Closed No Such Thing as Happenstance [Aello]

[Sybel]

Her eyes widened as Aello rolled smoothly over the creature, dragging her blades with her. It gotten her - clawed her back, an angry looking wound forming it its wake. The huntress whirled around and swung, her blade locking with the lion’s teeth. The noise was grating and Sybel winced. But her shot was there. She was oriented to the side of the snarling animal. With its head occupied, she could go for the neck. Digging the balls of her feet into the hard, dry earth she propelled herself forward, her blade coming down in an arc toward the open spot. It whistled through the air, striking firmly in between the top vertebrae and the skull. The animal disengaged from Aello to scream in indescribable anguish. Unfaltering, she moved with the writhing beast, wrenching her blade from its flesh.

It backed up wildly, Sybel having gotten only a quarter of the way through the bone. Once she’d severed its neck, there would be nothing left to fight. Side-stepping she followed it, keeping position on the matted gash. It flailed wildy, desperate to be away from the brutal offensive. But she was not going to let it get away. It would be a mercy to kill it now. With a hardhearted glance she brought the steel down again, two hands white-knuckling on its hilt. With that, the limbs all gave way and it flopped to the ground, twitching. Not dead yet – no, the twitch was not necrotic, but rather almost seizure-like. She must have severed something important. With a weak growl, it lay on the brink of unconsciousness. Sybel’s pale eyes were obdurate, like flint. It required one final blow. Raising her weapon one last time, she brought it down, almost ceremonially, and the head rolled free.

The aftermath was awful, her horse having been spooked into fits. The noise must have been a drone in the background, lost in the heat of the moment. Poor Eplah reared wildly, desperate to be away from the predator. Slowly, Sybel approached the fearful mount, crooning for it to be still. It was work but she managed it, finally getting her to neigh softly and nuzzle her hand. Though her body was present in that moment however, her mind was not. Sybel felt cold, that hollow ringing in her ears from an excess amount of blood. She’d not yet even acknowledged her partner, the girl who fought at her side. Despite being a stranger, she’d acted like a friend. That wouldn’t go unaddressed.

The desert-dweller turned away from the horse and walked over to the spot where the fallen opponent lay. Her gaze danced up to where Aello stood. “Well,” she said finally, simply. What else could she say? Normally it would be the perfect opportunity to insert some inappropriate joke, but she couldn’t. Not riled the way she was. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the cloying scent of blood. It was overpowering and awful. Ever since she’d been a little girl. Ever since what had happened to her, when she was very young… Well she’d hated blood. Hadn’t been too fond of violence either. But that was the world they were forced to live in.

When she opened her eyes, she turned back to Aello.

[Aello]

As blood began to spew from the cougar's severed flesh, Aello pulled her hands back. As it speckled her clothes, dotted her bare skin, she fought to tighten her hold on each of the dagger's wire bound hilts as she watched and waited for another opening. One that never came, that was never needed, for Sybel had managed to best the beast on her own. And when it fell, so did Aello. Her hands lazily ramming her daggers into their sheaths as her legs buckled, bending at the knee before she tumbled forward. Falling onto the uneven, cold, harsh terrain hard with a scarcely muffled thud. Her heart hammered in her chest, pounding against her rib cage as her ears began to ring and the world danced. Swaying and circling in wild whirling dervishes before her very eyes. The colors fled then, as the trees doubled. Forming a wall with no spaces. "Lily," she whispered, as she nudged her pack, unbuckling the top flap, causing some of her things to come loose, and fall out. "Li-" The pycon came stumbling out in a daze as Aello lowered her form. Pressing the side of her head close to the ground. "Get the kit," she whispered, when she took note of her unblinking gaze. "My back." The huntress could feel her blood's warmth as it cascaded down the length of her shoulder blades, off the supple curve of her sides. She waited silently, as Lily pulled the healing kit out of her bag, and undid the lid. She closed her eyes as she listened to her steps, Sybel's voice, sounding so distant and far off. "Well what?" Aello managed to whisper, as she felt the pycon's hurried steps moving over the length of her right arm. Something cold. Something wet, coupling with her blood, washing it away. It must have been water. She assumed it was water, used to clean the wound before the little clay being jumped off her arm, and returned to the kit. She seemed to rummage through it, she could hear some clicking noise mixing with the crackling of the fire. The occasional spit of sparks. And then she could feel her feet against her arm again, then her back. She could feel herself grimacing. Clenching her teeth as her hands balled into tight fists and her brow furrowed with annoyance. Why is she walking along the wounded area? Aello wondered, as it began to burn. A searing pain, as though someone had thrust the sun into her flesh. A hiss escaped the spaces between the girl's teeth. "Lil-" she managed as whatever was burning began to cool. To assuage the woman's pain. The blinding nature of what the cougar had done to her. She supposed it was some strange mixture of herbs to help keep the swelling down or something. Maybe some mint too, to cover the scent of the other nastier scented herbs. Or at least, she thought she smelled peppermint anyway. But with her eyes closed and in the slight haze cast by the pain, she couldn't be sure. Although she knew that the pycon was bandaging it. She thought Sybel might be helping too, for the alchemical creation would struggle on her own, or maybe they were her own clumsy hands fumbling with the bandages. The texture of them being so close to the coarse dirt, that she was not sure she could even tell the difference. Slowly, then, the huntress opened her eyes as she felt the metal toothed bit cinch the bandages together, and her pycon walk off. Her hands working to close the kit and slide it back into place with a grunt and all the force her young body possessed. "You should eat Lily," Aello instructed. "You have worked hard." She could feel the clay fingers clutching her left ring finger. Tightening around it, holding her. Shaking it lightly as though to rouse. "It is ok Lily. Only a scratch too shallow to even leave its mark." She smiled weakly then more for her pycon's sake than her own as she closed her eyes again. Waiting for the pain to subside a little further. OOCSorry I left his pretty open, and totally ignored you...

[Sybel]

When their foe fell, so did Aello… A fact she hadn’t yet taken note of. Sybel suddenly felt extremely culpable for the aftermath. The blow from the lion must have been worse than she’d initially assessed, as a well of red leaked from under the fallen girl's garments. Panic gripped her for a moment, as the Benshira realized that she had no medical experience. Something indebted her to this mysterious woman, and it would be a poor way of thanks to let her die. Approaching with caution, her mind raced for ways to remedy the issue. The huntress groped for her pack, trembling hands outstretched. ”Lily,” she rasped urgently. She must be delusional from blood loss, Bel thought. Her fingers fumbled with the clasp for a moment before the top came open, a sea of colorful items toppling out. One of which, to her extreme shock, was an animated clay statue. ”Li-“ she began, falling silent at the sight of her tiny cohort. The desert dweller watched in awe. So that was what she meant by ‘companions.’

”Get the kit,” Aello breathed, head sinking to the ground. ”My back.” Reticent, even in the most dire of situations. Sybel took note of that. This was not going to be a very colorful relationship, but it was at least productive. Perhaps the little hunter would skin the lion, wear it like a coat or something. It’d be a shame to let the skin go to waste. During these thoughts she continued her tentative approach, not wanting to intimidate the little Pycon. ”Well what?” Her counterpart rasped, somewhat irritably. The little statue yanked free a healing kit and opened the top, removing the necessary items. Her first course of action seemed to be washing the blood away; a very obvious starting point. Perhaps she would even pick up a bit of first aid in the process. First however, was assisting this newly found friend.

Next came the disinfectant, or so it seemed. It was hard to tell what exactly the Pycon had in her finely formed hands. The Benshira just tried to follow through the aid of logic. Next came a distinct batch of herbs, the mixture producing a heady odor. As the alcohol seemed to burn, the herbs seem to cool just as quickly. Aello gritted her teeth and hissed as the little being danced around the wounded area, cleansing and lining each inflamed gash. ”Lil-“ she began before again falling silent, seemingly pacified. The process was educational, but she frowned. Being the inexperienced one, she should have taken the hit. That should be her, lying on the ground in pain. It was because of Aello’s efforts that she was unscathed. Otherwise she’d be dead. There wasn’t a lot to do, after that.

When the Pycon began to unroll the gauzy looking bandages, Sybel found herself unthinkingly giving aid. This she knew of, having seen it done before. As she went her hands shook, unwieldy and uncertain. Lily set an example as the two of them worked, and she endeavored to follow it the best she could. When all was done, the tiny creature cinched the whole thing together with a tiny metal bit and hopped off and onto the dark ground. Sybel admired Lily’s delicate form – a lush little figurine, almost indulgently naked. Whoever made her had spent hours shaping each detail, putting their heart into the now lively little person who stood before her. An involuntary little smile pulled her lips toward the sky.

”You should eat, Lily.” Her voice was quiet, but not weak. ”You have worked hard.” The statue seemed to be incensed, clutching on one of the fallen girl’s fingers and rocking it to and fro. Their bond became apparent. ”It’s okay Lily. Only a scratch, too shallow to even leave its mark.” The sentence seemed a bit daft given the state of the huntress’ wounds. But that was the confidence speaking, and the desire to soothe her little friend. She smiled, and closed her eyes as if to sleep.

Feeling herself a bit rude, Sybel looked over at the clay creation. “Hello, I’m Sybel.” She smiled, still trying to avoid being intrusive. “I’d like to help however I can.” Yes, that would have to suffice. It wasn’t much given her complete inexperience in the wonderful world of medicine, but it was something. The effort was perhaps the only gift she had to offer given the state of things. Not wanting to prod at the huntress any further, she sat on the ground cross-legged a few feet away.

[Aello]

The pycon's fingers clenched even more tightly around Aello's single. The huntress could scarcely feel the squeeze as she began to drift into another realm, one that rested between sleep and wakefulness. The conscious and the unconscious minds. "Lily," she whispered, as her unblinking gaze passed over the tired form of her companion and protector, taking note of how her stomach rose and fell, although it was difficult to tell just how much considering how she lay upon it. How pale her skin was, as though the sun had managed to bleach it as opposed to darken. How sickly her lips looked, like the waxen petals of a tulip on its way down death's road. "Thank you for the offer," Lily continued after a short time spent in silence, listening to the crackling of the fire, stomach churning from the stench of fresh blood. "Why don't you start by getting rid of the wild cat? The smell of blood is likely to attract other animals, as well as frighten your horse." She paused a moment before adding, "and the stench likely won't help Aello. It will only remind her of pain and sickness, drawing her closer to death, although the wound is hardly fatal." For a time she fell silent again, considering everything the huntress would need. "And then she will need to be given water, to keep the fever away. The body uses more energy it seems, when fighting pain and sickness," Lily explained. "So it grows more likely to sweat, the flesh on the head to grow warm." Again she paused, "and then of course will come her want of easy to swallow food, broths are best for your kind, and then we will have to chance the bandages in a few hours so the cuts do not fester and become infected. But hopefully by then, Aello will be well enough to get up and help me do those herself." She smiled weakly. "Does that sound ok to you Sybel?" she asked. OOCJust in case it is unclear, this entire post is told from Lily's point of view.

[Sybel]

For a few moments Lily’s gaze lingered on Aello, following the outline of her fallen form. Could it speak? Thus far, it seemed to have chosen silence, more concerned with the physical wellbeing of her friend. That was fair, Sybel thought. It just left her awkward and uncertain what to do next. "Thank you for the offer," the alchemical being said suddenly, turning. "Why don't you start by getting rid of the wild cat? The smell of blood is likely to attract other animals, as well as frighten your horse." Nodding, she slowly got to her feet. She’d been so preoccupied with the injury that she’d almost forgotten about the stinking, dead beast. The lanky woman approached its sprawling corpse, breathing only through her mouth. In death, it smelled only vaguely worse than in life, she deemed dryly. It took some considerable effort, but slowly she dragged the unwieldy lower half out of their little encampment and into the trees.

After a while she returned, having taken it as far as she could without overexerting herself. There was not much that could be done about the lingering stench, but it perhaps the Pycon had more to say about that. When she paused before the little being, it seemed to continue as if in the midst of a thought. "And then she will need to be given water, to keep the fever away. The body uses more energy it seems, when fighting pain and sickness," she said. "So it grows more likely to sweat, the flesh on the head to grow warm." That made sense. It explained why people placed cool clothes on the foreheads of the ill and feverish. Patiently, she paused alongside the statue as her thoughts trailed on. "And then of course will come her want of easy to swallow food, broths are best for your kind, and then we will have to change the bandages in a few hours so the cuts do not fester and become infected. But hopefully by then, Aello will be well enough to get up and help me do those herself."

With a small smile, Lily turned to face her. "Does that sound ok to you Sybel?" It did, and she’d learned a lot from it. Returning the smile, she shifted her weight again to sit. “It does.” She responded, eyes still awash with guilt. “I’ll do whatever I can.” In whatever endeavor Lily chose to undertake, Bel would assist where she could.

[Aello]

"Ok," Lily said before falling silent for quite some time, simply looking upon her fallen companion to see that she was still doing ok. _______________________________________ Several bells had come and gone. One filing out silently after the other, until the sky had grown dark. Pale blues replaced by deep navy-like hues, and the occasional sparkling silver. The air seemed to hang heavily as the moon inched higher and higher against an invisible arc, drawn by a string that seemed to blend in with the night. Its milky paste drenching the world in its pale somber tone. Aello's skin seemed to shimmer ominously as she rested beside the dying embers of the flame they had created earlier in the day. She had not roused since shortly after the fall, and as opposed to holding her, Lily huddled against her body, waiting for a time where she would need to change the bandages. Soon she supposed, but not yet. OOCErm, don't know if you wanted to wrap up. I be out of ideas. Erm... you can change the bandage or whatever if you want med experience.

[Sybel]

OOCYeah, I think it’s time to wrap it up. I’ll do the honors.

As time passed, Sybel stoically stood by her slumbering friend. She lie with her creased eyelids fluttering, caught within a dream. The sky shifted and changed, ushering in nightfall. The pale blue that had filled the horizon was now a deep navy, nearly black. The moon was a sickly smile, turned sideways above. She sighed at the predicament the two ladies were in, wondering about tomorrow. Would she stay or go? There was no way she’d leave the young woman helpless, with only her clay friend for protection. Aello would have to wake before Sybel would choose to take her leave. Of course, with the way she shuddered in her sleep… It didn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.

She’d draped a thin blanket atop her listless form, hoping to stave off the oncoming cold. Nights were always chilled, and it didn’t help that she was directly upon the ground either. Not wanting to disturb the healing process, the young woman hadn’t pressed the issue. Instead she sat and waited, taking cues from the statue whenever they were presented. It was tedious, the waiting game they played. But it didn’t seem as if she were faced with any morally acceptable alternatives.

Having brushed the matted blood from her hair, and splashed water on her face, the Benshira sat fresh-faced and moody in front of the dwindling fire. Every so often she’d add new logs, keep it alive. There’d be no sense in letting the heat go out with the state Aello was in. Not if she wished to actually be helpful. But otherwise, her eyes bored holes into the towering tree line. Deep in thought, she wondered if this meant something… Being mortal meant most of her assumptions usually shook out wrong. Still, if there was some significance, it was lost on her. So much for the wisdom she’d claimed to have.

The revelation would have to come tomorrow, bringing tidings of what was to be.

[Accolade]

Sybel

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Land navigation	+ 1 XP
Riding	+ 2 XP
Long Sword	+ 5 XP
Acrobatics	+ 2 XP
Meditation	+ 1 XP
Body building	+ 2 XP
Observation	+ 4 XP
Wilderness survival	+ 2 XP
Medicine	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	A shadow of a boulder or an Aello
•	Breaking bread with Aello
•	Lily a clay creation
•	A monstrous fight

Aello

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Tracking	+ 1 XP
Observation	+ 4 XP
Intimidation	+ 1 XP
Leadership	+ 3 XP
Duel wielding	+ 5 XP
Acrobatics	+ 2 XP
Wilderness survival	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Breaking bread with Sybel
•	A monstrous fight
•	Lily the medic
•	Sybel the lost traveler

Skills :

Wow! What a thread! You two can really write! I enjoyed it.

The Sylir has spoken

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