Stumbling from the Armada and into the trees, Hazel feels worse than ever. Her search for Spider coming up empty, but at least her kid knew that she was looking. She was here, she was back, and she wanted to see them. Still, there'd be no lingering in the Col. Practical reasons-- Hazel wouldn't be getting anyone sick. She wouldn't bring that upon them, especially not her siblings. They didn't deserve that. There would be no divulging her own illness, no making them feel like they had to drain their resources for her benefit. Not with winter already starting to creep in around the edges, frost killing off the herbs.

No. She won't stay. She can't.

There are impractical reasons too, things that she refuses to face. Things that she should say, but only to the right ears. The only one she knew who would listen without judgement was hundreds of miles away.

Fuck, she missed her mom.

Wylan's news, the tree house having fallen... she needs to see it for herself. More than that, she needs to be inside the hollowed tree. It's the closest she can get to Halo, and the closest she can get to being okay. Nausea rocking her system, she knows it has to do with the worm. No training as a healer, but she'd seen what Halo would do for the various ragged and wormy creatures they brought her. Seeing it and knowing how to fix it are two vastly different things, but... ah fuck, what would even be left?

It takes a great deal of strength to drag the remnants of her home from the base of the tree. With a yelp, she throws out her shoulder in the process. Pain only fueling her, spurring her on. Around her, sleet beginning to fall. It's slow at first, but Hazel know it will only pick up. Every mangled branch pulled away comes with a grunt, a snarl. Rage, hurt, loss, all swirling in her stomach and driving the ache deeper into her sides.

At last, she's able to clear a small path to the door. A deerskin still hung in place, though it flapped feebly in the wind. Grumbling to herself, Hazel clamors into the small space. The den had mostly been cleared, but there's still enough tinder to start a fire. It's small, but at least it will heat the space and dry some of the sleet from her coat. Now... where were those fucking jars? There had to be some buried.

They'd been put beneath the dirt to cure, and Hazel was familiar with all the places. Though one of the jars was cracked and empty, a few more were in drinkable shape. Two honey dandelion wine, two strong, clear spirit. The best way to get rid of the worms? Drown them, probably. It's the best way she can think of. Drinking on an empty stomach wasn't for the weak, but at least that's something she wasn't. The first jar of mead goes down fast, and goes down sweet. Already feeling fuzzy, Hazel pulls the deer skin tight over the door, secures it on the nail that Mortis had put up so long ago.

With nothing left to do, the girl collapses beside the small fire and drinks.

Hazel, The General

table coding by bunni ♥

Redrum watched from the shadows, golden eyes gleaming like molten gold, narrowing as they followed the woman’s every movement. She stumbled, wretched and alone, and he couldn't decide if her plight amused him or sparked something else—a flicker of curiosity, a tug of understanding he couldn't quite name. His muscles twitched involuntarily, a shiver running down his spine as he inched closer.

When she dragged herself into the hollowed tree, he paused just outside, the sleet glistening on his crimson coat. His claws flexed into the dirt as he debated his next move. Finally, he stepped forward, a growl barely audible in his throat. His voice came after, halting and uneven, as he let himself be known:

"Hello?" He cocked his head, a predatory glint in his eyes softening only slightly.

Redrum didn’t wait for her to invite him in—he pushed through the deerskin, ducking his head to peer inside. The firelight danced across his features, and he blinked slowly, taking in the scene. His muscles went taut, and his nose twitched as he inhaled the sharp tang of alcohol and the faint smell of sickness.


"Murder"