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Selia scampered onto Valik's back, her eyes wide with fear and her skin lost of all color. Intertwining her fingers into the fur between Valik's shoulders, Selia let out a small shaky breath as she saw her wrist. A small black sparrow was inked under the skin, but it seemed to be flying. It spun in intricate patterns, transforming as it did. Butterfly, crow, and back to sparrow. A scream built in Selia's chest as she realized what she had been marked with, but before she could an arrow flew past her, missing her by centimeters.

Ryan's horse came flying from the woods as Valik spoke, almost colliding with him. Valerie clung to Ryan, almost falling as the horse skidded to a jerking halt. Both were breathing heavily. "What happened?" Ryan and Valerie both asked, though their tones were entirely different. Ryan was a cold concern, Valerie a fervent one. Hopping down off the horse, she picked up a herb growing on the ground and placed it around Valik's ear. "It'll scar, but at least this will heal it." She murmured, Ryan's expression softened at Valeries action. He noticed Selia on Valik and held back a smirk.

Selia was shaking by the time Valik had stopped running, and she slid off carefully. Her skin was pale and pulled taunt over her thin frame, making her comparable to an anorexia patient, and her eyes were hollow. The only lively thing about her was the dancing tattoo on her arm, now not just one transforming bird, but also a vine the ran up to her shoulder. Blooming flowers and diving birds all twisted together into a spinning dance of black ink that went along with Selia's heartbeat. Looking up at Valerie and Ryan, Selia blinked hard. "The girl, the poster..." She was barely able to even say this, her body was shaking too much to allow much talk.

Valerie pursed her lips as she examined Selia's arm, and shook her head. "I have no idea. I've seen this, but everyone just deteriorates then is healed to be better then before, in a new image. It's a good thing in the end, and disappears for most." She said, trying to think of something to compare it to.

Selia's eyes widened at Valerie's explanation. She shook her head. "This is something different Valerie. I'm not trying to undermine your knowledge, but I've seen and had this before. It's Scryre Ink. It's grows, and will forever be here. It's also called Secret's Venom. My father cut it off of me and just had someone heal the scars." She murmured, tracing the blooming roses along her arms and marveling as the vines spread to her other hand and wrapped around her hands, looking like permanent lace gloves with no fingers. It worked it's way up along to her collar bone, circling around the moon that lie there. "It's a defensive curse. I am now pretty much a walking vine whip. Touch me and it will spread to you." She finished simply, standing and backing away from everyone.

Selia's eyes hardened. "Of course there is." She said coldly, resenting the pity in their stares. "It's not pleasent, but there is a was to fix this. Reverse cursing or pausing the efects so I can use it as my own controllable weapon." Selia finished, wrapping her arms around her exposed stomach and shivering. The temperature was dropping quickly, and the sky was at the verge of pitch black. The tattoo spread, making a tree like vine starting at her hip and ending at her ribs, the branches swaying slightly.

Valerie nodded with Selia. "I have the essessences in my house, we can get them in the morning. Meanwhile, no one should touch Selia's affected area's." She said, sounding much like the healer she was known for being.

Ryan nodded along with Valerie, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'll go with you at dawn. We wouldn't want a huge delay over this." He said, looking at the rising moon and sighing.

Selia pushed weakly against Valik. "Boothe's right Valik. It's not worth the risk." She whispered, blushing from the his action.

Ryan shook his head. "I'm going to help them." He said, kissing Valerie's forehead and running to catch up with Sebastian and Boothe.

Selia sighed, knowing the battle was a lost cause. Looking at Valerie, she half smiled and closed her eyes, leaning again Valik's chest. The birds and blooms stopped moving and growing. Half of her body was decorated in the intricate designs, running from her hand to her shoulder and across to the other, then down her ribs and back, ending at on hip. It was beautiful, yet deadly at the same time. The inky black stood out against her white skin.

Valerie smiled back and sat down. Ryan stood behind, listening in on Sebastian and Boothe. When he heard the conversation, he decided to turn and leave. He walked slowly back to where Valerie was and sat next to her, wrapping his long arms around her waist.

Selia pulled her arms to her sides, wrapping them around her waist and falling asleep in minutes. Not longer after, she was snoring quietly. Visions of past events and what was to come played in her dreams. She pushed the visions away to dream of the summer. Warm breezes, lots of light, carnivals, and fire. Fire was everywhere. Selia smiled, pressing her cheek against Valik's chest as she did.

Valerie looked at Sebastian. "If you know why you are coughing, I can pick up the medication to cure it tomorrow as well." She whispered, leaning into Ryan. "It doesn't sound like a normal cough. Almost like it's being forced from your body like a poison." Her eyes never left Sebastian.

Ryan was sleeping, his head laying against Valerie's. He snored loudly, then fall into her lap. Valerie laughed as he landed and woke up, then fell back asleep in seconds.