Black heard the strange creature coming before it arrived.

He did not know what it was, but Many was injured, and helpless, and it was now the Black Dog's responsibility to ensure he wasn't attacked. He quickly moved to stand over Shengxiao, his muzzle wrinkling up to expose gums and short, pointed canines, his entire face a mass of loose flesh and intense pale blue eyes. Pendulous ears pricked up as three bass barks--two in quick succession, another a moment later, erupted from his chest.

"ORF, ORF. ...WOOF!" he warned, tail held high as he kept one leg over the downed creature. But the newcomer, he realized at once, had a worried and harmless demeanor; her voice was soothing, and she was speaking, the warm, soft odor of spicy herbs reaching him. He stepped back, lips dropping back over his teeth--but he stood stiffly just behind Shengxaio, ears still pricked and tail still raised, staring the ancient mother down.

The implication was clear: if she harmed Shengxaio, undoubtedly he'd be on her, snarling and worrying at her with great shakes of his muscled neck. For a moment a low, long growl rumbled from his throat, and then he paused, staring at her.

Yes, she--definitely seemed to be helping. I must assist. The only thing he could do, really, was to provide information.

"He was attacked by magic," the Dog rumbled matter-of-factly. He glanced over his shoulder at the Spire, then down to the mother, again. I do not know what it has done.

His own magicka continued to flicker meanwhile, active purely out of defensive, protective stress, ebbing and flaring in the cycles of crackling energy from the Spire.

________________

@Shengxiao

SHENGXIAO
PUT ON A SMILE, DO IT IN STYLE

Shengxiao continued to stare at the black dog, eyes unfocused, when another creature stepped in. He swiveled his head to look at them and blinked. IT was big! "Are you a horse?" the question came from nowhere and, honestly, it wasn't too ridiculous of a question, but anyone else would obviously see that it was, in fact, not a horse.

A sudden burst of powder blew over Sheng and his eyes snapped back in focus. He shook off the magic easily now and stepped forward quickly just as he sneezed. And sneezed again. And again. He looked up at the newcomer, about to thank them for their help when he sneezed again. The powder had gone up his nose.

He shook out his head, trying to rid himself of the sneezes, but it was no use. He sneezed twice more before he finally felt that he could speak again. "Th-thank you! I'm grateful for..." another loud sneeze, "your help! But what are you?" Another sneeze.

He looked back at the spire, the light suddenly so blinding that he couldn't stare directly at it. There were strange garbled voice in his head and he tottered for a moment before his eyes went unfocused again. "Nope, your a horse! I figured that, didn't I?" He looked back towards the dog. "Oh yeah, and you're a tiger. I said that, didn't I? Or did I say you were a tree? Not sure which." He smiled widely as if he had everything completely under control.

@Black @Game Master Moonlit

Bolormaa barely glanced towards the great black dog, although her four ears twitched back against her head in a clear show of nervousness as he barked. She relaxed as he did, though she took the time to say again, "I'm sorry! ---Thank you!" before he spoke, his deep, throaty warning ringing painfully in her ears. Her ears fanned out again as he stepped back from Shenxiao, and she looked noticeably more relaxed. She nodded, twiddling her paws together and moving back, still mostly focused on the prone youngster. Her face was grave as she listened.

It was clear from the slow nod she gave that she already knew.

As Shengxiao came to, choking and sneezing in the herbal powder, she appeared to forget about Black completely, watching intently as he shook himself free and stood. At his question she gave a chuckle- one that was warm, but dry of humour. "I'm just an old hermit, dear," she offered softly- relief obvious in her tone, even though her brows were still furrowed in concern.

At least, she thought, the young one was smiling. Though, perhaps, that was because he didn't know what he'd done. Bolormaa didn't know if it would last; insanity, after all, could take many forms. Swiftly, she moved on. "How do you feel?"

@Black @Shengxiao

Black looked to Shengxiao.

He looked to Bolormaa, and he looked to the Spire.

Then he looked back to Shengxiao. His brow furrowed, its wrinkles growing more prominent, and he seemed to think very deeply for a moment. At last, he spoke, slowly and in a tone of great contemplation.

"I am not a tree," he told Shengxiao.

He had little more to offer, at the moment.

________________

Everything was really woozy and hazy. Sheng tried to focus on the big thing in front of him, on the dog, or, uh, tree, that was also in front of him but it all seemed...like he was dreaming. He panted, his head swaying a bit as he struggled to form a response to the hermit's question. "I'm feeling...kinda funny...like I'm flying...I didn't know I could fly."

And then he was flying. He wasn't sitting in front of the two anymore, he was swaying through the sky, drifting above their heads. A smile spread across his face and he stumbled forward, feeling oddly heavy for someone who was in flight. In reality, he was just getting to his feet, stumbling away from the two. It wasn't clear where he was going, just that he was completely out of sorts.

Eventually, Sheng felt himself falling. He wasn't flying anymore. He was going back to the ground. He gasped as a pit suddenly opened beneath him, a dark, shadowy pit that he couldn't get away from. He struggled against it, but it swallowed him before he could do anything and his body slumped forward, his eyes rolling back into his head.

*exit to unconsciousness

@Game Master Moonlit

Bolormaa watched, expectantly, yet patiently, as the young one struggled to its feet, speaking, stumbling. As he passed out, she lurched forward to catch him, to ensure that the young one would be safe. As she examined him, her concern was obvious, but her experience was undeniable.

She looked up at Black, her expression was gentle, yet serious.

She had more herbs that could be of use in her grotto, and the correct tools to create the necessary incense. It was a risk, to take a child into her grotto, especially with the possibility that he wouldn't be lucid enough to understand, or retain, any sort of discipline. But that was just a part of being a mother.

Besides, it wouldn't be for long.

"I can handle this from here," she told the dog, bowing her head and folding her ears back. She looked weary for a moment. It was going to be a long walk back to her grotto, and the child wasn't exactly going to fit in her pouch. "I have the necessary supplies, but it is a long walk. Thank you for your help."

@Black

The black dog listened sombrely. He, too, had rushed closer when Shenxiao seemed likely just to wander off, and then to fall. The hybrid was too large for him to truly support, however, or to carry, so when the stranger offered her aid he simply rumbled his assent.

"Very well. If I may aid, speak, and I will do as you ask."

That was his job, after all. Of sorts.

________________

exit Black?

@Game Master Moonlit