grey skies

The volcanic eruption had taken its toll on the elder woman. Due to her age, it had taken longer for her to recover than those of younger age in the pack, but she was still alive and still breathing. Her voice, however, was raspy now thanks to all the smoke she had inhaled. And she had violent coughing fits often, too, that left her with sore throats and fatigue after particularly violent ones. She used the remedies she knew to help curb it, or at least lessen the pain that the coughing brought to her chest and throat, but her raspy voice was something she likely wouldn't be able to fix. Did she mind? Sort of. But also not really. She was already old, her days were numbered. For all anyone cared to know, her raspy voice could be an effect of old age. Though her constantly dry tongue made it difficult to speak at times, she seemed to always persevere. She supposed it was a good thing she didn't talk much, even since she was a child she had always been a quiet one.

The night was cool and pleasant, and since she couldn't sleep thanks to her coughing fit, she decided to take off and go for a stroll. She of course let Zell know before she left just in case she took too long, he'd come and check on her. That, and she hadn't been out much since she'd been ill for the last couple of months that she didn't think it wise to venture out. With the light of the moon and stars, she headed towards the river she knew cut through the land, feeling the familiar tug in her throat that she knew would be the beginning of a coughing fit. Emerald eyes searched out the water, desperately almost, as she moved a little faster towards it.

As she approached it, her attention and priority was wetting her tongue, though as she looked at the water still gray from ash, she recoiled her head. She knew it wouldn't be pleasant to drink...but it was that, or deal with the coughing. And she didn't know how long it'd last this time. In the short time she took to decide, it had begun. She coughed and sputtered, the dryness of it evident as she fell onto her haunches from the force. No way would she drink now, she'd likely choke if she tried to drink while coughing. Instead, she waited for it to subside as she sought to do her breathing exercises when she was able to, and after a couple of long minutes, she was able to eventually catch her breath for a moment.

And then she noticed him. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the male not too far from where she was. Heart still pounding and her throat raw, she looked away as she stared at the murky water. "Ap-ologies if I dist-urbed you," She said weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.