Hyperion lay in an exhausted heap beneath the sprawl of an old oak tree. Like those around him, he'd fallen ill with the Ooze. The sickness seemed to focus on his mind. Convinced that insects were trying to claw their way out of him he'd torn at his skin and run until he could run no more. His paws were a ragged mess and everywhere he went he left a trail of glowing, bloody pawprints. His wounds, deep gouges and tears where he'd try to dig the insects out, ran freely; weeping blood and ooze alike.

Even now with no strength left to run, Hyperion's mind raced. Moments of clarity were rare and unwelcome as he was forced to contend with what was happening to him. Delirium was hardly better as in moments of strength he clawed at his skin and in moments of weakness he cried out and muttered to himself words of hopelessness.

To anyone who would listen he begged for their help, for their presence, for anything that might ease his fear and pain.

Many wolves were sick, of that Zora was sure. She had been trained for things like this. She was, after all a comforter and a caretaker. It pained her to see such suffering, but she knew that even in the worst circumstances, if she could offer a bit of warmth and comfort, then she had done her job. She came across glowing, bloodied pawprints which led to a battered, muttering man. Zora approached him carefully, saddling up next to his crumbled form. She hushed him, looking to see if he would reject her closeness, ♥I'm Zora,♥ she said, ♥I'm here to help in any way I can. Will you tell me your name and what ails you?♥ ♥♥

Hyperion was getting quite cold. As his energy left him so too did his warmth. He could no longer feel his toes which, honestly, was for the better. His nails were broken, some cracked to the quick and others shorn clean off; their quicks exposed; and the pads of his feet were indistinguishable. He shivered violently at every breeze.

The approach of another stirred him. He roused, his eyes opening, and shifted hopefully to see who was coming. "Hy-Hyperion," he wheezed, his voice a hoarse, but hopeful rattle as he tried to lay eyes on the woman. Once upon a time he would have been dazzled by her, but such thoughts had been chased from him by the nightmares. "Monsters," he tried to explain through the confusion and around the fluid in his lungs. "Bugs...under my skin. They want-" he coughed, the sound thick and bubbly, and then gasped, "-out."

In desperate need of a break, Hyperion dropped his head and closed his eyes He was so tired even the act of speaking was almost out of his grasp.

Zora rushed to the man as he spoke weakly, his voice horse and cracking from the effort and the sickness that embedded itself deep within his system and his body. She dove in to cradle his head on her forepaws as her body wrapped closely around him to warm him. She had a feeling he was not long for the world and it saddened her, but she knew that a frantic attempt to save him now would only stress them both. She gave him a gentle kiss on his head and rested her chin there, humming a tune lightly. "Don't worry now, Hyperion, just rest," she said softly, willing him to relax and warm up.

Though he wasn't a bad man Hyperion didn't deserve the touch of such a sweet woman at the end. He was arrogant and selfish, but had he been in his right mind he would have been humbled by her sacrifice as she was risking her life for a stranger. Had the tables been turned he wouldn't have offered her the same sort of aid. Or any at all, honestly. He would have run the other way and maybe felt bad about that later. Maybe.

The woman wrapped around him and kissed his forehead. Even though he wavered between delirium and lucidity he was comforted by her presence. While she was getting situated his eyes closed for the last time. Hyperion lay there listening to her hums and taking comfort from her gentle embrace until the end. His breathing grew shallow, the span between exhaling and inhaling grew longer, and then stopped altogether with a rattling sigh.

-exit via death-

It didn't take all that long for the man to pass. Zora waited, just to make sure, but she felt his rattling breath slow and the heave to a stop. She had learned some time ago that there was a whole before a living being became just a body- a creature into an object. She waited for that moment, when his body felt empty and no longer circulated any of the warmth she was giving. His fur felt cool, but not entirely cold. He became a shell.

She rose and began working on a nice grave. It took a while, and her frame wasn't entirely built for it, but some time, after much effort, it was done and Hyperion was laid to rest and buried- Zora's final comfort.

Hyperion

RIP in Pepperoni.



You gain:

• Deer Dad's Blessing (player-bound)- Lets you become more like your favorite deer dad!
  

Zora

The world suddenly goes black and you feel yourself falling… sometime later you regain consciousness, wondering what happened.


You gain:

• Crystals (3x)- Used in Firefly's Shoppe, and perhaps elsewhere...