Special Delivery [Moonie]

[Alegretto]

Viatrus waited with concern when Toby didn't answer. His worry heightened when his friend looked at him. His eyes appeared bleary to the halfling, and he wondered just how tired the wolf was.

He got his answer a moment later when Toby moved to lay down in some bushes. It was only a moments work for him to pass out on the crushed underbrush. Viatrus smiled ruefully, relieved that Toby was well enough to rest like that. Maybe his friend just had to sleep it off.

He went over to his friend's side, and sat down right next to him. He put down his things, and then stared silently into the forest for a while, pondering about this job he was on. He had to resist the urge to open the blasted letter and see what was inside. It always got him so curious, but he had a reputation to uphold and checking the clients mail was not a part of that.

Originally the halfling sat with the intent of protecting his friend's sleep and keeping watch, but slowly his lids began to feel heavy. He put up a valiant fight, he really did, and he resisted for quite a while, but in the end, sleep claimed him. He slowly fell over from his sitting position and his head lay to rest on Tobias' heaving flank. The warmth his friend and his regular breathing was immensely comforting to Viatrus..

The halfling slept well, better than he had in a long, long time. He dreamt of his parents and of days long since past, letting his present worries tumble away in sleep's calm embrace.

[Zero]

The idea of Viatrus watching over Tobias as he slept would have amused the wolf greatly. Even asleep his ears and nose were alert for danger. Still, it was a sweet gesture that the man, at least, would have appreciated on some level.

As it was, the wolf's chest expanded and contracted in deep, even breaths as he slept as soundly as he could. Exhaustion was the only reason he'd been willing to lay down like this out in the relative open. Finding a den of some sort would have been preferable, but for now this would have to do. Tobias would have liked to have found an inn with a semi-comfortable bed. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers, he supposed.

He barely noticed when Viatrus curled against him and began to sleep too. Tobias really didn't mind being used as a pillow, and as a werewolf his body did generate a lot of warmth. They stay like that for hours. As much as his body would have liked to sleep through the rest of the day and night, the idea that they might still be pursued finally urged the brown-gold eyes open.

With a grunt Tobias realized that his friend was laying against him. The poor kid looked so peaceful he hated to wake him, but they really should move on, even if he wanted to go back to sleep himself. Standing up he stretched with a yawn, removing Viatrus' make-shift pillow and blanket. He did feel better.

[Alegretto]

He was eating a meal, laughing and happy though he didn't know why. There was a feeling of completeness that he couldn't place his finger on. The evening was normal enough. He and his parents was sitting at the kitchen table eating some of his mother's stew. The food was good, a little better than normal maybe, was that why he felt so oddly pleased at this commonplace event?

Suddenly though, that sense utter contentment faded. His head felt immensely heavy, and the floor approached him with alarming speed. He cried out "Ma!" as he felt his forehead crash into the wooden floors of his childhood home...

Except what he landed his head on wasn't hard wood, but rather soft loam. He felt himself breathing heavily, and he picked his head up with a start. The halfling looked about himself bleary-eyed, at the forest, the trees, the ground, and the massive wolf.

His muddled brain took some moments to sort reality from dreams, and during the sorting, Viatrus realized he'd called "Ma" aloud in both the sleeping and waking world. He looked sheepishly at his friend.

"Uh, sorry about that Toby," he bowed his head in apology. "I meant to keep watch, I swear, but I couldn't help myself from dozing off." He laughed nervously. "Long day I guess," he set with a strained chuckle.

Viatrus did not hear his friend give a vocal answer, not one he could understand anyway, and the halfling stood up hurriedly. "Are you ready to go?" he asked with maybe just a little too much enthusiasm.

[Zero]

Hearing Viatrus call out in his sleep as he was disturbed had Tobias looking down at the halfling with worry in his brown-gold eyes. Maybe he should have let the poor kid keep sleeping after all, but he didn't want to spend the night out here. They could both use a night in a soft bed, or hell, even a hard bed would do. Being out and exposed wouldn't be good for his young friend, though his wolf would have been unaffected by the conditions.

His head tilted as Viatrus apologized to him, then he snorted and shook himself. What an odd notion, that he would need watched over in his sleep. If anyone should have been keeping a watch out, it should have been Tobias, oh well. He wished he could talk in this form, but honestly he didn't know of any way that was possible. Giving a sigh he turned away from the halfling and looked around to get his bearings.

Once he knew for sure where he was going, and after scenting the air for danger, he finally stepped forward in the direction they would need to go, but after a few steps he turned to look back at Viatrus and wait for his friend to take the lead, he'd follow to make sure he didn't accidentally outpace the little guy.

[Alegretto]

When Toby started off, Viatrus followed him already beginning to pick up his stream of chatter. "So you're ready? Awesome. Hey, speaking of ready, did I ever tell you of this time..."

He was so lost in his speaking, which was unusual for him as normally the flow of words was more of a reflex, that he barely noticed when Toby slowed down and let him go in front.

He chattered away, trying to forget what should have been a happy dream. His stories ran their normal cycle, though this morning they noticeably avoided any mention of his parents, a precaution that the halfling had neglected to take before.

[Zero]

((Sorry it took so long. :/))

Tobias followed his friend in silence for a long while, partially listening but mostly lost in his own thoughts as he tried to keep a peace and balance with his wolf. The animal had gotten a nap and before that had consumed a large meal, and before that there had been Sorela...the wolf seemed rather languid and content, if he was honest with himself.

Together they just enjoyed the background chatter of Viatrus, and Tobias was surprised that the wolf did seem to enjoy the halfling's ramblings, and beyond that the sounds of the forest. Both of them appreciated being surrounded by the calming scents of the forest, and having a full stomach, and just feeling as if things were right. The stress of all the wrong scents and feelings had been getting to them both. Now the sense of wrongess was lifted and he could have rolled through the grass and loam with delight. Of course he repressed that urge from the wolf.

Finally he stepped up to be beside Viatrus, teeth snagging his pants that the halfling had been carrying for him and giving a soft tug. With the rest he thought he could shift now, and it would be better if he could talk to his friend. Also, he didn't want to go into wherever they were delivering this letter as a wolf, he doubted it would be appreciated.

[Alegretto]

Viatrus looked down at Tobias (though not really all that far down since even in wolf form the man was around the same height as the halfling) with momentary confusion. It took him only a moment though for him to realize that his friend wanted his clothes back. The halfling relinquished them easily, letting them fall to the ground in front of the wolf.

"I guess you kind of need these don't you. Are you ready to change?" He paused awkwardly for a few moments, considering a question. "This might sound a little weird, but can I watch? I'm, well, I'm a bit curious about the whole process." He paused for a moment again before speaking quickly, "I mean if it makes you uncomfortable of course I can look away or whatever. It's just, you know, maybe it could help me understand you a little better..." The halfling's sentence trailed off and he looked down at the ground uncomfortable, waiting for an answer.

[Zero]

Tobias had been in the process of gathering his pants and vest into his mouth awkwardly when Viatrus asked if he could watch. The large wolf froze, only understanding the request because of the man that shared a mind. The transformation was painful, slow, and revolting. That was what the man worried about. The wolf was more concerned about the fact that during a shift he was most vulnerable.

Ears flickered before laying back and a low whine was given. Tobias wasn't worried about Viatrus hurting him while he was vulnerable, but he wasn't sure if the halfling's stomach could handle the sights and sounds of his body rearranging itself. There really was only one way to know, and if his friend threw up it wasn't his fault.

For a few more tense moments nothing seemed to happen, but then the first sickening crunch sounded, sending Tobias to the ground with a growl. The next two minutes would be macabre indeed, with bones breaking before correcting themselves into the appropriate shape, the skin rippling along to the wet, ripping sounds of muscles and tendons realigning as fur, claws, and fangs receded.

The end result was a semi-dazed Tobias laying face down on the ground, groaning softly. He felt as if he'd been ground into hamburger before being shaped and molded into a human form. Shakily he felt a hand around, fingers curling around his pants when they made contact with the fabric. He didn't know if Viatrus was still watching him or if the halfling had run off screaming, to be honest. All he could really think about was how much he ached just then.

[Alegretto]

Running and screaming had definitely presented itself as an option to Viatrus somewhere around the half way mark of his friends transformation. It wasn't the visuals of the change that got to him, it was the sound of it.

With an effort, the halfling managed to forestall fleeing and instead shut his eyes and put his hands over his ears. He hummed a little ditty to himself as well, trying to shut out the world until it was safe to perceive again.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, the noise seemed to stop. Viatrus took his hands away from his face and saw his friend, lying on the ground, groaning. With slight trepidation, the halfling knelt down next to the big man. "Toby?" he asked in a slightly quivering voice.

[Zero]

Slowly, very slowly, Tobias regained his senses and control of his muscles. Finally he lifted his head, dirt and substrate smeared across his face, dark brown eyes blinked at Viatrus with confusion for a moment before he sighed and let his head drop back to the ground. He did manage to lift one hand and flail it a little at the halfling.

"I'm alright. It's never been a pleasant experience." He took a few more moments to just lay there before peering back up at his friend a bit sheepishly. "Could you turn around for a couple minutes so I can get dressed?"

[Alegretto]

The halfling gladly looked away from his friend, trying to purge the sounds of the last few minutes from his memory. Fortunately, over the last few years Viatrus had become skilled at forgetting things he didn't want to remember, and it was only a few moments work for him to mostly banish the experience.

After giving his friend some time, the halfling spoke over his shoulder, "Thanks for coming this far with me Toby, I never would have gotten here without you." The halfling chuckled a bit. "I don't think I've ever had a delivery this rough. I wonder why it is they don't want me giving this guys this letter?"