Walk | "Talk" | think

In a way, this was better than before.  Acceptance had felt the right thing to do but this would give him a task to focus on.  Really the rage burning in Art at his words and the guilt in the back of his mind felt better than the pain from before.  Rudy would just let the impulse and the anger keep him going.  It was suddenly so much either to appear confident.  His strides quickly took him towards Gwynn’s room and hoping mom would be asleep.  It would be easier to ask Gwynn than Tamsyn.  Mom would hurt more answering.  Really, Gwynn might also and he didn’t know if either would know but best to make sure.  If it turned out there was only a day or two for sure then leaving was pointless.

Rudy would head to Gwynn’s room then just call in, “Hey, Gwynn, Can I talk to you a moment?” His voice wasn’t overly loud, just enough to make sure Gwynn should be able to hear him.  Sitting down, mind focusing solely on the task at hand Rudy waited calmly.

After the fight her mother had gotten herself in with Sirius, Gwynevere found herself watching over her even more closely. It was something so reckless to do in her condition and it made her worry even more. Sure, she’d gotten another little bite to deal with and had completely worn herself out in one go, but what worried her more was the mental state that would make her want to do something like that. She didn’t believe that Sirius would actually injure their mother, but she also could have never believed that Resin would either and here they were. She didn’t know what to think, but she was tired. So, so tired. She hadn’t slept well since she began treating Momma and with her mother currently asleep from some of the pain medicines she had given her Gwyn was trying to catch a small nap as well.

However, as she hovered on the edge of sleep she heard her brother call for her and when she lifted her groggy head and opened her eyes she saw his head poking in through the ajar door. She glanced toward their mother and saw she was still sleeping so she stood and walked out of the room, gently closing it behind her as she fought back a yawn. “What is it, Rudyard?” she asked with a curious glance, settling back on her haunches. She still spoke fairly softly, not wanting them to disturb Tamsyn.

"Gwynevere" | "Eilwen"

Rudy was grateful it was only Gwynn who responded.  Whether or not Tamsyn knew the answer to his question she was in enough pain without having to state how long until mom died.  What was horrible to think of was even worse when voiced.  Sure, it would be painful for him and Gwynn but mom was surely suffering all the more, right? “Hey Gwynn.” Rudy’s gaze flickered back towards the door as he imagined mom hurt in there and that he wouldn’t be watching over her for a bit.  As it had been pointed out plenty of others in the pack were watching over her.  He’d leave mom in their care for now.  “I need to know Gwynn, how much time do you think mom has?  You know until she’s gone?  Do you have any hope?”  Well, it had been going to be one question but the last part came out anyway.  Did Gwyn see any possibility for mom to live? When Rudy had looked into mom’s eyes he’d seen certainty and acceptance.  He had imagined the pain and fear to be felt over hurting and nearly killing someone she loved.  Was he wrong?  Was there a cure out there?  Was he the only one in the litter accepting mom’s words as truth? "Rudyard"

She listened to Rudyard's question and didn't immediately follow what he meant. In her sleep deprived brain she was still too focused on Tamsyn to connect what he was saying to Resin. Unlike Rudyard and Artorias she hadn't gotten to see Resin since before the attack and hadn't really allowed herself to think farther than just keeping Tamsyn in one piece. There was a beat of silence as her mind put things together and then the recognition showed in her expression before shifting into an even more tired, worried, sadness as she sighed and looked toward the floor. "I... I don't know. I really don't. I..." She glanced toward the closed door that blocked them from where Tamsyn was still sleeping.

"I'm just barely keeping up with Momma... I..." She couldn't fail them. She couldn't. She glanced back toward Rudyard, her ears flicking. She didn't know why he was asking and she just didn't have it in her to question him on it. With a sigh she added, "From what Eilwen told me, it just depends. It could be months, could be a year, could be more. Since this all came on so suddenly... Maybe on the shorter end of that spectrum. But not even Eilwen is all that knowledgeable on it." Her raven had been the main source of a lot of her teaching so far and she trusted her opinion on things whole heartedly, but even her knowledge only went so far.

She gave him a skeptical glance after a moment, feeling tired, so so tired, as she told him, "Don't do anything reckless. I... I can't handle any of you getting hurt right now."

"Gwynevere" | "Eilwen"

Walk | "Talk" | think

Poor Gwynn.  He hadn’t wanted to burden mom with this but he really hadn’t wanted to burden Gwynn either.  Hell, if it was up to Rudy then he’d try to avoid the painful subject with anyone but it was a necessary question.  The first answer worried him.  She didn’t know.  If he left and she died tomorrow then it would be pointless and a poor time to be gone.  If it was months then he Rudy had plenty of time to go searching.  

Rudy’s ears flattened at Gwynn having to work hard for mom.  “Thank you Gwynn.  I mean, I know you don’t need thanks cause its mom and all but still.  I’m real glad you became a healer and seem to have learned a good amount already.  It’s better mom has family treating her than just another doctor.  Not that the other healers here aren’t nice but, I know it being you helps her.”  It was the best he could offer and it might mean nothing.  Lately words appeared to fail Rudy.  It was times like this he felt more like the child he was instead of the adult he wanted to be.

Rudy wasn’t sure how to feel about all the time she might have. In a way that was good for giving them time to look for an answer but it was bad if that meant mom just rotting down there that long.  Rudy had assumed it would be a month at most so this was both blessing and curse depending on the viewpoint.  “Ok,” he turned to walk off then glanced back and offered her a diluted version of his impulsive smile, “Me? Never.”  The smile faded after, “I know now isn’t a time for making things worse.  Don’t worry.”  That was true.  Fortunately one's definition of terms like reckless could differ considerably.  

He almost asked Gwynn to let mom know he loved her when she woke up.  If he said that Gwynn might think he was up to something so that message would have to wait until he returned.  “See you later.”

Gwynevere smiled faintly and glanced away with a shy uncertainty as Rudyard thanked her and praised her for being a healer for their mother. She wasn't certain that she had been the best option for her mother's healing and there were still some serious doubts that she had in herself over weather she had done the right things, but all in all she supposed Momma was alive and healing so she couldn't have done terribly. The wounds just looked so bad and guilt riddled her from that. It was hard for her to accept that the wounds had just been that bad and that they would have horribly scarred one way or another, but that wasn't something she had the energy or mental capacity to work through right now. "Thank you," she replied simply, deciding to just take her brother's sweet words and not try to deny them right now, even though she denied them within herself.

As soon as Rudyard had his answer he began to walk away, but paused when she told him to not be reckless, looking back at her with a bit of his signature grin. She scoffed softly and shook her head when he responded as if he had never, ever done anything reckless in his life and managed a bit of a smile. If there was one thing she had to give her brother credit for, it was for being able to brighten pretty much any situation with a bit of a joke. She appreciated when he grew a bit more serious though and assured her that he knew it wasn't time to make things worse. Him telling her not to worry though was useless, she would always worry, but she still nodded quietly in agreement.

She watched him go as he told her that he would see her later and she nodded again, not thinking much of it. "See you later," she said in return as she got up and walked back into her room, quietly closing the door behind her once more with a sigh. She had kept herself and their mother closed off from the rest of the castle for the most part and for now it would stay that way. She didn't have it in her to address anything else that was going on and she certainly didn't think it was best for their mother to either - though Tamsyn had already proven that she was far more willing to face these things head on than she was. A healer versus a fighter, she supposed.

"Gwynevere" | "Eilwen"