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 Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:39 pm
Aurora stared in slight shock, before she allowed the emotion to slip off her face. His own nonchalant concern for his wounds made her dumbfounded. Yet... He seemed very knowledgeable. She trusted him, and that was something that was hard to get. Her own father, whom she loved dearly, even he she did not trust completely.
When he spoke his name, she allowed a soft smile to play across her face. Erasto. The name, she had heard it before. From a Greek mare, who had spoke very little of the native tongue. Erasto, she had found, meant "beloved" or "to love". She wondered, in the back of her mind briefly. Did he have someone to love? Yet... His coming by the name seemed to bring forth an angry, bitter emotion. So the name had bad memories attached. "I quite like the name. Erasto."
Flicking her head, she nodded, "My name is Aurora. But you may call me whatever you wish." She said with another smile.
She watched his movement with a query on the tip of her tongue at every little thing he did. Why was he doing that? What was that for? Why? Why? Why? It took a great deal of restraint to keep her fleeting young mind from blurting out such questions.
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Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 5:12 am
Erasto grinned as she said her name. It was more than fitting... the way her colors glowed, casting auroras of light upon the mud daubed walls... he could understand where the name had come from. "Aurora is a beautiful name. Fitting as ever." He winked at her, the moved back over to the fire to check on the cooling salve. Ah, it was ready!
He retrieved a clean rag from a shelf and scooted the bowl over towards where Aurora was standing. Without a thought, he slipped his larger wing under hers so that she would not have to support it, then began to apply the salve with the tip of the rag. He was as gentle as he had ever been, softly removing dead skin and feathers while at the same time spreading the ointment evenly across the broken skin. When he felt that he had finished, he retrieved another piece of cloth, this one larger and longer, and wrapped it snugly around the wound. He finished by tucking one end under the wrapped portion, securing the bandage.
"There you are," he murmured, admiring his work. "It might take a few days to heal, if not more, and with constant changing of the bandage. We don't want infection to set in, now do we?" He grinned, but decided to choose his next words carefully. She seemed to trust him enough, but he still didn't want to frighten her.
"You won't be able to leave this swamp until your wing heals. If you'd like, I will let you stay here. I will be able to protect you, and make sure your wound heals cleanly. If it helps, I can sleep outside. I have before." He chuckled, his eyes bright. "I might even enlist your help to clean off my own wound... it seems to be in a very inconvenient spot." He shrugged, looking back to where the Kalona teeth marks stood out darkly against his fur.
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Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 5:28 am
Aurora watched his every movement, curious as to the way he was. When his wing slipped beneath hers, she was startled at how gentle it seemed, so uncharacteristic to what she knew him to be. But then again... He also seemed to hold a very bold Kirin side, a gentleness she had not expected.
His ministrations were so caring, that she felt touched, and wondered if he was like this to all those he encountered. "Thank you..." Her voice trailed off, deep in thought.
When he spoke of her necessity to stay in his care, she couldn't hide her shaded glee at the prospect. Though, yes, she knew very little of the strange stallion with the large eyes, he seemed a world away. A strange world indeed, and in her mind, she relished to be a part of it. "I-I don't mind staying, of course not. And... you don't have to sleep outside. I am a guest, but this is still your home. Sleeping by the warm fire is all I need." She spoke, her eyes aglow... at least a little moreso then normal.
She slowly stepped closer to gaze at his own injury, feeling so indebted to him for the harm. "I would gladly help... no need for you to get infected, eh?" She said, gazing upward at him.
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Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:35 pm
He couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped his lips as she agreed to stay with him. In fact, he was more than relieved--he was elated to know that she trusted him enough to stay. And was it just his eyes... or did she look even a tad bit excited at his offer?
He chuckled as she repeated his earlier words. Oh yes, this was an intriguing mare!
"No, no need at all." He grinned, then motioned towards the bowl of goopy looking salve and the cloth that he had used to apply it to her wing. "I'm sure you saw how I applied this to your wing--it's not hard at all, really. And I don't need a bandage such as you have. My wounds heal quite quickly... mayhaps it's the Kalona blood?" He gave a lopsided smile and chuckled, trying to let her know that he wasn't as violent as most with Kalona blood were.
He turned to the side, exposing his neck. "How about it? Do you think you can do it?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:45 am
Aurora grinned, "Of course!" After she listened to his instructions, she then picked up the cloth in her teeth in a rather delicate motion. Looking at his wound, she felt compelled to be as gentle as possible even though Erasto had probably seen worse. Dipping the cloth into slightly foul concoction, she proceeded to dab at his neck, wiping blood away and applying the salve.
Her eyes gleamed as she went about her work, clearly happy to be of service, and being in someone's company who didn't just gawk at her for glowing.
When she was done, she dropped the cloth back into the bowl, and laughed softly. "Eww, that's sort of foul-tasting!" She said, tossing her head, her long hair bobbing and swaying.
She still felt quite dwarfed in his presence, yet it was not a bad feeling. He was truly a masculine creature, but not terrifying in the least, at least.... not to her.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 3:55 pm
Erasto let her work in silence, truly amazed at how swift and gentle she was with cleaning his own gash. The pungent salve had a bit of a sting to it, but this sting was nothing compared to the sudden warmth he felt in his chest. What was that feeling? Why was it so... pleasing? He shook his head slightly, shutting and then opening his dark eyes, and giving a soft sigh. Who was this beautiful, kind, intriguing mare, who had so suddenly driven the madness from him and felt so comfortable in his presence? Things had happened so fast... but what exactly was happening? Whatever it was, he was content to let it travel its course, for he really did enjoy the company of this lithe creature.
He chuckled at her reaction. "Yes, yes, it is. But it's what's in it that counts. Your wing should be good as new in a week, no more." He smiled, though his own heart sank at the sudden thought. Only a week? That was all the time he'd be able to spend with the mare, to study her and learn more. She was like a riddle to him, or a complicated spell. A week wasn't enough to discover its intricacies, or enjoy the outcome. And he would never see her again... for some reason, the thought upset him.
He came back to himself, his wings folding tightly at his sides. "There is fresh water in the basket at the door, and if you are hungry, I have some mushrooms that are fairly tasty to eat. Other than that, I believe that you should get some rest." He looked at her, intently, once again mesmerized by that glowing beauty, by the wonder and trust in her eyes. All he had ever been was the crazy shaman figure that lived in a swamp, but somehow, she saw him in a different light.
"Here," he murmured, walking over to the small pallet and dragging a couple of deer skins to the fire. "A soft bed, other than the dirt. You deserve as much."
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Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 5:03 pm
Aurora flicked an ear, and smiled. "You are more then generous. You saved me... I would have died at that Kalona's teeth if not for you." Her eyes were warm, her curiosity brimming like a beacon behind her eyes. "You're giving me so much hospitality, though I am but a stranger." It made her question the motives, but she did not mind at least playing along. He intrigued her with his strange ways, his strange knick-knacks, and his strange curiosity in her.
She looked toward the pallet and with a long, drawn out sigh, she walked toward it and laid down in one rather graceless motion. Her wings stretched momentarily, catching the firelight and making them seem on fire, before she leisurely folded them.
"Please. Don't sleep outside for my sake. Alright? I do not mind... you being here. With me." She said, her head tilting to the side, and her ears perked forward to listen to him.
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Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 5:43 pm
Erasto turned back to her, watching the faint light play upon her features, throwing spectrums of color across the daubed walls. Even laying on a dust-ridden floor, and a crude-looking hide of deer fur, she looked every bit like some enchantress, appeared out of the thin air into the cool swamp night. His ears caught the sound of some sort of night bird, singing its dreary melody as it waited for the owls to leave their perches. Night was not always safe here... but for her, it would be.
He turned to his lantern, slowly dying as it lay against the wall. He would usually take it up at this time, to light his way through the swamp as he searched for lost souls and weary travelers who were in need of some miracle service. Most did not make it out of his clutches--though he rarely killed only for meat, most took the place of much needed spell components. Without them, he was powerless. But, for the sake of this innocent and fragile mare, he would not hunt tonight. Nor on the morrow, or as long as she stayed. He had a feeling that the practice may be a tad unnerving to her.
"Very well. I shall take my normal spot." His heart beat quickly at her words. 'With me,' she had said. Simple words, but with a meaning that he took strongly to heart. Yes, with her... perhaps, he wished, it would be like that for a while.
He watched her once again, with no hint of emotion on his face, fairly sober from his usual half-madness. Then he smiled, genuinely, and lay down upon the remaining furs.
"You are but a stranger, yes. But know that, as long as you stay, you are welcome. Welcome to anything that you should want--you need only ask." His wings tucked in to his painted sides, and he rested his head against the wall, never taking his eyes from her. "Now sleep well, and if you need me, feel free to wake me. I sleep quite lightly." He chuckled, good-humored, and waved a wing above the fire. The flames hissed out, very suddenly, and left the room dark but for the soft glow of the mare's feathers. Erasto found it oddly comforting.
"Goodnight, Aurora," he murmured. And the mournful sound of an owl sounded from outside, but for the first time in a long stream of nights, Erasto found himself falling quickly and peacefully to sleep.
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