Serious Moonlight (M)

[Lion]

Viewing the wound in its entirety, Veles felt sour.  He frowned and laid on his back.  As naked as he was when she found him, nothing to cover the chill on his body, as he gave her access to the wound.  "It hurts."

[DragonSong]

"I know, I'm sorry," she murmured, reaching up to smooth her hand over his forehead in as comforting a gesture as she could manage.

It was easier to ignore his state of undress if she focused on taking care of him. The strips of fabric torn from her clothes weren't much, but they'd have to do. She leaned over him to wind the bandage around his side, wincing a bit every time she had to press on the wound.

[Lion]

Veles whimpered pathetically, blushing as he did so and grabbing her wrist when she was done binding his wound.  He didn't know how else to express what he was feeling and simply wrapped his arm around her middle, hugging her gently.  "Thank you!  You saved me!"

[DragonSong]

"Oh!" Ghost flushed and went very still, letting him hug her and desperately trying to ignore the fact that he wasn't wearing anything. "Y-you're welcome," she mumbled. After a few moments she pushed away from him gently and sat back.

"Do you think you can move?" she asked. "You should probably keep that form, at least until I can get some better bandaging on you."

[Lion]

Veles sat back and smiled appreciatively down at her work.  She was very clever indeed.  It wasn't that he wouldn't have thought to bind his leg, but nothing had ever marred his beautiful skin before.  He knew it wouldn't scar, however the pain had been eye-opening and he vowed never to be hurt in such a manner again.

He nodded to her.  "I think I can move, yes," he said.  Slowly then his eyes flickered up to their surroundings.  "What is this place?  Is this your home?"

[DragonSong]

She found her lips twitching up a bit in response to his smile, though she wasn't sure what had caused the expression.

"Not quite," she said, standing and looking around to get her bearings. "My nest is this way," she said, pointing northeast. "Just through a thicket. It's not far." She glanced down at him, remembered he was naked, flushed, and looked away. "Would you...like to come? You can rest there, it's safe."

[Lion]

Veles had not considered that perhaps his nudity was at all inappropriate.  He'd been concerned only with escaping with their lives in that moment, and she had done more to save him than he would have thought anyone would.  He nodded to her and stood, staying off his leg where he muscle stung to put weight on it.

"I would," he said.  "I will follow you."

[DragonSong]

Ghost moved to start off, then hesitated, looking him up and down and biting her lip. He really should stay off that leg.

"Here." A little cautiously, she moved forward and took his wrist, looping his arm around her shoulders. "Lean on me, it'll make walking easier." She gave him a small smile.

[Lion]

Veles was not small, and he wondered how a creature such as herself could hope to balance his weight.  He did not protest it however, as he limped along with her in the direction of the thrush.

[DragonSong]

He was a solid creature, but she was stronger than she looked. It didn't take too long for her to get them through the trees to a small thicket with an old maple growing in the center. In and around the roots was a nest of sorts, fashioned from what appeared to be scavenged bits of fabric and a few other odds and ends.

"Here." Ghost guided him to sit in her "nest". "Just sit and rest for a while." She bit her lip and tilted her head at him. "How's your wound feel? Are- are you hungry?" She wasn't used to playing hostess.

[Lion]

Breath was held when he saw the thrush open before them.  He had seen many beautiful things in his existence, and never had he ceased to wonder at the power of nature.  The tree had small fireflies that danced in the dark, igniting the nest Ghost led him to.

Veles plopped down and made himself comfortable.  Though he was not accustomed to this body, his current surroundings made it easier to acclimate himself.  He looked over to her and then to his leg.  "It will heal with time.  That is how Mother does it, no?  She heals all things in time.  Like your tree, she made it grow strong, big and wonderful."  The smiling was starting to hurt his face.

"You have food?"  His stomach growled.  "I haven't eaten since being in that trap.  I would be grateful if you had something to share.  I understand humans...exchange things for...services?  Hispitality?  Hoooospilaty?  HOSH-pit-al-ity.  I believe that is the word.  Strange things they say."

[DragonSong]

Ghost giggled quietly. "Hospitality," she told with with a smile, then added, "and you don't need to give me anything in exchange for it. I'm happy to share."

She settled beside him- but not too close- and reached under the curve of one root to bring out a few handfuls of nuts and berries she'd gathered earlier that day and stored away for later. "I'm afraid this is all I have," she said, offering them to him. "I was just going out to hunt earlier when I heard you in the trap."

Tilting her head a bit, she said slowly, "If you prefer prey, I can go hunt now." She didn't love the idea of leaving him alone while he was recovering, but she knew he needed to eat.

[Lion]

Veles settled into the nest, sitting criss-cross - sort of where his leg wasn't too awkward to bend - and he took the handful of berries and nuts.  He took a pinchful of them, eating them slowly.  "These are fine, thank you!" he said.  He looked her over.  "You are here...all alone?"

[DragonSong]

Tucking her legs under her body, Ghost glanced at him and nodded. "Most of the time, yes," she murmured, meeting his eyes. It felt much safer to keep her gaze focused on his face. "Sometimes dryads or animals come to visit, but usually it's just me."

She shrugged, then tilted her head at him curiously. "Do you live with other fae?" she asked with interest. "I've never met one of your kind before today- are there a lot of you?"

[Lion]

Veles picked at the berries in his hand, maneuvering around the nuts.  Those he would save for last, although their mixed flavor left behind interesting textures in his mouth.  He blushed a bit and popped the last berry in his mouth.

"No...no others.  I am...just Veles.  I always am, for as long as I've known.  No one else.  There must be more of me.  I have seen some, fae creatures.  Some like myself, but I do not frolick with them, if that is what you mean.  I am a spirit of the wild.  A part of it, and an expression of it.  This form is not my favorite, but humans seem to find it easier to acclimate to one that resembles their own.  What about you?  How is it that you can change into animals?"

[DragonSong]

Listening, Ghost nodded along as he spoke. She might have thought his existence lonely, but he seemed perfectly content with it.

"Oh, me?" She shrugged again. "It's just...how my people are. At least that's what I've been told. We're born in human form, but we can change shape to any form we wish." Watching him pick around the nuts and smiling a bit, she asked, "If that's not the shape you like best, what is?"

[Lion]

He stared at her at that last question.

"My beautiful feathers of course," he said, beaming suddenly from ear to ear.  He ate a nut and crunched on it happily.  "I am a bird.  But...darker than the other birds.  A crow of course.  But I like padding around as a wolf from time to time.  This...form, feels so strange to me.  Five fingers and five toes.  Why would humans need so many extra appendages?  It feels absurd to me."

He finished his handful, reaching across to poke the cheeks of her face.  "How long have you been out here?" he asked as he stretched the skin of her cheeks gently, feeling the texture of her face.

[DragonSong]

She found herself giggling at his odd patterns of speech, but stopped when he started prodding at her face. "Erm..." She shifted uncomfortably but resisted the impulse to lean away. He seemed only curious, and she didn't want to deny him.

"Out here? All my life," she said easily. "I've only been in this nest for a few months though." Brow furrowing a bit, she glanced at his hand and mumbled, "What are you doing exactly?"

[Lion]

"Seeing if your skin is like mine," he said thoughtfully.  Veles was meticulous but gentle in his touches, squishing her face against the bones of her skull and clasping both hands up to her temples.  Fingers ruffled through her hair, shaking it.  "You are well formed, Lady Ghost.  Might I say beautiful."  He smiled and rescinded his hands. 

[DragonSong]

Her face heated. "Oh. Well, um..." She coughed, wanting to look away but unable to with his hands in her hair on either side of her head. "Th-thank you." Ghost cleared her throat and mumbled, blush deepening, "You're not so bad yourself."

Eyes flicking down- oops, nope, bad idea- then quickly back up, she added, "No need to call me Lady. Just Ghost is fine."