Tainted [Staria x DoctorRed]

[Staria]

The rain came down in sheets, each drop like a cold stab to the living. It silenced the forest creatures, most retreating to their burrows and nests. It was the kind of day that few ventured out, at least few that were sane enough to feel the air. It suited the seemingly random deaths that had tortured the group of villages spread through out and besides this thick wood.

It suited Deirdra's mood as well, her cold blue eyes the same shade as the ice they currently resembled. She had taken refuge in a small cave, her demon blood protecting her against the chill but not the rain. A blue fire crackled behind her, the only sound as her naturally purple lips stayed silent. She was glaring out at the rain as if it was at fault for her predicament. She was still not at full power... and now the humans hunted her, assured of her guilt by the one human she had trusted.

Her father had taught her better when he whisked her away, showing the cruelties of man even as she was to young to understand them. In her age she had allowed herself to settle into a calm, to study time as it passed and convinced herself that he was wrong. Yet time had proved he was right yet again as he had been about so many things....

She sighed, turning to her magically conjured fire. It was blue, just as her blood was when it hit the air, but it was just as warm as any fire but created none of the smoke. She pulled her hooded cloak tighter, her jet black hair falling around her face as she peered down at it. She was no more looking at it then the rain but at least it kept her warm so she stood close to it with her back to the cave entrance. Surely... with this rain threatening hail no sane person would be on the hunt.

[DoctorRed]

Richard Hillfyre was no knight anymore. Having roamed the country in his shame, he'd become less a knight and more a ranger. Turning from the courts at the behest of the king of these lands, he found himself moving alone, seeking out evil and vanquishing those of the darkness, as he knew that the one thing in his life that he held truth rang even truer away from the world of man, and this was it.

The Night is Dark and Full of Terrors. His swords said the same where it lay on his back, carried everywhere he went, though it was the only thing that was of the castle-forged quality. Not for lack of funding, though it would be if he tried to maintain such things while he wandered the woods, leaving his mount behind. He was a knight in name still, though no one who knew his story would name him "Sir Hillfyre" So long as he lived. He had given that life and title up long ago, so no longer would he have to endure the rule of a king, so long as he had no income as Lord Hillfyre.

Years ago, the man had served under the king as his right hand and in a folly comment, he'd been sent away, as an exile, though he was asked to remain in the kingdom, to serve it until he died. Forbidden was more like, but the big man had then given up his titles and lands, his family sent away from him in his heart as he set out, alone into the world. For the first time since birth, he was free of the system of thrones and he loved his life. He was a large man, half a giant, if any asked out of earshot, but he was comely, in ways. He had golden hair, though it was less well kept and his multitude of scars kept him from looking too great and lovely. He wore mismatched armor, the leathers of a ranger with mail underneath, his armaments similarly mismatched. His great sword on his back, and knives at his belt, where a war horn rested, despite his solitary nature. A red cloaked streamed behind him as he moved, snapping and whirling in the cold winds.

Richard stood at the clearing where he'd left his horse to find the horse grazing peacefully and passed by it, moving along the shadows quietly, the way he'd learned since visiting the elves many years ago. Six years out of favor from the king, he'd evolved from the knight and stopped shaving his golden mane, letting his hair fall and not bothering to cut it, simply tying it back as he learned from the non human creatures of the world, becoming a masterful warrior and skilled hunter, capable of doing the duties of any ranger where the land had none.

Currently he'd stopped past a village and they'd complained of some string of deaths that were blamed on the local demon who'd been chased into hiding. The man had listened to the story of the Crimson Doctor and the others who lived there. Setting his sights on the northern wood, he moved along, carefully seeking out signs of anything he could find, his body leaned forward despite his large size as he crept forth, seeking out the alleged demon to dispense justice as both a ranger and a man, his hands out, and ready to grasp both a surprise and the hilt of his sword, to cut down whatever terrors lurked in the night, silently moving among the rain and wind, his eyes alert under his helm.

[Staria]

Deirdra stood staring at the flames for some time, her heart feeling just as consumed with fury as the wood was with the fire. Still she blamed herself more then anyone else. She should have been more careful... she should never have let herself be hurt in the first place to need the doctors help. Still, she was but half demon so when a full blood sought to kill her she was always the weaker of the two. Her purer half may have freed her heart but it weakened her body.... making her vulnerable to demonic attacks that a full blood may even be immune to. True... she was more skillfull so tended to win but never without a price.

Suddenly, however, something broke through her fury. The rain did not sound as it should, and the shadows shivered around her. Something had grown far closer then it should, something not of the darkness. She frowned softly to herself and turned, sniffing the air and soon taking in the scent of a man... a human. Quietly she stepped into a nearby shadow, spilling another drop of her blood into it so she could meld with it. She briefly became a shadow herself, only the glow of her blue eyes identifying her as she became more demonness then woman.

Her image shimmered, like she was falling out of focus and she appeared behind the one who thought he could use the shadows she had claimed to hide from her. Her hands now clawed, demonic wings from her back, her shadow form was not a natural thing to behold... or comforting as it appeared behind him. She reached forward, her clawed hand around his neck and her lips inches from his ear should he not avoid her grasp. Her free arm would take ahold of his right wrist.

"Naughty boy, you should not wander the forests alone.... or disturb a demon's thoughts. Just what do you seek here in this pouring rain?" She asked in a soft his as she became fully solid once more. Her skin was again ivory but her claws, wings, tail, and clawed, furry feet were black as her hair. Her pupils were gone so only the sea of ice would greet one who looked into them.

[DoctorRed]

The man was well versed in cutting down demons, though he had only done a few slayings thus far. They were terrible things, but vain creatures in all. He found himself the victor more often out of a simple stroke of exposed arrogance or being underestimated by being human. Most non human races who did evil were disdainful of humans and he often found it to his advantage, though just as often to his misery, when they took their time to attack him simply for being human in their 'territory'.

It seemed this one was the same, and as soon as he felt the tender gasp of wind brush his ear, he rolled forward, falling down to spring back up out of reach and rip free his sword and leer into the spot where the disturbance had come. He supposed he had learned a thing or two and had to bite back a laugh at his astounding luck of the day. Hardly an hour out and his prey had been sighted. He might not suffer the rain so long after all.

He rose as his sword held in his hands before him, leering across the blade into the icy blue eyes and taking in her figure and form, his eyes taking her in to the best of his ability. His head strayed a bit as he studied her in that first moment, noting certain details and wondering what the Tome would have to say about it. He carried  a book full of notes and stories about different creatures, and how to deal with certain things. he'd fingered through a few demon chapters, but the rain had insisted he put it away or risk ruining his precious tome, that he'd spent so long writing and making notations in. It was tucked behind his back, under his cloak to protect it carefully.

"Demon, are you the terror of night here? Do you stand in the dark and bask in the human terror that you have wrought? I am a ranger and i have come to dispense death upon the one who slays the men and women of the village to the south? If you are, prepare to die." he announced, a swing of his sword punctuating his words as he assumed the stance best for dealing with a faster opponent, his swords held aloft despite its weight to turn it and slash to defend himself. His eyes burned green in the shadows as he listened for her words to confirm her guilt and condemn her to a wet death.

[Staria]

So he was one who sought her, no one else would have been prepared enough to roll out of the way. It seemed she had indeed been identified as the cause of the death, she had suspected they would blame her. The humans were always blaming her for whatever problem was happening... so when the death started she had known it would lead to this. Still, as he spoke she could only release a dark, velvety chuckle. It was a bitter sound, the sound of one who had experienced too much to let out a sound of true happiness... but such was her mood.

"Yes... because it must always be a demon, mustn't it? regardless if that is their power. I am the demon you seek at their ramblings and fear. As always they are too busy chasing shadows to see anything.... but please... do attempt to dispense death upon me. I see no reason for this pointless conversation when I was convicted by a jury of your... peers." She said in a bitter yet amused tone. She was taunting him clearly, her elegant cat like movements making her backwards flip into a tree reveal the feline part of her demon half. She did not expect him to hear a word, that much was clear from her fanged smile.

She perched in a crouch on the branch, seemingly still amused. Still, her precise motions did not hold the clumsiness of arrogance but rather the control of one who had lived as the weaker claw far to long to not plan out every twitch. She had vaulted a good eight feet into the tree but her glowing eyes would keep her visible...save when she blinked. She watched him as any cat would a mouse, seeing him as just another pursuer.... to manipulate and escape, even if she had break a few of his bones first to do it.

[DoctorRed]

He didn't move to defend himself yet and spoke instead as she moved, his body tensing at her words and watching her carefully with his golden eyes, his swords quivering as it followed where he thought her to be, his knees bent to avoid her again, if he had to.

"Demon though you are, if you claim you are innocent, I will investigate myself. I am a man of honor, and though you are a frightening thing, I know that your kind are not without hearts. I am a creature of this world.  Stay your hand, and we will discuss this. Otherwise, I will take your fleeing for guilt and cut you down. Many demons have called my bluff and fallen. Do not take me lightly, for I am very strong. This is your last warning, My Lady," he added, turning and shifting to follow. He meant what he said as he watched for her to pop back up again, not worried too much yet, but still wary do doing combat in such a manner with her.

"The village claims there is a flux going about and that the nature of it is magic in its effects. The local doctor can confirm it. If you are truly so bent on innocence and wish to prove it, I will allow you that chance. You needn't bring this to combat unless you are truly the one in darkness causing terror. There are two outcomes here, and that is diplomacy and battle. Make your choice, monster!" he said, drawing his war horn with his free hand. Habit, he supposed but he did so love the sound of it and it often brought fights to an end faster than they might have ended themselves.

[Staria]

"Yes.... a man of honor who calls me lady and monster in the same breath, surely you shall prove my innocence. Came her sarcastic reply from the darkness, her tone both reproachful and icily mocking. He had already defeated himself in his threats and contradiction it appeared. The cat had little use for him, just another human liar. Not even a very good one...Local doctor.... there was only one man that could be. The one who like this man liked to make promises that Deirdra doubted they could keep. She would not make the same mistake twice. She would not be hurt the same way again.

"and you who trusts the sadist who calls himself a doctor? your investigatory skills must be unmatched...." she hissed with another laugh. "I have no use for you. Attack me and I will kill you, leave this place and I will forget you as I should have all your kind" she added but she sounded more tired then anything now. The horned creature shook her head, soon starting back towards the cave through the trees. She made no move to hide that she was leaving, snapping a twig with her tail almost deliberately. She saw no reason to deal with him further.

She twitched one elf like ear, listening to his movements even as she went to leave. She did not see any long distance weaponry in his hands but he could pull one out. She was far from underestimating him, staying fully on guard. She would be prepared, even if her threat to kill was not one she was willing to carry out. No... she'd find another way... she was not her father.

[DoctorRed]

"A man should always call a  woman lady, unless she gives a name. Though you are a different creature than I, are you not still a woman? Your form belies the truth and I have tried to fish out a name. What do you call yourself, if you are so offended at being named Beast?" he retorted, his swords flipping through his hands with deft grace as she seemed to move away, keeping i ready and watching for her to strike at he false opening he created and growing wroth with disappointment. He let his hand stray to his side, watching for her as he listened. "Your accusations ring out in my heart, but what proof have you?" he asked, leering into the shadows with irritation.

The man didn't like what he heard and frowned at her words, though his swords was at his side in a moment as he followed behind her. "You think that you can say such a thing to me and truly just walk away?" he strode forward on his long legs to catch up, his sword still in his hands. "I will not be ignored, even if I must slay you for being such an insolent whelp!" he announced, planting his feet. "Face me with either your words or your fangs, woman, or I will cut you down where you stand."

The night is deep and full of terrors. Sometimes the terrors were the humans though, he'd learned. And he wondered what could be the truth as he watched her form.

[Staria]

"You did not need a name or proof to seek my head, or to call me a monster and yet I am the insolent whelp? Yes I am sure my words break your hypocritical little heart. You needed no proof to hunt me, so i see no need to give you proof or anything else. I owe you nothing and have as little use for this rain as I have for you... So I have no reason to stay. " She replied in that same tired tone. She continued onward, her motions becoming more careful. She moved with the silence of a cat but inwardly cursed as she realized they may do her no good.

The entrance to the cave was not easy to see in the pouring rain... but the glimmer of her pale blue fire was. At other angles it would have remained hidden by the trees but she led him right to it. Perhaps he would not notice... she never knew with duller human eyes. So she would leap down when she reached the entrance and head inside. She kept her ears out for him, staying in her natural demonic form though it took more energy as she waited.

His pride... it echoed through his words like thunder in a storm. She doubted he could leave it be.. he would push it until she was forced to fight him. Oh well... there was more she could do with the shadows of the cave now that her blood ran through them. She would not have to kill him here.... of that she was certain.

[DoctorRed]

"Every creature has a name and a face of it's own. When in a society, when person is accused they have the right to face their accusers and stand trial in fair manner. If you are so indignant, even you should be able to understand. I did not come here to slay you, but if I am to believe the doctor you name as false, he calls  you monster. Your form is fearsome but thus far you're no more than a misunderstood creature, My lady. My will does not change and neither do my terms,"

When he spoke he said these things  standing at the cave entrances, his swords planted there in the dirt as he leered into the darkness, pulling his visor down. He waited in the small clearing, wary of shadows as he waited to see what she would decided before calling out again, to hear himself echo in the cave, his eyes on the blue flame but trying to ignore it so as not to be distracted.


"Wits and  words, the trial, or do will you choose Sword and fang, then death? You may choose your weapons and fate, but I would rather the former, and I am no stranger to those of your kind who would choose the latter. Do not think to trick me with your magic, and win under some false pretense, I warn you," he added gruffly.

[Staria]

"Fair manner? You really do not this place do you?" She said with a laugh, walking to her fire. She shook her head, could any human really be so naive? Did he really not know that they had been waiting for an excuse to kill her and would convict her of any crime to do it. Of course... after her death they'd find the plague was not her work but ... to her that would be little comfort. No... he had to be lying, no one could be that foolish or ignorant in the way of things.

She turned, tilting her head to the side she looked at him through cold eyes. The only sign he had made her angry with lies whether delibriate or not was the fire became taller and more intense. Outwardly she showed no sign, only placing her hands on the collar of her hooded cloak.. Her claws reflected the light, looking more silver then black on the side nearest the fire. She was a strange beast, such a mix of beauty and what to a human was deformity that one wouldn't really be sure what to think out of the shadows.

"you are either a liar or a fool, i care not which nor do I care for your will. I will not go to them and their mock trial.... Nor will I be tried by the emissary of the man who gave me these scars and more, your precious doctor." She said mockingly, turning her back to him in a swirl of raven hair and navy cloak as she returned to her human form to rid herself of her wings. Why she had raised her hands to where she did became clear as one her back was to him the cloak fell in a heap at her feet. The soft click of the weapons and items in her cloak could be heard but perhaps not over the rain.

Underneath the cloak she wore there was a top that looped around her neck and her lower back to leave most of the tender flesh between her shoulder blades and waist visible in the back. It's purpose was to allow her to not have to replace her shirt every time she grew her wings, but it served another now. Scars of lashing and cuts, some very fresh were visible. Someone had whipped her and slashed her anyway.... to the point that if she'd been human she would not have lived. The doctor had thought it would subdue her, break her.... it had only slowly given her the will to fight him instead.

Silently she reached forward and put her cloak over a nearby rock so the fire could dry it after enough time had passed for him to get a good look. The fire dimmed, returning to its normal height. She did not expect the scars to mean anything to him, for the marking of her porcelain skin to be shocking. She merely expected it to be made clear... those with far more power over her then he had tried to make their will her leash, and failed. She turned again, this time slowly.

"I could do far worse with my magic then trick you, yet I have done nothing. Still you try to convince yourself that you know anything.... and came here for any purpose but to be their assassin whether of their will or your own. I do not care if they tricked you or if you tricked yourself, but your threats are meaningless. You will either come in here and try to kill me or you won't. Make your decision Boy, but know that only the rain will hear your threats now, for I have no interest in them and will respond to them no further..." She said simply, sitting by the fire. She began to brush her hair to let it dry, it and the cloak having gotten most of the rain...

[DoctorRed]

"I know not what humans you have dealt with int he past, but your allegations that I know nothing may have rang true once. I am a man who is of the world now, not of men. There is a subtle difference to humans, but you may know that there is a great rift between tolerance and acceptance." he said and his footsteps carried him into the cave, his swords at his side, but not held in a menacing manner. He stopped halfway to her and watched her flesh, his eyes lighting upon the flesh and he sighed slightly.

" You will find me more than just a human, if you simply would accept that I am as I told you. I am no ones dog now, and I would see that you knew that before I left, even if you would not listen to anything else. The people of that village live in terror and they do not understand. They are not without cause to fear you, I believe. Such power is great and hard to wield properly. I have seen much like it and more still that terrified even the demon who wielded it. I still carry one of his  fangs, a gift that I look upon at times. He told me how I should approach such things, and he was different from most demons." he spoke, his voice level.

When she sat down he approached and drew his sword up, striking quickly to leave it sticking in the hard packed earth as he sat on the other side of it, the naked steal wavering only a little as he stood over the fire. "The doctor seemed strange and he didn't know anything of the villagers I spoke to, but had a lot of knowledge on what they said. I know you don't believe in me, but I don't need you to. I am here for justice, and that's all. Whatever quarrel you have with the village is your own, but the one he slew those children and their parents will feel my blades kiss before the week is out. If it is not you, you need only say so, and remain here. I will seek through the wood one more day and find the other demon who's blood I can smell myself in that place. I don't need you to love me, but your persistence against me is irksome. Speak, if you will, it need only be one word."

[Staria]

As he entered she stood, her hair flaring outward and making her human form look as wild as her demon form had earlier. Every shadow in the cave rippled, seeming to be filled with indistinguishable voices. She did not stop him, but she prepared to if he lifted that sword. The demon made no move to react other then this, her face as empty as a glass dolls. She did not speak, only the twitch of her lip indicating her amusement as he said he was no one's dog. The doctor had made him his even if he was breaking free of the leash now. Still... if he would speak to her with respect she would return the favor as best she could.

"My power is great but it is not over disease. It has never been, I can kill a man with his own shadow but I can not make him sick. Part of my power being over shadow, however, nothing can hide from that in this forest. You can search it day and night if you like but you will find nothing just as I have.... except perhaps the villiage believing you bewitched by me and trying to kill you for not killing me." She finished this with a dark smile though she still did not look at him. Letting him sit so close to her with a sword within his reach was not something she was able to do lightly. She stayed standing and she stared into the fire, the shadows still flickering as she was not calm.

"You do not look in the right place any more then those villagers do....the problem is within them, though i know not where. I have no further information so you have no further use of me" She frowned as she thought of her not knowing, having tried to track a demon amongst them and failing. Yet she knew all outside the villiages was pure and clean just as she knew the problem came from a demon. Whatever was making them sick it was among them, hidden from their eyes and hers. She shrugged, waiting for him to leave now...

[DoctorRed]

Richard Hillfyre heard her words and ignored her opinions and gleaned only what she said. There were no other demons in this wood and staying here was wasting his time. He'd seen the tiny graves and it reminded him that the matter was too urgent to be spending time trying to convince this demoness that mankind could truly be good and great. He rose and returned his sword to his back wordlessly, looking down upon her only a moment before turning and striding to the mouth of the cave and stopping just before exiting it.

"If you are telling the truth it is likely we will not see one another again. If you are lying to me, and I find out, when I return, it will be for your head. I hope it need not come to that. Live your life in peace and there will be no reason for us to cross again. Good day to you, and the next, my lady," he said without turning to her before he stepped back to the rain and made his way carefully along the trees and bushes. For now he would return to the village and conduct a few experiments of his own to see exactly what would come to pass when he finally returned. No one would question the inability to find the demon out in the rain and wind, so he wasn't concerned for that. He'd found her, but it did not seem likely that she was the culprit.

When he returned to the village on his mount, he slowed to a gait as he walked among the people, guiding his horse back towards the doctors home, his mount walking steadily along the dirt road and whickering a bit uncomfortably. They eyes were on him all around and he wondered briefly what could be the issue. It was the doctor who he had come to see, but soon there were people in the streets, clamoring for a view and a question from him, many of the worried.

"Was the Demon dead?"

"Is she gone?"

"What have you done with her head?"

"Are you truly our savior, Sir Hillfyre?"

"Fool, what exile could call such a man a knight? I've seen his ilk before. He's probably half a demon and a wildling at that,"

"Hillfyre, Hillfyre," a few chanted before he held up his palm to quiet them and bring the crowd to a calm as he watched them.

"I have found the demon to be innocent. I believe there is something here int he village that ails your people and prevents you from conquering this flux. I need to know more, and see the doctor. Please, aside, people. I am here to help you, and would-" That was when the world was knocked over and his horse fell from under him, shoved over by a couple of villagers, spilling Hillfyre to the ground, where he rose, knives in hands. "What is the meaning of this?" Stones flew, drawing blood, and causing him to back into more where pushing and shoving was out in force.

"You're bewitched, exile!"

"You may as well be the Demon yourself, did she possess you?"

"Did you lay with the abomination?"

[Staria]

As he said they would not see each other again she held a ghost of a smile but said nothing. She already knew what would happened as he would return. They would see him dead by morning for ultimately their great numbers had its own power and she doubted he would be able to kill them with his naive heart. She did not stop him, however, merely letting him pass without another word. The recent deaths seemed to have driven the villagers crazy, well... crazier then they already were. She wasn't entirely certain they had ever been truly sane.

Slowly she stepped behind a rock, transforming into her smallest form, that which looked like an ordinary black cat if you did not look to closely at the eyes. She followed him through the dark in this, her camouflage form, watching with passive eyes. She sat in the limbs of a tree as he tried to reason with the panicked villagers. Would this make him understand? That her opinion of these people had deeper roots then a few bad experiences and pessimism? She shook her currently tiny head and waited.

Finally as some of the villagers began to grab weapons such as knives and pitch forks she decided it was time to act. She bit into her own paw, releasing a drop of blood. It began to travel down the tree with her own will, stopping at the edge of the villiage. It flared then into flame, the bright blue almost white that would then form a circle around him that caused the blinded and fearful villagers to stumble back. they began to look around in terror, knowing that this blue fire... this was hers.

Deidra meanwhile had leaped from the tree and transformed into her full beast form. She appeared at first glance to be a winged panther with a strange bladed tail and to be the size of a horse. Closer inspection would reveal her silver horns that matched the blades on her tail and that her eyes held no pupil. The glowing eyes stayed on Hillfyre, her body already in motion. Her bladed wings would clip any villagers who got to close as she ran, only to leap over her own flames. With one wing she would scoop Hillfyre on her back, wrapping her wings around him to hold him to her back safely.

She glanced at the fire which suddenly flared outwards towards the villagers to push them even further back. She roared, some cowering at the sound. She would then turn and leap over the flames again, the fire forming a wall behind them as she ran into the forest. The fire would only fade once they had managed to get out of sight, his horse the only one able to go through the flames as they parted for it. She would run, her breath ragged for she was still too weak to tap into her power so fully without consequence.

They would not quite make it back to the cave as she half collapsed deep in the forest. Her wings would fall limply to her sides, allowing the knight to likely roll out on the ground after the jarring run. She dug her massive claws into the dirt, panting weakly as she tried to gather her strength. Her head lay close to the ground, her eyes closed and her ears bent downward as she gasped in air. Her whole body hurt but she forced herself to stand even as her tail and wings grew limp. The horned cat had expended to much energy it seemed...

[DoctorRed]

The man had faltered and felt a knife bite into his arm where the mail met plates and he roared out in pain, lashing out with his mailed fist to take down a villager who'd attacked him with the old knife and tearing it out, casting it down, wary as he tried to lean against the horse and reach for his sword.

"Order, people... you need to understand... order," he was gasping for breath and fighting the masses as they reached out for him and felt another knife swipe and glance off of him before the demoness had invoked such power and sent the crowd from him, the flames allowing him to gasp and fall to his knees, trying to catch himself from falling to the shock of the knife that he found when he brushed his palm along the slick side to his hip. He growled and tore it free, casting it down, rage in his eyes, but his body weeping blood more copiously than it had before.

When she arrived, he'd let himself be swooped up, unable to truly fight against what was going on very well and feeling his body go limp against the wings, settling carefully to her.He held as still as he could, trying to staunch the couple of wounds from being stabbed while he wasn't looking against the mob. He growled and cursed low in his throat as he wiped at it, falling suddenly and rolling to the muddied floor, laying beside her, his body gasping and arching in the wet dirt. His eyes found her and he recognized her hazily and grinned a little, his palm soaked with blood as he kept his hand to his side, laughing raspy.

"I'm still less than pleased with your manners," he muttered, grinning despite the pain. "And..." he stumbled to his feet and rose to his feet shakily, a bloody palm brushing her as he leaned and used her to steady himself. He reached into his hip pouch and produced some cloth to jam into his armor, to press against the wound as he stood in there. He was still breathing heavily from the jarring ride and glanced down at her.

[Staria]

"I did warn you.... and my manners? I could have left your sorry ass to them....I almost did" was her less then kind response though the last was a lie. She had predicted this would happen and had planned on saving him the second she had done so. She panted a moment longer but finally gathered her strength. She stepped away from him slowly, making sure to set him gently on his feet with her wing first.

Using the shadows she summoned her clothing and stepping behind  a tree would regain her human form and redress. She stepped out, glancing towards the cave they were not too far from. She would walk towards him and support him on her shoulder with a sigh. He could barely stand... he would need tending. She had tended enough of her own wounds that she could easily help him... she also held some of her mothers magic so wounds tended to heal better the more she touched them...

She led him into the cave, whether he cooperated or not. After she sat him on her bed roll and told him to strip she started to get supplies from her back. She had some herb mixes that would kill any bacteria and keep out infection. She was muttering to herself various unlady like words, none to pleased to have a human in her care.  What was she doing? He could get her killed... She should have left him.

[DoctorRed]

He grinned at that and shook his head. "I don't think that's true, Lady," he said, his fingers brushing against her wing as he stood, holding his wound closed as he watched her trot off and return,flushing a bit as she moved to support him and they walked together, without him putting up a fight or fussing about the ordeal. He groaned a bit at the effort and walked alongside her. He found himself stumbling only once and sinking patiently down to the bedroll and sitting there a moment before he began by removing his helmet and casting it aside clumsily, followed by his cloak and breastplate, then the mail and gloves came off, both soaked in his own blood where he'd been wounded. The mail was torn open and would need fixed before it was useful again. He frowned at it and felt his head spinning as he sank back against the bedding and listened to the sound of her moving about, his eyes sliding shut drunkenly.

"You saved me. I am sorry... for the harsh words before this." he muttered, his head lolling a bit as he growled at the sharp pains shooting through his sides. He'd set his book aside and his horn as well, his sword nearby, but so heavy now it might as well be back in the village. He growled a bit and ground his teeth.

[Staria]

For a moment he broke through the ice queen as he apologized and shock showed on her face. She flushed gently, glancing away. She muttered something about calling her a liar and recovered herself as quickly as she could, not seeming to know who to react. No one really directly apologized to her... at least not with words. They might feel bad and even be kinder, gentler for a while but never actually say they were sorry. It startled her.

She forced herself to focus, shaking her head to clear it and half hiding behind her raven hair. At first she simply began to tend his wounds and applied her ointments carefully. It didn't' seem she would answer him, simply putting on a few disinfect and pain numbing salves in silence. It was as if it took her a moment to think of what to say, not quite sure how one was to act to an apology. Finally she shrugged, not looking at him directly.

"It.... Is to be expected. It's fine.... and I only saved you because I had nothing better to do, don't go taking it personally..." She finally stated almost shakily, still pretending to have that icy stone heart everyone thought she had. It made her harder to hurt that way.  Still, he seemed determined to break through the act and that both excited and terrified her. She couldn't let herself care... not for a human. It would have to many consequences to  be his friend.

[DoctorRed]

The man writhed a bit at her touches as she applied her ointments and ground his teeth a bit until the pain subsided, leaning back to get comfortable and fussing a bit less about it. With her doing that it was hard to be still but he kept his eyes closed, letting her do whatever it was she was going to do, grinding his teeth a little and opening an eye when she accepted his apology and gave a wry grin, glancing up at her.

He wondered idly if she'd take offense if he tried to read about her kind in his book that seemed so close when he glanced over at it and figured she'd be less than amused if he did so. He turned his eyes back to her face and watched her, silently trying to be still for her as he waited.

"Thank you, despite all that, My lady," he murmured, his strength leaving him as his body sagged a bit, tiresomely. "You didn't have to  but still you did. If you were to ask a favor of me, the Ranger code would dictate I should fulfill it."