|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 6:10 pm
Hugin had spent his time trying to take stock of his physical condition, slowly flexing muscles from his downed position and hissing when he his a sore spot.
The damage wasn't as bad as he feared though. A cracked rib, pulled muscles, only one or two scratches that might leave scars. He might have had a concussion when he first got injured, but after several days of "rest" he suspected that might not be a factor anymore.The rest of it was light scrapes and bruises, though he'd certainly be feeling those brusies for awhile! The more he checked though, the more it seemed like his weakened state was vastly due to exposure.
Hugin was able to carefully maneuver a paw up to his face and slowly began trying to groom the fur on his eyes in an attempt to hide the traces of tears; the leaden weight of guilt in his stomach he could do nothing about except to swear to himself he would never do that again.
The soft sound of crunching foliage and footsteps reached his ears.
"Vetis," Hugin whispered questioning, trying to catch the scent to confirm his guess. He felt horribly vulnerable like this, and a pang of fear when through his heart at the thought that it might not be Vetis.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 8:29 pm
"Hugin."
He responded calmly, padding into the cave with his kill. He quietly viewed his mate, approaching him with berries once he set his kill down. "I ate and drank." He whispered as he brought the berries beside Hugin, nudging his mates paw to them before walking off to find meat, returning with a small bird. Nothing big, he wouldn't force his mate to eat anything large right away.
He curled nearby his mate, afraid to touch him. It showed by how he shifted, as if about to come closer, though freezing. He didn't wish to hurt Hugin... but he also wanted to snuggle into him.
Hrn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 8:43 pm
Despite the fresh surge of guilt that went through him, Hugin smiled tiredly. He might not be in the best of shape, but he knew Vetis and could interpret what those shuffling sounds meant.
"It's okay to move me if you go slowly," he said softly. "It might be better to do that, so I don't get sores from laying in one spot for too long. I think I have a cracked rib, but nothing's broken. Rest will cure everything else, and heat will relax some of the sore muscles."
The scent of berries reached his nose and he sighed softly. He really didn't have any kind of an appetite, but knew his body would need the food and nutrients they offered if he was going to heal. Plus it would be hypocritcal of him not to eat, with Vetis worrying about him when Hugin had forced Vetis to go eat because he had been worried about him.
So slowly, relucantly, he reached out the paw that was by his face and felt for the berries, rolling on over and carefully picking it up and mashing it in his mouth before swallowing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:13 pm
He watched his mate beging to eat before responding, gathering his thoughts. He could collect his mate and bring him to water, but he nervously viewed the other. What if Hugin fell? What if he slipped? s**t, what if....
"Tell me when you're ready." Still. He had been invited, in a way, and he came right over, resting centimeters from touching his mate, not wishing to harm him but wishing to at least feel his mates warmth. His muzzle laid on his paws as he viewed Hugin, taking in his mates appearance.
That was a bad idea.
He wanted to punch himself. Deities... What had he done? He shouldn't have listened to Hugin, but, he always did. He may argue at times, but in the end he listened. No. Next time.... next time this wouldn't happen. He refused.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:24 pm
Hugin finished his berries, thanking the fact that Vetis hadn't grabbed too many; that pawful was all he felt he could manage, and with their high juice content they'd help to hydrate him as well.
There was, however, one problem, and he felt another small sigh leave his lips.
"I feel stiff as a corpse and just as cold. Will you please quit trying to be a gentleman and get over here, already," he said in amused tones with a bite of impatience. He could feel Vetis' heat radiating against his back, but it wasn't nearly enough to warm him up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:31 pm
Vetis loudly sighed back, but a playful one. "But I was enjoying being a gentleman. I felt proper." He teased, something he only ever did with Hugin, sometimes his mothers if they were lucky.
Without a further complaint, laugh, tease, or thought he was pressing into his mate, gently at first. However, the hungry desire over came. He had been spending days watching his mate, and before then panicking, afraid Hugin was dead. He had been so afraid, hell, so angry. Now he had this warm body beside him, or rather, cold, but still. He raised his paw, wrapping gently around his mates shoulders to carefully bring Hugin against his side, keeping his arm around the male. His muzzle rested on Hugin's neck, tail flicking over Hugin's.
He smelled earth on his mate, but under it was the familiar scent he loved so much. A low sigh escaped him, and he shuddered, suppressing the sudden surge of emotions. Having Hugin against him broke him further, hell, he wanted to cry. Yet, the strong male simply nestled beside Hugin, relishing in having that familiar, loving male against him once more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 10:33 pm
Hugin leaned into his mate's embrace as much as he could, his third sigh a contented one. Warmth seeped through his fur and into his muscles, allowing him to relax and easing some of the pain he'd been feeling up until now.
More than that, there was a strong sense of security. Laying here, wrapped up with his mate, Hugin knew that nothing would harm him.
Being so close with Vetis though, he was able to feel the slight trembles of emotion coming from him. He wished he could soothe his mate, do something so that he wouldn't feel upset anymore. He just didn't know if there was anything that could be done, not when he'd come so close to dying; it was lible to be a bad memory for a long time.
Still, as sleep began to pull him into its embrace, Hugin felt like he should say something. "I'm alright Vetis, I'm okay," he said softly. Then, a gentle murmer before he dropped off to sleep. "I love you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:01 pm
His eyes rolled to view his mate as he heard Hugin speak. Bright eyes stared at blind eyes. Even if his mate couldn't see he always faced him when Hugin spoke. He always gave him his complete attention, unless he couldn't. Head flipping back, about to nestled back into his mates neck he froze. Hugin said he loved him
"I love you too." He was still unsure how to express his love further than those three words. They were never enough, not enough to express how deeply he loved. No. Nothing was adequate enough, but the words caused his troubled mind to rest briefly. Quietly, he nuzzled his mates cheek, a silent but loving gesture.
"More than you'll ever know." With this, he allowed sleep to arrive. He was fine with it, he supposed. As long as he woke up with Hugin still here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:17 pm
Hugin had a nightmare that night. It probably wasn't the first, and he was willing to bet it wouldn't be the last. He couldn't have said exactly what it was all about. A sense of extreme disorientation, freezing cold, emptiness, a ghost of that heavy darkness and how angry it was he'd escaped. All of this cycled through his mind at a pace that left him gasping.
He'd move around, trying to hit out at an unseen enemy or crying out in fear. Then he would feel a gentle warmth brushing against his forehead, a sweet sound whispering in his ears, and the nightmares were brushed away like old cobwebs. He fell into a more restless darkness, a warm and comforting one with none of the terror of the nightmare one.
Hugin suddenly woke up, his awareness returning all at once. He just laid there and breathed, taking stock of his surroundings. There was a bit of a bite to the air with a slight dampnesses and birds were singing, making him think it was morning. He could hear and feel a heartbeat behind him, the rising and falling of a chest and a warmth that bathed him and kept away the cold.
He didn't know if Vetis was awake or still asleep, but for the moment he was content to just lay there and soak in the peace.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:43 pm
Vetis dreamed of nothing.
A dream of pure darkness. He was painfully aware of every second of the darkness. He could not feel himself. He could not see himself. He was nothing, and he was living in nothing. Time was nothing. He could not say how long he rested there, how long the darkness loomed, but he was relieved when the light greeted him and he woke to warmth.
Hugin had woken before him, something new. The male stirred briefly, noting the chill in the air. It was time to work again. "Good morning. Are you hungry?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:51 pm
Hugin tried to push himself into a sitting position, but gave up with a small gasp of pain before he got very far off the ground. He slowly curled his limbs up into more comfortable positions.
"Morning," he responded softly. "A little more than I was yesterday, but I don't think I can handle meat just yet." He took further stock of his body and found much of it still the same, though a few muscles were stiff from lack of movement and his appetite was just a touch sharper than it had been earlier. He actually found himself craving some of those berries Vetis had found.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:55 pm
"Shall I get you more berries?"
He questioned, watching the male try and move. The sharp gasp of pain made him recoil, ears flipping backwards as he firmly nudged his mate down. "No. No moving. I will get you your needs." He paused, nuzzling Hugin's cheek to soften his words before he rose.
"I plan on digging our new den tonight. It will be warmer, for the entrance will not permit wind inside. Is there anything you'd desire in there?" He was about to get more berries, if the other asked, grimacing. He hated leaving Hugin constantly, but soon they could relax. He just... Hell. This should never have happened.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 2:02 pm
Hugin meekly allowed Vetis to nudge him back into a laying down position. "You'll have to help me move around at some point," he said. "It might hurt, but it will be good for my muscles to keep build them back up and keep me from wasting away from remaining prone. Bathroom excursions should cover that." He made a face at the thought of having to be helped to walk just to relieve himself, but at the moment moving on his own wouldn't be easy.
Hugin thought for a second about Vetis' question. "Line it with lots of leaves," he said. "They'll work as a good cushion and they're good about holding in heat." He laughed softly. "Shame they aren't sturdier and are only good to harvest during autumn, otherwise they'd be prime den material."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:25 pm
His mate hadn't answered his question of berries, but that didn't matter, he decided. He nuzzled his mates cheek briefly, heading for the cave entrance, pausing.
"You need water. Should I carry you outside?"
He could use a leaf, but Hugin had a point. Staying still wasn't a good idea. Besides, the leaves were becoming brittle, slowly. They would not hold water well. Anyway, these forests didn't have large leaves, not like his previous homes. If only he had wings like one of his adopted mothers. Hell, it'd be useful at the moment...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:30 pm
"Berries will do fine for now," Hugin said, moving his head so it was point in the direction of Vetis' voice. "They're ripening at this time of year and are full of juice. It won't be enough in the long run, but I think for today my stomach would prefer to go as simple as possible."
A tiny smile crossed his face and he chuckled weakly.
"Guess if I had to pick a time to become an invalid, at least it was during the harvest."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
