RP:A Late Night Need

Summary: Lanara and Elioyahazer are woken from their slumber in the small cottage in Sage Forest. The visitor is none other than Venin, the caretaker of Lana's animal sanctuary, and she comes to bring dark tidings. King, the mascot of the sanctuary, is near death, after an encounter with another in his enclosure, and they have to leave right away to perform surgery on the majestic lion. Sadly, their efforts are futile, and Eli has to perform a mercy kill, which sends the witch into hysterics.

It’s nearly midnight, when there’s a loud pounding against the front door of the small cottage. The wooden door shakes, as though threatening to splinter, and Lana unravels her tiny frame from beneath Eli’s form, and slips a robe over her shoulders. The couple hadn’t gotten much done today, as they spent their morning at the guild headquarters. Eli had organized the late Riordan’s cache of weapons, and had gotten to work on his newly appointed position, and Lanara had worked on the inventory, and then napped for several hours. She had woken with her head on the assassin’s lap, as he read a book, and gently ran his fingers through her chestnut locks. It was so incredibly sweet, and it was all she had thought about the rest of the day. She went to the bank, then dropped some coin at the funeral home, and then they had an early dinner which they both prepared, while pawing at each other in the tiny kitchen. The rest of the evening… Well, it was spent doing much of what had kept them up the night before, and this brings a naughty smirk to Lana’s lips as she hesitantly unlocks the door. Was it Taly? Had she forgotten her key? Or, perhaps it was Krice, dropping off some more donations for the Guild? It was neither. A dark-skinned woman scowls as she catches sight of Lana, “I’ve been knocking for a good ten minutes! It’s about time you roused from your slumber!” The elf rolls her eyes, clearly used to the antics of the appointed caretaker, and not at all bothered. Venin was excellent at her job, and she had insomnia, along with an endless supply of energy. The perfect combination for a full-time job at a demanding place. “What’s wrong?” She tries to keep her voice down, as she doesn’t want to wake Eli, though she refuses to invite Venin into her home. Meanwhile, Venin has figured out that Lana isn’t alone, and she’s trying to peer over the elf’s shoulder, her eyebrows arched, “Ooh you’re getting busy? I mean, you are too busy to do your job?” She scoffs, relenting, as this was her boss she was giving lip to, “It’s King. He was trying to mate with one of the new lionesses and… Well, it didn’t go well. You know he’s an older alpha, and our sanctuary veteran… He’s not as young or healthy as he was in his younger years… Anyways. His injuries are dire. I thought you’d want to come and say goodbye, or maybe try and use some magic to save his life.” Lanara slams the door in Venin’s face, races into the bedroom, and scrambles for some clothing. She doesn’t even match, she’s in that much of a hurry, and as tears stream down her face, she realizes that she’s all alone in this rescue. Her vet tech had recently wed and was on his honeymoon, and the other had left the facility hours ago! Sniffling, Lana tries to wake Eli, those big brown eyes welling with tears as she tries to explain, “I need your help. King… One of the big savannah cats… He’s in big trouble. I need you, Sandman.”

Just because it’s nearly midnight doesn’t mean the assassin is asleep. No. How could he, with Lanara turning their cuddling session into a pretzel making demonstration? His joints were sore, and his neck stiff; there's only so many ways the body can contort. And that’s not just from what had kept them up so late, mind you. With a groggy sigh, Eli stretches and yawns. His feet shift out from under the covers and dangle over the side of the bed until he leans forward and plants them upon the floor. He had heard nothing of their conversation, and wouldn’t pry, but his mind is somewhere else. The sandman needs to find some facilities as he suddenly feels like a camel - nearly bursting. When Lanara returns, it’s to an empty room, but not for long. It’s only a second when a still yawning Eli meanders back into their quarters. King? What is she talking about? She’s not sleep walking is she? Man his mind is supremely groggy. Though he realizes that she’s actually getting ready… And in mismatched clothes, at that. Perhaps he’s just being slow? They did live behind the animal sanctuary so maybe, just maybe this isn't a dream. Wait. Now he gets it. She needs his help. “Okay,” Eli nods and slips on a pair of pants. “Just let me get a sharp knife.” I mean, what else would she need his help for? Lana might just glance over that detail. Eli with a knife isn’t exactly breaking news. In fact, he is usually armed. That woolen sweater is pulled over his torso and he finds himself following her lead, right out into the field. “So what's going on with the cat?” He is still clueless to how this savannah cat is in trouble and why she needs his help. All he knows is that she asked for him to be there, and he will.

There are no words from the witch as she tosses her long hair into a messy bun, shrugs into a pair of sneakers, and tearfully leads Eli to the shelter. As soon as they enter the establishment, they are assaulted by shrieking birds, barking dogs, yowling felines, and a few shrill wolf calls. Although it’s a place for animals, both domesticated and exotic, the facility is immaculate in appearance. Not a single strand of fur mars the tile floors, the enclosures are free of any waste, and the faint scent of vanilla is firmly rooted in the air. One day, she plans on giving the desert man an actual tour; so that he can see the extent of the place she poured her heart, blood, and soul, into the past year. A tapestry of Lanara, hugging a black cat, hangs to the rear of the building, and he’d read the plaque that listed her as the founder, and that this place was a gift from her little sister, Talyara. He’d take in the many departments, from the infirmary, to the nursery, to the adoption offices, to the countless animal enclosures. Aisles upon aisles of cages, a few pens lined in the center with puppies and kittens seeking attention, and little receptacles for donations, all add to the friendly atmosphere. There were nearly three hundred animals in the facility, at this moment in time, though the elf is unable to speak at the moment, so a tour would have to wait. Venin glares at Eli as he walks beside the founder, not liking the large knife. Was he here to slaughter their mascot?! Pushing through a set of double doors, into the sterile operating room, Lana stops short, as she takes in the sight that awaits. King lies on his side, a bloody mess, and his entire stomach had been ripped open. Intestines are spilled onto the floor, his moaning in extreme pain, and slash marks line his sides and face. His left eye was missing, and in her heart, Lanara knows that they’re too late. All the magic in the realm wouldn’t save this poor lion. Tears spring to her eyes, and she knows that she must –try- because it’s her job, and she loves this big, lovable, king of the forest. “Oh no… No, no, no…” King lifts his head, squints his good eye, and roars at Eli, knowing that even in his near-death state, the male didn’t belong. Lana, however, has zero fear of this feral animal, and she drops to his side, pulls his massive head onto her lap, and gently runs her fingers through his mane. “Shh… It’s okay. He’s here to help, okay? Stay with me King. Please, stay with me… Remember when I rescued you, a few months ago? You mangled that back leg pretty badly, huh? But I patched you up. And you pulled through. You’re a damn warrior.” She’s openly sobbing, forgetting that Eli is a few feet away, and that Venin is peering through the glass window, witnessing the woman’s moment of sheer vulnerability. “I love you. You’re my guy, you know that? You’re my big, dopey, lovebug. I’m going to try to do all I can, okay?” She tries to pull herself together, and after a few moments, she places a chaste kiss to the lion’s muzzle, and he falls into a deep sleep once her empathic powers encourage him to rest. “Um. I need… Uh…” She’s a mess, clearly. Venin, seeing the hesitation, wordlessly enters the room, arranges the necessary medical supplies onto a metal tray, and leaves the room as swiftly as she had entered. “Okay. Sandman. Um. I have to wash his intestines, recoil them, and then, uh, put them back into his body. Okay? There will be a lot of blood. But you have to apply pressure. Do –not- let go. Once I start to burn the wounds, to close them and slow the blood… He will wake up and likely attack. I… I need you to trust me. It’s his only hope.”

The assassin can barely muster the wherewithal to understand the entire situation. Sleepiness still clings to his mind like cobwebs; a sticky mess that no matter how many times you wipe away, it remains tickling your senses. The only thing he understands is that Venin is glaring at him; but even in his half asleep state, Venin might catch his walk and posture as something experienced and dangerous. Eli, even on a subconscious level, is not a man to be messed with. Thankfully, she doesn’t even bother to ask questions about his presence or that rather sharp knife sheathed at his side. He didn’t really have any reason to carry it, but he’d prefer to walk around naked with a knife, than clothed and without one. His multicolored eyes take in the sights, without word. His footfalls are silent, despite the pace of which he moves beside Lanara. When they finally enter the room and this Lion is sprawled out, cut open, reality kicks in. He doesn’t know how important this creature is to Lanara. He can tell that she is suddenly distraught. He also knows that she has a certain connection with nature's creatures, which he has already been privy too numerous times. His eyes go wide when it roars in his direction. How did it still have the strength to be so protective? His mind tears away from the sight before him when Lanara gives him directions. She needed him to what? Clearly she understands there is no saving this poor thing, right? He’s nearly in disbelief. Does she really believe that she can heal this mess? He confused and worried, but gives in to her demands without warning. So be it. She asked for his aid, and Eli would get elbow deep in this creatures blood if needed. When Venin enters the room and provides the tools needed, he nods and takes up position near the slumbering beast; his jaw clenching tightly. This isn’t going to be easy. “Understood.” This is all that he can muster in these moments. Eli prepares himself by rolling his sleeves up literally and dives right in to apply all the pressure that he can, where he is directed as needed. He is certain that pressure is needed to keep those intestines inside, until she can mend the wound. “I’m ready.” Eli stands next to the creature, ready and willing to provide the aid she requires, but is this really the best thing for him? Why was he attacked in the first place? Are her magics that effective? There are far too many questions, and zero time to answer. He only hoped that her skills worked, for the lions sake and hers. Otherwise, this might cause further, and unwanted mental stress on his partner. Not to mention unwanted and unneeded suffering on ‘King’.

Lanara could swear that she saw a flicker of emotion in Venin’s normally grumpy expression, and that doesn’t bode well with the witch. It meant that the caretaker had the same thoughts as her, and that King wasn’t going to pull through. The lion was the first animal that she had rescued. Poachers had set up traps along the desert, aiming to catch a rhinoceros, as their hide was the strongest which to make armor. However, they had snared the majestic feline, and seeing the incorrect animal trapped, they had left him. Sure, they could have used him for the meat, but the villagers didn’t intent to lug the carcass several miles, and likely attract the rest of the big cats in the area. So, poor King was left in the trap for days, dehydrated, starving, and his rear paw riddled with infection. Most healers would have taken one look at the animal and either left him to die, or put him out of his misery. Lanara, however, had done neither. She saw those long whiskers, the swishing of his tan tail, and that golden gaze, and immediately she had arranged a team to help her ensure their passage back to the sanctuary in Sage Forest. The rest, was history, and King had become too docile to be returned to the wild, though he wasn’t exactly domesticated enough to be placed for adoption. Lana had dubbed him the sanctuary’s ‘mascot’ and people came from near and far to donate to her cause, as well as to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking beast. King would even give paw on command, through the bars, and he took treats very gently. The witch is thinking all of this as she works, and she briefly tells King’s tale to Eli, though her words are fragmented, her tone is husky from so much emotion, and some parts wind up being repeated. After the intestines are rinsed with saline, three times, she slowly begins to recoil them, being extra careful with the thinner pieces. A small dagger, with the blade held beneath a flame to sanitize, is then inserted three inches into the animal, so that the blood flow would be momentarily redirected, as they work in unison on shifting around the cat’s organs, packing the wounds, and making internal stitches with threads that would dissolve in the near future. Lanara falls silent as she can feel King’s heart rate slowing, dramatically, and she lifts her head to look at Eli. The two of them were covered in the feline’s blood and gore, up to their elbows, and Lana had a thin film of sweat above her brow and tears streaming down her suddenly pale cheeks. Both of them were exhausted from the week’s events, and having been woken up in the middle of the night, to play the role of a veterinarian. The witch feels terrible for having dragged the assassin into this ordeal, but there was no one else. “Okay… So, um, now, I’m going to cauterize his wounds. He –will- wake up. And, he will –not- be pleased to see us both covered in his scent, causing him pain. So, please, just hold the wound closed, okay? No matter what! Just… Trust me.” She had warned him, at least. Most of the time, Lana would just dive in and to hell with any consequences, so it’s a sign that she cares more for this man than she lets on. Closing her eyes, and using her own life’s energy along with her magic, the witch begins to hum, soft and steady. Her heart rate slows, as King’s begins to pump wildly, her hands are held out and above the animal, and the smell of burning fur stings their nostrils. The lion roars, loudly, spit flying from his mouth as he lifts his head and gives a dazed glare to Eli, but something in King’s expression is –very- off. His heart rate slows, despite the magical suturing of his wounds, and the fight has gone out of his eyes. King was ready to leave this realm. Slowly, he shifts position and crawls over to Lana, laying his big head on her lap, covering her slender thighs. The witch trembles, still humming, trying to force life into the cat, but it’s to no avail. As her eyes open, a faint glow makes those chocolate hues look gold, though the light fades as her hands lower to clutch at King’s mane. The tears continue to flow as King’s breathing slows, and at the same time, both the witch and the lion look up at Eli. It would be a long night of suffering… Unless someone was strong enough to put the faithful companion out of his misery. Lanara points to a spot on his abdomen, and without words, asks Eli to do this for her, as she knew she wouldn’t be capable. At his nod, she’d lift King’s chin in her palms, look lovingly into his eyes, and then rest her forehead on the space between his eyes, both of their tears mingling. “I love you, King… I’m so so so sorry.”

Elioyahazer has a million random questions running through his mind at this particular moment. What the hell did this to her pet and why? Though Lanara’s broken responses and partial stories fill him in on the majority of what happened. Of who King is to her, and his past. Suddenly he’s realizing that this Lion is more than just some pet to her. King is more of a symbol for the life she had chosen. He was a mascot for her sanctuary. The emotions are plainly etched on her face, yet he doesn’t remark upon them, for now is not the time. There had to be a better time to ask how she is then during a procedure. Instead, Eli is elbow deep in the creatures vitae, keeping everything she stuffs back in, held together with pressure. It's the first time he’s ever been part of a surgery and it's a good thing that he isn’t afraid of blood or perhaps his own innards would be out on the floor as well? When that Lions roar comes once again, Eli nearly cringes. With his hands placed as they are, he can literally feel the build up of pressure and assumes that an attack is imminent. But he doesn’t let go. Odd. However, the Lion has different plans, and when it shifts, Eli tries to keep her work in order; he fails to do so. He can do nothing but watch the interaction between Lanara and King. His mismatched gaze shifts to Venin who is most likely watching from the other room. But his attention falls back to the interaction between the subject at hand; the witch and her lion. A bloodied arm raises in frustration, and swipes over the desert borns forehead, effectively smearing his features with warm liquid. He understood what she needed. What King needed, and so, he moves into action slowly. Once her gentle words are over, and her apology has been given, Eli’s knife, which stays hidden from view, sinks into the spot indicated. It was all over for King in a mere breath. Eli’s jaw clenches, twisting the knife once to ensure its hasty demise. He isn’t heartless mind you, and can see the pain etched over Lanara’s features, and right now all he wants to do is get her into his arms. The knife is pulled free, wiped and put back into its sheath. “I’m sorry Lanara.” His pained expression doubles the sympathy he is feeling for her. He had a feeling that he was in for a very long night.

The tears continue to fall, and it seems as though they will never cease, as the brunette comes undone with her forehead pressed against the large cat. King’s eyes close, he takes his last breath as that knife is twisted into his tender liver, and he dies in the arms of the only person outside of the animal kingdom that he’s ever truly loved. His head feels overly heavy on her lap, and Lana knows that the life has left her first rescue at the sanctuary, her beloved mascot, and the ‘king’ of Sage Forest. Gut wrenching sobs escape Lana, as she goes hysterical, shrieking and gasping for air, her tears dampening the lion’s mane. “He, he, he’s gone…” Her wailing reaches the ears of Venin, and the caretaker enters the room and immediately calls for two men to come and carry the animal and deposit him into an enchanted ice box. The burial would be another day, when the founder was capable of composing herself, and addressing the employees and fans of the majestic cat. Meanwhile, the two custodians are struggling to pry Lana’s bloody hands from the animal, fighting the weight of the lion, along with the witch that they are practically dragging with his frame. Neither male as the nerve to tell Lana to ‘let go’ though dragging her through the gore and into a makeshift freezer wouldn’t do, either. The two exchange a look, before ‘Hobbs’ draws the short straw and aims to grab Lana by her upper arm, and forcefully hold her in place, as the other tugs the lion a few inches out of her grasp. “NO!” The feel of this man’s fingertips on her flesh draws Lana’s attention, as she hadn’t seen them enter the room. He’s also the ‘new’ guy around the sanctuary, and all she is seeing is red. Literally. Blood is soaked into the floor, all over her clothing, and up to the elbows of Eli and herself. King lies dead on the floor, being poked like he’s a science experiment by a custodian, and this other male had the audacity to force her out of mourning?! All she wanted was another minute with the animal! So, in pure Lana fashion, she snatches her arm back, elbows the male in the groin, and sprints from the room. The tears are blinding, and she nearly collides with Venin, who mutters a ‘sorry’ and can’t quite meet the woman’s gaze. Lana isn’t having it, not here, and not now. She didn’t want comfort. She didn’t want her employee’s treating her like she was losing her mind. King had meant something to her, and she couldn’t just let this pass without incident. Minutes tick by as the witch fades from view, and before long, everyone is looking for her in the spacious sanctuary. King has been placed into the designated ice box, the custodian’s have cleaned the operating room, and directed Eli to a wash basin where he could rinse the blood from his form, and Venin has arranged a search party for the missing founder. Eventually, all of them would figure out where she’d gone, and head there, fearing the worst. King’s previously occupied enclosure houses two lionesses, one of which was the reason for his fatal end. Lanara hadn’t gone there for comfort, nor had she gone for vengeance, as they’d think. Nala couldn’t be held responsible for behaving like the beast that she was, however, she’d learn not to tango with the true alpha of the herd. Lanara lies in the sand, staring up at the ceiling, her clothing having been ripped to shreds, though her privates remain covered, and the blood upon her frame is that of the late lions. The enclosure is humid, as each has been enchanted to mirror that of each animal’s natural habitat, and a film of sweat is visible on her body. Kaia, the innocent lioness, lies atop a thick tree limb, shaking from head to toe, while her vivid green eyes stare down at Nala. The one to blame lies in the fetal position, meowing like a kitten, teeth marks in her left ear, and her belly somewhat bared for all to see. Nala is now the epitome of submissive and as Lana lifts her head to peer through the enclosure and at all those that have gathered they’d see that the lioness rises, and drops into a bow, knowing her place in –this- kingdom. The witch shakily rises to her feet, exits the enclosure, and wonders how much they all had seen. Had they saw as she paraded around on all fours and faced off with a fierce lioness? Had they seen when she chomped down on the sensitive meat of Nala’s ear? Would Eli judge her for her actions? Was Venin angry that King had passed away? Would she fire Hobbs in the coming days? All of these thoughts run through her mind, though she doesn’t voice a single concern. All she does is wrap her arms around Eli, and whisper, “Will you please bring me home?”

Who would actually think that an assassin could care? Certainly not even Eli believed himself capable of such things. His training had kept his inner world well guarded. But, even now, he finds the past crumbling beneath the vision of Lanara in this moment. He doesn’t know her pain or even truly understand it. That is until he remembers the death of Jez, the woman who spent all that time raising her little assassin. Could the life of an animal compare to the life of a human? In this particular moment, he believes that it does. Words don’t even grace his tongue; he has none which might ease her pain. Even with her violent outburst against the custodians, Eli says nothing. When they try to show him to a wash basin where he might get cleaned, he shakes his head in response. What’s the point? His clothes are soaked. He stunk of bile. A light washing wouldn’t cleanse the blood from his flesh like dirt or grime. Instead, he’s off on a hunt of his own; tracking Lanara. The skills from which he has built his entire life upon are put to use. She may have said nothing about where she was going, but a man trained to see blood can follow it’s trail easy enough. And soon, the desert born is just outside of enclosure watching Lanara’s display of dominance. She probably doesn’t notice his presence at least not until the others arrive to see her near naked frame lying within the sand. He puts a hand up, to ward the others off. Eli would handle things from here. He was still a bloody mess, and she is as well - despite those torn up clothes. They needed a bath, badly. But if she didn’t care, he didn’t either. Without words, his arms wrap around her waist tightly. A soft response is whispered into her ear. “Yes.” Once again his mind is assaulted by a plethora of questions. Questions which might need answering. “I’ll take you home.” His mismatched eyes shift to the trio, who are most likely standing by. “Can you get her a blanket to cover up, please?” Before long, Eli, is guiding her home, whether she takes the blanket which is brought to her or not. His watchful eyes, barely leave her for heartbeats of time. What could he say to her? He finds his own hand grabbing for hers - he hoped some semblance of presence, of touch might help her stay grounded.

Lanara doesn’t even know how she had gotten home, but she finds herself sitting on the edge of the sofa, covered in blood, with a blanket wrapped around her shaking body. Her encounter with Nala had left her trembling to the core, her mismatched clothing in tatters, and with an ugly scratch down the center of her back. She wouldn’t need stitches, as she had won the dance of dominance with the lioness, but she’d have to clean her back to prevent infection. She’d also have to thoroughly bandage all the claw marks that had lightly grazed her torso, and rinse the gore from her body. Right now, though, she’s too numb to do much of anything, aside from cling to Eli’s hand. After an hour of just sitting and staring into space, she slowly sips from a glass of water, and meets his gaze. “We need to wash the blood off… And then… Maybe… I can sleep in your bed, tonight?” Lana’s brown eyes swim with tears, and she shifts on the sofa so that she can openly sob in the assassin’s arms. It was going to be a very long process, filled with heartache, healing, and rinsing the evidence from their flesh.