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Post by Noa on Nov 2, 2019 17:05:34 GMT -6
Slowly, the pup's eyes opened, blinking blearily at his surroundings.
Rhys stepped back from them, panting, as the light faded from his horns. {I... I think that does it,} Rhys said. His voice was weaker than before, his body language slightly unsteady. Aster frowned.
But he was the only one who noticed. The woman and her son were both staring raptly at the Rakai as Poppy rose, unsteadily at first but then with more confidence, shaking himself off. Tentatively, the boy reached out a hand as if to pat his head, but Poppy wiggled under it to lap at Gabriel's fingers with his tongue. The boy broke out into delighted laughter. "Poppy!" he said, wrapping his arms around the pup's shoulders in a hug. The pup licked at his ear, at his face, tail wagging until his whole body was wriggling with the force of the motion.
The woman, at last, smiled.
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Post by Noa on Nov 2, 2019 17:19:04 GMT -6
Aster found that he was smiling too, despite himself, though his was much more subdued. "You did it," he said quietly to Rhys.
The Felusine was still catching his breath, but he seemed pleased too with what he had done. {He'll be okay now,} Rhys said.
"Now, Gabriel," said the woman, resting a hand on her son's shoulder. "What do we say?"
"Thank you so much!" said Gabriel, breaking off from Poppy to give Rhys a hug too. The Felusine's eyes widened, startled for a moment, before relaxing into it.
{It was my pleasure,} Rhys said. It sounded like he meant it too.
The boy turned to Aster, but here his nerve deserted him a little, which was just as well. Aster didn't know if there was a polite way to turn down a hug from a child. "Thank you, mister," said Gabriel.
"If you're going to thank anyone, thank Rhys," Aster said.
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Post by Noa on Nov 2, 2019 17:19:15 GMT -6
It had been Rhys's idea to come here at all, and Rhys was the one who had healed the pup, in the end. Aster's own presence had hardly even been necessary.
"Thank you!" the boy said again. "Mom, can we go play now?"
"Stay inside," she said, but that was no deterrent to the boy's recovered spirits.
"Okay! Come on Poppy, let's go to my room," said Gabriel, rushing upstairs with the pup hot on his heels.
After a moment, the woman turned to Aster. "We really do appreciate it," she said. It wasn't an apology, but Aster understood her; it would have been more awkward for both of them otherwise.
"Why didn't you take him to a vet?" he said.
She flinched slightly at his words, looking away. "We can't afford it," she said. "The pup was free when we got him. We... don't have anything to pay you with either."
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Post by Noa on Nov 2, 2019 17:19:29 GMT -6
In that moment, Aster considered all the things that he could have said to her--- that it was irresponsible to keep an animal when you knew you didn't have the means to properly care for it; that the Rakai was almost certainly going to grow up too big to live in a small home like this. But in the end, he decided against it. It wasn't his place, or his business, and he was sure she had enough on her plate as it was.
"Healing's free at the temple," Aster said. Probably she wasn't from around here, and hadn't been here for long. She looked up in surprise at his words. "The potions aren't, and if the pup had died, then... Revivals aren't free either. But they don't charge for on-site treatment, at least."
"Thank you," said the woman. "I-I didn't know."
Aster shook his head. "I've heard enough thanks for one day," he said.
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Post by Noa on Nov 2, 2019 17:20:49 GMT -6
{And you don't have to worry about paying us,} Rhys chimed in. He had recovered enough now to follow their conversation, his gold eyes bright. {We're just happy to help.}
Aster shot him a withering look--- what was all this 'we' business? But Rhys ignored him blithely, beaming at the woman. She seemed taken aback, but after a moment, her expression softened. Aster didn't think it was so much gratitude as it was relief.
But if it was, he didn't begrudge her. He remembered what it was like to be poor and out of options. "If that's all, we'll be going," he said.
The woman looked as though she might have said something more, so Aster arched a brow at her, but in the end she merely shook her head. "I'll show you out," she said, and escorted them out of the room.
Cautious to the end, this one. He wondered what she had been through, to make her so wary.
(note for self: posts counted)
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Post by Renathan on Nov 2, 2019 19:22:34 GMT -6
Excellent job! Your QP will be added to the bank, and your prize will be sent to you shortly!
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