the road ahead

"Everyone who visited the shrine - everyone who didn't get sick, anyway - has felt the same. We've been planting roses at the Mathair and at the Spire..." Ianto explained everything as slowly and clearly as he could, nodding confirmation that it was most likely Vi that Amalia had been speaking about. "This is Vi's doing, with Rae's help," he said. "But we need to complete the work, otherwise I'm not sure what will happen."

But then that was precisely what faith was for, was it not? Straightening up and giving Jigano one last scritch behind the ear, the fox cradled his injured wrist close and smiled down at his fellow Attuned. Planting a rose in Ludo's Woods...? It wasn't on his way currently, but he supposed he could manage it on the way back. "I'll do my best," he said - because honestly, he didn't know who else was out there, lurking in the woods. And he had been attacked once by Jigano already.

"Just make sure you get some rest, okay? You look a bit ragged."

Everyone... A little seed of warmth bloomed in his chest at Ianto's reassurance, the first warmth Jigano had felt in weeks, it felt like. Everyone was working so hard to save the blighted, even the gods. Prayers had been offered, been heard, been _rewarded_ with a chance to save him and those like him, who had fallen victim to the darkness the Voice had spread. He nodded, tilting his head hesitantly into the scratching fingers that knew just where to go.

Thank you, he said quietly, and not just for the promise to plant a Rose for him in Ludo's Woods. Take care of that... that bite, too. Make sure it's clean. I don't think you can get it just from being bitten but... better safe than sorry. He winced away from the reminder that he had sunk his teeth into someone who was only trying to help, but Ianto was being more than gracious about it.

Gods most fortunate, he was going to owe the red fox if this all worked.

When it worked. Faith, slow as he had been to find it on Caido, was something he found strength in now, and he dipped his head in agreement to get some rest. The thought of killing anything else at the moment sickened him, but there might be late-season berries he could find, and nuts among the snow...

I'll do my best, he promised, a hint of weak humor in the echo of Ianto's words. He finally unbent himself from his crouch, shaking all over in a violent, unhappy motion at how ill his skin seemed to fit - the red fox was right, he was gaunt and weak, the blight riding him to the breaking point. How much worse it must be for Ronin and Melita, who had no furred shapes to protect themselves with...

Be careful, he begged Ianto, a final, parting warning before he padded back into the woods, white fur quickly blending with white snow and hiding him from sight.

"I'll get it cleaned up and bandaged as soon as I can," Ianto assured Jigano, making a mental note to drop by his wagon and do just that before he headed further afield. The white fox got on all four paws at last and Ianto stepped back a little further so he could retrieve his basket of roses. "That's all any of us can do - our best, I mean," he said with a gentle smile, nodding at the other Attuned as he darted away and back into the undergrowth.

"You too," he said softly tot he fox's departing shape, taking a long and shuddering breath before cursing viciously at the painful throb in his wrist. Wasting no time, Ianto hurried along his own way, swallowed up by the woods.

~FIN