a long-awaited miracle
laeta walks!
01-03-2022, 09:44 PM
Laeta felt every fiber of her being stretched to its limit not even a few bold steps from her bedroom, her limbs quivering beneath her sunken, emaciated body. Mel glanced up concerningly, shifting his weight to allow her to press against him for more support - she wasn’t a large wolf, and he was a rather large badger. He made for a decent crutch, but the woman was approaching her body’s limit. Months of paralysis definitely did a number on her. Another determined step, and the monochromatic wolf slipped, nearly toppling over her badger companion. She splayed her forelimbs out, looking much like a giraffe about to drink (should the visual help). "Lady Laeta," Mel murmured nervously, "P-Perhaps we should stop for now. Your muscles have wasted away and it will take time for them to build up again." Laeta glanced at him, turning her head for the second time now. It felt odd, but almost refreshing to be able to look someone properly in the eye rather than a strained side eye. "I just want to get to the top of the stairs, Mel," She said, out of breath. Her twig-thin limbs shook intensely as they struggled to keep her weight, her face tense with exertion. She panted, forcing another step forward. Then another. Her whole body was uncoordinated, wobbly, and incredibly starved. Yet, she was moving. It was progress. Mel stowed away his concerns, but continued shuffling next to her with a knitted brow. It wasn’t long before a voice made itself known, belonging to an unfamiliar she-wolf who had approached rather hurridely. She wasn’t someone Lae knew, but the scent of the pack on her indicated she was a fellow member. She smiled softly, forcing herself to straighten up to meet the friendly face eye-to-eye - something she hadn’t been able to do in ages - the bony woman’s ruby eyes twinkled in curosity. "Oh! I’m fine..thank you. My companion, Mel, is helping me." Mel glanced up at the woman with a smile of his own, adjusting his monocle. He wasn’t strained nor did the weight of the woman leaning against his shorter but mire solid form seem to bother him. It seemed he’d done much extering work before, so being a living crutch was nothing. Still, when the younger girl offered her bigger frame to lean against, almost on cue, Lae’s limbs trembled and buckled beneath her, accidently bumping into her shoulder. "I’m so sorry!" Lae said, offering a slightly embarrassed chuckle as she strained to lift her upper body up again. Mel clambered over to push her neck up, allowing her to wobble to all fours again. She breathed heavily, her ribs showing the heaving of her lungs with each breath she took. It was clear just standing was exhausting for her. Laeta was not offended at all when the girl’s stoat made a comment about what happened to her, her tired yet bright ruby gaze sweeping over the creature and the wolf as she replied, "Oh, that’s quite alright," She said, the smile still visible on her lips even as she struggled to stand in place. "I was paralyzed from the neck down last season. I was told it was permanent, but just now I found out I could move again. Hence why I’m so wobbly." As the girl introduced herself as Fern, the older woman nodded and said, "Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Fern. I’m Laeta. As for help, well..I just wanted to walk to the stairs." She wanted to guage her limits after being unable to move, walk, run..anything. She was desperate to explore and more, but her body could only do so much. Her joints were significantly less sore thanks to the attentive care of the physicians, but her elbows and hips still uttered a few crunching cracks as she stepped forward, and though Mel was supporting her well on one side, Fern’s presence next to her helped as she wobbled and trembled. Her breaths were heavy, tongue lolling from the exertion, but the fierce determination in her gaze was unable to be let down. She was going to move. Whatever it took. |
comin' up for air in the deepest of the deep ends
i thought i learned it all, but boom, the plot thickens
laeta has a european badger companion named melis. he can speak and is assumed to be with her at all times.