{flashback} A light in the darkness (Ronan)

[Ginchoeri]

Gin smiled up at him weakly and let her feet touch the ground as she made herself stand as best she could. She lost her balance almost instantly but pulled herself toward Ronan with their connected hands and leaned against him without putting all her weight on him. Her face gave away the strain and pain of the movements, but she also looked determined. She took deep shuddering breaths as she looked around.

"I can not see very far," she croaked, " so you will have to guide me as well as carry some of my weight, so I appoligize ahead of time if I trip." she coughed a bit. Her body shaking with the force of it. Her breathing coming hard, her eyes not quite bright, but not dead.

Gin forced a smile and looked at Ronan, "Now let us get going, it is not like I have all day." she said jokingly though it was very true.

[Ronan]

She stumbled at first, but Ronan took as much weight as he could, bending against her and holding her firmly. He was thankful they weren't too far from Endrykas. It was going to be slow going indeed.

"Don't be sorry," he said slowly, "you got attacked by Zith. None of this is your fault, Gin."

He gave her a compassionate look as they began to hobble back towards the Drykas bastion. He wondered about the damage beyond the scars. An attack like that would shake you up mentally too, images that possibly wouldn't leave the mind for a while after.

He smiled wanly at her final remark. The truth was, she didn't. They walked for a good fifteen chimes before the tents came into view. Endrykas. Safety. But Gin was feeling weaker and weaker in his arms. He had to get her to a healer.

[Ginchoeri]

She laughed a little when she could see the shape of tents forming in her vision, "Almost... there.." she smiled at him as the hobbled along side by side. Had tripped every so often, catching herself, trying to make sure that they did not both go down.

She leaned more into him as she felt her strength ebb away slowly and pitifully, like a snake that has just been beaten to its meal. The pace slowed even more until she finally crashed to her knees bringing Ronan with her.

"I am sorry, I want to continue to walk for you.. I really do... but.. I just... can not do it anymore. I am all out of energy." she breathed shallowly. Her eyes starting to look sleepy again. "I am... so... sorry.."

[Ronan]

Ronan was pulled down as she tumbled, but he managed to keep her in his arms. It was the blood loss. It had to be. He had no other choice, even if it killed his arm muscles.

He hoisted her back up, holding her close to his body to try and alleviate the strain, before he began to walk towards Endrykas as quickly as he could. He struggled, since she had no strength to hold herself up, and felt like a deadweight in his arms.

He found a rhythm to the walk though, and with fire burning down his arms and back, he finally came to a medical tent, passing her onto concerned looking Drykas healers with a guffaw of release and exasperation.

"She..." he huffed, struggling to get his breath back. "She was attacked by Zith out on the grasses. I gave her some pain numbing herbs, and tried to staunch the wound a little. She... she lost a lot of blood."

Ronan sank onto a nearby stall as the healers went about their work, preparing poultices, and brandishing the tools of the medical profession. He only hoped she would cling to life now, for he couldn't face the Zith taking another victim.

[Ginchoeri]

She felt him take hold of her, she felt his wobbly steps, so she kept herself as close to him as possible to help him out even the tiniest bit. She was getting more and more tired, and felt loose in his arms, as if all the life in her had left.

When she was passed over, she got a little scared, but she heard Ronan's tired voice and knew what exactly was happening. She let the man she did not know lay her on her side on the table. They examined her naked body and took off the tournacate Ronan had made.

Quickly they went to work, making salves and preparing bandages. one of them was trying to tell her something, but she did not understand. She was so tired, so, sleepy. She felt weak, and she dare not move. She felt hands at work on her back and neck and heard some things that sounded quite dreadfully nasty. Was someone digging into the wound to clean it out? Oh.. yeah, they must be treating it for infection.

Gin layed in wait for what seemed like forever, until they eased her up and wrapped her whole upper body almost, in bandages. They must have stanched the bleeding a little bit more with all the salves she had heard being made. She never protested once, she let the healers do their job, she was to tired to fight them. They carefully layed her back down and started to talk to Ronan. Or eachother, she did not really know.

[Ronan]

In the end, the healers let her be. Their work done. Fate would take its turn now, and Ronan would wait a while to see if Dira would leave her mark on this tent.

But chimes passed, several bells in fact. Ronan had fallen asleep for a little while, dreaming of Zith, and escaping on Tairell. He woke up with a start and found Gin, awake and alert, looking around.

He smiled at her. She breathed. "How are you feeling? I think... you're going to be okay now. The worst time is the first hour. You survived that. You must know that the grasses are NOT safe. You should not travel away from the marked roads, not unless you travel with a Drykas."

He looked out of the tent. There was a small gap in the cloth, a peephole to the night sky. It was beautiful, since it was a clear night, and there were a lot of stars shining in the dark firmament. It was a sky of promise.

"I have to leave soon, Gin. I'm sorry, but the healers will look after you. Perhaps when you're feeling up for it, you should have a wander round the town. It is an interesting place... though I don't see nearly enough of it."

[Ginchoeri]

While Ronan had rested so had she, but somehow, she had woken up before he did. When she was the one who needed more rest. That did not matter though, She was pleased, when she woke up, to see that her savior had not abandoned her.

She laughed weakly, "I am still feeling a wee bit woozy, but it matters not. I am alive, and that is something to be thankful for. And I know that it is not safe out there, I will never deny that, and it will probably be a while till I ever go out there again. Fear will probably keep me within close confines of this city." She smiled at him, sincerity in her words unmistakable.

"I am sorry, I have kept you, from something that was probably important. Or at least needed to be done. I thank you, for I owe you my life." She paused for a moment, "and... uhm one more thing." she gave a small smile, "where are my things?"

[Ronan]

"I did what any Drykas would," Ronan replied modestly, though he nodded as if to accept her thanks regardless. She was weak, but in his heart he knew she would recover. Perhaps several chimes more out on the grass, and she would have perished, like Ronan's family among the ravenous wild.

"You didn't keep me from anything," he continued, "I'm not a busy man, by any means. I'm just glad I was there. Remember what I say, stay safe."

She smiled at him, and he pointed to her small bundle of belongings. He'd carried it along with her, and it was all there for her to take when she was well again.

He got up from his stall, stretching. In all honesty, he needed to sleep again. That nap had been troublesome; a fever dream of sorts.

"Farewell Gin," he finally said, leaving the tent and the Kelvic he had saved behind. Burning bridges. That was what he always did. Goodbye was the hardest thing to do, what was the point in lessening it with further greetings? A tragic past had conditioned him this way, and Ronan wondered if he'd ever be able to change.

Even now, he barely gave himself credit. He had saved a life. A soul. And yet in his head, it did not redeem him from anything.

OOCGood place to end it?

[Jackalope]

Gin

Award

Skill	XP Earned	Lore Earned
Running	+1	Calling For Help
		Ronan: The Drykas Who Saved Me
		Focusing on the Future to Stay Alive
		Wanting Someone to Love
		Trapped in Endrykas From Fear

Ronan

Award

Skill	XP Earned	Lore Earned
Running	+1	Rushing to the Rescue
Herbilism	+2	Numbing Pain With Herbs
Medicine	+1	Gin: The Wounded Horse Kelvic
Bodybuilding	+1	Shirt Sleeve: A Makeshift Tourniquet
		Not Wanting to Lose Anyone Else

Witty Remark Here

Gin, I went over this a couple times, but there wasn't much xp on your side. It's tough when you're that injured. Ronan, I gave you a point of bodybuilding for carrying this horse woman accross the sea of grass. Thanks guys. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.