after.
Oh. Ohh, he knew what that was. He pointedly kept himself away from where they were kept, because otherwise he'd eat every last one. Sniff, sniff, sniff went his nose as his mind reeled, trying to figure out logistics--
-- but while his brain was playing catch up, his body reacted. He was caught, hook line and sinker, as his arm jerked up. There was a jolt of pain, but he was used to that now. All it did was cause a shutter up his arm.
Higher his arm went, stubborn and determined, his thoughts snapping to full attention. He wanted the meat bun and a little bit of hurt wasn't going to stop him. So he put some more effort into raising his hand, stretching, reaching...
But, as it was, his arm didn't want to go higher. It stopped shy, shuttering, not even managing to get his hand above his own chin. That was to say nothing of the sharp, biting feeling that dug deep into his collarbone, shooting down his forelimb and up his neck, racing an inferno down his back. "Hnnnn--" --just a bit farther! His eyes started to water, and as he blinked at tears, his arm suddenly dropped and he twisted away from Vivilene, ears pressing down against his skull.
He cradled his arm with the other, muzzle wrinkled into a silent snarl. The ache didn't fade after that, instead lingering in a way that made his leg jitter as he struggled to remain composed under it. "Okay-- you made your point," he muttered through teeth. "I'm sorry, okay?" Deep down he knew that Vi wasn't trying to rub his weakness in his face, but it still stung to-- to be incapable of even a basic range of motion.
@Vivilene
RE: everything stays - Vivilene - Jan 19 2022
Vivilene was silent, but she stood her ground-- she did not move aside from the guilty flick of her ears pinning back against a thick swathe of cottony hair. She held the treat right up until Hunter admitted defeat and then, quietly, she lowered it enough for him to more comfortably take.
Briefly did her fingers twinge with the lingering shame of forcing an admission out of her sibling-- she knew that Hunter had to admit that he needed help to start getting better. It would be easier on him, too, if it came from her rather than anyone else. Anyone else would be too easily dismissed.
Trying not to think too hard about the power she had over Hunter, she eased back down to her knees and settled next to him.
And it wasn't that Vivilene wasn't gentle. She always was. It was that she had to massage the salve past the mottled fur and touch the tender skin beneath for it to work properly-- but she went about it as carefully as she could. Even if her touch agitated the muscle for a moment, the ointment was fast-working. It brought warmth to the injuries before numbing the pain to quietly work its way through untangling the painful knots within.
Even after Vivilene's own fingers became too big and too uncoordinated to handle, she continued from muscle memory alone-- massaging circles into her sibling's skin.
Several beats went by in silence as Vivilene mulled in the Bad Feelings left hanging stagnant in the air, but she was brave enough to try to break it.
@Hunter