Swift River Bury me beautiful

Yes, @Aquene would know what to do! Even amidst his panic and exhaustion, the thought brought Leo some comfort, his erratic breathing calming a bit. But his mind was still racing, trying to collect all the things he needed to tell Nori before she left; Nash need’s to know! But what exactly? He couldn’t keep it all straight, much to worn out to compose a proper message for his leader. Meanwhile, Nori seemed eager to get going, far too calm and her reassurance for the paranoid boy to feel any relief. But then she shifted, seeming to wince a little as she licked her shoulder; She’s hurt too…! It was an odd realization, something that hadn’t even crossed his own mind until now and he felt bad for not noticing. All this time he’d only been thinking about himself and how she could help him, never pausing to consider her side. “O-of course,” he rushed to answer, teeth starting to chatter from pure exhaustion; “T-take all the t-time you need! Will… You be okay?” It sounded ridiculous, even to his own ears, asking about her when he was on the verge of passing out himself, but he wasn’t about to ignore her injuries, no matter how minor in comparison; Maybe we should both stay here… The thought was disheartening, but he would never ask her to risk herself for his sake; Better we both wait then… Someone else would come, surely! Thoughts ”Speech”

Coccineus, annamae22, stock-ashleyrwatts & Dawnthieves.de

What a sweet guy. He was quick to turn his worry on her, which she hadn't intended on doing to him. Nori's eyes softened a little and she shook her head. "I'll be fine, really," she assured, moving a little closer to lay down, herself. Positioned somewhere between him and the entrance, just so her larger frame could hopefully block any monsters that might still be lurking about. "Nothing a little nap won't fix."

She lay her head on her forepaws, watching him. He looked so tired, but she didn't need to point that out for him. It looked like he was halfway to sleep, actually, and only after laying down did she realize she actually was exhausted.

Huh. Maybe a nap would do her some good, too.

She yawned, eyes falling shut for a moment. It was shameful, really, struggling to stay awake while she should be protecting someone - should be getting them help. Archer's panicked face flashed behind her eyelids when they closed, forcing them back open and causing her heart to speed up. Had she even had a full night's sleep since he'd died? When was the last time she'd slept?

"You'll be okay, too, right? If I sleep for a little bit?" she asked him, throat tightening. Would she wake up to him dead and cold beside her, and more news to tell a grieving family?

Would she fail someone else, just because she was a little tired?

(This post was last modified: Jul 01, 2024, 03:43 AM by Nori.)

Again, she was quick to reassure, and this time Leo couldn’t help but narrow his eyes a little, trying to judge if she was being honest. “You’re sure?” he asked, though between chattering teeth and overall exhaustion, the real concern was hardly discernible in his voice. And as she laid down, Leo’s own eyelids grew heavy, her yawn infectious though he tried to suppress his, afraid of the pain it might cause. He had been halfway asleep the whole time they’d talked and so he expected unconsciousness to come easily, but his mind was still reeling. The image of the ghost, bloodied and broken, yet still creeping towards him with an evil grin on his face, was so clear in his mind, he had to force his eyes back open, just to make sure he was still safe. Nori too had opened her eyes back up, their gazes meeting in the low light. Was he imagining the pain in their honey depths? Or perhaps she too was haunted by something keeping her awake. Her voice did sound a little hoarse, though that could just be exhaustion too, and Leo forced the thought from his mind to focus on her question; I’m sure it’s all in my head… She did look tired, that was for sure, and the wounded guardian was quick to answer back: “Yeah, I’m good I…” A thin smile returned to his face, weak but genuine as he added: “Nothing a little nap won’t fix.” Thoughts ”Speech”

Coccineus, annamae22, stock-ashleyrwatts & Dawnthieves.de

His eyes narrowed at her, and Nori couldn't help but be grateful he was so tired, because if he wasn't, she wondered how observant he could be. She was going to be okay, and she knew that, but it would probably be harder to convince him of it if he wasn't exhausted. It was very kind of him to be so concerned, though, and she wanted to comment on it - what a gentleman! - but she couldn't quite muster up the energy to play right now

It was strange that she wanted to, though. How long had it been since she felt light enough to tease and jest without barbs in her words?

"I'm sure," she assured instead, letting her tail thump on the ground a few times. "Don't worry - I've had it for a few days." If something bad was going to happen, it would have already, and she hadn't meant to worry him about it. His injuries were far worse than a wound inflicted by an upset yearling.

Shame briefly prickled at her, but she chased it off. It wasn't the time.

Nori found herself looking back at him again. There was something in his gaze that felt familiar - like if she were to look at her reflection, she'd see the same thing in her own eyes. He gave her another quick response, reassuring her, but she didn't genuinely feel any better until his next statement, echoing what she'd just said - joking. Not panicking or apologizing or giving her messages to take to his family, but joking and smiling, no matter how mild it was. It startled a soft laugh out of her, easing the tension coiling in her body.

"I wonder what wise wolf could've said that," she played back, a smile on her own maw. With that tension removed from her, it was more difficult to keep her eyes open, so they slowly drifted closed. And this time, there were no haunting faces behind her eyelids before she fell asleep.

A few days, huh? His own wounds were a few days old by now, but that didn’t make them any less severe. Still, she sounded very certain, and he was out of energy to question it; What do I know anyway? He was no shaman or medic; Just a useless guardian… But he didn’t even have the strength to disparage himself, his thoughts moving as if through thick honey, and his whole body heavy as a rock. His eyes were drifting shut again when the laughter bubbled from her lips, wrapping around him like a warm embrace, calming his frayed nerves. Golden eye slit back open to look at her, his own smile growing brighter at her words. “Someone brilliant, I’m sure,” he answered in a mumble, amusement evident in his voice even if he couldn’t muster a proper laugh; And pretty… He added silently, the last thought before sleep finally enveloped him completely – a pleasant darkness without monsters or ghosts. Thoughts ”Speech”

Coccineus, annamae22, stock-ashleyrwatts & Dawnthieves.de