Malady's and Thunderstorms

Bae:

Oh how the world spun...it twisted around before him like an image on disturbed water. Yet...as unsettling and disorienting as it was...something about it brought him such peace. The battle with the bear had been nothing too serious. He had dispatched the creature easily enough but it had been the days that followed, the now Three Days he had spent teetering and stumbling around Blackwood that had been the most devastating.

He hadn’t slept.
He hadn't eaten.
He hadn’t even stopped to lap the dew off the spring leaves.

He had just continued to walk, to trip and drag his hooves through the sand and dirt as he mumbled feverishly under his breathe.
The occasional rustle in the tree’s or snap of a twig would bring his half way out of his trance, eyes often rolling wildly in his skull before glowing a faint green or red as his magic flared.

Oh his magic…
It had came thundering into effect and had been in control ever since.
The power...the jovial luxury of being free once more!! It had been held back, locked away for nearly a decade now and how it loved to be free!

Baeric had set off after Scath in hopes to find her once the bear had left, at least...what shred of him that was still holding onto sanity had. That part of him had receded into his mind two days before leaving his body like a mechanical shell, walking an invisible path out into the deeper, darker and more dangerous parts of the Blackwood.

Had his mind been in anything other than pieces he would have realized that but..he hadn’t. It was hard to say if he was in his right mind or in his own mind at all.

Scath:

It had been days since the bear attacked, three days to be exact, three days since the sentinels told her the bear was dead. But also three days since she’d seen Baeric, three days with him nowhere to be found, the guards had searched for him at her request, with nothing to show for their trouble. She felt terrible, how could she have left him, how could she have just run off and left him to face it alone. True she wouldn’t have been much help, true she had never faced down a living bear, but it was also true she had been just a little afraid. Her insides boiled with the words her mother would say, that she was a coward, not worthy of being called a daughter of Uir, much less a daughter of her’s. She ran away while a stag faced down a problem just as much his as hers. And now he was gone, now she had taken to roaming aimlessly around the area they’d met, slowly making larger and larger circles hunting for his scent, the guards that had helped initially had made a mess of the immediate area. She had no choice but to look this way, nose to the ground looking for hoofprints or blood, her focus so tight to the ground she almost walked right past a snagged chunk of fur just above her eye level.

“Oh?” Bear fur. Bear fur that smelled like him! After a bit of searching she found more going in a general direction towards than away from the herd. Picking up a trot she followed the zigzagging path, it led in a direction she had been with her mother, a dense and unpleasant part of the forest. Long ears pivoted clinging to each sound, her nose struggled to find one scent among many, a number of animals had crossed over but not completely eradicated his scent. She felt almost dizzy from all the snuffling she was doing, her nose felt weird taking normal breaths, still she kept going, walking soundlessly despite her size.

Scath stared at a spot for a few moments, it looked like someone had fallen here, the trees with freshly broken branches. Hope rose unbidden, what if it wasn’t his path anymore, what if she’d found someone else’s trail? Shoving traitorous thoughts aside she plodded on, she couldn’t let herself think like that, he had to be at the end of this somewhere. “That’s right Scath, just keep walking, keep hoping. He wouldn’t just fall off the face of the earth.” She muttered under her breath, green eyes glinting with determination.

Bae:

The stags dragging steps continued as the forest grew more wild. Around him, thorny plants pulled at his fur and took small souvenirs when they spines failed to stop him. Nothing seemed daunting enough or dangerous enough to stop the entranced Fawnling but eventually something did..
A massive fallen pine.tore across his path, the trunk long since covered by weeds, pricker bushes and other equally as unpleasant plants. It appeared as a massive barrier of briars which stopped him fast in his tracks.

His ghostly eyes wandered over the mass, trying to look for a way around it or even worse, over it… The slight pulse of intelligence was enough to bring him back if not for a moment. HIs eyes cleared, his breathing hitched as the pain of three days travel caught up with him.
He gasped, collapsing on his legs as his breathing became hitched an erratic from the pain.

Where...where was he? He had never seen this part of the forest before?
His eyes flashed about in a wild panic as he desperately looked for any landmark or sight that would bring him familiarity. There were none.

“No...nonononon…” He gasped, hiding his face in his legs which shook and burned from the lack of rest. How could he have been so stupid? Why had he used so much magic all at once like that!? What could have-

Scath….
Her face flashed back into his memory and he settled a little. That’s right...there had been a bear..it had snuck up on them and he had told her to run…
He was relieved, blessed that she had so she wouldn’t have seen what he turned into, what he would have done…

The faint fluttering of wings caught his attention as a new fear filled his aching body to the brim.
No.
Not…it! Not her....

“Go away!!” He roared, diving his head under his forelegs as he caught the glimpse of the ghostly Raven who had landed on a branch above his head.
“You’re not real!! You’re not HER! Leave me alone!” He roared, voice pained with an almost childlike fear.

Scath:

Ick. Thorns. She hated thorns. Hated the way they grabbed at your coat, stuck in your feathers, ripped at the soft skin of your face and between your toes. Vile plants she wished didn't exist, plants that if she had her way wouldn't exist, she’d get the fire magickers to burn them all. Now fire in the wood wasn't a good thing, but she'd seen the amount of control they had over them. Her life would be so much easier right now.

Sighing she paused to check her bearings, this far out, she didn't really recognize much. Getting back would be a task in and of itself, her ears flopped weakly, realizing she might very well be lost. Annoyance crept up within her, she'd gotten lost for him. He could expect a thorough tongue lashing for this, assuming she even found him in the first place, and didn't kill him herself… She sighed again. Did he really have to wander out this far, was there some reason for coming out this way? Scath doubted any reason for coming here, here where the wolves and bears reigned supreme, where few warriors could lend their aid if needed.

The sooty doe jumped, head flying around, was that...the voice of a fawnling? It sounded distant, but, it almost sounded like words… it also sounded frightened. Scathach took off towards the sound, which went against her better judgment, but she couldn't help but think what if it was him? What if it was Baeric? Almost as an afterthought she pulled on her magic, willing an entrancing aura to surround her. If it wasn't him, but someone else or something else, she could at least slow down anything dangerous long enough to attack.

Bae:

He remained hidden in shame as he felt the ghosts eyes on him, the stag left quivering like a newborn fawn as it began to squawk and dive at him. He flinched as its beak and sharp talons tore at his ears and worked hard to slip past to his face. He shouted, begged for it to stop before he finally found the strength to leap up and take off into the wood.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry all mother! I never meant it, I never meant any of it. Please! Please show me mercy!!” He begged, feeling the raven's beak tear at the soft skin of his back. He cried out in pain, kicking and leaping as he rid the bird from his hide only to have it come soaring back into attack.

He reached out with his magic for aid, for any help the world could give him. He saw through his tearing eyes as the spirits and ghouls appeared from the other realms but they did not help. They just stared on with empty, hollow eyes as he felt the stinging of pain on his back as the raven dug her talons into his flesh again.
“HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!!” He begged them, as he passed them by. They just looked on, empty, dark mouths moaning before they vanished.

As the stag drove madly into woods, howling to spirits vanishing as he passed them, he paid little attention to anything that could be in his way...particularly fawnlings. Trees? Shrubs? Sure, those were nimbly dodged but when the form of Scath came wandering in his path...he didn’t even see her. He collided with a crash, Baeric soon sliding down across the ground in a pile as he shook with ragged breaths, eyes whirling around in a mad fright.

“Where..where is it? Where did it go!?” He cried, looking around for some invisible phantom that was plaguing him.

Scath:

The voice - now confirmed to be just that - had been coming towards her, steadily getting louder and more frantic. A stag’s voice crying for help, fearful, begging for aid against some foe. The doe, practically glowing with the brightness of her magic, leapt over a log. The world turned sideways, bouncing and rolling around her before settling suddenly. Scathach stared up at the dark canopy in confusion, her mind slowly putting together the event that left her lying like this. Her dark, mauve colored hooves had barely touched the ground, before the source of the voice collided with her side, a blurry dark figure that had appeared from behind a tree.

Green eyes drifted, looking for the figure, there was something off to her right. Something in a heap a little ways from her, shaking, head flying around frantically, the ability to process what she was hearing returned slowly. Where? Where is what? Where did what go? Long legs kicked out to right herself, the trees danced around her, ground moving in ways it realy shouldn’t. “Where what?” She asked. Magic curled around protectively, a shimmering glow, she pushed to right herself.
Unsteady.

Too unsteady.

“You right?”

Bae:
The world slowly came back around him, the stag panting heavily as his eyes stopped their mad rolling in his skull. He gave a weak sigh, head collapsing down on his tangled legs as he strained to regain his breath. Minutes ticked by, the energy around him cold and withdrawn and, truly, downright absent. As if his mind and soul were trapped somewhere far, far away. As his heaving sides steadied and his strength returned he soon rose to his hooves again.

His posture returned to that before his outburst. Head hung low, weighed down by the mind puppeteering the body; legs moving as if made by stone and breathing shallow. His eyes returned to the hollow, disconnected glow as magic played some role in his apparent possession.
He began to move again, this time away from the doe as if he hadn’t even noticed her. His hooves barely lifted high enough to take a step, the tips of them cutting small grooves in the topsoil as he plodded along.

The air around him was heavy, heavy with the presence of something else that did not belong. That spoke to him though the voice was not one any outsider could hear.
‘Keep moving you sod...we do not stop. Not until we find them..’

Scath:

As the stag righted himself, relief and elation flooded the doe, it was Baeric! “Baeric, you okay?!” She staggered towards him, smiling for all the world, as if he were a great discovery from one of her experiments or expeditions. He didn’t respond, didn’t seem to even see her, much less hear her voice calling to him. Baeric walked away, slowly, without pause. His hooves drug along the ground, he walked as if this path had a purpose, as if being here was more important than the doe next to him. Scath felt her smile fall, she’d come this far only for him to ignore her? What about the thing that had been chasing him, the thing he’d seemed so afraid of? What had it been?

She struggled to get ahead of him, trotting with difficult to stand in his path, dark empty eyes stared back at her. Nothing, no recognition, they slid away as he walked past. She reached out to touch him shoulder, nose within inches of him, but stopped short. Unsure of whether or not to actually make contact, he could very well lash out at her. “Baeric? Why…” Dark marked legs carried her after him, thinking, watching the sway of his stride. Was someone messing with his head? Stopping him from talking to her, pushing him to walk this way. Her eyes bounced to the shadows, looking for a lurking form or two. She didn’t see anyone, didn’t feel anyone through her magic. Emotions were all too easy to detect, strangely she didn’t feel anything from Baeric himself. Just a strange emptiness… It felt familiar, a niggling memory trying to surface.

A distant howl made her decision. Again she moved ahead of him, except this time, bound in mesmerizing aura and seeking his blank gaze. Green eyes almost seemed to glow, blank ones caught her’s and froze, his movements soon followed suit, slowly coming to halt. “Baeric. I am tired of this. Follow me, please.” She doubted her magic was strong enough to force her will over his, she’d only been able to directly control smaller animals, nothing the size of a fawnling, minor suggestions were her limit to larger creatures.

Bae:
Each step was textbook, joints jerking into acute angles in order to take proper strides. Once or twice they would tangle in uncovered roots or low growing thorns. The roots were ripped from the ground, flinging little clumps of dirt about while the torns cut into his flesh which didn’t even twitch at the cuts.

Her voice...her sweet voice did find him though his face didn’t show it. Inside he beamed, a joy filling his heart before the murky shadow came gliding over.
‘Forget her’
‘But-’
‘FORGET. HER.’ It snarled, Baeric shrinking back into his own mind in fear.

Then she reached out, she used herself as a blockade at her gifts reached past his own magic and corruption to try and touch his mind.
‘Scath…’

The demon reared it’s head, flaring it’s own ghostly power back as it felt the invasion…
“LEAVE this place doe…” His voice was rough and dry, as if he had been grazing on sand for days. It wasn’t his voice, it was something else…
“You have no power here...return to the herd and meddle not!” He threatened again, the faint shadow of his frame on the ground shimmering. It slowly changed, the haunting outline morphing to appear as though another stag was growing from Baeric’s spine.

Scath:

He or rather it reacted to her attempts to reach Baeric. A snarl slipped from between his lips, a voice both ugly and unfriendly to her. Definitely not the voice of the stag who appeared to be in front of her. “If I leave he goes with me.” Her voice held power, magic seeking to influence the form in front of her. “In this dark wood, my power is the only one with strength. In this dark wood. I am power.” Scath watched the shimmering form take shape, unflinching in the face of the animosity towards her.
She feared nothing and would not leave Baeric in the hooves of this thing. “I want my friend. I will not leave without him. Return him now.” Her magic struggled to shift it, like claws scrabbling at cracks, seeking purchase on frozen ground.

A thought slipped in, where she remembered this feeling, of course. How silly of her to have forgotten. Witch’s Malady. The emptiness she had felt once, a stag with great power and a broken mind, his magic had run amok. Stealing his sanity and destroying everything around him.

How unfortunate.

Bae:
A wicked smile twitched onto his lips, the expression not at all nature on Baeric’s normally shy face.
“In your dreams doeling. This is my puppet...you have no power here. Now step aside before I incur Uir’s wrath on this pathetic flesh vessel.” He continued to hiss, eyes flaring in a faint, sickly green once more. The form lowered his head, tines pointed at Scath as he took a half step forward.

“Now step aside!” He demanded again, head giving a little toss in threat. While the being continued to focus on moving Baerics physical form, his mind was left just a fraction free. To feel that magic? That sweet, tender magic he felt a small hope. The REAL Baeric reached out to it, tried to grasp the line of help that she was trying to throw to him. It was just...everything so so heavy. It was so hard to find the strength to do anything.

Scath:

It dared...to threaten her? What a complete fool…. Scath’s head rose, settling at the highest point, green eyes widened, changing, becoming almost feral. “I don’t take threats well. Spirit. And I fear no one but the Mother herself.” First mistake, the spirit thought her incapable of a proper fight, probably due to lack of a horn? Well, that was stupid, any doe of this wood could be dangerous. Something this thing failed to know, something Baeric would never do.

Something HE would never do.

A smile slowly worked its way onto her face, not friendly, not gentle, but one that was hungry. It wasn't him, he wasn't in control. Heart and mind were in balance, she needn't be careful or gentle, since Baeric wasn't really here. A switch in her mind flipped, no longer was sweet gentle Scath present, she had been replaced, replaced with the thing she hated to be. Scathach the shadow had taken her place. “I… apologize in advance. Baeric. I’m afraid, I can’t be gentle.”

Cool green eyes watched tines dance through the air, time seemed to slow around them, as if to acknowledge what was about to happen. “I cannot, therefore incur it I shall.” She hissed menacingly, Scathach waited to break eye contact until the last possible moment, crow hopping sideways and launching a kick at his jaw. It was hard to tell whether it landed or not, it didn't matter, she had the advantage. His body was tired, in poor shape, it would be hard if not near impossible for him to keep up. Behind his rump, to his blind side, bared teeth and fangs reached for the closest thing to grasp hold of.

Bae:
The spirit didn’t heard her warning and as the doe’s hackles raised it seemed to grow amused. Oh, such a quiet creature try and harm him!? What a crock. What a hilarious ruse! A chuckle left his maw, the amusment dripping from his lips as he turned his head to try and follow her, to offer a snide remark.

“You think you can har-”

BAM!!

His breath came wheezing out like air escaping a balloon, the stags head snapping around so fast and hard he almost hit his one side with his nose. His legs gave out quickly after that, her teeth finding flesh as her bite plus his fall left a nice tear on his rump.

He hit the ground hard, sliding a few inches away from her in a heap. The heaviness of the air flitted away in a flash, a cool breeze even passing through the trees to caress them both. Baeric’s form laid torn before her, breathing shallow and fast before it gradually began to mellow out.

Moments passes before he moved away, his ears giving a few weak twitches before his head shifted gently.
“Ooooo..” He whimpered lowly, body giving a tremor as the pain hit him with force. The hell had just happened?! His tone, while pained, was most certainly his own at least.

Scath:

Green eyes danced in merriment, the spirit’s voice had been cut off, whatever words he had been about to say, would never fill the air nor incite her further. Her lithe pearl form flitted around him, watching as Baeric’s body fell and eventually hit the ground. A kick and a bite, no doubt the thing controlling him was in shock right now, but had it been enough to make it lose its hold?

A low rumble escaped the doe, adrenaline coursed through her veins, the taste of blood on her lips triggering memories, moments of purest excitement with her mother. Moments of danger and destruction… Something she promised herself she would avoid, something she gave up in her pursuits of knowledge. Scath struggled to rein herself in, forcing Scathach the shadow away, squashing her back into the tightly bound cage inside her. The shadow resisted, not wanting to let go just yet, wanting to finish it as she had been trained to do, bloodthirsty eyes watched him shift, a low pain filled moan escaping him. ”Finish him, Scathach! He can’t fight back now.”

“Noooo…” She hissed to herself, fighting to ignore her other side, the part of her that had been trained as a warrior, and assassin by Eris. She shook her head, backing away, blood, the smell, it made her own boil. Scath didn’t want to hurt him, he was too important, she needed him. Her heart throbbed painfully, what if that hadn’t been enough to wake him up, what if the other thing was still in control?

Would she be able to stop herself than?

Bae:

He lifted his head from the dirt, the long strands of his beard like fur still tickling the soiled surface.
“Goddess... “ He moaned, spitting a little to the side as his lips turned crimson from the kick. She had certainly knocked the crazy right out of him!! He shook his head softly, groaning again in pain as his eyes slowly, hazily, shifted away from the dirt to..

“S-scath!?” He gasped, dread filling his veins. Oh goddess...had he...he hadn’t..
“Did...did I hurt you? Where I am? Where are we?” He gasped gently, looking around in panic as his heart began to accelerate again. How long had he been locked away this time? How many had he hurt? Scared? There was no telling...the voice inside his head seldom shared anymore. All he knew was that his body was throbbing from hoof to tine.

He winced, letting his head lower back to the ground while his milky eyes stayed on her, watching in fear.
What had he done….?

Scath:

She didn’t hear his voice at first, mind focused simply on controlling herself, keeping herself from slipping. Green eyes snapped open, lip curling faintly. No, enough Scathach. Calm, centered, she wasn’t a fighter anymore, had chosen to give it up. Her name? Eyes filled with ugly emotions slid to the stag, dark eye darted frantically, panic, worry. Was he back than? “Finally come to your senses, fool?” Her voice low, cold, tinged with anger and worry as well. Scath didn’t dare move closer just yet, a simple touch could cause more harm, for both of them.

She lifted her head, forcing calm she did not feel, eyes drifting away to gaze around them. “As if any harm could come to me…” She growled, flinching she tried to soften her words, too much bite to them. “I’m fine. No injuries.” Scath tipped her head, watching him, definitely worried about what he had done. “No one else is here, so very far away from the herd. I came looking when you disappeared.” Finally her heart steadied, it felt like him, his words, his emotions brushed against her mind. The stag she went looking for, she had found.

“Three days Baeric, three days I’ve looked and followed your trail.”

Bae:
As her words bit the air he shrunk back, his body curling around itself some as his tail wrapped around his frame. His ears flicked back tight against his head which made his face look less like that of scarred adult and more like a child receiving a scolding. His eyes went to the ground, avoiding her icy greens ones that didn’t suit her at all...then again he probably deserved it.

He gave a weak nod as she asked if he had returned to his senses though it was hard to tell since he was resting on the ground.
“I’m glad to hear you are well at least…” She didn’t know..maybe he hadn’t been that bad. Then again, judging from the bite on his rump….
He sighed, shutting his eyes as he turned his muzzle into her leg as he hid just a little more.

“I’m deeply sorry for all the trouble I have caused you Scath...truly. I...I’m so ashamed...please don’t feel the need to stay and babysit my old bones. I don’t deserve your kindness…” He mumbled.

Scath:

She sighed, there was no point in continuing to be annoyed or angry, he truly was sorry for what he’d done, even though she should be the one apologizing really. This wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t left him alone, her fault just as much as his.

The wolf sooty doe didn’t look down at the touch against her leg, simply closing her eyes and listening to him speak, her ears perked slightly. “Who ever said I was being kind.” A smile tugged at her mouth, kindness had nothing to do with why she was here, why she’d chosen to try and wake him up rather than leave him. Her mauve colored nose found his cheek, “I came because I need someone to help me with my endeavours, and you won’t get away from me that easily, Baeeeric.” She cooed gently, after all this he had to help her out now, rescuing him didn’t come free.

Scath nudged his shoulder, “We might start heading back, that way I think…” Her sense of direction was terrible, but it looked like the way she came. “You coming?” Green eyes had softened considerably, a happy glow slowly returning to her.

Bae:

He kept his eyes down and on the ground, mind whirling with all the reasons she should just leave his worthless bones there to rot. There were more than enough that he could think of off the top of his head. He gave another small nod into the dirt when she spoke, eyes staying shut as he tried to calm his breathing. He felt so terrible...not just for what he had been but literally, he felt like trash. His stomach ached with emptiness, his mouth was wet but only by the taste of his own blood. It felt like he had been wandering for three days. He wasn’t sure he could put weight on his hooves again, at least not so soon. He turned his cheek into one, frowning at the heat he felt coming from them.

He opened his eyes again when he heard her tone change and especially when he felt her nose touch his cheek. His ears snapped forward again, turning to her as his breathe caught. She...she didn’t want to leave him there? Leave him as a tastey snack to the wolves of bears? How!? WWHHYY not!?

“Iii-erm…” He lifted his head at her nudge, watching her before looking to his legs again. “I...I don’t know...if I can.” He admitted, shifting his legs slowly to try and get them back under him again. He felt shame flood him again, realizing he looked like some sort of sickly old man the way he was carrying on.

Scath:

Baeric looked at her, surprise etched in his face, surprise that she didn’t want to leave. Like he wasn’t worth her time and effort to save, which he quite was in her opinion, no one had caught her attention like he had in some time. It was highly unlikely anyone ever would again, not that she wouldn’t watch for someone like that, but for now he was the one she wanted and that was final.

Scath frowned, he wasn’t sure if he could? After all that running he did earlier? “Baeric, I won’t leave you, but I refuse to stay where there isn’t something to tuck ourselves into for the night. Something easily defendable.” They couldn’t stay in the open like this, wolves would eventually catch wind of the blood, however little there was. The pearl nudged his shoulder again, encouraging him to get up, so long as they didn’t stay here, it was fine if they didn’t make it back to the herd tonight. “I say you can do it. Now move, hmm?” She quirked a brow at him, green eyes shimmering pleasantly.

Bae:

“I just..I don’t…” He sighed weakly and looked to to her, shifting some more to get his legs under him. “My...my hooves just hurt so much.” He reasoned, looking to her for a moment before he did at least try. He heaved himself up, grunting before inhaling sharply through his teeth as his weight settled on his feet.
Damn.

“Just...lead the way. I’ll do what I can to keep up..” He smiled weakly, looking to her with softer, warmer eyes. They were his again without a shadow of a doubt. He took a few weak steps, limping along gently as he favored certain hooves more than others.

“I...I really do owe you Scath…” He wasn’t sure he would have stopped. He probably would have walked himself to death...or off a cliff. He was grateful it was her..blessed it was her. He couldn’t think of anyone else who would even bother with him but more importantly, he couldn’t think of anyone else he would have wanted to find him.

As he pushed off his hind end he flinched again, eyes going back to see her little bite mark.
“Sure I didn’t do anything...bad? I hope I didn’t taste too bad…” He joked weakly, voice dry.

Scath:

Scath smiled and waited patiently for him to move, he looked as sore as he claimed to be, she couldn’t imagine how bad his hooves must hurt. “I’ll walk slow.” She assured him, slow as long as she remembered, and nothing distracted her from right now. Her ears flicked, hopefully they’d find something close, a hollowed out trunk, something under a fallen log.

The green eyed doe took her time inspecting the area, checking anything that looked promising. She smiled back at him, “I thought us even now? You did get that King’s Beard for me.” Her nose started to push a bush aside, only to be greeted by an upset stoat, if only she hadn’t left Guine at home. The little thing was good at finding hidey holes for her, Scath always seemed to need her pet, when she didn’t have her with.

Turning to stare at a curiously shaped tree, and the hole peeking from beneath it roots, it looked possible. “I’ve tasted worse…” She dug at the hole, widening it enough to peer inside, almost large enough. Shaking the dirt from her mane, she dug at it in earnest. Little by little it widened until looked just big enough for Baeric to slide into, “You first?” She offered, herself no doubt could get in easily, but she didn’t have tines on her head.

Bae:

He nodded, thanking her softly for her slow pace as he hobbled along. Goddess...how much more shame could he earn that evening? Apparently not enough. He did at least keep his hisses and winces to a minimal as he limped along, the stag trying to keep his head held at least a little high.

He slowed as she seemed to inspect a spot, his brow raising as she started to cut away into the dirt with her hooves. He knew she would make short work of the spot, knowing all too well (now) just how hard they were. His eyes left her and his ears flickered upwards as he heard a small rumble as the sky darkened even more past it’s nor,al gloom.

“So long as we can stay dry.” He reasoned, frowning at the thought of rain. Great...that was all they needed. A downpour to add to the drama of the day.

He didn’t question her as she motioned for him to go in first, the stag sliding on in with a huff before he lowered his head some to make sure his tines wouldn’t catch on anything. Really they were more trouble than they were worth. It wasn’t like he would be winning any physical fights anytime soon. He looked to her then, wondering...wait. This was awful snug. Was she going to rest somewhere near by or…?

Scath:

Staying dry was definitely a bonus to the doe, her ears twitched at the sound above, the heavy smell of rain flooding the air around them. With him in there, at least part of her would be visible, and get wet… She trotted back to the bush with the stoat, ripping it up by its roots and causing it to be quite afronted, she returned and slid in next to him. The bush resting over the opening and hopefully blocking some of the downpour to come, turning back to him Scath wiggled a bit closer, trying not to squish him yet also trying to make herself comfortable.

“This works, yeah.” She mused, green eyes peering up at the dark roots above them, she dropped her head on his side. The day had been too long for her, too exciting in the wrong ways, she yawned but didn’t fall asleep. Scath wanted to hear the rain first, hear the thunder that came from the strongest part of the storm.

“Do you like storms, Baeric?” She asked suddenly, she’d asked others before, some complained others said they didn’t know.

Bae:

He watched her as she moved away, his chin rested on the bank as he watched. Made sense she would find her own spot, she was already having to tend to him like some sort of infant. But then she was coming back...with a bush? He raised a brow but soon realized what she was doing. It was smart, that certain to keep the rain out though he was soon distracted by the fact she was so…close. His heart took off at a new rate, his face feeling warm as she came to settle in so close to his side.

He...couldn’t think of a time he had ever been this close to anyone. Perhaps when he had been a fawn nestled with his mother but that had been ages before. The contact felt...foreign. Downright alien but he sort of...enjoyed it.
The warmth she brought, the softness of her pelt against his that he felt was all too coarse in comparison.

His heart gave a funny jump when her head rested down, the stags eyes looking to her as his head stayed peering out the leaves of the bush.
He snapped out of his nervous daze when he heard her question, the stag turning his head to look at her more completely.
“I don’t...mind them. Best when you’re not caught in them.” He nodded, looking back as he heard the heavy drops beginning to assault the earth. The soft drops that trickled through the leaves of the bush reminded him it had been three days since he had last had something to to drink and so, not to disturb her too much, he leaned to steal a few sips from the leaves. It wasn’t much but it removed the rather overwhelming taste of blood that wasn’t helping the nausea in his gut.

“They can be relaxing given the circumstance.” He added, voice still a little choppy and off though for a different reason now. Their close proximity was not lost on him just yet.

Scath:

“I think they’re beautiful. That something so untamed exists, can bring down the world with ease, and yet slither away as if nothing ever happened. The bolts of light, like some pockets of the sun got caught. The rumble from the sky, like hundreds of wolves growling. WInd so strong you’d think you could fly.” Almost as if the storm was listening the sky flashed bright, loud booms rippled through the air, the tree above seemed to shiver with the powerful voice of the sky. Scath smiled, feeling herself slipping towards sleep, storms made her very happy. They were something she had yet to figure out, something she struggled to understand, but took pleasure in watching and listening.

She could picture the dark clouds rolling overhead, clouds that could be soft and fluffy, but now would be as jagged as the mountain peaks. “Very relaxing…” She yawned again, if he was hinting at their closeness, she was too tired to care or truly understand. Perhaps tomorrow she would feel funny about it, maybe even blush, but not tonight. She was just happy that he was ok, and that she’d get to see him again because of it.

“Sleep well, my friend.” She pressed her nose against his cheek sleepily, tired but happy smile lighting up her face.

Bae:

Her words were pure poetry, Baeric hanging on each word as a smile finally began to break on his lips. He had never thought of it that way before...his eyes soon going back to peek through the leaves to watch as the rain cascaded down as she finished her tale of sorts. With that sort of logic how could any disagree!?

He did give a small jump when that sudden bolt of light tore across the sky, his eyes going to her to see if she had noticed. He laughed softly, starting to rest his own head down as the thundering drops danced to the heartbeat of the storm.
His face felt flush once more as she pressed her nose to his cheek, the smile setting more firmly on his lips as he turned his own head to give hers a small touch back. He shifted his tail, letting it go lightly around them both as he situated himself into a protective cuddle.

“Same to you Scath. Thank you again for coming to my rescue..I would be lost without you here…” He hummed, head shifting the sort of...rest over her neck. Well if she didn’t like it, she could always kick him in the head again.