RP:Freedom and Independence

Part of the Something Wicked Arc

Summary: An encounter with an enormous bear in Frostmaw's wilderness leaves Encara's right arm violently mauled and her tiny drider companion half-crushed, but she's luckily able to find the aid of Zahrani, a kind Paladin of Cyris and healer, to save Khova's life and heal her own injury.

Frostmaw Tavern

Zahrani quietly labors in the tavern, the panther feline using some sort of divine power to heal some superficial injuries on a young giant. Giants are sturdy, but they're still vulnerable to infection if a cut is left untreated. The paladin wears a simple garb, a sleeveless shirt, insulated pants, and boots covering a black-furred, well-conditioned and androgynous form. Cyan eyes scan every inch of the work she does, ensuring she didn't miss anything. Drargon seems pleased with the fact that there is someone in the tavern willing to heal for free; it was the least the giant innkeeper could do to put her in a room while she stays here. The uptick in business hadn't escaped the retired warrior's notice either, but he would make no mention of that.

Encara loathes this place. It is full of noise and pungent smells, flickering lights, and far too many large, inebriated giants for her liking - if she was seeking somewhere to relax, she would not choose the tavern. She is here out of necessity, however, having heard from passers-by in the streets of a healer who works for free. Slipping quietly in out of the cold, Encara pushes back the hood of her cloak, exposing fair but androgynous features to the warmth of the firepit… and to a couple of suspicious sideward glances, but the half-drow pays the onlookers no attention. She's used to it. Ruby eyes scan the gathered patrons for a trace of the healer while she steps around a couple of men near the door, careful to keep her wounded right arm folded close against her chest and tightly wrapped up. When Encara spots the feline her nose scrunches faintly in distaste, but she's quick to realise they're exactly the person she's looking for - the ranger slowly approaches the table, sparing the young injured giant only a brief look before dismissing him entirely. "I heard someone was offering free healing," she addresses the feline bluntly. "If that's you, I require your… assistance."

Zahrani carefully pulls the young giant to his feet. The panther stands slightly below 6', roughly 2 feet shorter than her patient, but she's still almost 200 pounds of solid cat. A feline ear turns towards Encara as she speaks, blue orbs locking onto the ranger's crimson gaze after the paladin turns to face the newcomer. An amulet of Cyris rests on her chest, a simple string cord holding it about her neck. Despite the harshness of the half-drow's eyes and voice, Zahrani offers her a warm smile, the kind you'd normally give to an old friend you hadn't seen in a long time, before she responds, "Of course...tell me, what is it that hurts you?" Her voice is a tenor, with that warm feline roughness to it.

Encara has encountered these big cats before. Her mother is particularly fond of hunting them, and the walls of her House are adorned with the pelts and fangs of such beasts. It is almost strange to see one living, moving around… but she makes no mention of that. Without asking for an invitation, Encara slides into a seat at Zahrani's table as soon as the giant vacates the spot, but it is not her own arm she offers to the healer first. The hand not wrapped in bloody, makeshift bandage delves into the satchel at her side, withdrawing a small creature that fits easily into her palm and is handled with great care. It is a male drow with the lower body of a spider, the carapace a solid, shiny black - a drider, but a fraction of the size. Normally he'd be skittering all over the tavern by now, chittering away to himself and generally being a nuisance to everyone— instead, he barely moves as Encara sets him down on the table between them. "Heal him first, he's… he needs it more than I do," she says, keeping her gaze fixed on her tiny companion. His delicate, spindly little legs are all broken or missing segments, and his humanoid arms appear to be in a similar state if the swelling and twisted appearance of the flesh is anything to go by. "He was crushed," explains Encara softly, though she does not elaborate as to what's responsible for both her and the drider's injuries.

Zahrani sees the way Encara holds her arm, but then her attention is focused on the small creature pulled from the ranger's pocket. Without a word, she takes a seat across from the half-drow, a look of inquisitive concern on the feline's face as she inspects the damage to the tiny drider. "Oh, my. You poor thing..." She takes note of the swelling on the drider's fleshy bits, as well as the damage to his legs and exoskeleton. "I'll need a few minutes." With a soft exhale from the panther, a pale cloud of divine mist appears to engulf the small creature. A small dome of amber light extends from her large paws, cocooning Khova in the healing power. Her eyes close, a silent prayer in her mind as she communes with Cyris.

Encara scrunches her nose again when the magic-infused mist begins to form around the diminutive drider, and sniffs as though trying to withhold a sneeze. She remains quiet, allowing the healer to focus on her work, watching with something close to intrigue as Khova twitches faintly - limbs untangle themselves and twist back into place, his broken legs extending until they're no longer shattered and squashed. He's still missing a few segments, but he'll have to regrow those on his own, over time. The light eventually dims after Zahrani has been at work for a couple of minutes, leaving Khova lying on the table in a deep slumber, still looking a little bruised but undeniably whole and healthier. Gently, wordlessly, Encara traces a fingertip across the back of his abdomen, before moving him aside and making enough space to place her arm out for Zahrani's inspection. Crude bandages peel away to reveal a nasty series of cuts in the half-drow's forearm, deep slashes of red against her grey skin - the wounds are wide and almost bone-deep, but Encara does not react to the throbbing pain of it, her expression unchanging, as though carved in stone. "…A great bear," she says eventually in a half-hearted attempt to explain.

Zahrani breathes calmly, observing the damage to Encara's arm. Her face is just as neutral, her nares flaring slightly at the smell of blood and old bandages. "This should be a little bit easier...you don't have an exoskeleton." She exhales again, mist and divine magic dancing in strange fractals across the wound, stimulating flesh to heal rapidly and skin to close. "I'd recommend a hearty meal and lots of water," the feline says matter-of-factly.

Encara's lips quirk a touch at that and she flashes Zahrani a rare grin, though it isn't entirely pleasant. "That you know of." Still, she shuts her mouth again and lets the healer repair her arm, divine magic washing over her skin and bringing with it a faint tingle of warmth, like the touch of summer sunlight. She isn't sure if she enjoys the feeling or not. Torn muscle and nerves are stitched up, and Encara watches her own flesh knitting itself back together with a sort of morbid fascination - she looks up once Zahrani has completed her work, considering thanking the feline for her help, but then Khova gives a pronounced twitch from beside her and Encara's gaze drops to scrutinise him. It seems he's dreaming. "What about him?" she asks after a short pause, and there's almost a hint of concern laced through the words. "I will be fine, but he's… small."

Zahrani finishes her work on Encara, turning back to the drider. "He'll likely be hungry as well. Let him eat his fill, probably 50% more than he normally eats in one sitting. He'll need water and warmth as well, especially in Frostmaw." She continues to watch the small being with fascination. Something that small must have an incredibly high metabolism to keep from freezing to death, or at least have some sort of environmental protection. The paladin turns back to Encara, offering another smile and asking, "Is there anything else I could help you with?"

Encara sighs, "He's voracious enough as it is." She seems a little relieved to hear he'll be okay though. Warmth won't be a problem, she thinks to herself with a slight frown toward Khova - were the drider awake right now, he'd surely be nestling into some part of her clothing, be it inside her hood, on her shoulder, or in one of her pockets. She's given up on trying to keep him off of her. Zahrani's final question earns a shake of the head from the half-drow. "No, I don't think so, but… it must wear you out too, using all that magic." After flexing her fingers a couple of times to ensure the feline didn't botch her healing, Encara shrugs her shoulders and sits back in her chair. "I do not like being indebted to another. If there's something I can do to return the favour, tell me." Even if it's just buying her a warm, hearty meal.

Zahrani leans back in her own chair. She is certainly tired. She had put in some time at the warrior's guild training area today, as well as her healing services. She looks back at Encara, a weary smile on her face before she responds, "If you wish to return the favor, I will not refuse a meal. I can go some time without eating, if I'm forced to...say, wander through a desert like I did last year, but when there's game and opportunity to train..." The cat could scale a wall in steel plate armor, and it shows in her physique. One might have mistaken her for a male at first glance, and some strangers often do. Either way, she could put away a full meal without any trouble, especially on days like this. The feline reaches up to gently brush one side of her face, a thin scar nestled in the fur on her cheek. She then adds, "My name is Zahrani. Who, may I ask, is the lovely person buying me dinner?" A feline grin follows the question.

Encara nods to that - exchanging food for the help will settle her mind and keep her from thinking about the debt so much, even if she does not feel it is truly suitable compensation on its own. It doesn't take long for the half-drow to catch the attention of a passing waitress and make an order, while listening to Zahrani speak of travelling, hunting, and training in the wilderness. Three things she is very well-acquainted with, but the location… "What were you doing out there?" It's an oddly inquisitive moment for Encara, who does not typically care what other people — especially surfacers — get up to, but she finds herself curious - what could be so interesting about such a desolate, harsh place that'd drive someone to explore it? Encara has never seen a desert before, but she knows they're pretty much all sand and drought and endless, burning sun. Awful, if you ask her. "I am Encara Val'thyrion," she says after a moment, blinking at being called 'lovely' - it is not a word she's used to hearing in relation to her. "A ranger… mercenary, mostly. This one is Khova." She motions to the tiny drider, still sleeping near the hand she rests on the table. "We are both… grateful for your help, Zahrani." These are not words she uses often, if her reluctance in speaking them is anything to go by.

Zahrani smiles at the waitress, ordering a simple, but high-calorie/high-protein, meal. Something involving venison, a side of brown rice and beans, probably some Winter-berry juice. The waitress smiles and gives the feline a gentle scratch on the head. The panther makes a friendly chuffing sound, like a big cat's version of a purr, eyes closed as she leans into the affection; she had been receiving a bit here and there from her patients as well. After the woman leaves to deliver their order, the paladin returns her gaze to Encara, a sheepish grin on her face before she responds, "Nice to meet you, Encara. And you as well, Khova." To the half-drow's question, the feline adds, "I was in the desert on a pilgrimage. I am a paladin of Cyris, looking to serve any who might have formed settlements out there. We learn to survive almost everywhere; we don't really have a homeland."

Encara watches the interaction of the waitress and the feline without comment, reminded of the way Khova sometimes chirps when she pets his head. She sincerely hopes the giant doesn't attempt to scratch -her- behind the ears— which, thankfully, does not happen. Encara isn't sure she'd have the energy to fight it off right now anyway - her limbs feel leaden and there's a gentle haze settling over her mind, the after-effects of the healing slowly sapping her strength. Normally she would worry about that, but at the moment… she is tired, and hungry, and getting something to eat sounds much more inviting than heading out into the cold. Food is quick to arrive at their table, plates piled with generous amounts of steaming hot meat and sides, served with big cups of deliciously warm juice, and Encara wastes no time in digging in. She's not particularly graceful about it either - hey, she's hungry. Zahrani's final comment strikes a chord with the half-drow and she pauses briefly, then starts, "Cyris is…" but quickly trails off. Her knowledge of most surface gods is patchy at best, unfortunately.

Zahrani tucks into her meal, grinning at the other woman's eagerness to chow down. After a bite of venison topped with beans and rice, the feline says, "Cyris is the God of Freedom and Independence." She keeps her sentences short, since they both seem eager to eat.

Encara says between moments of tearing a chunk out of some bread with her teeth, "That sounds… good?" Yes, both of those things are good. "A more worthy god to follow than most, I suppose." The idle chatter and, more likely, the smell of food, is enough to pull Khova out of his dreams - slowly, the drider picks himself up on shaky legs and regards Zahrani with curious, beady black eyes, before he promptly scuttles over to the edge of Encara's plate and turns to look up at the half-drow expectantly. A tiny chirp escapes him and Encara sighs, offering an adequately-sized piece of meat to her strange companion.

Zahrani smiles at the small drider, before turning to Encara once more. Taking a sip of juice, the panther adds, "Well, I know that Cyris and their teachings have helped me greatly. I use the freedom given to me for others, those who are in greatest need. I train, so that I am not easily bound in my movement, and I study whatever I can, to stave off chains of ignorance." When she finishes her meal, seeing a human woman approach with a limp, she stands and goes to her. The woman is guided to her chair, and as the paladin attends to her injury, she says to the half-drow, "Thank you again for the meal, Encara." She smiles, getting back to work once more.

Encara offers Zahrani a faint smile. "You're a wiser surface-dweller than most, then." She sticks around for long enough to finish her meal, occasionally feeding scraps of meat to Khova for him to hungrily devour. When they're both comfortably satiated, the rogue stands and gathers her things, her little companion climbing up to nestle in the warmth against her neck, tucked under the hood of her cloak and chirping contented, utterly unintelligible things in her ear. Turning to Zahrani before she leaves, Encara dips her head in a brief nod that's equal parts polite and grateful. "Maybe I'll see you around, Zahrani." With a glance to the woman in the feline's care, she almost adds, 'don't work yourself too hard,' but quickly shuts her mouth - spinning on her heel with a huff, the half-drow heads out into the cold.