Closed Nightmare in Red [Thread Nullified]

[Junco]

Frostfawn Hold
61 Summer 516AV

It was like watching one of his kills die. He had never really seen a death like this up close. He always waited in the trees, in the shadows, another arrow knocked and ready if his kill moved again. He had seen his kills gutted, skinned, flayed, but he'd never seen then gushing, he had never seen them turn red with such force. So here he was frozen... in shock... in rage... in complete and utter misery because he was watching his family die.

His mother was yelling, his sister was crying in the corner, his brother was screaming even louder and his grandfather and father, like him, were standing still, immobile, unthinking, useless, staring as his sister in law bled in her bed.

Something bad had happened and no one knew quite what. Aumber had been sleeping and then awoke with a sudden and excruciating pain. She had been complaining of lower back pain for a good few days now, though no one, including her, had thought anything of it. Perhaps she was unused to the extra weight of her unborn child, although she defensively argued that she hadn't gained that much, which was true, she was only 13 weeks pregnant.

Aumber, sobbing helplessly in her bed, holding herself as if she was trying to keep the blood in as it soaked the sheets and dripped down the legs of the bed. It was his mother that snapped him out of his fright. "Talon!" She had screamed, his hunting name, a name he paid more attention to, it seemed than his normal one. A name that was almost always used during events that required extreme attention and focus, during his hunts as he stalked and killed prey. The use of it within his normally calm hold frightened him even more, though it also made his realize the severity of the situation and his obligation to help.

He jumped into action, as did his father as Junco's mother called him by his second name as well. Along with his brother the three men hoisted bleeding Aumber up in their arms, keeping her horizontal, as if on an invisible cot. Junco's mother quickly draped a clean blanket over Aumber, hiding her gore slightly from those who may see. The men then rushed, though aware of the pain Aumber was in, outside of the safety of Frostfawn hold. They needed to go to Whitevine. No one here could save Aumber. They needed a healer.

As they rushed through Avanthal people stared although did not ask. A few questioned his mother, she quickly and ferociously waved them away along with their offers to help. More people would slow them down. The rest of Junco's family followed close behind. His mother trailing close behind Aumber and the men, his grandfather holding the hand of still crying Danila, who, for some reason, they did not leave at home. They were a family, and if Aumber was going to die, everyone would be there to say goodbye.

[Junco]

In all the commotion and panic, Junco wasn't really seeing things straight. It was like he was going in and out of conciousness, his body moving for him, his mind completely blank and still. It wasn't until Aumber had been placed under the care of a doctor who suddenly asked everyone to leave that Junco snapped out of it, along with his brother who was shaking next to him. Not one member of his family moved when the woman doctor ordered their exit. A few ticks passed until finally Junco's mother grabbed Danila by the arm and pushed her out the doorway, his grandfather following close behind. Junco's father too, after a pointed look at his youngest son, left. Junco knew that look meant that only his brother, Hembr, had the right to stay with Aumber. Yet Junco did not leave with his father, and his brother showed no signs of protest. So the two brother's stayed still, side by side, watching as the pale doctor worked on the bleeding Vantha.

There was nothing to do now but wait and watch. Junco's eyes began to refocus and take in his surroundings more clearly. The room was small, white, as with almost everything else in the room. It was oddly clean and smelled weird and unnatural, very different to the natural and musky smells of Frostfawn. Junco had been to Whitevine Hold before, as with all the other Holds, but never in this section. The room held about four small cots, one of which Aumber lay, another Vantha in the second, gauze wrapped around his head, staring at the commotion and Junco and Hembr did, silent. The pale doctor, as Junco could see, was not a Vathna and he wondered if she was some sort of aquatic Kelvic, as she had many scales adorning her hands and face. It wasn't until the doctor held her hands over Aumber's abdomen and a soft glow emitted around them that a strange relief washed over Junco. This woman was not a Kelvic, but a Konti, beautiful seers who specialized in healing and medicine. Aumber was in good hands.

There was another woman in the room besides the doctor and Aumber. She was dressed similarly to the Konti, though clearly she was Vantha instead of an excotic race. Junco realized with a shock when the Vantha, the doctors apprentice, he reasoned, cast a worried look over to Hembr and himself. It was Grace of Whitevine, the woman he was stuck with for four days during the harsh snowstorm less than a fortnight ago. Their eyes met, Grace had clearly recognized Junco before he had recognized her. The pair's gaze lasted only a tick or two until Grace returned to assisting the doctor by cleaning the blood seeping from Aumber's body.

The Konti's voice never reached Junco's brain through the haze of panic, worry and fear. But as Aumber spoke, her beautiful voice- the voice of his sister, now ragged with pain and depression, Junco's eyes rested on her face. He had not looked at her face since this started. He was mesmerized by the death occurring inside her, the blood that appeared. But as he looked at her face he saw the true extent of the pain. Aumber knew what was happening, something Junco himself, and he truly doubted his brother, had yet to accept. "Aumber" She muttered through clenched teeth and tears. Junco looked over at his brother, Hembr was still shaking, dully and barely noticeable. His hands were clenched so tightly at his sides he was worried his fingers might be biting into his palms.

Junco took another look at Grace. She was holding a damp rag to Aumber's sweating forehead. She looked calm, worried, but attentive, focused. Somehow watching her work calmed the young hunter a bit.

[Junco]

The doctor worked quick and almost silently. Junco was once again reminded of his dead prey. The gutting, the blood. It all seemed too familiar in this scene. He felt sick. He tried not to look but his eyes wouldn't move from their spot on Aumber. On the edge of his vision he could just make out his brother, who was standing as frozen as he was. Goddess, she was just pulling clumps of red out from his sister. Pulling them out like they were nothing. But what were they exactly? In the back of all of their heads was of course the reality of the situation but Junco could not bring himself to truly think that those pieces were a... baby.

The doctor worked quick and before he or his brother knew it she was finished. Grace was still there, holding Aumber's hand with her other pressed up against the woman's forehead with a damp cloth. The Konti was speaking to Aumber, giving instructions in such a cheery tone that Junco was awed at her calm. Perhaps this was her job, but she acted as if this was as routine as a child with a cold. Then Grace spoke which shocked Junco out of his haze. He had honestly not heard the last thing the pale woman had said, but Grace seemed to be responding to it, while looking directly at Junco. Grace Whitevine was praising Junco. Letting the pale doctor know that he would take good care of Aumber. She was right of course. Alongside his brother and the rest of his family Aumber would be left with nothing to be desired while she recovered from this ordeal. But in a way the assistants words comforted Junco, because as of now he was feeling completely helpless.

After that it seemed to be over. Junco and his brother still stood in the room while Aumber lay back, eyes closed, gore covered by a small blanket. After a long few chimes Hembr moved and Junco's head immediately turned to him and the movement. The trapper had walked up the the doctor and spoke quietly and shaking. "Tell me... tell me what happened. Is the baby..." He trailed off, no hope sounded in his voice.