Aresenn's muscles strained as he carried Absinth over his broadened shoulders, her weight a heavy burden after the setting fatigue from his own earlier fight. Not that he would allow himself to falter- certainly not now. Blood, deep crimson that blended into his fur, trickled down his back from her side and hip among other injuries- he hadn't been able to get a good look at her. His own wounds pulsed with a throbbing ache, remnants of a skirmish that had left his face marred and battered from Sephiran's wicked canines. He could feel the puncture wound with his tongue on the inside of his lip- the tracks of Sephiran's canines having left wicked lacerations across the bridge of his nose and what felt to be to his cheekbone on the opposite side of his face.

However, the adrenaline continued to course through his system, an untamed fire that simmered just beneath the surface. Rhazien had been lucky he stopped when he had- the brute's narrow escape from retaliation lingered as a stroke of luck- or incited by Sephiran's warning, rather. For Aresenn's determination was far from satisfied; he felt an insatiable desire for vengeance, a craving for blood, and the desire to deliver retribution in his own savage manner.

Yet, amidst the chaos, his focus remained fixed on Absinth's well-being. His steps were resolute as he navigated through the Polar Sound, every stride purposeful as he sought the witch's healer den. Though the ties between Aurelia and the turmoil they now faced were tangled, she remained the only other individual who could possibly help, save for the orchestrator of this entire event- Sephiran, who he wouldn't seek out at the moment had his own life depended on it.

The entrance to Aurelia's sanctuary lay nestled between the roots of ancient trees, though he didn't take much interest in the aesthetics of it. Only vaguely aware that a thin trail of smoke traced its way from a source burning within to the open outside air. He forced himself through the opening, careful to ensure that Absinth's additional height could clear the threshold without being jostled too much. HIs eyes didn't adjust right away, but he was certain she was in there. "YOU!" He snarled, blinking through the dim lighting and fragrance of burning herbs. "It's not enough for you to be a miserable bitch? Everyone else has to be miserable with you? Is that it?" Through his snapping growls, he had begun to lower Absinth off his shoulders onto one of the thicker collections of moss on the ground. Satisfied with her placement, Aresenn immediately turned back to Aurelia. The amusement was evident in her expression, clearly finding entertainment in their present situation. He was far from joking.

Aresenn was quick to invade her space, pressuring her with his own form as he backed her up against the wall. "I'm going to give you one opportunity to fix this." He seethed. The threat was far from an empty one, though he wasn't entirely sure what would be an effective means of motivating her.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Aurelia moved with a measured grace in the quiet confines of her healer's den, the air thick with the earthy scent of herbs and the soft glow of muted daylight filtering through the entrance. The shelves, adorned with carefully arranged bundles of freshly harvested plants, held the accumulated wisdom of countless remedies. Her practiced paws brushed over the array of offerings, nails tracing the contours of leaves and petals as she assessed the stock at her disposal. She found her peace among the medicinal nature of plants. Unfortunately, that peace was easily broken.

Aurelia's gaze flickered up from the assortment of herbs she had been inspecting, the tranquil atmosphere of her healer's den disrupted by the tense entry of Aresenn, Absinth's battered form cradled in his grasp. YOU! The snarl that tore through the dimly lit den caught her attention, and as the accusatory words spilled forth, a smirked cracked her features with brightened hilarity at the exchange. “Oh, it’s certainly enough. But you know how the saying goes, misery loves company.” As the unspoken context became obvious, she came to the conclusion that the execution of the presented injuries- the state of Ms. nosy-passerby with her partially flayed hide, and the facial lacerations marring (who she assumed to be) Aresenn’s scowled expression- were committed by Sephiran. Or at least, on his order. If it was considered to be at the fault of her own, it must be in regards to the retribution of the conversation that ended with ‘do a better job at killing yourself, or stop shitting out your mouth.’ Served the bitch right.

Aurelia observed in silence as Aresenn carefully lowered Absinth onto the moss-covered floor, his actions revealing the urgency of his predicament. The atmosphere shifted as fiery brute, fueled by a potent blend of anger and desperation, invaded her personal space. The healer was backed against the wall, trapped between his imposing figure and the hard surface. I’m going to give you one opportunity to fix this. She couldn't help but laugh at his threat. “You can give me as many or as few opportunities as you like. I wouldn’t touch her if my life fucking depended on it.” The irony of her words was certainly not lost on her.  

"Aurelia Veratti"

As she spewed her own hatred back at him, Aresenn couldn’t help but narrow his eyes. His lip curled up to expose his teeth ever so slightly in a frustrated snarl. Looking around the den, he could tell a lot of work had been put into it. She had to care about something. With a shift of his gaze, his attention found on the small, smoldering altar towards the opposite end of the den. It was where the incense was burning in the embers … but with a bit more fuel, he wondered what kind of blaze he could stoke. Leaving her where she stood, he crossed the room with aggravated intent, wedging a paw atop the herbs organized into pockets in the wall, and with more force necessary, scattered the contents over the floor with an attempt to fuel the dying flame. He could hear Aurelia's furious voice, but the words were lost on him. He wouldn’t be stopping until his point was made. He scattered two or three more organized stacks worth of medicinal remedies that he didn’t recognize before he started collapsing entire built-in shelves themselves. Sticking his forearms in the divets, and pressing down on the aged channels of dirt with as much weight as it required to cave them in. It was surprising how shallow they were. The smoke was beginning to cloud heavier- he wasn’t aware of what Sephiran’s toy had been doing behind him. But it was only when he had heard the magic words did he stop. Finally, A little cooperation.

"Aresenn Praetor"

As she answered his obviously annoyed stare with her own of satisfied amusement, she narrowed her eyes to mock his own expression. However, as he suddenly turned away from her, her gaze was replaced with curious interest … that is, until it registered with her what his intentions were. “What are you doing?” She asked, following him to the end of her herb store near the burning incense. The only answer she got was him abruptly stopping, cramming a paw into one of the shallow pockets and throwing out all of its contents onto the floor and in the direction of the slow burning altar. “Hey! What are you- Stop!” Aurelia yelped as she scrambled to clear away the scattered dry herbs from the red glowing embers. She was quick enough to rescue most of the stock, but a few of the ones that had landed too close were beginning to ignite around the edge. She looked up just in time to see more of her collected herbs floating through the air and onto the ground- quite a bit more landing near and around the sparking flame. With each new addition it only added to the white billowy smoke that filled the enclosed space. “Stop! You fucking idiot! You’re going to suffocate us all!” She seethed at him, scrambling to kick some of the damp moss over the top of what was beginning to burn in an effort to suffocate it. That seemed to address that problem, but there was still the giant mess he was making in the process. “STOP!” Aurelia screamed in a rage, lunging for him in an attempt to come between the brute and the stock she had collected. It was no use. But in doing so, she managed an unobstructed view of Aresenn, beginning to crumble the structure of the organizer.  She watched as he caved in three of the divets like it was nothing. “Stop!!! Okay! Okay! I’ll do it!” Aurelia pleaded, fighting to insert herself between him and the herb store once more. But as soon as she agreed to treat the other girl, Aresenn stopped his destructive rampage. As he looked at her expectantly, she offered him a snarl of her own. She held his glare for a few more moments, before crossing the den to examine Absinth. But not without one last insult under her breath. “Asshole.”

"Aurelia Veratti"

Pain. The offbeat rhythm of her own heart rang out in her eardrums – the organ struggling to bring Absinth out of the shock her body was in. Yelling, far away and yet so painful against the headache that made her feel dizzy even in her unconscious state. Blood dripped from her nose with every labored breath she took, but she did not awaken. Oblivious to the gamble Aresenn was making in forcing Aurelia’s hand to render her aid. Of the destruction he was causing in her comatose wake.

But all that did not matter to Absinth at the moment. No. She was lost to nightmares that had their claws in deep, like she was being strangled all over again by Rhazien. It was not a vivid assortment of painful memories, how would she even begin to recall things like that? It could have been easier said that every moment before she ran away from home had been one of suffering. The damaged woman began to stir, eyes closed as she half whimpered, half snarled out a weak response to whatever it was that tormented her mind. “Please. I don’t.. want to. I won’t…” She choked, blood splattering out from her maw and nares, onto whatever was in its path. It could have been her blood, it could have been Rhazien’s, who would know? She’d had her skull slammed into the ground too many times, her nose bleed was evidently spilling back into her other pipes.

wormwood

With a deep sigh, she started to move. Stepping over the scattered remnants of her carefully tended herb store, she approached the quietly sobbing girl. Whoever had been in charge of delivering the punishment, had done a thorough job. Now as Aurelia looked at her- really looked at her. She took in the most prominent wounds. Absinth's nose was still draining blood to some degree. Even against the black fur of her face, she could see the glint of crimson as it matted her fur- could see the spray as she made an attempt at clearing her nasal passages with the sudden bout of coughing. Ughhh … that wasn't good. Tracing the edges of the girl's frame, her attention then settled on the bite at the side of her neck. It was fairly deep, and certainly needed to be addressed. But the most concerning injury of all was the laid open skin at her side, exposing the webbing of muscle in places. Yeah. That needed attention, asap.

She quickly came to the conclusion of which wound took priority, and moved to grab a wad of some of the damp, clean moss. Moving closer to Absinth’s side, she began to clean the area around the flayed flesh as gently as she could- though she was certain that there would be no avoiding further pain. Aurelia’s movements were careful, and with steady procession regardless. Once the area was fairly saturated, she began dabbing at the wound itself, making her best effort to remove any contaminants that might hinder the process of healing.

Turning back to her store, Aurelia moved to prepare a poultice- gathering several herbs as she passed them by. Among them were comfrey, to help with the tissue-regeneration. Calendula as an anti-inflammatory. Lavender for a little pain relief among others. Once satisfied with her collection, Aurelia began the process of meticulously crushing the dried plant matter into a powder of sorts to create a base. And for a thickening agent, she added a little honey that had been freshly harvested. With the poultice ready, Aurelia returned to Absinth’s side. This next part wasn’t going to be pleasant for anyone involved.

"Aurelia Veratti"

In her state of waking, but mostly still unconscious, Absinth was beginning to recognize some things. The smell of smoke, herbal in nature… the quiet sounds of movement… her own pain coming in crashing waves. Perhaps it had been better when she was completely passed out, as her mouth opened to release a series of huffed out expletives. Her limbs scrabbled at the ground, nails digging into the ground as she tried to — well, ground herself to something other than her suffering. A constant pattern of mutterings and breathless whines filled the silence of the cave, and yet Absinth still did not open her eyes. They were shut tightly, her ears pinned back. Her body began to shiver and tremble, the blood loss coming to fruition as she was experiencing anemia.

“Been through worse. Been through worse. I’m alive. I’m alive. That’s all that matters. That’s all. It gets better. It does. It’ll pass. I’ll pass. It always does. I will survive.“

Right? Right?

wormwood

Absinth's words echoed through the cave, though they made little sense as the girl traversed her delirious state. Aurelia sighed again, the weight of the situation still heavy on her shoulders. Was she feeling empathy for this girl? The one who called her a crazy fanatical bitch. She shook her head, refocusing on her task at hand – saving the life of this wretch who had clearly come out on the worse side of the deal.

Once it was finished, Aurelia applied the poultice to the wound on Absinth's side. With steady paws, Aurelia began to press the poultice against the wound, feeling a resistance as her hands met the raw flesh exposed by the skin's flaying. Her patient continued to whimper in pain, but she wasn't entirely sure if it was just the baseline pain- or something she was directly causing from treating the nasty maim. Despite her own discomfort at the sight before her, Aurelia maintained her composure as she continued the process. The poultice began to settle into the wound, the herbs and honey working their magic to start the healing process. As she worked, she couldn't help but glance at Absinth's face, a mixture of medical interest and annoyance flitting across her features.

"Aurelia Veratti"

Her mutterings were interrupted by torture. Something, someone was touching the worst source of her pain. Her side was aflame with sensation most vile. It stung, it fucking hurt! Absinth kicked out as best she could, which was weakly, but still her attempt to remove the prodding. Her eyes flashed open wildly, lips pulling back to bare her teeth with a primal sort of instinctual fight. It was chaotic. The manner in which her eyes darted about to take in her surroundings, her chest heaving to take in bigger gasps of air as she was now fully aware. And with that alertness came the worst of it. Pain like knives, like fire burning into her!! Absinth snarled, craning her head to snap at the offending figure she had not fully recognized yet. From her maw came guttural growls, not unlike a rabid animal.

wormwood

Aresenn had been watching intently from over the witch’s shoulder. Partly to ensure that there was no further resistance from her, but partly because he couldn’t stand being apart from Absinth. Everything was going well until Aurelia had begun applying her salve to the open muscle. Absinth began to struggle in pain, and he was quick to hover near her. As she tried to shove herself up to snap at the healer, Aresenn caught her in an effort at interception. If Absinth made contact with the toy, he wasn’t sure what kind of retribution there would be. And at the very least, he was certain Aurelia would no longer help them. If Absinth bit him while he tried to restrain her … then so be it.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Though she was taken aback by Absinth's sudden violence, Aurelia quickly regained her composure and focused on the task at hand. Her paws moved with practiced efficiency, swiftly applying pressure to the poultice, her every action calculated to minimize the pain. She was well aware of the dangers that Absinth posed to herself and others, but she couldn't afford to make any rash decisions. As the poultice reached the wound's edges, Aurelia carefully folded it over the side of the girl's body, sealing in the healing properties. "Almost done," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of Absinth's strangled breaths. "Just a few more moments." With one last shove, the wound was bound as tightly as she could get it with the material she had at her disposal. "There!" She declared to Aresenn while staggering backward and away from Absinth's struggles.

"Aurelia Veratti"

Her struggle was fierce, in the way that an extremely injured person could muster. It was something, but utterly irrational and driven by pure endurance of willpower. She wasn’t thinking, and how could she have been expected to? Her jaws sought any purchase she could make, eyes clouded with the need to end her own torment. Something did come into contact with her fangs, but she was so weakened that her teeth could not break skin. Instead she remained locked onto Aresenn’s hide, growls emitting around her bite.

She shook once, twice, before a familiar scent hit her nares. Through her muddled mind came a voice of reason, as soft as an echo but still there. Gradually the force of her bite lightened, just as the pain began to subside — enough so that she was able to focus her emerald orbs and peer upwards at her perceived enemies. Aurelia was tending to her. And in her jaws — Aresenn. Absinth locked eyes with him, the daze of confusion still present but ebbing. What was this? Why was she here? Where… where had that bastard gone?
wormwood

Aresenn returned Absinth's delirious gaze, his own eyes filled with concern as he forced her to remain in place. Her contact wasn't pleasant, but she was too weak to break skin. He felt her grip loosen, and readied for her next attempt, but as the vestiges of pain momentarily lifted, her features and her vision cleared a bit. He watched Absinth's eyes darted between the two of them, unsure of where she was at and what she was doing. Aresenn could sense her struggling to reconcile her past with her present, and he hated to see it. "You're safe," He reiterated in a low rumble. The confusion in her eyes, the subsiding panic- kept him in place over the top of her in case he needed to redirect another attack.

Though he couldn't help but notice that Aurelia hadn't found a new spot to treat, in a split second, he shot her a questioning look before returning his attention to Absinth.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Aurelia couldn't help but mentally roll her eyes at Aresenn's shielding instincts. But, she couldn't blame him for needing to protect them in this situation. She cautiously approached the girl, her eyes scanning her wounds with a level of sympathy she didn't want to admit she felt. There was the bite on her neck, various scratches and bruises. No telling what kind of trauma to her head- but at least the nosebleed seemed to have subsided for now. Treating the massive net of lacerations on her side had been very stressful for Absinth- and herself for that matter. Catching a look from Aresenn, Aurelia cleared her throat to speak. "She needs a break. The most concerning wound is treated .... it'll need to be checked on frequently and retreated every day to keep infection at bay." She explained, trying to get him to understand what his companion needed to recover from this event. Aurelia held his gaze for a few moments before he looked away. And just as she was moving to clean up the mess, another thought entered her mind. "Sephiran will come here." She warned, uncertain as to who had delivered their beatings to them. "Not that I particularly care if he finds you here or not. But in case you care, might wanna clear out." Aurelia finished, her tone more nonchalant than anything. And with that, her attention shifted to the disaster area that had become the healer’s den. The effort of getting it back in presentable state made her shudder.

"Aurelia Veratti"

As Aresenn’s words were processed, she released the hold on his flesh. Brows furrowing, it was apparent that she was operating at half her usual speed of thought — but all the same she was present.

“Fuck.” Came her first truly cognizant remark, muttered as her eyes flashed with a dull sense of shame. One soul here, she’d have rather died than let them help her. The other, she never wished to have seen her at her lowest. Was this fucking karma?

Absinth wanted to leave. It didn’t matter that Aurelia had suggested they leave, she wasn’t even thinking about Sephiran or Rhazien. Probably an effect of the trauma to her head, logic was taking a back seat in order of importance at the moment. Without a word, Absinth moved to stand, teeth gritted as a wince distorted her features. She was able to shakily right herself, but her next obstacle was Aresenn himself. “Let me up.” She said quietly, not willing to make an attempt at eye contact while she was still in such a state. But could she make it anywhere on her own? She didn’t know. She didn’t know how she got here, she could recall shattered pieces of memory but the most prominent two persisted at the forefront of her mind. The warning from that Saxe bastard, and the firm reassurances from Aresenn himself.


wormwood

Aresenn hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering between Absinth and Aurelia, as he mentally weighed the potential dangers of simply letting her up. But the little witch had suggested it herself. Give her a break, and clear out. While he didn't care much for taking orders from the likes of her, he couldn't deny the logic of her words. Something in the back of his mind told him that he likely wasn't done with the Saxe brute. He doubted Seph's bloodlust had been satiated with the ruts he felt burning in his face. But none of that mattered now. With a deep breath, Aresenn stepped back, silently nodding before taking a step back to allow Absinth the space she needed to try and find her footing on her own. Though he backed off the top of her, he remained close. Keeping a steady watch from where stood, ready to help balance her in case she needed it. But even still, he was fully prepared to carry her if supporting herself proved to be too difficult.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Once Aresenn had moved, Absinth put her entire focus into what strength she still had — and unsteadily rose to her paws. There were twinges of pain emanating from her neck, but most prominently from her side. “Ugh!” The flayed skin shifted beneath the binding, but in many ways it felt better than the open air. It had to have been cleaned, which was annoying due to the fact that Aurelia had done it.

But now came the biggest challenge. Walking. An easy task normally, but the longer she stared at the ground the more dizzy she felt. Frustration wracked her body, her mind — and she began to seethe. A low rumbling growl escaped her as she trudged forward, seeking the exit to the den or whatever this was. It looked like shit either way.

The exhaustion in her muscles was much the same as when she first came to these lands. The waves had siphoned every ounce of energy she’d had left, but this was worse given her blood loss and the pounding in her skull. She could barely think straight, and the more clarity she gained the more pain she could feel. Like a double edged sword.

Hardheaded as she was, she actively tried to avoid Aresenn’s proximity, both out of fear to lean on someone other than herself and the need to which she just.. couldn’t allow it. She made it as far as the entrance to the den before she stumbled and her side grazed on a wall. Fury spilling from her lips, she faced having to ask for help or embarrass herself further. She hated both options. They made her feel small.

wormwood

Aresenn stood by and observed Absinth's struggle, his amber gaze darkened with a mixture of concern and frustration. He knew she would never admit to needing help, even as she stumbled and faltered in her weakened state. But he couldn't just stand by and watch her damage herself further because of her stubborn pride- not that he wouldn't be the exact same way if their roles had been reversed. He followed closely behind her as she staggered towards the entrance, ready to intervene if necessary. "Absinth," he grumbled in annoyance, trying to get her attention. But she seemed determined to push through on her own. As they reached the threshold, Aresenn saw her body ricochet off the wall and he could no longer bear to see her struggle alone. Without hesitation or seeking permission, he pressed his side against hers - the uninjured one - and braced himself, determined to take on some of the weight she bore. He steadied her as she fought for balance on her weary paws, and whether she liked it or not, he was going to help her.

"Aresenn Praetor"

The mutual frustration was palpable in the air, but she pressed on. That is, until she smacked her very injured side against the wall. After her cry of pain and anger Absinth was at her limit, and just as she might’ve finally called for Aresenn to help her — her companion was already at her side. His larger frame pressing against her untouched side, steadily her with ease. She didn’t want to admit how much better it felt than trying to overcome this on her own. So she accepted it without a word, and onward she pressed out of the fanatics den.

[End Thread]

wormwood