RP:Aftermath

Summary: Lionel just happens to ever so conveniently find Meri a short time after she is bitten by a mystery werewolf. He lends a hand and helps a friend back home.

Overlooking Trees

It was a fine day in the Kelay-Sage area. The sun was just starting to set, birds were chirping pleasantly, the weather was at that welcome pleasant tipping point between Fall and Summer, so there was a cooler evening breeze tonight. It overall seemed like a pleasant time to enjoy a stroll through the forest, maybe that is what Lionel was doing right now. Trying to clear his head, a head that seemed to be rather muddled up at the moment. Meri has been inhabiting the forests of Kelay-Sage with Callum ever since they participated in Valrae's resurrection. It's well known where exactly they reside, but to someone like Lionel it's no secret they're out in these parts. Somewhere. It's not Meri that Lionel is greeted with but a new sound mixing in with the normal forest pleasantries. It sounds like the hooves of a horse falling against the earth in the not-too-far off distance. If Lionel decides to investigate this noise, he'll be greeted with a familiar looking gray mare who is without her owner and confused as to which way in the forest would lead her home...So she is just frantically running from various points in a clearing indecisively. Which way was home? Where was Meri? Kadence did not know.

For Lionel, a muddled head was perfectly ordinary. No amount of sunset traipses would ever be enough to grant him true clarity. He knew that, and he walked anyway. Nature was a blessing he had always treasured. To beat a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the cities, to evade the demands of the citizenry, and to pretend he was just another bird, or fox, or pack of wolves -- it couldn’t clear his head, but it did make him smile. He spent time leaning against a great oak tree, arms resting lazily upon his kneecaps and a book cradled between them. He read Esche’s most recent reports of the warfront, the last things the elf had written before his disappearance. He searched for clues to his whereabouts and, failing to find any, replaced the journal with a tome on the radical theories of an ordained minister. The minister had serviced various Catalian towns before the fall, and he’d proposed that it was not divine intervention that dictated the appearances of animals but some kind of gradual transformation. He’d once, drunkenly, claimed that even humans and elves followed similar tracks, at which point an elf drew a knife and ended the poor sob’s life right then and there. The legend of that minister had spread far and wide, and Lionel, hoping to find calmness with his writings, had ordered the book brought to him in Cenril. Unfortunately, Lionel had only succeeded in focusing on the minister’s untimely demise, and so he had found no respite in the writings at all. A short time later, Kadence appeared, rousing the Catalian from his thoughts. “Ho,” Lionel said. He waved his arms gently and snickered at the horse, procuring some feed from his traveler’s satchel. If Kadence approached, he would feed her and try to pet her, and silently begin a trek deeper into the wilderness in the hopes of finding her owner.

Were Meri privy to what Lionel is reading, she would probably focus on the untimely demise of the minister as well. There is no peace to be offered by a tome with contents such as that, the moral of that story is that people typically suck. At least that is what Meri would pull from the story. Kadence is not so easily charmed by the Catalian. The mare has a soft spot for food, but it has been some time since the horse has encountered Lionel and she is currently in a panicked state....Which does not say much. Surely Lionel must recall how jumpy this particular creature was during their trip out to Venturil. He was wishing Meri brought a less obnoxious steed with her on that particular day. It would take some coaxing from Lionel's part. He'd have to whisper some sweet words to the mare to get her to settle down, promise of something tasty like an apple might help, but the minutes would still have to be spent building up that trust with the horse. If he'd spend the effort, Kadence would eventually cave, approach, and allow him to lead her by the reins. Finding Meri from there would be another task in itself, but after a search Lionel might be able to locate the horses owner at the base of a tree somewhere deep in the forest. Next to her is a pair of tanned boots and a dress. No, they're not her clothing. Meri is still fully clothed, and when does she wear dresses anyway? They're Alvina's but realistically they could belong to anyone. It would not take much of an inspection for Lionel to figure out Meri is not pleasantly napping away and did not accidentally misplace her horse. Her left leg is obviously bloodied and freshly mangled by....something. By the looks of it, Meri the loss of blood has been significant enough that she gave up trying to limp her way back home -- especially after her horse bolted. She's fine though, really, she's a werewolf now, it's just a little flesh wound. She'll get better.

Gradually, Lionel was able to coerce Kadence into tepidly accepting him. He was no famed horse whisperer, but he understood the need to speak softly and avoid any sudden movements. The apple he used by way of an offering was freshly-picked and deliciously sweet, a delicacy for even the most timid of horses. The Catalian knelt beside the horse, sifting through the leaves for signs of a trail. It took them more time than he’d have liked; the sun had dipped beneath the treeline and the sky had taken a purplish tint before he found it. Following it was easier than finding it, and as the first stars lit up the encroaching night sky, Lionel and Kadence came upon the wounded woman’s whereabouts. Without announcing his presence, Lionel dug deep into the cloth sack draped across his back and withdrew a linen wrap and healing herbs. “Easy,” he said to Kadence, extending an open palm in her general direction for soothing. If Meri hadn’t noticed him already, she probably did now. “I’m here, Meri. I’ll get you patched up. I have supplies.” He approached her, leaning down in front of the woman and laying the herbs down gently near -- but not on -- the wound. If she allowed it, he would then procure a bitter-tasting poultice and, rather than having her drink it, he would drip a small bit of it over the mangled leg. It didn’t hurt. It soothed the wound and eased the bleeding, allowing him to run the healing herbs over it and then tie them gently to the leg with the linen wrap. A canteen of water was held out in front of Meri; Lionel clearly hoped she would take it. “Can you walk? And is whatever did this to you still closeby?” He didn’t ask Meri what had happened. There were more pressing concerns.

Meri didn't stir for Lionel straight away, but it was obvious that she was living so there was no need for extreme panic in that regard. When her eyes did open, she was not at first a willing patient. She was not a hostile one either. She blinked at Lionel a few times and regarded him with a most confused stare, it did not take her memory long to piece the details back together. Once the fog has lifted, she was far more compliant, drinking the canteen of water as Lionel tended to the injury. Little did he know that after a solid night of sleep she would be right as rain, his efforts are well placed but also in vain. "I don't think so..." Meri frowns, contemplating. There was a temptation to name the beast that attacked her, but anyone with a lick of common sense would know what that bite meant if she did. Would Lionel care? She did not think so. Was she ready to accept what this attack meant yet? Definitely not. "I think it took just as much of a beating as I did. I think it ran off." Could Meri walk. The woman shakes her head. "I could have probably made it home if my damn horse didn't go running off..." A glare is sent toward Kadence, but all parties know that Meri does not really mean it. That horse is precious to her. "Really, let's just get a bandage on it and get me to Kadence...I think I will be able to make it home from there just fine." A beat. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

Lionel nodded. He glanced behind them, his blue eyes scanning their surroundings. He believed Meri, but he hadn’t survived for 31 years without taking a few precautions along the way. There was a rustling sound due west, which caused Lionel’s muscles to tense and his left hand to flick toward his sword, but the culprit proved to be naught but a particularly large squirrel. He reached out with both arms upon request, keeping his knees loose and pressing his feet deeper into the forest’s fertile soil. “Up you go, then.” He took her in his hold provided she didn’t resist, and carried her across his arms with only a little strain. Lionel was not the strongest of warriors, more nimble than beefy, but he had enough strength to bring Meri where she needed to be. He let her down softly upon the saddle, leaving his arms extended behind her back until they were both certain she wasn’t liable to fall off. “I was wandering,” he said with an easy smirk. “Keeping tabs on enemy activity within the area, too, but since Kahran and his minions have vanished without a trace in recent months -- which is most assuredly not the end of them, but only a lull -- I wasn’t likely to find anything. And I didn’t.” Lionel didn’t know where to go, so he elected to follow Meri two paces behind her and to her right. He needed to know what had done this to her if he was going to be of any real protective worth. Unaware that she wasn’t ready to divulge that information to him or even herself, he asked the obvious question. “What did this to you, Meri?”

Excuse you, Lionel. Meri is going to resist. If there is one thing....okay, there are a number of things that Meri is just not keen on, but one of those things that she is not keen on is being carried around like some dainty and defenseless dame. He gets to offer assistance, she'll accept him letting her use him as additional support -- like a crutch, while she stubbornly tries to walk her way back to Kadence with her good leg. She might be accepting of a bit of a lift up on to the horse, but no. Lionel is not carrying Meri. Once she is situated atop Kadence, she's not sitting up straight like she normally would. She's hunched forward, like it takes too much effort to hold herself up, but she had to. How was she expected to get home otherwise? Meri nods at Lionel's answer, and then the subject shifts back to her and what put her in this state. Rightfully so, this is a reasonable response on Lionel's part. Meri still does not want to answer any questions. At first there is silence from the woman, long enough that Lionel might wonder if she heard him or if she is just blatantly ignoring him. She finally answers. "Cal and I like the location of our home kept between as few people as possible. I'm not entirely sure he'll be keen on you knowing." Her initial answer seems to have nothing to do with what Lionel wants to know. There is another moment of silence before Meri finally gives him the answer he is looking for. "Werewolf. I'm pretty sure whoever wears that dress and boots," that Meri has drug along with them, "is probably the same werewolf that attacked me."

Lionel wasn’t terribly surprised Meri refused to be carried, nor was he especially plussed. She was stubborn, after all, and the wound was bad but it didn’t appear to be completely debilitating. He lent her as much help as she was willing to accept and said nothing of it. The initial words out of Meri’s mouth, however, prompted him to sigh. “If necessary, I suppose I can blindfold myself with one of those linen bandages.” If she glanced at him, Meri would likely discern that he wasn’t truly put-out by the remark, but the sarcasm was still dripping. “Callum is welcome to scold me, Meri, but I’m not leaving your side until you’re safely home. Later, if he isn’t home to greet you. You’re a friend, and I won’t abandon a friend whose leg has just been mauled by a werewolf.” The implication of a werewolf attack wasn’t lost on Lionel, but there would be time for all that when and if the woman was comfortable discussing it. He had no desire to push his luck on the subject. The big squirrel reappeared in front of them, crunching on a nut almost half the size of a pinecone. A cat by the underbrush kept a safe distance from Lionel and Meri as she trotted along toward a stream. With nightfall, it became difficult to discern paths, and Lionel could only hope Meri had a keen sense of her surroundings or Kadence was adept at bringing home unguided. A wolf howled in the distance, and as moonlight shone down from a break in the clouds, the irony was not lost on Lionel.

Meri didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to talk about much, in fact. Moments of silence have never been abnormal between Lionel and Meri. It might even be something that they mutually appreciated about their friendship, they did not always have to be filling the void with useless prattle. Tonight there was silence because there was something weighing heavily on Meri's mind. It was obvious what. Lionel knew what. Lionel was the only person who knew what right now. Would Meri tell Callum any time soon? She is not entirely certain -- he could be so weird about some things to begin with. Would he still accept her? Meri didn't know. Maybe she would somehow be immune to the curse behind the bite. The thought that the bite did not take is nothing more than wishful thinking. The two would not be traveling long, the sun would have just barely dipped beneath the horizon, that wolf would have just loosed it's howl, and then there was a home before them in the short distance. It seemed to blend it with it's surroundings, having been consumed by vines and other plant-life. There was no light seen from any of the windows, suggesting that Meri was the first one to make it home for the evening. Which gave her plenty of time to try and clean up and hie her injuries from Callum, hopefully. Meri and Lionel would near the front door of the home, and once there Meri would dismount Kadence. She'd stand there and face Lionel, regarding him with a sincere, "Thanks, Lionel. For everything. Do you mind doing one more favor before you go....? Can you stable Kadence?" That was a lot of work for gimpy, at present.

The silence between them might have been deafening, if it hadn’t been so customary. Lionel understood Meri’s reluctance to open up about the bite. Her life had just been changed irrevocably. In the past, when Lionel’s life had changed irrevocably -- which happened more times than he liked -- he was rarely in a mood to talk about it either. The sun, which had just set in the west, had risen in the east early that morning. The house, which was halfway hidden beneath the vegetation, remained where Meri had left it. These things were immutable. As was the lycanthropy. When Meri dismounted her horse, Lionel lingered nearby in case she fell, but he knew well enough not to make his actions too obvious. It was understood between them, just like the lycanthropy, that he would be there to help her if she fell. As he would be for any friend. He didn’t need to announce it. He was relieved when he didn’t need to do it, too. “Of course I can. You’re certain you’ll be alright? Here, take some more herbs and a fresh wrap for later. I’ll remain within the vicinity for a little while longer, so you’ll forgive me if I keep tabs on your house just in case.” The “just in case” hung in the air awkwardly. He offered her the herbs and wrap before taking the horse’s reins. Stabling Kadence was only as hard as Kadence made it; no more, no less. The horse was jumpy, but the promise of another apple might have helped Lionel to ease her burdens. “I know,” he whispered to her as he finished stabling her for the evening and prepared to set out on his way. “It will be alright, girl. You’ll see.”