((skipping arkreal because fite me))

From where the dog lay, a stupidly over sized ear slowly jerked. Bones' back was bleeding profusely now, sticky crimson liquid clotting his fur and flooding onto the ground where he lay. The adrenaline was leaving him just as quickly as the liquid life was, leaving his climbs feeling cold and throbbing.

Yet, slowly, the pup's head lifted to look at the tiny numbat. Any and all movement was brutal agony for the wild dog, The source of said agony came mostly from his back - which, right now, was completely ripped apart with sanguine liquid slowly leaking out and staining the moss below where he lay.

Bones wanted to cry out for his little friend, to scream for help, but all that left the pup's throat was a wordless whine. For a moment, the dog's vision began to blur and he knew it wasn't from the pain or the blood loss, it was the water beginning to form around his eyes. Hot and salty, the liquid began to stream down his face. It briefly crossed Bones' mind that he would have to clean his face whenever he would feel his legs again.

Weakly, the dog's head thumped back to the ground. Although he was still awake, he watched Booker with half-closed and wet eyes.



________________

@Magdalena

RuDE.

Hackles bristled as fangs snapped angrily. The beast had fled, but to where Arkrael wasn't sure. The blast he had given off has pushed her away just before she had been able to sink her fangs into him again. Arkrael would not settle down until she knew for a fact this beast had fled her cavern. She swung her head around to gaze upon the group just as a small creature came running over to the injured filly and canine. The white dog uttered a name and Arkrael felt a snarl beginning to rumble within her chest once again. She would make sure to save that to her memory banks.

The filly seemed to be under fine care so for now, Arkrael turned and sprinted off. Racing off in the direction this Baratheon had flew off in. If he had not left Eridanus by the time arkrael found him again she could not promise to hold her temper much longer. He was no longer welcome here. If he was gone, then she would return and see to the others and check to see if they needed any further assistance.


"Speech"
'Thoughts'

---

Tags:
OoC: I'm not sorry for the wait. My life is shit atm. Get over it.

-Exit Arkrael-

Baratheon. Booker's eye widened, staring up at Magdalena blankly, breath soft and fast, figure shaking minutely. "B-Bara? No, n-no," he protested, voice wavering, shaking his head in denial. "H-he wouldn't, no, not to you, not to a child!" The numbat's voice rose, cut off by a glance towards the foal in question, and he had to look away, bile rising his throat, sitting back on his haunches heavily, scratching at his face with trembling paws. "I-I... I'm sorry," the tiny Gembound whimpered miserably, absently petting the pitch black foal's coat, trying to avoid gazing at the massive wounds she had sustained. "I didn't k-know this would happen, I..."

Pulling at his short fur, Booker shook himself out of his daze, turning to peer at the other two Gembounds. The wolf took off before he could do much but stare, but Bones, covered in blood, cried out, staring at Booker with pleading eyes, and the numbat gave Delphine one final, apologetic pat before rushing to the dog's side, frantically searching for the source of the bloodflow, trying to clear some of the dried red away. His friend's back was torn open, vicious marks dug deep into flesh, and Booker ended up in front of his face, shakily reaching forward to touch at the dog's snout, eye bright with unshed tears.

"B-Bones, I don't, I d-don't know what to do," he whispered, gaze darting from the wound to half-shut eyes and back again. "I'm n-not a h-healer, I... I'm sorry," he cried, fur beginning to mat down from the open display of raw guilt. It felt wrong, to still be doubtful that it could be Baratheon, the Gembound who had been the kindest to him, who had never turned away, even when Booker was at his weakest. "I... I..."

He had failed. Again. He had killed Khloros, and now he'd almost killed Delphine and Bones. Booker flinched, ears back, waiting for the blame, the outrage, the attack - he deserved this. He was a plague, a curse; wherever he went, death and destruction followed. Mind blurring, the tiny creature simply stared at the dog, shaking.

@Magdalena @Bones @Delphine

(just so i know how bones is in another thread IT'S FINE)

The pup could barely see Booker despite him being right in front of his face - he could only see blotches of brown and red and a voice that sounded like it it was underwater. There was a soft, rasping sigh of agony that escaped Bones' throat as he stared at the blobby figure of the numbat on his snout.

He knew that if he didn't do anything he would die, and the horse would die.

Slowly, the wild dog closed his eyes and concentrated. Slowly, but surely, fire began to flare up on the open wound on the dog's back and the low rasping whines turned into barks and yelps of pain. He flailed under Booker, shaking and whimpering.

Moments later, although it felt like an eternity, the fire died down as did the bleeding. No more blood was coming out of Bones but instead there was a huge ugly burn mark where the wound had once been. The dry, hot skin had no fur or blood on it, but everywhere else did.

Bones lay on his stomach, whimpering and panting as he waited for the throbbing pain to fade, but he quickly found out that it would not just go away. He needed help.


________________

At some point during Magdalena's preening of the horse, she had fallen unconscious. It was for the better, probably; Magdalena wouldn't want her to be awake and suffer through the pain any longer. As she received little, if any response to her grooming, the dog withdrew momentarily. Booker, however, was very audibly having a breakdown over the identity of the attacker. A small surge of sympathy came for the little numbat, but that was all Magdalena had to spare before she turned her attention back to Delphine. Her sloped nose came down again, gently brushing her unwounded flesh, bringing her ear close to the horse's skin in search of a heartbeat. She found it, quiet, thrumming against the foreboding silence of the jungle. Still alive. Good.

Magdalena raised her head and listened - footsteps running, it must have been the other Gembound that was helping to fight Baratheon. She didn't know her name. Booker continued to panic, this time over the other canine that had been wounded - Bones. She could hear Bones whimpering and smell burning fur, blood; they must have been using magic to heal their wounds, but it seemed painful. Her ears twisted slightly; she didn't know where Bones had come from, but that was fine. Eventually Booker too had fallen silent, his panicked stuttering falling away into what was most likely a mental breakdown. Strange to find herself the most calm in this situation, Magdalena cleared her throat and spoke up. "Booker. Take Bones to a healer." She said simply. "I will stay and care for Delphine."

How long she would stay, she didn't know. She couldn't leave the filly alone while unconscious, but her unease was beginning to mount - she needed Nemesis. She needed to go back to her Fire, to the comfort of her friend. Magdalena was bound to care for the horse until, hopefully, somebody more qualified could take over. Until then, the canine would reclined onto her stomach next to Delphine, gently working her tongue over her fresh wounds.

exit Magdalena??

The darkness that descended upon her was one that would not subside within the next few moments to come. Though she could hear the sea of voices drowned around her, there was no reaction on the part of the child. She curled against the warmth and affection that stemmed from her wounds and would have leaned into the gentle touch if not for her lack of responsiveness. Unlike prior, the filly no longer bore upon her the fear of death, she knew she would survive with Magdalena around and even the Gembounds who had come to her defense. It was a reassuring notion that she tucked to her heart and instantly, she forced herself to remember each face who'd come to her rescue.

Thankful was the child cradled in bliss, that though she'd been attacked and nearly lost her life there were those who still cared. Strangers and friends alike. It filled the emptiness that'd found its way into her heart and she was consoled well and true. A part of her hoped and prayed that when she woke, it would be to the dog's kind face and soft voice. How dangerous though, this spark of hope. It would only serve to exaggerate a growing paranoia, incomprehensible envy and an unwanted dependency on those around her. She could never have seen it coming, not then. Not now.

( exit delphine! @Booker )

Booker watched, horrified, bile rising in his throat, as fire burst to life over his friend's open wounds, the scent of burning flesh heavy in the air, and the numbat screwed his eyes shut, pressing his forehead to the crying dog's snout. Whispered words of small comfort fell from his lips, but he knew they were of no use - Bones was hurt, and no amount of talking would fix that. Could ever fix that. Take. Healer. Stay... care. Delphine. Magdalena's words swam hazily through his shattered, sharp-edged consciousness, and Booker shook with the weight of his guilt, his intrinsic part in this tragedy, this bloodbath. Biting his lip harshly, the tiny Gembound tried to focus on Bones, petting over the dog's sweat-slick fur, trying to analyze the newly made burn wound without vomiting, without the smell of dessicated moss filling his throat.

But one minute turned to two, then three, and Booker was stuck, petting the same patch of matted fur, staring unseeingly at the massive patch of destroyed skin and pelt. "My fault. T-this, this is my fault, I can't, I can't help you, any of you, I c-can't -" Thoughts whizzed by like specters, sending spots dancing across his vision, and the numbat's form shook viciously, like he'd been electrified, breath fast and quick. Gently, he withdrew his paw, staring down at it, as if mystified by what it had been touching. It was stained red, now, from dried blood, and Booker's eye grew wide as he turned to stare at the battleground over his shoulder. Red. It was all so very, very red.

A heaving breath, two, before Booker's dazed stare darted between them all. "I'm s-sorry. So, so, so sorry, but I n-need to... need to... I can't." A beat of silence, and then the numbat was tearing away from the camp as fast he could, disappearing into the thick, shadowed underbrush of Eridanus, paws beating out a defeated staccato against the earth, visions of bright flames, of blackened stone, of white fur stained blood red finally locking down his mind.

[ Exit Booker ]

@Bones @Magdalena

thanks booker

------

Magdalena busied herself grooming the horse, expecting Booker to take her instruction and bring the other Gembound to safety. Except the numbat only stuttered and stumbled over his words, before flitting off for some reason or another. Magdalena twitched her ears and paused, listening to the numbat scamper away. The pained whines of the other dog persisted. A swell of anger rose in her - it was just another excuse, another reason she'd have to leave Delphine. But Magdalena couldn't very well let this other Gembound die. At least Delphine was alright... She could summon the wolf to return for her.

The borzoi unfolded her limbs and rose, angling her nose upward. She let loose a few weak bays, calling out for the one that had chased the dragon away. Her voice rang out through the trees, gentle but urgent. Her head tilted and she turned her nose back to Delphine, uncertain if the filly was asleep. "I will return." She said softly. Her paws shifted, following the reek of burning fur and the sound of pathetic whimpers - the african wild dog. Magdalena could not see, but if she could she'd gaze down at him with an expression of sympathy. Instead she wore nothing on her face. "Come. I will take you back to your home. Tell me where you live, and we will go." Magdalena spoke crisply, angling her body away.

It wouldn't take long. It shouldn't, at least. She was loathe to abandon Delphine again, and maybe she would return, with Nemesis. They'd return for Delphine. Until then, Magdalena silently waited for the dog before they would leave, hoping that the wolf came soon.

EXIT MAG NOW

Booker had gone. Left. Fled. Bones wasn't particularly angry or sad; but he did feel rather jealous as he saw the shaking figure of the numbat hobble and run away from it all. Anywhere else was where Bones wanted to be right now, perhaps napping with Kerberos in Canis or watching his mother read the bones. Even back in Orion would do - anywhere was better than the wet sticky blood he was lying in and the scent of burnt flesh filling his nostrils.

Something white stood in front of him now; gangly and angelic. Her words were lost on him; but still he managed to whimper out only one word. "Canis." Wether she helped him or not, the wild dog began to stumble up onto his legs. His front legs seemed to be alright at holding him up - but the dog's back legs seemed to be wholly unresponsive.

Oddly enough, Bones did not care much. He stared with wavering eyes at Magdalena who, in his eyes, was beginning to look more and more like a strange, wobbling white horse. He whined once more and made a rather pathetic attempt to lift his lower half up onto his paws.

Some time later, he had managed to get onto all shaking fours, making his way out of Eridanus.

exit bones