Help I've climbed up and can't get down
Aramis needed a break. He needed fresh air and open sky, away from the confines of the Valhalla dens. He'd hidden away in the darkness too long, curled up with his mother as the two of them nursed their emotional wounds. After all, being kidnapped wasn't exactly the easiest thing to walk away from. Aramis knew that there had been days both he and his mother had nearly lost hope. He was just grateful to be home, alive and relatively unharmed. But months had passed. Months. His wounds had turned into scars, healed but not forgotten. He wished he could say the same for his mother.
At this rate, he wasn't sure she would ever fully recover from the emotional trauma they'd experienced. But her emotional trauma was beginning to affect her physical health, as well. This was what finally pushed Aramis out of the darkness and into the world that waited beyond. He'd searched for herbs to ease her pain, increase her appetite, do anything to make her healthy again. But today, the poor boy just needed a break.
The summer sun was a comforting blanket of warmth as Aramis padded quietly away from Valhalla territory. He'd be lying if he said those first few steps hadn't been a little terrifying. This was the first time he'd set off on his own, since the kidnapping. But he was grown now, his body larger and more capable than before. At least, he hoped so. He set off with plans to lounge by the lake and soak up the sunshine, and perhaps do a bit of browsing for herbs. But those plans went awry as he approached the lake and saw a woman perched on top of a tall boulder. She looked stuck. And no wonder: it was a long way down to the water below. Aramis was nothing if not compassionate, and his heart immediately went out to the poor young woman. He had to help her, somehow.
His iridescent coat danced in a thousand shades of blue as he ran forward through the sunlight. He splashed a bit gracelessly through the water at the base of the boulder, offering up a soft yip to get the woman's attention. "Excuse me?" Aramis called out. This was new for him. He rarely spoke to strangers, especially after... "Do you need help?"
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