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+---- Thread: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too (/showthread.php?tid=2874)
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
She didn't see any buildings nearby, but there were cliffs blocking most of the view, where the beach ended. The foliage was thick too, and they could really be lying right by a settlement without knowing it. Maea attempted to rise, and found that it wasn't impossible. She couldn't really put any weight on her injured leg though, and wasn't used to pushing through pain to do it anyway. Didn't know how. And looking at Sunjata... she thought it better to let him rest instead. Catch his breath, like he said.
[say]"You'll be alright,"[/say] Maea promised him soothingly, fervently hoping it would be true. She stuck as close to him as she could without touching, unsure of how to help without making anything worse. Calling on her magic, she was able to draw fresh water to her hands, and began to rinse the salt and sand out of his wounds, hoping they would hurt less. Bleed a little less too. With what was left of her trousers, she managed a makeshift bandage for her own leg, just in time to feel the last easy drops of her magic run dry. Possibly she could push it a little more if she really had to, but it would cost her, and had to be saved for emergency need.
[say]"That was exciting, wasn't it?"[/say] she told Sunjata, trying to smile through the pain. Reached for his head, his hair, the only thing that seemed moderately unharmed. [say]"You got us back... You saved us both."[/say]
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
He reaches, tugging for that connection to the griffin, but she’s gone too far out of range. And he hisses against it as he hears Maea’s reply. He would be alright, he knew this too — because he’d be damned if he let sharks be the end of him after everything. How shitty of a way to go. Still, he’s somewhat there enough to recover a decent amount of his breath, closing his eyes as Maea takes some fresh water and runs it across his wounds, causing him to hum a low and deep sound of his uncomfort with it.
She says it was exciting, and he murmurs some quiet agreement, lifting his bloodied hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, squinting against the light as she touches his hair, runs her hands through it. He offers her a weak smirk in response. “[say]I wasn’t going to leave you there.[/say]” He says quietly, trying not to shift too much, but still the blood continues to seep into the bandages she’s applied. A huff leaves him then as he tilts his head back and closes his eyes, hand tinged red seeking out her arm to squeeze it gently.
“[say]Is now a bad time to see if you had time to grab the pearls?[/say]”
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
Blood kept flowing, staining the bandages a dark red, and Maea watched it with worried eyes. Knew they couldn't stay much longer. Not here in the sun at least, where the heat and the sharp light would make him feel worse once thirst set in.
[say]"Of course you wouldn't,"[/say] she agreed, leaning down to kiss his forehead. [say]"And I wasn't going to let you handle all of them on your own."[/say] She just hoped she had done more good than harm by leaping into the water like that... Maea thought she had taken out a few of the sharks with her ice at least, but wasn't sure. It had been too chaotic.
He asked about the pearls then, and she had to smile at him, despite everything. [say]"Don't worry, I've got your treasure."[/say] Blood-stained fingers reached down the front of her shirt, and pulled the shell from her clevage - modest as it was - to let him see she was telling the truth. The pearls were quite safe within the shell, and Maea soon put them back, and reached her hands for Sunjata.
[say]"We are going to have to move,"[/say] she told him, with quiet determination that tolerated no protests. [say]"There is shade only a little ways off, and once you're there, I can look around a bit more for something to help us. Can you stand at all, if I help you?"[/say] There was no way she would be able to move him on her own. He was far too big for that, even if she used telekinetics to help.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
“[say]Hmm.[/say]” He manages to reply to her comment of not letting him handle them on his own as she kisses his forehead. But still, it had been reckless, even with the ice she held at her fingertips, ice he craved as the sun warmed his already throbbing skin and wounds. But he peeks at her with his question, squinting against the light with his weakened smirk, watching as she pulls the shell with the pearls out.
“[say]Good.[/say]” A quiet answer, a widening of his smirk, if only for a second before she comments that they have to move. He knows this, but regrets it all the same. There’s no room for arguing with her on it, so he nods to her instead with a small shift, a clench of his jaw.
He exhales a long and slow breath, bloodstained hands finding the sand beneath him as he tries to push himself from it. His knees bend and he can’t help the Korofi curse that slips his lips again. His hand trembles but he manages to stand — albeit, wobbly, trying to focus what he can on evading the pain of his leg, trying to focus his weight on the other leg, but even still the pressure shifts the muscles in his back, along one of the worse wounds, and he reaches for her as some sort it pillar to hold onto to catch his balance again while the waves of sharp searing pain course through him.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
He didn't fight her on the subject, and it told her enough about how badly injured he was to make Maea even more determined. As he stood, she rose alongside him, offering what support she could to get him on his feet and keep him there. It was hard to find a place on him that wasn't cut and bleeding, but she slung an arm around his back as best she could, and let him lean on her as she pointed in the direction she wanted them to go.
[say]"That way, love. It's not far, only a few steps."[/say] More like a few hundred meters, but she was sure he knew this already.
With every step she spoke soft encouragements, keeping one eye on Sunjata to see how he was doing, and the other on the place they were going. It was higher up on the beach, with trees casting cool shade over the sand. Not perfect, but better than the open sun. As soon as she could, she let him sink back onto the ground, and began to look over the injuries again. Ignoring that her own wound was far from closed, or that tendrils of blood seeped down her leg, like crimson on snow. He was worse off still, and she felt sick with worry at the damp, red-soaked bandages. He was bleeding far too much.
[say]"I'm going to have to leave you for a moment,"[/say] she told him, trying and failing to keep the worry from her voice. [say]"Just a little bit, to see if I can find people. Okay?"[/say]
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
Her arm slinks around him, she tells him it’s not far, but it is and he can see it as he squints along the bright sand. He sees the shade she seeks, sees the way it might be closer to some sort of variety of people that might be able to help. He hisses against each step, muscles in his back flexing with each step, pulling and prodding at the wounds there as well as his legs and calves.
He focuses on her encouragement as well, mind fuzzy and hazy with exertion and blood loss. She distracts him long enough until he can feel the cold sand in the shade of the palms, finding a spot to sit up in a way that might make it easier for his back to close up. But she inspects him, tells him she’s going to have to leave to find someone to help them, and he looks up to her with pain laced between the storms of his gaze. “[say]Oukei, lief.[/say]” He manages through a pant, sweat bearing up along his brow. Okay, love.
His gaze drops to her leg then to spot the blood, and he reaches out with a fumbling hand to try and get her to turn a small amount more so he can see it better. His gaze flits to hers. “[say]Ek is jammer.[/say]” I’m sorry.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
He was slipping into Korofi, and much as she wanted to, Maea couldn't understand what he was saying. Lief she guessed at, having heard him say it before so many times, but the rest? It could mean anything. Except... the tone as he tried to inspect her bleeding leg said enough, the apology there in his eyes as he tried to catch her gaze. Maea caught his hand, squeezed it hard and bent over with some difficulty to press a kiss to his lips. [say]"I'm fine, it's nothing,"[/say] she told him, knowing he knew it wasn't exactly true. But what could she do? He needed help, and the only one who could move enough to find it was her.
[say]"I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you, Sunjata. Wait for me."[/say] Another kiss, and she forced herself to step away, heart near breaking as she limped away from him. Picking a direction not entirely at random; the greenery seemed less dense to one end of the beach, and it could be smoke rising over the trees.
It was a village. Small, barely more than a fishing outpost hidden in a cove just on the other side of a thicket. Screaming children found her first, and their excited cries drew the attention of adults, that came running when they saw her battered, bloodied state. Through the haze of her own pain it was hard to communicate that she did not need the healer, that there was someone else in more danger than she; but there was a face hovering over her all the same, with the visage of a wrinkled, kind eyed old man. A glow of magical light before her eyes... and before she knew it, the pain was fading. Not gone, not entirely, but lifted enough that she could walk better, talk properly.
[say]"Please... You have to help him,"[/say] Maea told them, pointing to the direction she had come from. A look exchanged between the man and someone else... and they nodded. Supported her when she insisted on coming along, and followed her footprints in the sand, back towards Sunjata.
She just didn't know how much time it had taken. Felt like forever since she went... but time was acting oddly, and Maea couldn't swear on anything.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
Oh, but it wasn’t just nothing. He knew it, she knew it, but he was in no state to demand she stay while he continues to try and get a hold of Haai. Her kisses to his lips are soft and delicate, and he tries to tell her that he’ll be fine — but he’s not totally sure. He’s lost a lot of blood after all. And so he leans his head back against the tree again when she makes a move to leave. “[say]Ek is lief vir jou ook.[/say]” He manages as she departs.
He doesn’t know how long it has been, lids growing heavy despite the incessant heat, the way his wounds pulse against the pain and swelling. But he does rise himself enough to lift his head and inspect the wounds, the blood that drips from his back and his stomach, that seep freely from his legs despite their attempts at clotting. He thinks that they have, after a few minutes go by. But he knows the moment he goes to move again, they’ll open, bleeding him out even further.
Eventually, he rests his head back against the tree, pulsing for Haai again and again until he eventually passes out — and when Maea finds him on the beach, she’ll find him where she left him. But with a griffin propped against his other side, her large head resting on his thigh, wings spread and teeth bared before she recognizes the woman who approaches.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
[say]"There!"[/say] The excited cry cut through the air when one of the people spotted Sunjata's form lying in the shade. Maea swallowed thickly, desperately worried at seeing how still he was, how much blood that had soaked into the sand around him. She put on a burst of speed that left the healer behind, and reached his prone form well before the others did.
Haai was there, to her great relief. Clearly distraught, on full alert; Maea gritted her teeth against the throbbing pain of her leg and tried to smile, tried to be calm and steady as she approached. [say]"Easy, Haai, it's me,"[/say] she said, seeing the griffin bare its teeth at them. Maea reached for the little wolf, nodding assurances to the startled villagers. If Haai let her, Maea would pick her up and hold her close to her chest while the healer set to work on Sunjata. If the man's frown was anything to go by, it was about as bad as it seemed. Before long, the elder waved to his companions to come help, and together they lifted the unconscious Flood, telling her they had to bring him to the village for proper care.
Swallowing, Maea nodded. Followed, as they made the long, seemingly endless trek back across the sand. Her throat was burning with salt and unshed tears, worry clawing at her; she couldn't let her eyes off Sunjata, guilt and fear and anger at herself clawing through the pain. Her fault... this was her fault. Her stupid idea to go exploring this way, her clumsy hands that spilled blood into the sea...
Blindly she followed. Hardly noticed when they were brought into a hut and the healer began working on his patient in earnest. Long after he was gone, having done what he could, Maea lingered by her lover's cot, stroking Haai as long as the griffin remained with her, never for a moment looking away from Sunjata.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
He really has no idea what’s going on, aside from parts where he can hear voices, where there’s people touching him, and ultimately it’s Haai that remains to be his protector – the true shark of his life, watchful with teeth bared until Maea calms her and she manages to remain in the pale woman’s lap despite the whines that leave her throat, the ears that flatten to her skull, the wings that splay out with iridescent hues on display.
Eventually, however, after they manage to get him to the hut to be worked on, Sunjata still hasn’t quite woken up yet. It feels familiar, in a sense, like being back in Korofi and the time he’d been knocked out – only to wake up and spy Lusea on the other side of the table top he’d been sat upon, stitching the wound to his hip where he’d been stabbed.
A whole other life, really.
This time, when he manages to come somewhat to, Haai notices immediately and begins to whine a bit louder, chomping at the bit to try and hop into the cot at his feet. And yet, all Sunjata can do is try to lift a hand to rub at his face, having not even tried to open his eyes yet. It's a slow process and his arm trembles slightly, but he manages to cross one hand over his eyes, thumb pressed at his temple.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
She was there in a heartbeat, Haai released to do as the wolf-bird wished, to jump onto his cot. Maea sat on the floor next to his bunk, barely tall enough to even lift him up from the floor, and it was hard not to cry from the sheer relief at seeing him moving, stirring, alive.
It was a hastily put together shelter. No more than tool storage, really, with an added bedding for passing fishermen to use. The walls were not very well put together, with light filtering in through roughly hewn boards in places... It was dim, and dank, and smelled of old fish and sea and dust, but she didn't notice any of this. Only had eyes for him.
[say]"Sunjata?"[/say] Maea's voice was soft and quiet, very tentative, as if she wasn't sure he was actually awake. Afraid to disturb him, if sleep still had a grip on him. Though she was close, so very close, her hands hovered over him, afraid to touch... not convinced he was really alright.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
Whatever it was, it was dark, and a huff of a sound leaves him as Haai hops into the cot with him, carefully curling up along his side, stretching out to where her head sits in the crook of his arm – warily watching Maea with emerald eyes. Sunjata, meanwhile, lets his hand drop, a sigh leaving him as he goes to rest his hand in Haai’s fur, pulsing his affection for the griffin as much as he can.
But Maea’s voice distracts him, tentative and quiet, soft and gentle. He squeezes his eyes shut a small amount, before he manages to open them – first looking to the ceiling and then the walls, then to the woman close to him, hovering above him. “[say]Maea...[/say]” He replies, voice and throat hoarse, accented far thicker than normal. He offers her a smaller weak smile. “[say]Where are we?[/say]” A quiet question, moving to try and sit up before he realizes with a sharp pain to his back along his spine it’s not a good idea.
As if to prove the point further, Haai growls softly from where she digs her head into his arm to keep him down as well.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Maea - 02-25-2020
Her hands were there too, gentle but firm on his shoulders to keep him from rising. [say]"Easy,"[/say] she told him, calm as she could manage. Tried to smile back at him, though it came out weak and shaky. [say]"You've been patched up, but not much else. It's fishing village. Not far from the beach... They had a healer, but... not a very good one."[/say]
Looking around the room, she took in the rickety walls, dirty rush mats on the floors, the nets hanging from the walls... It was easy to see why he might be wondering. Maea looked at Haai, met the wolf's green eyes... the stare felt accusatory, and she soon averted her gaze again. Thought, that it wasn't wrong.
[say]"How are you feeling?"[/say] Pale fingers sought his hand, her eyes worried, a little haunted, for all that her expression was calm. Almost distant, in her attempts to be strong for him.
RE: In time you'll find, I've got baggage too - Sunjata - 02-25-2020
”Easy”, she tells him, and he listens to both her and Haai and his body as they all tell him to remain down. It feels… Strange, to remain the way he does, but his fingers leave Haai’s fur to ghost over the bandages covering his torso, shoulders, feels them rub against his legs. He exhales quietly, seeking out her gaze as she, too, looks around the room. He’s not sure what to say – aside from the fact that he’d blacked out, more than likely, from the blood loss. Something he unfortunately was very familiar with.
He swallows hard through a parched throat, shifts his arm a small amount as Haai bears her teeth at him, and he rolls his eyes. “[say]Kalmeer.[/say]” He tells her, a hint of as much demand as he can muster in his voice that quells the griffin enough and she calms, splaying an arm across his shoulder to flick a wing tip at his face.
His gaze finds Maea next, feeling her seek for his hand and he laces his fingers with hers, focusing and noticing the haunted look of her gaze. “[say]Better.[/say]” He replies, before his groggy mind catches up and his brows lift slightly. “[say]How is your leg?[/say]” He asks, gaze flickering toward what he could see. His own hurt nonexistent in the attempts to find out how her bite had healed, if it had at all.