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Post by Jack on Apr 4, 2019 12:05:28 GMT -6
It was time. They hadn't seen each other in forever it seemed, and with the weather doing nice things, they had agreed to meet. It was hard in the winter with her leg, and she winced as she put a little pressure on it where she was sitting. Once the weather started to change, it ached more but the sharp pains were winding down, just as they did every year, and she really wished she could do something about it. Any pain medication she had taken hadn't helped, it was just her lot in life to suffer with that for now on. That was alright, it had been her fault anyway, the wagon tipping over, and she just wished she knew this was going to be an outcome of it.
Jack sat on a picnic table among the trees growing around the creek lazily drifting through the Park, it was a nice day out, sunny and warm, and while the soft breeze was a bit cool, she didn't seem to have a problem with that. She smiled a little and reached into a pouch at her hip and took out three small orbs before putting two of them back and looking at the blue one left in her hand. It was her newest node and she had discovered a little bit of magic associated with it. While she wasn't too confident in it yet, she still felt she should show it off to Renathan. She would never harm him though, she knew he had swallowed his fire node, and fire and water were notorious for not liking each other. However, she wasn't going to swallow her water node, it wasn't the kind of person she was, she simply wanted to know everything there was when it came to magic.
As she laid back on the top of the table, she basked in the sunlight and winced a moment when her leg twitched on it's own. What could she do to make this better? Honestly the woman had no idea, nothing ever seemed to work. Waiting for Renathan, however, at least gave her a distraction, and she smiled up at the sun.
Jack: 1/5
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Post by Renathan on Apr 4, 2019 13:01:35 GMT -6
Renathan was somewhat nervous about this, but the combined excitement of seeing Jack and the calming presence of his familiar relaxed him enough to keep his shoulders from turning into bricks. Renathan had spent a long time in his life wondering what it would be like to travel; to follow that little heart-tug he'd always felt to travel to this continent. He hadn't known at the time what drew him here. Now that he was a bit older, he felt that he had been terribly naive. However, naivety can be remedied.
Had, been remedied. At least quite a bit, Renathan felt.
Renathan had been through so many things since he had gotten to the labs. Learning how to speak common was difficult, learning how to use the colloquial terms, jargon, and even the slang that Labs-City denizens used had been even more so. Renathan had learned to train and trust the labs-creatures, despite the rather dubious information he had received. The mammalian learned how to mine, how to garden, how to explore, and how to find information for himself. He had seen the city go from being packed, to being a little more subdued. He'd stopped seeing as many people on his daily commutes. He'd learned to hone his previous jewelry-making trade, learned how to be patient, and learned how to perform many crafts. Breaking Sarane, Swallowing a Node, and accidentally getting a familiar... Bonding to a draconic, and learning what it was like to enjoy the company of those much different from him.
The mammalian felt like he had been through a lot.
Auburn sings quietly on her precarious perch. She probably shouldn't have been able to do so as an izer, since izer were usually much more 'looks-oriented' creatures. Perhaps it was a holdover from being a jibiji in the past. She is perched almost like a cat across his broad shoulders, cuddling into his braided neck. This snaps him out of his reverie, and just in time; he was nearly there. They had been following the creek, perhaps because he was used to doing so with his equillion, Shy Guy. The equillion was at home, he admonished himself. However, he could just barely see Jack sitting at the picnic table they had agreed upon. As soon as he could see her, he felt Auburn light off of his shoulder, and swoop toward the table to land on one of the seats at the table. Renathan chuckled, and then broke out into a run towards the two. "Hey- Auburn, slow up!" When he get closer, he called out to Jack instead. "Sorry if I'm a bit late, I lost track of myself. The creek is really nice this time of year." He scarcely stopped when he got to the table, his breath hardly effected. He was very glad to see her, and perhaps a bit bashful now that he was here. He was glad that his mask was still on, hiding the warmth on the shorter fur of his cheeks.
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Post by Jack on Apr 4, 2019 13:14:11 GMT -6
"Auburn?" Jack asked, a little shocked to see the familiar Jibiji now an Izer. But it was still her, the same tune, the same look, the same actions, and the woman chuckled and reached out to touch the feathers of her back in a greeting.
It was the other one who held most of her attention though. Tall and braided, he stood before her once again, like they had seen each other so many times in the past, but unlike him, she had no qualms about the bright smile and slight blush that hit her cheeks. It had been so long... but then again she wasn't much company when it came to the winter months due to the pain in her leg. What was she going to do about it? She had no idea, but it was going to be nice to figure out what to do about it now that Renathan was here. She had missed him. A lot. At first she was worried he would be mad at her, but from what she remembered, there had been only relief.
She grabbed her walking stick and helped herself up onto her feet, looking him over for a moment before reaching out for a hug and a nuzzle into his shoulder, "It is nice, and I missed you."
Sorry I wasn't there this winter, sorry I failed to reach out, I'm so sorry I left you alone for so long...
Words she tried to say but couldn't be choked out, and she found herself gasping for a moment to try and keep the long held tears at bay. She didn't know what to do, she had told herself she wouldn't do this, barely had an idea that she might be this way when she saw him, but once he was there, everything she unknowingly suppressed came bubbling up and she didn't know what to do about it. Keeping her face close to his shoulder, head down so he wouldn't see, she told him, "I got another node..."
Really, what else could she say?
Jack: 2/5
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Post by Renathan on Apr 4, 2019 13:28:53 GMT -6
Auburn, whether out of having met Jack before, knowing Renathan's fondness for her, or perhaps just because she loved nearly anyone that Renathan liked, was super excited to see the woman. The izer reached up, arcing it's back a bit, and rubbed her the top of her wings against whatever she was able to get it to touch, perhaps even just the bottom of the table. Ah well, hopefully the action counted despite the fluffy creature's lack of coordination. Renathan grinned beneath his mask at the comical action, amused and also beginning to feel the knots of anxiety to untie and melt from his chest.
Renathan leaned against the table in a polite but also rebellious way, crossing his arms across his chest and and looking at Jack. He wasn't sure whether it was simply her being here, or the sunlight hitting her just right, or what, but he was really having a hard time concealing his happiness. "It is very nice to see you again." Relief indeed, the back half of the sentence was a bit like a bird's song, and a bit like a broken wing. He was not surprised by the hug, but very happy. He was glad she moved first, if only because he was always a bit anxious about things nowadays. Perhaps he'd seen a bit too much, between then and now. He was not hesitant once the hug was offered, he reached out for a warm embrace, being sure to watch out for her leg.
"I missed you too." He drew in a breath through his nose, and really only succeeded in catching her ethereal 'Jack' scent, and not actually capturing oxygen- he was sure because it made him a bit lightheaded. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't really figure out what he wanted to say. There were several things that hit his mind at once, creating a mental block. Auburn was attempting to wheedle into his thigh, pushing her head into his knee.
Renathan was glad to hear her voice, of course because he enjoyed her company and had been worried, but also because it effectively freed his tongue again. He chuckled, happy that this was a mundane thing. Well, of course making a node was a nightmare and a darn half and not mundane at all; but the extraordinary was so normal for Jack. She was amazing. "Another one? That's quite the accomplishment!" He was glad for her, she had been working very hard to figure magic out, and it took a lot of work to do. "What kind did you get this time?" He didn't really want to break the hug, but he also didn't want to seem weird.
Huh, he was still figuring out things, it made him feel a bit like a kid sometimes; but it was nice to have something to learn that wasn't a life or death matter.
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Post by Jack on Apr 4, 2019 14:06:29 GMT -6
She smiled and finally pulled back from the hug and looked up at his bright eyes. She'd missed him, and she was relieved to hear he had done the same, though she was a bit sad at the same time. What was she going to do? It wasn't like she wanted to disappear or anything, but that's just what seemed to happen more often than not. Attempting to subtly wipe her eyes, she looked up at him and smiled at the question, "I got a water node this time. I have earth, wind, and water now. Fire is next in my sights." The statement was a fact, and she would get a fire node eventually, she just wasn't sure when or how she would find all the crystals, but she would. A simple statement was all she needed and it would be done at some point in the future, just like fixing her leg somehow.
"I can both make and freeze water, bind you in place with water," her eyes turned to steel now, "And I can try to drown someone." The last made her jaw set together and her head was held high as though a dare to challenge her decision came forth. She knew what she had to do to survive, and even if she couldn't kill anyone with it yet, getting someone to realize she could kill them somehow would work well enough, and during the time they would sputter and cough after the spell wore off, she could inflict more damage to them somehow.
"But Auburn... when did she become an Izer? I'm going to miss the little Jibiji trying to find me," she said with a little smile, leaning down and trying to scratch her under her beak a little. Some birds liked that, some didn't, she was just trying to figure out if she was the same all around or a little different now.
Jack: 3/5
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Post by Renathan on Apr 4, 2019 14:24:26 GMT -6
Renathan nodded, and pulled back naturally with her after he realized that she was in the process of it. He let his hands naturally settle at his sides, feeling a bit awkward about their placement. He understood when others needed to do other things, or needed to have a moment to themselves. He never once blamed Jack for disappearing for some time, but he was glad to have her back around all the same. She was a wonderful person, and he wasn't the kind of person to judge.
"Water..." He mused quietly, grinning beneath the mask. She was working on all of the basic magics, he noticed, and he was glad that she had found another. It was much easier to protect oneself with magic, he'd felt that personally. "Crystals are quite hard to find, but I am sure that you will find them" He agreed. "You've found so many already, so I am sure of it." Of course, there were other parts to making a node; some things from everywhere it seemed. It was quite abnormal to work with magic.
Renathan heard the next part and his throat clenched a bit; probably only truly noticeable to Auburn. The izer glanced up, her bright silver eyes glazed for a moment before she continued her soft trilling, and attempting to rub on whichever of the humanoids she could manage to do so. Her body was so fluffy, and it was really calming. Renathan nodded as Jack spoke. He knew that 'could kill someone' feeling, he'd figured that out when practicing his own magical powers; he found destroying things with fire to be entirely too easy; and scared himself knowing how easy it would be to even accidentally harm someone to the point of death. "If you need to talk about it..." He started, and then stopped. He was sure that she would tell him if she did. "You know I'm here. Any time you need it." He said quietly.
Auburn lifted her head and made a soft trill; trying to rub at the hand even as she was being touched beneath the chin. She was a little mess, and was all too excited. She was, after all, sharing her own excitement and Renathan's all in one little body.
"Ah, she wasn't changed too long ago, maybe a week or two?" He really had no true explanation as to why he'd picked up her potions the same time as Lisle's. "I had a pet get, uh, really injured a while back. His back left leg was a mess, and he was a chiryma. I found a way to allow him to walk easier." He got quiet for a moment, feeling a little sick about the entire situation. "At the same time I worried about how small and frail Auburn was, so I figured I'd try to remedy that without making her have to change to something too foreign." He was word-vomiting again, it seemed. So talkative when he got nervous. "I am always afraid she's going to get hurt." He admitted, truthfully.
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Post by Jack on Apr 4, 2019 14:36:58 GMT -6
"I know, and you know I'm here for you too," Jack said, letting the tension in her shoulders and jaw slack finally. She wasn't sure what he would say to that, they were used to the animals fighting, but not so much themselves. It was a hard thing to swallow and she knew it, but that was alright she figured with a slight smile, "Well... my animals defend me. I need to defend them too. I can summon pillars of wind with my wind node as well if I need an offensive attack. Water is mostly defensive, it seems." She couldn't wait for fire, however, and she was a little jealous of Renathan at the moment that he was basically an elemental, noticing a touch more heat coming from him than normal, before he'd done that.
The woman couldn't help but look at her own bad leg when he mentioned his Chiryma, "It's understandable, you have to take care of them, even if it's the only thing you can think of. A biped with a bad leg is only half there..." Jack winced, realizing what she said. She hadn't made the distinction between people and animals, and had lumped her into that as well. With a glanced down at her leg again, she shook her head with an almost inaudible sigh, she really didn't know what to do about herself it seemed, here she was excited to see him again, and all she could do was talk about or think of her bad leg.
But it was so frustrating! There was really nothing she could do easily, it seemed, everything was hard for her now, and if only the wagon hadn't overturned on her, then maybe things would be normal right now.
"Auburn is a sweetheart," Jack managed to muster with a soft smile on her face as her hand was leaned into by the avian, "It really would be a shame if anything happened to her. Which reminds me though, I have a Jibiji I'm starting to train to be a messenger, the one you sold me. I was wondering if we could train together sometime? Have him learn your location?"
Jack: 4/5
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Post by Renathan on Apr 4, 2019 14:59:34 GMT -6
Renathan was a person of two diametrically opposed ideas when it came to fighting. On one hand, he felt that it was fine for self defense, fine for eating, and fine for creatures that it happened naturally to; hurting others. However, he didn't like the idea of having to kill another sentient being. If it came down to it, he thought that it was better to end it quicker than to draw it out, thus his original plans for the pit. However, he often got this sinking feeling when fighting or having his creatures fight. "Defense is great." Renathan nodded, drawing forward a little. "You are right. Creatures deserve to be fought for, too." There were some things creatures just couldn't defend against.
Renathan caught his mistake a little late, but when he did he felt a little ill for a moment. "Trust me, I would have found a way to care for him even if it wasn't an option." He knew how she probably felt, but he didn't know how to make her feel better. He opened his mouth once, and then closed it; and finally opened it again. "He's a good boy, you would love him. He wasn't letting his leg keep him back, but if there is a way to make it easier... And it was my fault..." The guilt from the incident bubbled over for a moment, and then he shut his mouth. He knew it was complicated for Jack, but he wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't make it worse. Still, he felt so bad about what happened to Lisle.
Renathan could tell, perhaps because he knew Jack pretty well, that she was thinking about something. Renathan could only hope that it wasn't because he made her feel like... Less of a person or anything about her leg. He didn't think of her that way, but he also figured that it was a rough subject, and he realized that he didn't know exactly how she felt about it. "Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes softened.
Auburn was certainly a sweetie, if Renathan had to admit it himself. "She is such a softy." He murmured, allowing his hand to fall to her head and scritched behind her ears. He was really worried about most of his creatures getting hurt; he'd seen how the pit was, after all. "Ah, of course! Just let me know when you are ready for me." He would be happy to help, messengers were awesome and jibiji were also awesome. Jack would also have an easier time training the jibiji to be a messenger, since she wasn't having to deal with the familiar aspect. It made his training relationship with his other creatures just a tad strained.
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Post by Jack on Apr 5, 2019 7:29:04 GMT -6
"I know you would have!" Jack exclaimed with a little smile, Renathan wasn't one to let an animal suffer, "Trust me, I know, but you can't dwell on it. As long as he's alright now, then everything is fine. His leg must not be hurting anymore and he's still here, right? That's more than I can say." The last had a little laugh with it, somewhat bitter, but she hoped he wouldn't pick up on that part of it. Who knew, he knew her a little better than she did, it seemed, she just hoped things would work out with her in the end. There was nothing she had found to make it better for herself, and she didn't know if there ever would be a solution to what she had going on with her leg.
A wince as she put too much pressure on her sore leg, and she sat down and folded her arms in front of her on the table. "I'm alright I think, it just hurts in the winter. Since it's warming up it's been tingling and trying to ease up a bit, that almost hurts worse than winter does though. Just wish there was something I could do about it," Jack sighed with a little frown on her face. She didn't want to alarm Renathan, but there was just... nothing she could do. She'd tried pills, salves, any medication, heat, cold, relaxing, working, everything. There was just nothing to do about it and she hated it.
Shaking her head a little to pull herself back, she smiled at Auburn and reached out to scratch between her wings, "I'll certainly let you know, he needs to learn a few more things first, but I'm sure it won't take him too terribly long."
Jack: 5/5 +1
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Post by Renathan on Apr 5, 2019 11:17:23 GMT -6
Renathan was quiet, listening to Jack and partially just enjoying her voice. The other half of him caused him to nearly tear up, because he did feel really terrible about Lisle's leg, but she was right. Lisle didn't complain about his leg, not once ever to him, not even now that he was sentient. Renathan knew that it should be better now, but he had been beating himself up over the idea that he should have done something about it originally. He nods, a bit blearily for a moment, but straightens up quickly. "Jack, I am so sorry." He had caught that, at the end, and it made his chest hurt. He wished there was something he could do.
Renathan frowned beneath the mask, knowing that there was very little he could do about it as well, but he wanted to help so badly. "I am sorry Jack. If you ever think of a way, and I can help? Just ask me and I'll come running." He nodded. He would come and help her, any time she needed it. "I couldn't imagine what you go through in the Winter." His voice was low now, almost a whisper, as he stared down at the grass.
Renathan may have had to stare down at the grass to deal with the sensation, but the floofy izer was not having any of that! Auburn thoroughly enjoyed that mid-wing scratch. She couldn't reach there, and she hadn't really noticed before that it was pretty itchy there! She moves her body back and forth with a trill, 'helping' the scratchies find the spots that were itchy. Then, she twists her body in such a way that she could rub her head into Renathan's leg, mostly to 'wake him up'. She was used to helping him to 'wake up' when he started staring off into space.
Renathan glanced up, at that, with a still sad smile beneath the mask. "You are the best, Jack, you really are." For dealing with all of that, and still caring so much about your creatures. For dealing with all of that for so long, and still being kind and patient.
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Post by Jack on Apr 5, 2019 11:32:04 GMT -6
"I know you will. You know I'll do the same thing, right? Anything for you," Jack told him, looking back up at his mask with a smile on her face, "Winter hurts, it does, it's why I don't reach out as much as I really should. I'm sorry..." I just don't want you seeing me like that. This is bad enough, but that...? The woman stretched out her shoulders and gave Auburn one last scratch before standing up and stretching out her whole body, a groan emanating from her throat as everything tried to escape all at once. Settling down, she felt much better, even her leg, and she gave a genuine smile when she looked over at Renathan, his mask betraying any emotion his voice was hiding.
Of course she had seen him with his mask off before, but she still leaned over and kissed the cheek of the mask, she wasn't going to take it off of him, not since she knew what it meant. Still though, it felt good to touch part of him at least, even if it was a covering right now. "I don't now if I'm the best. I still wonder if I'm really even too good, but it's nice to know you think so," she told him with another little smile on her face. It was warm out now, even though the breeze had a touch of chill to it, and with a laugh, she put a hand out, palm forward, and a burst of wind flew from her hand and up into the tree line next to the creek, as though challenging the wind itself with wind of her own.
She was too busy having fun underneath the shade of the trees to hear the ominous cracking right above her, created by her own wind.
Jack: 1/5
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Post by Renathan on Apr 5, 2019 14:23:33 GMT -6
Renathan shook his head quick, just a couple of short shakes. "No need to apologize Jack, that is completely understandable." Truth be told, he didn't like the cold much either, and had really been wanting to feel some warmth again. He didn't have a physical reason for it, not a real one, but the winter tended to make him a bit depressed. Renathan watched her stretch and could help but try to stifle yet another blush that hit his cheeks. At this rate; he was going to melt the bone mask, he was sure of it!
Then, the kiss happened, and he could have probably turned red all over like a cartoon character had he not been covered in fur. He could almost instinctively feel it, like it was on his flesh instead, if only because of the added warmth against the mask. He moved his head over, to tuck her head under his chin gently if she would allow it. His chin wasn't covered by the mask, not beneath it. Afterwards he draws back, a little, with a playful look in his eyes that could easily be seen past the holes. "Of course you are the best. Look at all the good you do for your critters, and you do a lot of good for me too." Taking care of critters was no joke, and in the winter cold he was sure that even braving her leg pain, she took care of her farm. He knew that she was just that kind of person. Almost stubborn; he liked to think of it as being headstrong.
Unbeknownst to him, his antlers crackled and smoldered at the tips with just a little bit of fire; all of it vaguely pink- like a potassium blaze. The blushing was really getting to him.
Renathan chuckled, a warm noise belying his fondness and slight anxiety. He watches Jack play with the wind, and is tempted to do something similar; though fire was a dangerous thing. He had to really control his emotions to work with the element. Renathan was too focused on Jack to really pay much attention, and the wind was a bit too much for him to hear.
Auburn, on the other hand, leaped up as if something supernatural had forced her to do so, her silver eyes wide open. Her wings carried her far enough away that the falling branch would not hurt her, but in her simple nature, she seemed to have forgotten the much larger pair wouldn't fair so well.
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Post by Jack on Apr 5, 2019 14:32:28 GMT -6
Jack chuckled and let herself be tucked up under his chin, enjoying the feeling of his fur on her skin. It was strange, this sensation, and not one she thought she would experience with the way she had been raised. Of course, she was more than happy she could have this experience at some point in her life, but still, what would he have thought if he knew this would happen when she left? Her father wasn't the most open-minded of people, considering he had led the charge in her mother's death. That was why she needed this magic she was learning, and she didn't know what else to do until now.
A smile crossed her face as she looked up and saw his smoldering antlers, guessing why they were doing that. Apparently she had that effect on him for some reason, though she wasn't entirely certain why. But it made her happy, and that's what mattered right? That they were happy? Chuckling again, she reached up to touch the base of one of his antlers, then bent over a bit and kissed the underside of his chin, if only to see his reaction.
But there wasn't time, the top of the tree was falling, and the sight out of the corner of her eyes was too much, she shoved against him to get him out of the way, and then a deep blackness came over her.
Jack: 2/5
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Post by Renathan on Apr 5, 2019 14:49:23 GMT -6
Renathan's species was famously open to relationships in their homeland; with any races. Most of his people were poly-amorous too, though Renathan wouldn't really want to have multiple mates himself. They were surprisingly open with other races, so he would not have understood Jack's plight past a logical understanding. He had never felt such reservations, or been taught them. His family had been a bit anxious when he decided to travel so far away though, that was not normal at all. However, he was a renard and he felt more comfortable going out to study the world than he had been with fulfilling his otherwise normal societal duties. All of that did make him a little more sympathetic to sentient labs creatures than most, though. He had a hard time understanding just what made them different, and gave them less rights.
Renathan looked down at her after a moment, rubbing just the barest bottom of his cheek against her with the mask having raised up a bit. He did notice her looking at something or another, and he took a moment to guess that his antlers had did that darn thing again. He didn't know whether to be embarrassed or look defeated, so he inadvertently did both, reaching up to pinch the fires out with his fingertips. He didn't notice her until it was too late, and another kiss was planted, this time on his chin. The fires started back up again, this time crackling a bit. Renathan gave up on pinching them out, and laughed instead, pushing up mask up a bit to give her cheek a quick nuzzle with his somewhat goat-like nose if she'd allow it...
Before he could do so, he was shoved, and his eyes had been closed, so he had no idea what was going on. The mammalian fell on his hind end several feet away, much further than one would have expected; and he just about hurt his tails doing it. The tall mammalian barely caught himself against the ground, and then looked up frantically. Renathan may not have noticed it; but Auburn was already there. The tiny bird was making horridly distressed noises, and Renathan could only see a tree branch, huge, where he had been standing just heartbeats ago; and the fluffy izer bouncing around, as if trying to remove it.
Renathan brings himself to his feet, ignoring the pinched feeling in his tails, and rushes over to the branch.
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Post by Jack on Apr 5, 2019 15:04:39 GMT -6
There was nothing, not for a long, long time. Just endlessly floating without feeling anything. It was a nice feeling, she enjoyed it, no pain, least of all in her leg, and there was simply... peace. The darkness enveloped her and made her feel welcome, but she knew it wouldn't last. Already there was a sound, something aching and desperate, calling to her.
The darkness jumped, a twitch of light, and everything came rushing back to her. She screamed, not in pain, not in agony, not for herself, but for Renathan. She couldn't see him and tried to get up, but the pinned her down. Struggling with her arms, she pushed herself up a little and saw him running toward herself and the tree and she flopped back to the ground in relief. She might be hurt, but she had managed to push him further away than what she would have had she not been particularly strong.
Jack laid there a moment, wondering why she didn't hurt, and then it did. Another yell, a little hoarser, and she reached down for her bad leg, oh she would feel this in the morning, and came up with nothing but blood and a little white shard. Her face went white and she inspected it, then frantically threw it away from her before staring down at what was on top of her. The tree, almost the whole thing had come down on her, and it was big. Luckily it was just her leg, but it was most definitely crushed, the white shard a bone fragment from her leg. It had shattered, she would most likely never use it again, and the tears finally came for herself, for her future, not knowing what could be done. She wanted free from the pain but not like this.
A croak, "Ren..."
Jack: 3/5
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