not maybe, definitely

Maverick was glad when Venom accepted his unconventional form of medicine, though the skeptical look she shot him told him that she knew exactly what he was offering her. He smirked again; perhaps she wasn't as much of a stick in the mud as he thought she was if she was familiar with marijuana. But whether she knew from firsthand experience or practical lessons didn't matter much, as she'd soon begin feeling the effects of the drugs, most important of all the pain relieving properties of the psychoactive herb. Hopefully she wouldn't have more than a few bruises and sprains come the morning, but until then, this would help her relax and sleep off the worst of it. Despite the obvious discomfort his movements and manipulations brought her, Venom held true to her word and didn't turn those wicked teeth on him again. She took the brunt of the pain without retaliation, much to the larger brute's surprise.

But even more surprising was when she didn't offer him any sort of resistance when he started to hoist her up onto his back. Instead, he felt the lithe empress' long limbs wrap around him, forelegs around his neck and hinds gripping at his waist. Once she was secure and assured him that she wouldn't fall, Maverick began to move, slowly at first, but when Venom did indeed fail to fall, he moved with more purpose, navigating his way around the ravine and following the creek until he reached a slope gradual enough to trudge up without risking another fall. Emerging back up at the top of the lush valley, Mav realized that night had now fully consumed Boreas and a fur-piercing cold had come over the wind. They were still a good ways away from Ashen, and knowing that trying to make the trip in the dark and cold would be exponentially more dangerous carrying the wounded Abraxas woman with him should they encounter a nocturnal predator, the dire brute made up his mind. Like it or not, Venom would be camping out with him for the night.

"Change of plans. We're not making it back to Ashen tonight. Too risky." Maverick diverted his path northward, heading up along the crest of the valley from one end to the other, moving almost silently through the stillness of the night. The weight and warmth of Venom's body on his back was all he focused on while he moved, making sure she remained securely on him while he carried her to safety. Eventually, Mav reached the den he'd commandeered as his little campsite for his foraging trip. It wasn't large, but it served its purpose. Sliding carefully inside so as not to knock Venom off of him, Maverick moved deeper into the den and gingerly laid the alpha fae down onto the pile of furs and grasses he'd scrounged together for bedding. It wasn't much, but it would do for the night, and it was warm and cozy and protective. "Welcome to my camp. Get comfy, we're gonna be here for a while." Once Venom was settled in, he moved about to a bundle of wild hares he'd caught earlier in the afternoon to serve as his dinner. While he hadn't been expecting guests, he wasn't about to let the Empress go hungry, especially not when she might be experiencing a case of the munchies in a short while.

Grabbing two of the large rabbits in his jaws, Mav carried them back to his "patient" and placed them at her paws. "Eat," he told her, gently yet insistently. "We'll camp out here for the night. In the morning, I'll bring you back home. Promise." The way he said it, Maverick left nothing open to discussion. Venom couldn't even support her own weight right now, so walking herself home was out of the question, and he wasn't about to go traipsing in the dark with an injured woman on his back, least of all a monarch. That was suicide. He was prepared to have to deal with Venom's whinging and complaining about her forced imprisonment for the rest of the night, but he really didn't give a shit. He'd be damned if he got killed over her pride, or let her die like a moron either.

"Maverick"