define('WP_CACHE', true); Crossed Paths – Logs – Page 5 – The Story Thus Far…

Apr 11

Chapter 52: Memory

Chapter 52: Memory

In Which Some Memories Are Best Repressed.

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Yazeth: The soup takes some time to prepare, though there’s a big enough batch that it can be reheated as leftovers. The healer mouse gives one last stir to the pot and then ladles some into a bowl for the ferret. Walking over to the bed, he’s surprised to see her eyes partially opened, jaw clenched tight. “Er, er, soup’s ready.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan wakes up as Joseph enters the room, and moves himself a bit away from the ferret so she can eat.

Yazeth: The ferret allows the mouse and otter to prop her up against a pillow in a sitting position, but she feels too weak to hold the spoon steady, much less the bowl.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan moves back beside Jozra and grins slightly at her attempts to feed herself. “Need a hand?”

Yazeth: The mouse looks curiously at the otter but doesn’t dare question whether or not the blind otter can do it. Joseph places the bowl in Soquan’s paw and watches intently to see how the otter manages it.

Arrin Woodgreen: He takes the bowl from him and scoops some of the soup into the spoon and blows in it gently to cool it off and holds it out to her slightly, letting her come to the spoon so he doesn’t spill all over her.

Yazeth: Joseph grins at the ingenuity, he likely would have never thought of that, being too used to having to literally pour nourishment down the throats of sick beasts. “If, if you need anything, give a, ah, a holler.” Jozra simply concentrates on getting her mouth around the spoon and swallowing without choking.

Arrin Woodgreen: Slowly, the bowl is emptied and he sets it aside. “There, all gone. Feel better with some food in your stomach?”

Yazeth: The ferret leans back and sighs almost contentedly. She nods shortly and croaks, “Yeah.” Her voice isn’t quite as raspy now, though it still sounds rough.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods, grinning slightly at her. “Good. Now rest up.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods again and stiffly hunkers down under the covers. Drowsily, she watches Joseph approach to take the bowl and spoon from Soquan and ask him if he’s hungry. She falls asleep before she can hear the otter’s answer though.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan nods at Joseph’s query. “Yes, thank you.”

Yazeth: The mouse wanders back to the kitchen to wash out Jozra’s bowl and retrieve the plate he had prepared earlier for the otter. Jozra dozes for a while, neither quite awake nor entirely asleep and only vaguely aware of the mouse who has returned with food for Soquan.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter accepts the dish and wolfs the meal down hungrily. In all his worrying for his friend, he had forgotten to eat.

Yazeth: Eventually the ferret finally does drift off to sleep. She doesn’t dream exactly.  More that her sub-consciousness finds a place it doesn’t like, a gaping hole where a memory has been locked away. It disturbs her terribly and she awakens with a jerk.

Arrin Woodgreen: Having just finished his meal, he looks down at her. “Joz? You okay?”

Yazeth: The ferret squeezes her eyes shut and tries to reply after a moment but it only comes out as a thin whimper.

Arrin Woodgreen: He sets the plate aside, frowning. “Jozra?”

Yazeth: It’s a strange duality, having the conscious part of herself only vaguely aware that there’s a memory she’s locked away and another part that knows exactly what it is and is screaming to let it out. Whatever it is, it scares her. Tears trickle down her cheeks as she tries to think of how to respond to the otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns and moves a bit closer, his ears fixed on the sounds coming from the ferret. “Jozra? Hun? What’s wrong?”

Yazeth: She shakes her head slightly, not entirely sure herself. Whatever’s in that hole makes her feel sad, guilty, hopeless and utterly terrified. “Just,” sniff, “overwhelmed.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives her a lopsided, hopefully comforting smile and hugs her gently, drawing her against him. “Want to talk about it?”

Yazeth: The ferret attempts a shrug, not entirely sure what to talk about even if she wanted to. She reaches up to wipe her eyes and finally notices how obviously black her paws are.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan, gives her back a pat. “So other than that, how’s my lovely, black-pawed ferret doing? Any pains?”

Yazeth: The otter’s comment shakes Jozra out of her funk. She looks at him a little worried and a bit startled. “Who? How… I, I can’t go around like this.” She thinks quickly. If Soquan knows then that means that someone else must have told him. Two beasts at the very least.

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles softly. “Easy there.”

Yazeth: Jozra shakes her head. “It’s…  There’s beasts out there that’ll make a lot of trouble for me if they know I’m a black-footed ferret. I need to look like any other.” It’s true. As little as any beast outside of Oparanth knows of the secluded valley, a desert ferret in the more forested lands is highly unusual and in Jozra’s line of work it’s best to blend in.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “So you’ve been using dyes? Water based if I’m not mistaken, since it came off in your bath.”

Yazeth: Well, there’s obviously no hiding it from Soquan even if she wanted to. Maybe he can find a way to help. “Yeah. Actually they’re powdered but they dissolve in warm water.” She sighs, “I’m nearly out of the dyes too.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods slightly. “We can find you some before we leave town.” He leans back on the pillows, gently pulling her with him.

Yazeth: The ferret nods, satisfied with the answer. In the comfortable silence, she lets her mind wander, wondering vaguely what time of day it is, watching the patch of sun from the window move across the floor, trying to decide if she’s still hungry or not…

Arrin Woodgreen: After another long bit of silence, he pipes up, asking the ferret rather tentatively. “So, what’s it like? Is there really a Dark Forest?”

Yazeth: The ferret blinks, confused. “What?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He asks again. “What’s the Dark Forest like?”

Yazeth: Consciously unaware that she nearly, that she did die, the ferret is puzzled as to why the otter is asking her. “I don’t understand.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “What don’t you understand?”

Yazeth: “Well,” she stammers. “Why are you asking me? All I know is what I’ve been told.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “Well you did, technically die…”

Yazeth: Jozra gapes at the otter, speechless. After a moment she chokes out, “I, no, I…  Did I?” She tries to think that the otter is exaggerating, but suddenly it feels as though she’s treading a very fine line with that horrible hole in her memory yawning on either side.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods slowly. “Yeah.” He pauses. “You mean you don’t remember?”

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head, determined that remembering would be a Bad Thing.  But she can’t hold back her curiosity. “What… What do you mean, ‘technically?’”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “Well, you were only ‘dead’ for a few minutes, I don’t think it really counts as death unless you stay dead.”

Yazeth: That feeling Jozra had when she woke up earlier has returned. She stares at the otter in confusion and partially still hoping that he’s exaggerating. “But…” The impression of walking down a path flutters into her mind.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “I want you to think about when you woke up earlier. What do you remember before that?”

Yazeth: Her brow furrows, taking earlier to mean the first time she had woken up in days. “I remember… The willows. Falling into the river and you pulling me out.” Now she has to think. “You were carrying me, I think.” She blinks.

“Was I given a bath? I remember warm water and… and the vixen that was in here earlier. And there was a path…” Her brow furrows further. That doesn’t make any sense.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns a bit more. “Yes, you were given a bath to help your hypothermia. Think more about the path, okay? Do you remember any more about that?”

Yazeth: The ferret’s brain balks at the idea of following that path again but she’s as curious as the otter. She grins sheepishly. “This might sound stupid but some part of me feels like I shouldn’t. I’ll try though…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “Okay then.”

Yazeth: She thinks. “There’s the path and… It doesn’t make any sense, because I don’t know how I got there. All I see is grass.” Frowning, she recalls the bend. “There’s a bend in the path and suddenly there’s forest ahead.” She takes a shuddering breath, even more unwilling to follow this thread of thought than before.

Arrin Woodgreen: He rubs her back a bit. “Go on.”

Yazeth: Shaking her head at the thought in the back of her mind screaming at her not to continue she resumes where she left off. “The forest doesn’t make any sense either but I don’t remember why. There’s something ahead, where the path goes into the forest…”

Her eyes are narrowed in concentration as she mutters words. “Forest and… a gate. Big gate and… beasts…  …” Her face contorts in horror as the memories spill out of the black hole. Not being able to stop on the path and the beasts at the end. Especially the beasts at the gate.

Arrin Woodgreen: He scowls a bit listening to the ferret’s vague descriptions.

Yazeth: What she saw, what happened then finally comes to the forefront of her mind and she begins to shake as she remembers the terrible satisfaction etched on their faces. Jozra may have escaped this time but everything always ends at those gates. No escape from their righteous fury. No escape from the vengeance they’ll exact on her. No escape from the Badger. No escape.

Arrin Woodgreen: He feels her shaking and he tries to soothe her. “It’s okay Sweetheart, you can stop thinking about it now.”

Yazeth: But that’s just the thing: she can’t now. She sobs into his shoulder, clinging tightly to the otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He rubs her back, rocking her back and fourth. “Shhh… It’s okay…” He nuzzles her cheek.

Yazeth: Jozra clenches her jaw in a futile attempt to stop her tears. What has she DONE?!

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to nuzzle at her neck shoulder and cheek, whispering soft, comforting phrases in her ear.

Yazeth: The wracking sobs turn to coughs as the ferret is seized by another attempt by her body to rid her lungs of fluid. After a moment the coughing stops but her tears do not as she sucks in deep gulps of air.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan continues to comfort her in this way. His voice stays soft, with no harshness to it at all.

Yazeth: As distraught as ever, though too exhausted to sob as she had been, Jozra clings tightly to the otter, burying her face in his chest and whimpering quite pathetically. Poor girl.

Arrin Woodgreen: He kisses her cheek softly. “Shh… It’s okay… It’s all over.”

Yazeth: She murmurs something unintelligible into his fur. Was that a… nuzzle? The tears haven’t stopped but her breathing is a little bit calmer than it was a minute ago.

Arrin Woodgreen: He returns her half-hearted nuzzle and plants the softest of kisses on the top of her head. “It’s going to be alright… It’s okay.”

Yazeth: Jozra sniffs, a little more subdued now. She lets the otter cuddle her for a while before asking huskily, “Why did you ask?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He sighs a bit. “I was just curious.” He rubs his cheek against hers with a slight rumble in his throat. “I didn’t know it would be like this for you. I’m sorry.” He pulls back a bit.

Yazeth: Still in need of comfort, scared and resigned to her fate as she is, the ferret scrambles to pull Soquan closer to her as he pulls back. It goes to show how despondent she is that she doesn’t even think that such an action might be taken as affection on her part, considering she still hasn’t resolved her feelings towards the otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He’s startled as the ferret scrambles towards him, but allows her to come close none the less. “Hey…  It’s okay, I promise.” He tilts her chin up, kissing her softly.

Yazeth: No one is more surprised than Jozra when she returns the kiss. She blinks, startled, and then a rap comes at the door before she can say anything.

Apr 09

Chapter 51: Dark Forest

Chapter 51: Dark Forest

In Which Things Take A Turn For The Worse.

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Yazeth: Joseph putters quietly about the kitchen before briefly retreating to his bedroom to dress for the day. He pays a visit to his herb garden, harvesting some leaves and removing snails. By this time the sun has been fully up for about an hour and he decides to check the ferret’s condition again.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan is still sleeping. He has moved a little though, and now sleeps beside the ferret rather than underneath.

Yazeth: Placing a paw on the ferret’s nose, the mouse frowns. Despite the tea her temperature has climbed. Preoccupied by worrying a little about this fact, Joseph is startled when a swift, muffled knock comes at his door.

Arrin Woodgreen: He mumbles something in his sleep as the knock sounds and he snuggles closer to the feverish ferret.

Yazeth: The beast on the other side doesn’t even bother waiting for the healer mouse to open the door. Instead, Fiarah lets herself in, with Jinx trailing behind swiftly. The vixen grins at her mentor. “Finally able to get away without Kirrian noticing. How are they doing?”

Arrin Woodgreen: Jinx peers around Fiarah, searching around the room for the pair of beasts.

Yazeth: The mouse smiles warmly at his protégé. “I didn’t catch the name of your, of your little friend here.” His brow furrows. “Business first. The otter is fine but the ferret…  She, ah, she seems to have developed a fever. While it was still low I gave her some tea to help but it didn’t, it didn’t work, apparently.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Jinx frowns a bit then asks the old mouse. “What about Soquan’s foot? He was limping pretty bad yesterday.”

Yazeth: Joseph blinks at the young ferret for a second. “Oh! The foot!” He frowns in dismay. “I’d, ah, forgotten about, about that. He seemed to, to get around fine while helping me, ah, earlier.”

Arrin Woodgreen: She quirks an eyebrow. “Really? Interesting.”

Yazeth: The mouse moves over to the bed to check on Jozra again, indicating the vixen should feel free to join him and loan her experience.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan begins to wake groggily, the noises around him bringing him closer and closer to consciousness.

Yazeth: Fiarah leans over the bed to check on Jozra. She frowns after a moment, glancing at her mentor. To her surprise, his brow is furrowed with worry. “Her tempera, temperature’s risen in the past few minutes.” Fiarah shakes her head, standing back from the bed. “That’s too high, too fast.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan awakes, propping himself up on an elbow. “What’s too high too fast?”

Yazeth: The vixen frowns and murmurs, “Her temperature…” Joseph wrings his paws. “We should, we should try a larger dose of fevervew.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Okay… Is she going to be okay?”

Yazeth: Jinx, who had perched herself on a counter in the meantime, watches the conversation intently. Fiarah looks at Joseph who shrugs helplessly. “Fevers, fevers are tricky. Usually, ah, usually the beast will be okay but…” He glances at the vixen.

“But,” she continues for the mouse, “her temperature has risen quite high for such a short amount of time.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods slowly. “Oh…”

Yazeth: Fiarah moves to the counter, gesturing to Jinx. “You can watch while I prepare Jozra’s tea.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Now worried, Soquan checks Jozra’s fever for himself.

Yazeth: The poor ferret’s temperature is quite high, now dangerously high in fact. Even with his lack of medical skills, the otter is sure to feel her pulse racing as well.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan frowns, taking his paw away. “That is hot… Her heart’s going like crazy.”

Yazeth: Joseph looks sharply at the otter. “It, it is?” Fiarah looks perplexed, pausing in the midst of crushing some medicinal leaves. “It wasn’t a minute ago.” The mouse beats the vixen to the ferret’s bedside.

Arrin Woodgreen: He moves back a bit, allowing the mouse to check Jozra over.

Yazeth: Now the healer mouse IS worried. VERY worried. He looks to the vixen, thinking exactly what she’s thinking. “She’s… she’s going into shock.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan listens helplessly. “She’s what?”

Yazeth: Fiarah shakes her head. No time to explain. Jozra’s pulse is too high and her breathing’s thin and reedy. “Jinx, bring some pillows to prop up her feet, now!”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan hops out of the bed, listening as the young ferret scampers off to get the pillows.

Yazeth: Jinx returns quickly with the pillows. As Fiarah settles them under the ferret’s legs she looks at the mouse attending to Jozra. “Do you think maybe she was allergic to something in the drink you gave her?”

Arrin Woodgreen: His anxiety barely contained, the otter paces restlessly.

Yazeth: The mouse shakes his head. “It’s possible, ah, but none of the herbs were very, very potent.” His brow furrows in worry.

Arrin Woodgreen: Pace. Sit. Fidget. Pace. Fidget. Pace. Sit. Fidget. Pace.

Yazeth: Fiarah, who had been cooling Jozra’s face with a damp cloth, suddenly glances up at her mentor in horror as the ferret’s breath catches.

Arrin Woodgreen: He stops and stiffens as he senses the sudden increase in tension in the room. “What? What’s wrong?”

Yazeth: Even Jinx sits up and pays attention as a tense look passes between the mouse and the vixen. The elder healer moves to the ferret’s head, ignoring the otter. “Check her airway.” The command is unnecessary, though, for that is what the vixen is doing.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan remains motionless, every bit of his focus aimed at Jozra’s prone form.

Yazeth: The vixen shakes her head in consternation. “Nothing…” Joseph lays his more experienced paw on the ferret’s wrist. The mouse had been an exceptional healer thanks this light touch. “Her blood pressure is too low.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter is forgotten as the healers work. “Some poppy might help that,” Fiarah offers.

Yazeth: The mouse nods. “See to it.” Fiarah’s movement is hampered, though, by the breath catching in the ferret’s throat again. This time it stays there.

Arrin Woodgreen: She whirls back around and the four conscious beasts echo the same word. “No!”

Yazeth: Jozra walks along the path, a thought vaguely escaping her grasp. She pauses along the path and in another moment she has the thought by the tail. Quirking an eyebrow and looking about she asks one of the most fundamental questions of the universe, Where the hell am I, and what am I doing here?

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan flies to the bedside. “No! No Jozra!” Joseph quickly checks her over. “She, she’s gone…”

Yazeth: Fiarah shakes her head, a stubborn light suddenly in her eye. “Not if I can help it.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Fiarah begins to pump at the ferret’s chest. “C’mon, c’mon…” She plugs Jozra’s nostrils and breathes air into her lungs.

Yazeth: The only way to find that out was to follow the path one way or the other and forward felt the most obvious. After a moment, she rounds a bend in the path and spies a massive forest just ahead of her. Perplexed, she tries to stop along the path.

Logically she would have been able to see the forest from where she was previously, as the path wound across flatlands. Logic is such a liar. Her feet continue to move along the path despite her direct order for them to stop.

Arrin Woodgreen: Fiarah begins the procedure again. “Come on! Breathe!” Soquan, on the verge of hysteria, stands tense as he listens to what’s going on.

Yazeth: The trees ahead look… Well, some of them look ominous, others look downright welcoming. At the head of the path is a… Jozra squints and in a moment the object, a massive wrought iron gate, is brought into sharp focus. The ferret blinks and pinches herself. As real as all her dreams and nightmares have felt to her, they were all wraiths compared to this. This couldn’t be Dark Forest, could it?  But she can’t ignore the yawning gate, or the fact that her feet won’t stop moving towards it.

Arrin Woodgreen: Fiarah now pounds the ferret’s chest. “Breathe damnit!” Soquan takes up pacing again, his mind whirling.

Yazeth: The ferret snarls to herself. This is stupid, she doesn’t remember dying. She glares at the gates trying harder than ever to stop her feet. Had she a pulse at the time, it would have stopped, again, once she realized what was just beyond the gate. Her eyes widening in horror, a small whimper escapes her throat.

There beyond the gate stands a large group of beasts: old, young, in their prime. Each of the beasts glare at her but they all have a somewhat satisfied expression on their face, as if saying, ‘Finally.’ Standing tall over the mass of villagers is The Badger. Never before had Jozra ever been so terrified. She backpedals ferociously, frantic to escape the pull, “No!NononoNONO!!”

Arrin Woodgreen: Fiarah continues to pound on and breathe into the ferret. “No, no, no… Breathe, you’re supposed to breathe!” Soquan’s anger flares and he strides over to the bedside with a growl. “Let me at it.” He moves Fiarah out of the way and puts some air into Jozra’s lungs before giving her chest a strong, solid thump.

Yazeth: The ferret grabs hold at anything and everything as she is pulled inexorably forward, tears streaming. She digs her heels into the dirt and scrabbles with her paws for purchase. “NO! NO!” The expressions on the faces of the murdered villagers gleam with righteousness and then…

For a second everything hangs in delicate balance. The villager’s faces fall as they realize their revenge may have to be postponed. Snarling, they reach for the ferret. The forest twists, Jozra vision hazes…

And in the real world, she sucks in a rasping breath.

Arrin Woodgreen: He stops once she breathes, giving a sigh of relief as he nearly collapses overtop Jozra.

Yazeth: The ferret’s cough reflex takes over as a collective sigh of relief is breathed about the room. Joseph moves to roll Jozra to the side as she coughs up fluid. Fiarah rubs her eyes. “Of course… It never occurred to me that there was water in her lungs. I thought it would have been coughed up before now.” The coughing fit stops and Jozra groans miserably as she leans back into the pillow.

Arrin Woodgreen: He crouches at the bedside, taking the ferret’s paw in his own. “Joz, speak to me…”

Yazeth: Jozra’s eyelids flutter but the light sears her brain and she decides to keep them shut tight. She tries squeezing the otter’s paw with her own and croaks, “Soq…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles in relief as she speaks, squeezing her paw in return. “I’m glad you’re okay now.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods jerkily, not really believing the otter. Okay? She feels as though she’s been chewn up and spit out by a… by a… well she doesn’t know by what, exactly.  By something big. With teeth. What? Yes, teeth. Sands she’s hungry!

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives her a slight grin. “Is there anything you want?”

Yazeth: Fiarah stands beside the bed and strokes the ferret’s head. “We can get you a little soup if you’d like that.” Jozra takes a moment to comprehend what’s being said before nodding jerkily.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan grips her paw a bit tighter. “How do you feel?”

Yazeth: The ferret grins slightly and rasps, “Like I’ve been crushed by a boulder.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “Where does it hurt?”

Yazeth: Jozra merely grits her teeth and shakes her head. The effort prompts another coughing attack, though fortunately less severe than the one before. As she gulps in a few deep breaths, Jinx, who is perched again on the counter across the room, states matter of factly, “Probably her ribs, from the coughing. She’s probably achy all over too, from th’ fever.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter nods, and to Jinx’s surprise, Soquan helps himself into the ferret’s bed, drawing her against him as he leans against the pillow. He gives her the gentlest of nuzzles, talking quietly to her. “Get some rest eh? I can tell you’re exhausted. I’ll wake you when your soup gets here.”

Yazeth: Jozra, eyes already closed in exhaustion, simply nods jerkily.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan smiles softly, giving her paw another squeeze. “I’ll look after you, don’t worry.”

Yazeth: The ferret only vaguely hears Soquan’s words as she drifts off again into the realm of unconsciousness. Jinx, who had been casually looking outside the window, suddenly realizes the time. In a loud whisper, not that the older ferret would wake if Jinx had used a normal tone of voice, Jinx calls to Fiarah. “They’re going to miss us if we aren’t back soon!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives a half yawn and settles off into a doze, his ears and whiskers twitching a bit.

Yazeth: The vixen leaves the soup preparation to the mouse and hurries to the door with Jinx, checking to make sure everything is in order. “We’ll be back this evening, Joseph.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The mouse, nods, waving at them absently as he adds some medicinal herbs to the soup. “G-go on then, I’ll see you la-later.”

Apr 07

Chapter 50: Joseph The Healer

Chapter 50: Joseph The Healer

In Which Tea Solves Everything.

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Yazeth: The young ferret leads them down a series of twisting streets, deeper into the city that the two had delved previously. Soon they arrive at a small stone church with a magnificent wooden spike sticking out of the center. Jinx leads them around back to a small door where she knocks quickly.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns at the ferret. “What is this place?”

Yazeth: She grins as they wait at the door. “This is the Solstice Temple. Fiarah says her mentor lives here.” Soon sounds can be heard from within.

Arrin Woodgreen: He cocks an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Yazeth: Jinx shrugs. “I’ve never met him. Should be a good healer if he’s taught Fiarah, eh?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles softly. “I guess you’re right there.”

Yazeth: The door creaks open, revealing an elderly mouse. He squints at those on his doorstep. “Yes?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shifts a bit uneasily, letting Jinx handle the situation.

Yazeth: The youngster beams up at the mouse. “Kirrian kicked these two out of the House so Fiarah sent us here. The ferret’s hypothermic and the otter’s got a cut on his paw. Can you help? We have breakfast…” The healer mouse blinks at the jill but stands aside to admit them. “Er, yes… Come in, come in.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods his thanks and shuffles inside, careful not to bang Jozra on the doorway.

Yazeth: Jinx hands the bundle of food to the mouse. “I’ve got to get back before they miss me.” She winks again at Soquan, knowing he can’t see it, and races out the door back into the rain.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquah shifts uneasily again, checking on Jozra’s condition.

Yazeth: Joseph stares out the doorway for a moment, perplexedly shifting from foot to foot. After a moment, he shuts the door and places the bundle of food on a counter before approaching the otter and prone ferret. “Ah, you can put her over the…” He pauses for a moment, squinting at the otter’s face. “Ah. So sorry. Er…” The mouse glances around before placing a paw on Soquan’s arm and leading him to a bed set up in the corner just for situations such as this. “You can put her here.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods politely at Joseph while easing Jozra onto the bed gently. “So we can stay for a bit then?”

Yazeth: The mouse nods enthusiastically. “You can stay for as long as you need. I am a healer, after all. I’m not about to turn away sick beasts. Even if I am retired.”

Arrin Woodgreen: His smile widens a bit. “Thank you very much Sir, I appreciate your help.”

Yazeth: Joseph grins, pleased to see the otter happy. “Shall we see what sort of breakfast they brought? Why don’t you, ah, if you could feel your way around I’m sure you could find the sack the little ferret brought. It’s on the counter across the room. I’ll just, er, just check on your friend.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns a bit, not too eager to be overly far away from his friend. After a moment, he gives a slight nod and heads over towards where the table is.

Yazeth: The mouse smiles briefly at the otter before moving over to Jozra. The blanket is damp, though fortunately not entirely soaked through. After a moment of thought, the mouse is suddenly very professional, relaxing back into old routines that his practiced paws never forgot. He mutters to himself as he checks the ferret’s condition. “Mrm… Too low, best not get any lower. And a little high…” Thinking for a moment, he turns to the otter. “Ah, hypothermia they said?”

Arrin Woodgreen: Having just located the snack bag, he turns, nodding. “Aye, that’s what Fiarah told me.”

Yazeth: The mouse nods thoughtfully. “She was given, ah, a warm bath, yes? To bring back up her temperature?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods again. “Yeah, they were going to get her a hot water bottle too.”

Yazeth: Nodding again the mouse comments. “Well done then, but that’s not the problem now…” He trails off absently.

Arrin Woodgreen: His brow furrows, the food now forgotten. “Then what’s the problem?”

Yazeth: Joseph blinks quickly. “Er…” The healer mouse always had an impeccable bedside manner, it was always the others around the bedside that gave him trouble.  Unsure of how to respond exactly to the otter, much less how the blind otter will respond, he hems and haws for a moment.

Arrin Woodgreen: He fidgets a bit, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly as he waits for the mouse’s reply.

Yazeth: “Well… ah, well she’s got a fever now. Er, and her blood pressure’s a bit, ah, a bit low.” The mouse shifts a little nervously. “Do you think you could help me, help me get this wet blanket off of her and under some dry covers?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He brightens at something to do other than stand around. “Of course! Should we get her in some clothing also?”

Yazeth: Joseph nods in relief. A helpful and attentive friend was better than a moping and worrying one. “There’s robes for all size of beasts in that cupboard in the corner there.  Could you find one that will fit her?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He motions to the packs by the bed. “She has clothing in there, would those do instead?”

Yazeth: The mouse scratches his head glancing at the way the otter is attired. “Ah, perhaps not if her clothes are like, are like yours. Something loose and warm I would think, yes.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter thinks a moment before nodding. “You’re right. I’ll be right back then.” He heads for the cupboard.

Yazeth: Jospeh strokes the ferret’s head, thinking. The fever, well, it is only slight and perhaps due to a small virus. It’s the low blood pressure that worries him. He calls out to the otter. “Did, ah, did Fiarah try to feed your friend?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He calls back from searching the closet. “Not yet, she said something about waiting till today to give her any sort of nourishment.”

Yazeth: The mouse nods. “Smart, but maybe we should try and get some medicinal tea down her now.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He returns with the robe and nods. “Okay.” He hands the robe to Joseph. “Hold this? I’ll get the blanket off.”

Yazeth: Joseph takes hold of the robe and stands away from the bed. “Okay.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gently unfolds the blankets from the front of Jozra, then lifts her carefully as he slides the damp blanket out from under her. He holds out a paw towards Joseph. “Robe please.”

Yazeth: The mouse hands the robe to the otter. “If you could, ah, could get her settled, I’ll see to fixing up some breakfast for all of us.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Thank you, I will.” He begins to slip the robe onto Jozra, doing his best not to wake her.

Yazeth: Surprisingly, the ferret who did not wake previously moans slightly. Her eyes flutter and briefly focus on Soquan before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Arrin Woodgreen: He catches the moan and stops. “Jozra?”

Yazeth: The ferret, of course, does not respond but the healer mouse pauses in the midst of crushing a powdery root. “Eh?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “I swear she was awake for a moment. I might just be hearing things though.” He continues to dress the ferret.

Yazeth: Joseph smiles briefly. “I didn’t hear anything.” He finishes crushing the root and adds a pinch or two of it to a small silk bag already filled with shredded herbs.

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “Oh well then. He eases her back down and pulls the blankets on the bed over her.

Yazeth: The mouse retrieves a steaming kettle from the stove and pours a mug full. He knots the bag closed tightly and plops it in the mug before turning to the pasties and cheese Fiarah and Jinx packed.

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives a half-yawn and settles down at Jozra’s bedside, determined to get some uninterrupted sleep.

Yazeth: Joseph divides the food up unevenly, as the older mouse has a smaller appetite than the younger otter must have, and calls to Soquan. “Breakfast is, ah, is served.” He swirls the teabag in the now greenish colored brew and checks the temperature.

Arrin Woodgreen: Having dozed off, his eyes crack open. “Huh? What?”

Yazeth: The mouse, somewhat oblivious to the fact that the otter had been sleeping, changes his mind. “Actually, could you help me, help me get your friend to drink some of this tea?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods sleepily. “Sure. What do you need me to do?”

Yazeth: “Um,” he pauses while carrying the mug to the bedside. “Just, just hold her in a sitting position. Yes, that should, should do fine.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and does as he is asked. Climbing up behind the ferret to support her as he holds her up.

Yazeth: Joseph sits on the bed and gently attempts to wake the ferret. “Shhh, just try a sip of this. It will make you feel better.” Interestingly enough, when addressing a patient the mouse’s stutter and ‘ums’ disappear.

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to support Jozra, briefly wondering if the mouse would be able to wake her from her state of rest.

Yazeth: Jozra does not wake, at least not completely. Some hazy quasi-consciousness allows her to swallow the tea the mouse pours into her mouth without choking on it.

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives another yawn, perfectly content to allow Jozra to lean against him.

Yazeth: Soon the mug is quite empty and the mouse pats Jozra’s head. “Very good, all gone.” He looks up to the otter. “You can, can tuck her in again.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan has seems to have fallen back asleep by then. He now leans against the wall with Jozra pillowed against him.

Yazeth: The healer mouse smiles gently at the sleeping otter and quietly slips off to consume his own breakfast and begin his morning chores.

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to sleep peacefully, his arms draped gently around his friend.

Apr 04

Chapter 49: Evicted

Chapter 49: Evicted

In Which Kirrian’s Word Is Law.

———————————————————————————————

Arrin Woodgreen: He wakes sometime during the night and he yawns widely. He moves onto the bed and curls up around the ferret, promptly going back to sleep.

Yazeth: About three hours from daybreak, the ferret’s level of consciousness raises slightly from the nearly comatose state she’s occupied for the past day or so.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan remains sleeping, exhausted from the day before. He remains blissfully unaware the time of day outside and he moves closer to his friend as he sleeps longer.

Yazeth: As the sky begins to lighten, Kirrian begins to stir in her own room.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter continues sleeping, still unaware.

Yazeth: Promptly at dawn, a rapping comes again at the door. In her own bed, Fiarah growls and rolls over.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan mumbles something as he becomes a bit more conscious.

Yazeth: The knocking comes again, louder this time. Fiarah flings off her covers, wraps herself in a dressing gown and stalks to the door. “WHAT.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He blinks a couple times and yawns, settling back down.

Yazeth: She wrenches the door open and glares at the trio standing there. As nice as Fiarah is, she is NOT a ‘morning person.’ “Oh. You again.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He wraps his arms around Jozra and drops back off to sleep. He’s heard Fiarah’s voice and was content to let her deal with whatever was wrong.

Yazeth: Kirrian scowls at Fiarah’s tone. “It’s morning. These two are to be gone.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He snores softly.

Yazeth: Fiarah blinks and narrows her eyes at her sister. “I never thought of you as so cold-hearted to throw out a beast in desperate need of aid.”

Arrin Woodgreen: His grips her a bit tighter and continues to snore.

Yazeth: Kirrian snarls ever so softly, glaring at her sister in return. “They are to leave, NOW.” She motions to Nolan and Deke.

Arrin Woodgreen:  Soquan keeps sleeping.

Yazeth: The muscle steps into the room, past the furiously protesting vixen and haul the sleeping otter to his feet.

Arrin Woodgreen: He wakes up slowly. “Who? Wha’s going on?”

Yazeth: A solution finally occurs to Fiarah, but she doesn’t let it show. She continues to protest at Nolan and Deke bodily haul the ferret and the otter across the room but doesn’t move to block them.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter protests sleepily. “She’s sick, she needs help, you just can’t throw us out!”

Yazeth: Kirrian glares at Soquan. “She also attacked one of my members and has been banned from this house, as have you.” Deke, however, hears the otter’s words and pauses just inside the door to make sure the blanket is securely wrapped around the sleeping ferret.

Arrin Woodgreen: He breaks away from the muscle with a growl. “We’ll go, no need to shove us about. Just tell me where our stuff is.”

Yazeth: Kirrian continues glaring at the otter. “Your packs will be brought to you.” Fiarah notices a movement as Jinx, who had been hiding nearby, eavesdropping on the ‘conversation,’ dashes off to retrieve the packs.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns and crosses his arms. “Fine.” He moves to take Jozra from Deke.

Yazeth: Deke looks to Kirrian for advice but the vixen doesn’t notice and so he surrender’s the ferret’s body to the otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He picks up the ferret and holds her almost possessively as he waits for their belongings.

Yazeth: Jinx returns fairly quickly with the packs that have been re-stuffed with the pair’s freshly washed clothing.

Arrin Woodgreen: He thanks Jinx warmly, there was no need to be angry with her after all. Not about to hand Jozra back to the muscle, he manages to awkwardly hold her against him as he straps on their packs and his staff. He shoves the ferret’s knife into his belt again and returns to holding her once more with both paws.

Yazeth: Kirrian, who never once stopped glaring at the otter and the ferret, now crosses her arms. “You have everything you need, now leave.” In her anger, the vixen ignores basic facts, but Jinx is quite the observant jill so she unobtrusively leads the otter out the door and down the steps.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan allows himself to be lead by the jill, becoming slightly more docile than moments before. Of course, he’s still not very happy about the situation. He turns to Jinx as they reach the door. “Thank Fiarah for her help for me okay? And.. err… apologize to the rattess that I… startled… last time I was here, I haven’t been able to do that yet.”

Yazeth: She winks at the otter and whispers. “Shhh… I’ll meet you outside in a second.” In a normal tone of voice she replies. “I will.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods a confirmation. “Thank you.” He limps out the door, shifting the ferret’s weight slightly.

Yazeth: Jinx firmly shuts the door behind the otter and then glances upstairs. “Can I have some breakfast now?” Kirrian merely waves her paw, finally content now that the two are out of the house. Fiarah scowls at her sister and descends the steps, following Jinx into the kitchen. Alone with the cutlery, Jinx winks at the vixen. “I can take them some food and lead them somewhere safe. Where should they go?”

Arrin Woodgreen:  The otter waits patiently, making sure Jozra was warm enough in the blanket.

Yazeth: Fiarah smiles slowly. “Remind me never to let me underestimate your resourcefulness.” She bustles about the kitchen, wrapping up some food in a kerchief. “I don’t think they’ll need much, we can send them to my mentor’s place. He lives in the back of the Solstice Temple.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shifts restlessly, what if they were seen?

Yazeth: Jinx takes the bundle and nods. “I know where that is.” Quick as a shadow, she scoots out the backdoor.

Arrin Woodgreen: His ears perk up as he hears a noise. “Jinx?”

Yazeth: The jill nods. “Yeah, it’s me.” She shifts her package to one arm and grabs the hem of the otter’s tunic with her other hand. “Follow me.” Quickly, she leads the curious party out from under the eaves, into the rain and down the street.

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows obediently, sheltering Jozra the best he can from the rain.

Apr 02

Chapter 48: Sibling Rivalry

Chapter 48: Sibling Rivalry

In Which It’s Mostly Up To Jozra Now.

———————————————————————————————

Yazeth: After a while, the vixen tests the water. Finding it lukewarm, she has Soquan and Dysa help to hoist the ferret out of the tub and dry her off. Fiarah tests Jozra’s temperature again and remarks, “She doesn’t seem so cold now but it’s still too soon to tell. Help me wrap her up in this blanket again, we’ll take her back to my room.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and assists the vixen, taking most of Jozra’s weight as Fiarah wraps her in the blanket.

Yazeth: She leads the way back upstairs to the bed where Jozra had first been placed. By now, Dysa has since rushed to her kitchen to begin preparing a later than usual dinner.

Arrin Woodgreen: He takes Jozra upstairs with Fiarah and he helps tuck her in. He sits on the edge of the bed, hands wrung nervously.

Yazeth: Fiarah bustles about the room, preparing a hot water bottle to slip under Jozra’s covers.

Arrin Woodgreen: He ‘looks’ up from his paws towards Fiarah. “Is there anything I can do?”

Yazeth: The vixen shakes her head. “Just keep an eye on her. Your proximity might help but it’s mostly up to her now.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and falls silent again, sighing slightly.

Yazeth: Fiarah pauses and gazes at the otter for a while. She smiles sadly. “It’ll be alright, you’ll see.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins slightly. “I hope so.”

Yazeth: Fiarah bustles about her business, cleaning up her ‘shop.’ Presently, Dawn arrives bearing a cart from Dysa’s kitchen laden with a stack of bowls and a large pot of thick soup and a basket of rolls. She casts a withering glance at the otter and ferret, not that the pair notices in their respective states. “Dinner.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods towards the rattess. “Thank you, Dawn.” Aware of the meal in the room, he does not move, staying at his post beside his friend.

Yazeth: The rattess merely sneers and remarks to the healer, “You’re sister’s not going to like this when she gets back.” The vixen, however, is impervious to Dawn’s scorn. She ladles a generous helping of soup into a bowl, sticks a spoon in it and a roll on the side and places it firmly into Soquan’s hands. “My patients are none of her business,” she says before serving herself.

Arrin Woodgreen: He becomes worried at Dawn’s statement and eats silently, his mind whirling. Where would he take Jozra if they were kicked out of here?

Yazeth: Dawn sniffs at the vixen’s remark and leaves the room. Fiarah misinterprets the concern on the otter’s face and reassures him. “She should sleep, for now. I wouldn’t try forcing any nourishment on her until at least tomorrow afternoon.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He snaps out of his thoughts. “What?  Oh, okay.” He returns to his meal and thinking, to plan up something in case they are indeed, thrown out.

Yazeth: Fiarah polishes off her bowl of soup and sets it on a small table near the door before walking around the bed and checking on Jozra’s condition. The ferret is no longer cold to the touch and seems to be sleeping deeply, though she still looks rather pitiful.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter is too wrapped in his own thoughts to notice. He picks at his food.

Yazeth: The vixen glances at Soquan. “You can stay with her for the night. I’ll be just in the other room if you need anythi…” Her words are interrupted by a slamming door and heavy paw-steps on the stairs.

Arrin Woodgreen: He’s startled by the sudden noise and he rises to his feet, placing his bowl on the night-table as he does so.

Yazeth: Fiarah’s head snaps towards her own door as the paw-steps come down the hall.  A second later, some beast pounds on the door.

Arrin Woodgreen: He tenses and moves in front of Jozra, going into ‘protector’ mode.

Yazeth: The vixen glares as the door. The nerve! Especially when ill beasts are present.  She opens the door, intending to slip out and take care of everything quietly when Nolan shoves the door open wide and Kirrian strides in.

Arrin Woodgreen: He recognizes the scents right away and he brings himself up to full height, trying to look as foreboding as possible.

Yazeth: Nolan notices Soquan and growls ever so slightly at him. Kirrian, however, being the beast she is, completely ignores the otter and addresses her sister directly. “These two have been banished from this house.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He turns away from the confrontation momentarily to check on Jozra.  It’s not like Kirran’s going to bother addressing him right now.

Yazeth: The ferret is, for a morbidly nearly appropriate phrase, ‘dead to the world.’  Fiarah levels her gaze at her sister. “These are my patients.” A simple statement but one that has the feel of a challenge.

Arrin Woodgreen: He returns to his seat, keeping an ear on the conversation. He then leans forward and rests his head in his arms, much like a child at a school desk.

Yazeth: Kirrian is a beast who’s composure is hard to break, but her sister has been a constant thorn in her side; the only one who knows how to get to her. The vixen glares. “I will NOT have these two in my house. The ferret nearly killed Dawn!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He scowls at Kirran’s words, but remains silent, closing his eyes.

Yazeth: Fiarah quirks an eyebrow at Kirrian. “Be that as it may… I hardly say this ferret is in any condition to harm anything. She needs a warm place to rest and some professional healing. I thought that’s what this house was all about? ‘A place for those who need help and have nowhere else to go?’” She deliberately quotes her sister’s own words; the words she used when she first proposed the house all those seasons ago.

Arrin Woodgreen: The world becomes less and less apparent to Soquan and he begins to drift off to sleep, the day’s events had tuckered the poor otter out.

Yazeth: Kirrian glowers at her sister. “I. will. not. have. them. in. my. house.”

Fiarah puts a paw to her brow and sighs tiredly. “At the very least can we leave this until morning? It’s raining and dark and it’s been a very long day.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Indeed it has. The otter is now asleep.

Yazeth: Kirrian is about to object when she catches the Look in her sister’s eye. The kind of look that says, ‘I’m too tired to take care of this crap and if you press the issue I’ll make it very bad for you.’ Not about to lose face, the vixen narrows her eyes at the other. “I expect them to be gone by morning.” She spins sharply and stalks out the door.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter snores softly.

Yazeth: Fiarah closes the door firmly behind Nolan as he finally follows Kirrian out of the room. She sighs and glances at the otter. No need to disturb him. Instead she finds her way to her own bed and swiftly falls asleep.

Mar 31

Chapter 47: Hypothermia

Chapter 47: Hypothermia

In Which Warms Baths And Fur Dyes Mix A Little Too Well.

———————————————————————————————

Yazeth: Presently, the vixen opens the door. She thanks the ferret, who’s name turns out to be Jinx, and turns to the pair. Unlike Dawn, Fiarah isn’t so quick to judge. She has Jinx lead the otter into her spacious room asking questions the whole time, the first, of course, being, “What happened?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He walks beside the vixen, moving the ferret again. “She fell in the river. I eventually got to her out of the water, but she was in there for a while. I kept her as warm as I could last night, and her shivering has lessened quite a bit, but she’s still really cold.”

Yazeth: The vixen pauses for a moment to check the ferret’s pulse before indicating she should be placed on a bed. Had the otter seeing eyes, he might have been surprised to find that Fiarah’s room resembled a healer’s hut more than anything else. Her living area took up a surprisingly small space amongst the bundles of herbs and other medicinal objects.

Arrin Woodgreen: He lies the ferret down carefully, although he keeps the blankets wrapped around her.

Yazeth: Fiarah, however, quickly strips away the blankets and performs a quick physical before wrapping the ferret tightly in a blanket of her own. “Hypothermia, I would say.  Jinx, go have Dysa draw a hot bath. We need to warm her up.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He looks to Fiarah hopefully. “Will she be okay?”

Yazeth: The vixen catches the obvious worry in the otter’s voice but is forced to shake her head. “I honestly don’t know. She’s managed to survive this long though, so the odds may be in her favor.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “At least there’s a chance eh?” He tries to grin, but it fades quickly.

Yazeth: Fiarah smiles and nods sympathetically. Before too long, Jinx returns to say the bath is nearly ready. The vixen turns to the otter, “Could you carry her downstairs again?  Jinx will lead the way.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and lifts Jozra gently, careful not to wake her. He follows them to the baths, his mind buzzing. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the pain in his foot.

Yazeth: The vixen follows a ways behind after gathering a few tools of the trade. The house’s washroom is decently sized and contains a halfway sunken tub that is currently full of steaming water. Jinx helps Soquan disentangle the ferret from the blanket and lower her somewhat rigid body into the bathtub.

Arrin Woodgreen: He mumbles a, “Thanks,” to Jinx and moves aside so the vixen can get close.

Yazeth: Fiarah merely checks the ferret again, though, and instructs the rattess and the ferret to keep an eye on her before turning to the otter. “Now, about your foot.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He turns away from Jozra to Fiarah. “Yeah… I kinda stepped on her knife.”

Yazeth: The vixen quirks and eyebrow but says nothing. She leads the otter to a pair of nearby chairs and has him sits opposite the otter, facing him. She lifts his leg to get a better look at the cut on his foot.

Arrin Woodgreen: He sits patiently and allows her to have a look. His ears are swiveled back as he still listens to the sounds at the bath.

Yazeth: Fiarah summons a basin of warm water and washes the otter’s foot in it. Cleaner now, she’s able to determine how bad the cut is. “Fortunately not too deep. I’ll bandage it, though you may want to try to stay off of it if you can.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “I’ll try.” He remains silent for a while, speaking up while she bandages his foot. “Thank you for doing this.”

Yazeth: The vixen nods as she finishes applying a poultice. “I’m a healer, it’s what I do.” Across the room, Dysa notices a light sheen on the water before realizing that the ferret’s paws are now quite a bit darker than they were. She prods at one of Jozra’s paws and yelps in surprise when the ferret grabs at her own hand.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan is immediately on his feet and over at the tub in less than a second. “What happened?”

Yazeth: Fiarah had been knocked over in the rush and she quickly scrabbles back to her feet from her sprawl on the floor. She’s right behind Soquan on the approach back to the tub. The rat stammers, “She grabbed at me!” Jinx noticed at the time, however, that it was more of a reflex on the ferret’s part than a conscious grab and she points this out.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods, agreeing with Jinx, and sits on the edge of the tub.

Yazeth: Dysa points out the darker paws and Fiarah takes a closer look. She raises her eyebrows in surprise and a little amusement before looking at Soquan and explaining to the rattess, “She dyed her paws a lighter color. And if I’m right, her mask will be quite dark as well.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He quirks an eyebrow. “What’re you saying here?”

Yazeth: For the moment, the vixen ignores the otter and instead scrubs at Jozra’s mask. She smiles triumphantly. “Just as I thought.” She glances at Soquan again. “Didn’t you know? Your friend is a black-footed ferret.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He raises the other eyebrow. “Really? I had no clue.”

Yazeth: Fiarah shakes her head. “No, I didn’t think you would.That’s the sort of thing she would have to tell someone if she was dying her fur as she was. How long have you known her anyway?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He does some quick mental math before replying. “About half a season now, we met a few weeks away from my village.”

Yazeth: A thought occurs to the vixen and she bids Jinx to take care of the pair’s belongings, seeing that they are washed and dried and that a room is prepared for the two.

Arrin Woodgreen: He falls silent and holds the ferret’s paw, a worried expression on his face.

Mar 28

Chapter 46: Going For Help

Chapter 46: Going For Help

In Which Soquan Returns To Kodan For Help.

———————————————————————————————

Yazeth: By morning, things are, if anything, worse. Though the skies have cleared a little, the temperature is still a bit chill and the ferret is far colder than she should be.

Arrin Woodgreen: He wakes up with a yawn, still finding the ferret asleep. He sighs, “That’s it, I’m taking you back to town for help.” He dresses and packs her pack in his. He then lifts her and adjusts the blankets around her.

Yazeth: Jozra coughs as she’s lifted, but does not wake.

Arrin Woodgreen: He fights his way through the thick bush again and after an hour or so, he finds himself back on the path. Taking note of the sun’s position — he can feel which way it’s coming from — he heads for town.

Yazeth: The going is surprisingly quick as the path is different enough from the rest of the woods that the otter can make out the way to go with little trouble.

Arrin Woodgreen: He pauses on the edge of town and takes a breath. “Well, here goes nothing.” He hails a beast on the street, asking directions to where he might find a healer.

Yazeth: The fox on the street is astonished and does more than give directions. He leads the limping otter carrying the ferret to the healer’s house. Which just so happens to be the same “safe house” the pair had left the previous night. Oh the irony.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter does not recognize the area at first.  He thanks the fox for his help and knocks on the door.

Yazeth: Fortunately for Soquan, and pretty much everyone involved, the door is opened by a young ferret who had only heard of the previous night’s escapades second hand. Unfortunately, she quickly summons a very familiar face: Dawn.

Arrin Woodgreen: He waits as the stoat runs off and he adjusts his grip on Jozra, shifting her a bit.

Yazeth: Dawn comes to the door and glares at the otter. “I am not surprised in the least.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He’s startled by Dawn’s appearance and he turns to the fox that had helped him there. “You said this was the healer’s!”

Yazeth: The dog-fox nods emphatically. “Fiarah is the best healer this town has got!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives a tired sigh and turns back to Dawn. “What do you mean, ‘Your not surprised in the least?’”

Yazeth: The rattess smirks slightly. “I never doubted that you were hurting her. I presume you fought after you left last night and this time managed to…” The young ferret, on the other hand, is shrewd enough to notice the slight purplish tinge the ferret’s ears have taken and she interrupts the rattess’ tirade. “Maybe we should have Fiarah take a look at her first?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives a nod. “I did my best to get her warm, but she’s still ice cold.”

Yazeth: Dawn fumes at the impertinence of the ferret who ignores her completely and leads the way upstairs to Fiarah’s room. Sola catches sight of the trio at one point and gives a yelp of fear before scurrying off to hide somewhere.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns and shifts the female in his arms again. He regretted his actions from last time he was here, and he didn’t want to make the mistake again.

Yazeth: The ferret knocks on the door, calling though the keyhole, “There’s a beast that needs some healing here, ma’am.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He waits, tense. What if she denied him help? Jozra might die if she didn’t get help. His jaw tightens. He wouldn’t let that happen.

Mar 26

Chapter 45: River Swift

Chapter 45: River Swift

In Which Jozra Should Really Watch Where She’s Going.

———————————————————————————————

Yazeth: The slope is steep and slick and before she has the chance to cry out again she’s submerged in the racing river.

Arrin Woodgreen: Cursing, he tosses his staff and pack to the ground and dives in after the ferret. He swims downstream quite a bit and calls for the ferret. “Jozra! Joz speak to me!!!”

Yazeth: The ferret splashes and tries to swim towards the bank but is hindered by her pack and clothing. She is dunked again and comes up sputtering and choking.

Arrin Woodgreen: Somehow, above the din of the river, he hears the splashing. He immediately dives and swims for his friend.

Yazeth: Through the chaos and the water, she spies a branch and lunges for it but misses by several arms lengths. The weight of the pack drags her down and she tries to disentangle herself from it but only gets a mouthful of water for her troubles.

Arrin Woodgreen: He surfaces again. “Jozra! Say something!”

Yazeth: Over the sound of the river, the ferret somehow manages to hear Soquan. She struggles to shout, “HERE!” over the current before sinking again.

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter catches the shout and changes direction, swimming as fast as he can for Jozra. After a few minutes of swimming and diving around the area his paw comes in contact with something cold and furry. He found her! Instinctively he grabs on, heaving the ferret above water.

Yazeth: The ferret gasps and sputters at the surface. She clings tightly to the otter, nearly dunking him once or twice.

Arrin Woodgreen: He tries to calm the ferret. “I need you to stay calm, if you struggle you’ll bring us both under. Now I also want you to point me in the right direction towards shore.”

Yazeth: Jozra squeezes her eyes tight for a second as the fresh air burns in her lungs. She peers ahead through the choppy water and drizzle before pointing in a somewhat northerly direction. Shivering, she rasps, “There.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows the ferret’s direction and after another few minutes of struggling upriver he heaves them both onto the muddy bank.

Yazeth: The ferret crawls a little way up the slope before collapsing in a shivering heap. “Th-th-thanks.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He heaves himself out of the water after her and helps her to a safer place further up the bank. He settles her down gently and stands. “I’m going to go get our things, I’ll be back!” He makes his way along the bank upstream.

Yazeth: The ferret nods jerkily in affirmation. She manages to finally detach herself from her pack before huddling into a shivering ball.

Arrin Woodgreen: He walks upstream for quite a few moments, but eventually he finds where they cut through. He gathers his things and is about to leave when he steps on Jozra’s dropped blade.

Yazeth: Jozra curls up tightly in a dripping, shivering mass. She tries clenching her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering, concentrating on listening for Soquan’s return.

Arrin Woodgreen: He swears a bit, picks up Jozra’s knife and tucks it in his belt. Ignoring the pain in his foot, he heads back downstream as fast as he can.

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head a couple of times as confusion fogs her brain.  Listening for… the otter. The otter. Why? Wait, what was she listening for again?

Arrin Woodgreen: He approaches a few minutes later, crouching beside her. “Joz? Feeling better?”

Yazeth: Jozra jerks around to look at Soquan, loosing her balance as she does so. She sprawls in the mud. “Who… Soq…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “You were in that river too long. C’mere.” He pulls her against him and stands, pulling her to her feet with him. He then begins helping her further into the bush, away from the river. “We’ll get you warmed up as quick a possible, okay?”

Yazeth: The ferret hears his words and somewhat comprehends, yet she still tries pushing away from him clumsily; a combination of confusion, paranoia and combat training.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns in concern. “Jozra, please, let me help.”

Yazeth: Feeling stiff and unable to stop shivering, the ferret finally grasps Soquan’s words and lets him help her into the brush.

Arrin Woodgreen: “Atta girl,” he murmurs to her encouragingly. After quite a while of traveling through the thick brush he finds a clearing. Good enough for him, he gently sets her down and begins to dig out a sleeping pit, not as big as before so it’ll be snug for the both of them, and deeper into the ground. He pulls out the dry blankets and whatnot and puts them in the pit.

Yazeth: The ferret continues shivering, annoyed now with her constant trembling.  Winter in the northlands without so much as frostbite and now that it’s spring she’s in trouble. She feels a sharp pang of homesickness, for the desert.

Arrin Woodgreen: He returns to her and helps her upright. “Here, let’s get you out of these. “ He begins to help her out of her wet clothes.

Yazeth: Jozra tries to help in the process but manages to do very little.

Arrin Woodgreen: After that is finished, he removes his wet clothes as well and assists her back to the ‘nest.’ He then begins to wrap the blankets around them both, holding her close.

Yazeth: The ferret, surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, is too tired and cold to protest; unless you count shivering as protesting, of course.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan tries to rub some warmth into her nearly frozen limbs. “Try to get some rest. I’ll look after you.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods jerkily and continues shivering miserably, feeling rather perturbed that she often can’t remember the name of her companion.

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to do his best to warm her, muttering comforting phrases and such to her as he does so.

Yazeth: Eventually, the ferret begins to drift in and out of consciousness and though she continues to shiver, it isn’t quite as severe.

Arrin Woodgreen: He relaxes as he feels her shivering ease up. He finds his eyelids drooping, and soon he dozes lightly.

Yazeth: Jozra’s sleep is broken and confused. One moment she’s dreaming of Azrun fletching his arrows, the next she’s aware of shivering in the rain.

Arrin Woodgreen: He wakes slightly to check on her. He moves his paw to appropriate places to check her vitals. He takes note of the constant shivering.

Yazeth: The ferret remains unconscious during this, though her dreams begin to take a rather psychedelic turn; raining sand, blind archer otters, and badgers the size of enormous trees are some of the weirder images running through her head.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns at her slow pulse and moves closer to Jozra.

Yazeth: Jozra awakens for a second, thoroughly confused as to where she is and what’s going on before losing consciousness again.

Arrin Woodgreen: He settles down closer to her. “I’ll look after you, don’t worry.”

Yazeth: She hears his words though a haze of semi-consciousness but only shivers in reply.

Arrin Woodgreen: He settles down to go back to sleep. “If things aren’t better by morning, I’ll figure something out, don’t you worry.”

Mar 24

Chapter 44: Willows

Chapter 44: Willows

In Which Jozra Blazes A Trail.

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Yazeth: A thick stand of willows borders the river and quite soon the pair is upon them.  The ferret leads a couple of false starts through the dense, whippy stalks before backing out and unsheathing her long knife. “Enough of this.” She wields the knife like a machete and begins to clear a path through to the river bank.

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows slowly, keeping within reaching distance of the ferret.

Yazeth: Jozra hacks through the willows for a while before her arm tires. Her stomach growls, reminding her that noon has come and gone an hour ago and that there’s not much to eat.

Arrin Woodgreen: He calls up ahead to her. “How’s it coming along?”

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head. “Tiring! And it’s well past time for lunch.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “We’ll stop once we get through.”

Yazeth: Jozra wipes her brow of both sweat and rainwater. Stretching the kinks out of her neck and shoulder, she hefts her knife again and renews her attack on the willows.

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows behind still, moving aside foliage as they move through the brush.

Yazeth: She tries switching paws once or twice only to find the practice quite dangerous.  Her left side isn’t nearly skilled enough with the long blade to cut through such dense foliage and in the end her dominant side does most of the work. Her breaks soon become longer and more frequent as her muscles tire.

Arrin Woodgreen: He places a paw on her shoulder. “Why don’t we stop for lunch?  You need a rest, I can tell.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods wearily and sheaths her knife. “Sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan grins and settles down right on their impromptu path. He digs through his pack, looking for a water canteen.

Yazeth: Jozra sits in a heap, wiping the sweat and rain from her eyes again. She pokes through her pack, though she has little hope of finding anything beyond some soggy bread.

Arrin Woodgreen: He pulls out the water and takes a drink before handing it to her.

Yazeth: The ferret thanks Soquan as she takes the canteen and drinks thirstily from it.  She wipes her mouth and hands the canteen back before renewing her search for some lunch in their packs.

Arrin Woodgreen: He too starts a search for something edible in his pack and gives a happy laugh as he pulls out some slightly soggy fish.

Yazeth: Jozra grins. “Well, it came from the water in the first place, right?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “True, true.” He breaks the small portion in half, passing the bigger piece to her.

Yazeth: Too hungry and tired to notice the kindness, the ferret takes the piece and wolfs it down, rather belatedly thanking the otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles at the ferret and wolfs down his own piece. After swallowing, he offers her the canteen again. “Thirsty still?”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “Yes!” She grins at the otter as she takes the canteen again and slakes her thirst. “Thanks.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “Anytime.” He rises. “Rested enough then?”

Yazeth: The ferret takes a deep breath before hauling herself to her feet. “Yeah.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He helps her up, heaving her to her feet with a grin. “Up we go!”

Yazeth: Jozra grins. “Thanks.” She pauses for a moment, reorienting herself. She stoops to heft her pack and then pulls her knife and begins again her attack on the willows.

Arrin Woodgreen: He picks up his pack as he hears her begin on the willows, he readies himself to move debris out of the way.

Yazeth: One of the willow wands slaps back and smacks the ferret good on the ear. She raises a paw to her stinging ear and snarls at the offending branch but continues on her way, hacking through the brush.

Arrin Woodgreen: He calls up to her. “Are you okay?”

Yazeth: The ferret nods grudgingly. “Yeah. The willows just decided to hit back.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “Give ’em a few swipes for me then.”

Yazeth: Jozra grins at that and gives a couple of jaunty slashes at the willows. “I’ll make sure I do!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to laugh, lagging behind the ferret a bit.

Yazeth: Jozra finally settles again into the rhythm of slicing through the brush. Soon the sound of running water overwhelms the sound of rain fall.

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows, still from a distance. He hums slightly to himself as they move along.

Yazeth: Slice, step, backswing, slice, step, backswing, slice, step… The ferret lunges backwards in surprise as her foot steps into empty air. She backpedals and grabs wildly for purchase to no avail. The rain has made the embankment too muddy for any traction and the willows, which were so dense before, are now too sparse to give her a handhold.  Jozra yelps in surprise as she plunges over the edge.

Arrin Woodgreen: He darts forward at her yelp and he lunges, grasping for her.

Mar 21

Chapter 43: Drizzle

Chapter 43: Drizzle

In Which Some Rain Falls.

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Arrin Woodgreen: The otter wakes both wet and cold. It seems during the night the weather changed and it is now raining slightly. He turns towards Jozra and nudges his sleeping, and equally soggy companion. “Joz, wake up.”

Yazeth: The ferret groans, rolls onto her back and sleepily rubs her eyes. And then wipes the water out of them. “Oh fun.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles dryly and blows water from his whiskers. “I guess we move as soon as possible then?”

Yazeth: Jozra nods. “Please tell me the food stayed dry.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He rises from the soggy blankets and cloaks. “Well I put them under the tree…”

Yazeth: The ferret staggers to her feet and shakes the water out of her damp cloak. “Doesn’t look like it’s been raining too hard, they might still be dry.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shuffles over to the tree he left the food under. “It’s no good, we lost everything but the bread.”

Yazeth: Jozra shakes her head and mutters, ‘Sandstorms!’ under her breath. “Looks like we’re back to foraging.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives her a hopeful smile. “At least it’s spring now.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods thoughtfully. “Well, shall we breakfast?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shakes his head. “I’m not all that hungry, if you want something, by all means help yourself.”

Yazeth: Jozra pulls the cloak tight about herself and digs into the pack, breaking off a chunk of bread and stuffing it into her mouth. She tries to speak around it. “Leffs gom.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The ferret’s message comes across and he packs up the blankets and heaves it onto his back. “Lead on then!”

Yazeth: Jozra hefts her own pack and leads the way back to the road, still chewing on the bread.

Arrin Woodgreen: He walks along side her, whistling the tune again from back in the mines.

Yazeth: Finally the ferret swallows. She adjusts the pack straps and glances at the otter. “It doesn’t look like the road goes much further. It keeps getting narrower and narrower.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “Hmmm… Should we keep walking after we reach the end then?”

Yazeth: Jozra peers through the spattering of rain ahead, idly shaking mud from her footpaws. “That’s the thing, I’m not quite sure where it ends. Perhaps we should try to steer towards the river. At least then we’ll be on the right side of it. Maybe we can back track after that and hook up with the road we were on.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods yet again. “That sounds like a plan.”

Yazeth: The ferret turns South and leads the otter through the trees. Thanks to the canopy above, the rain isn’t quite as irritating, but the going is still damp and muddy.

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows behind the ferret this time, letting her watch out for branches and rocks for him.

Yazeth: Occasionally, the sun breaks through and shines weakly on the waterlogged landscape. Jozra takes her bearings from these moments of illumination and keeps their course roughly southerly. Eventually, up ahead the sound of running water can be heard.

Arrin Woodgreen: He perks up as he catches the sound of the close by river. “Can you hear that?”

Yazeth: The ferret glances at the otter. “Hear wha… Oh. Yeah, I can. Thought it was the rain or the wind at first though.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles. “We’re close then.”