Open [The Sanctuary] The Dog Days Of Spring

[Kavala]

Timestamp: 11th of Spring, 514 AV

The Konti was tired. There was no question about it. Had it been too early to travel to Endrykas? Perhaps, but Caelum's daughter couldn't wait. The Dreamwalker knew her people were close, and only for such a limited time, so The Sanctuary folks had to go armed to the teeth to trade with the Drykas in exchange for one little four year old's life. It hadn't been a perfect trip, but enough was accomplished. Kavala had thinned her herds of mixed blood horses and Striders and brought back new Striders to continue with that breeding program.

Kavala was still recovering from the trials of Winter and the birth of twins that had nearly taken her life. Still thinner than she liked, the Healer was doing her best to get back in shape now that she could eat without throwing up and move about with some of her former grace. Life hadn't been easy in 513. She was glad to see the cursed year gone. But for all its negative points, it had left her with a beautiful tiny Konti daughter and a healthy thriving Akontak son. The little Konti infant in question was tucked up against her mother, carried soundly in a baby sling as the Healer dropped by the clinic to check on her newest charges.

The Sanctuary party had crossed a Drykas party that had been in dire straights on their return trip. The details of what had happened to the Drykas party were still sketchy, but with all the healers among The Sanctuary group, lives had been saved and the remains of the party had been transported here. Most of them were still asleep. And while the Konti had checked on them multiple times and left either Cadra or Larik to watch over them the whole day, she'd had a ton of things to do - things that needed her direct medical attention - now that she was home. When the day had finally calmed and the sun was creeping towards the distant horizon, Kavala managed to make it back to the clinic for a sixth visit, worried about all the males in the group. They were the hardest hit, especially a kelvic dog that had been near death when she found him.

He'd tangled with something. And it had left him with four broken ribs, an punctured lung, a broken leg, and so many cuts and scrapes that she wasn't sure what he actually looked like under the mess. People thought healers touched patients and they were back to normal, but it simply wasn't true. Kavala had righted his bones, knitted them back together, and had patched up his lung... but his body was still going to be shocky and exhausted. He'd slept the entire day and she wasn't sure if he'd even wake to eat anything now that it was growing dark.

On one of her earlier visits she'd finished all the emergencies that needed her attention around the facility and had taken the time to painstakingly wash the filth and gore off his big frame and expose the rest of the injuries. The bruising and cuts had all been cared for. Several starts of infections had been chased away, and she'd encouraged him subtly and with herbs to sleep deeper and get more rest before he woke.

Kavala didn't know his name, his story, or how he'd come to be traveling with the Drykas in the group. She wasn't even sure what his true canine form was. But when she approached his bed where he was laid out in the infirmary - well within sight of the others of his party - she perched on the edge, one hand on her daughter at her chest and the other on the kelvic's forehead.

She gently stroked him there and whispered softly. "You can wake up now if you'd like. You are safe and I need to know if you are in pain anywhere else?" The Konti said softly, her voice a rich alto that rolled off her tongue in flawless Pavi.

[Copper]

He had fought against the dark, but could not wake. Copper was stuck somewhere in the middle between deep sleep and consciousness. It was a tar that clung to him, making his limbs heavy, filling his lungs, and holding him in place. Occasionally pain would register somewhere deep in the dulled, slow thoughts of his medicated mind, but he couldn't whimper. The drug would grab him once more and pull him back into the depths of sweet oblivion. There were no dreams--only black. When the Kelvic awoke he would have no inclination of the time that had passed, or recall what happened. It took him a while, but finally the medicine's strength began to wane. Meaningless sounds came to him through the fog. They faded in and out like poor reception until he began to shake free more completely from the comatose sleep. One voice pulled him from the murky dark, and his eyelids fluttered. It was a colossal effort to open them, and even more so to focus on the face hovering above him. She was a pale blur at first. As his eyes adjusted to the light of the clinic, her face began to piece itself together before him. If the Kelvic had been alert he might have lept out of his own hide, but he felt like he'd been emptied and filled with cotton. His mouth opened, but he could only manage a groan. Her fingers were warm against his brow. The touch was soothing--that much he could register. With his awakening, sensations were quickly returning. Green eyes rolled in their sockets, taking in the room. There were others in here with them lying asleep like he had been. He recognized their faces, but the details were still murky. The Kelvic looked back at the Konti sitting beside him. It was a struggle to try and piece the words together in his head and then to speak them. When the question came, his voice grated and cracked. "Where? Who?" It was all he could manage so suddenly, but it was Pavi. The gears were turning slowly now in his mind. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to twist and look around but stopped with a pained flinch. His whimper was half surprise and half discomfort. The patchwork bruises and mended injuries were making themselves known. Confusion flooded him, showing clearly on his sun darkened face. How had he gotten here, and why was he injured? Copper's mind wrestled with the questions and he fought to remember. When he looked at the Konti again, fear showed in the twist of his lips. "It hurts," he finally managed. He wracked his muddled thoughts for the memories which would tell him what he needed to remember. Copper recalled being alone--a stupid decision. Then there were the Drykas by the river. Then... The Kelvic touched one of his bruises. He moved stiffly, both because of his mending injuries and the drugs. He wasn't dead, and that was surely an act of the Gods. Who was he to thank for helping him? Copper blinked rapidly, trying to gather his tangled thoughts. The Konti, she smelled good. Heavily of herbs and horses--a lot like home. Her touch spoke volumes of her personality. One could tell a lot about a person just by their touch. He had spent a few years refining that practice what with being petted so often. Some were annoying, others were harsh. Her hand was just right. Copper looked at her more closely, but tried not to make any sudden movements. He felt like he had been trampled by Striders. One surely had stepped straight on the back of his neck because it was as stiff as a board. Mostly he had to roam with his eyes. She was Konti--that was obvious. The Kelvic had seen only a few in his lifetime, and usually during the spring seasons when Endrykas was closest to Riverfall. They were unforgettable creatures though. All of them beautiful, and smelling faintly of the sea. He could smell it on this one as well. It was on her fingertips, mixed with a menagerie of other scents. He could only pick out a few of the most distinct odors, and it really gave him no hint as to who she was. What Copper did guess was that he owed her greatly. A baby--no more than a newborn--was swaddled against her breast and slept soundly. The Kelvic lifted a heavy hand and grabbed the fingers which caressed his brow. The suffocating panic lessened as his body began to listen once more. Breathing was torture and he felt as if he'd been kicked off a cliff--but he was alive. Even though it hurt he was breathing and his heartbeat was settling, along with all the rapid thoughts. If only he could remember exactly how they had all come to be here.

[Kavala]

Kavala's touch on the kelvic's forehead was designed to be soothing. She was genuinely concerned for him. But she also wanted to not startle him so when he did finally start moving around, he did so gently. Bones might be healed, but that didn't mean they didn't hurt him. And now that he was awake, she could feel the pain he was feeling through her Konti Gift. It caused her to bite down on her lip momentarily, hissing in discomfort. The infant on the sling across her chest fretted slightly, waking up and mewing slightly before settling down.

"Kavala." The Konti said answering his question without hesitation. "My name is Kavala Denusk, of the Denusk Pavilion, Sapphire Clan." Her pavi was spoken like a native. "You are in a healing clinic for animals and kelvics outside of Riverfall called The Sanctuary. You are safe here. It looks like you were in some sort of battle when we found you. Some of your people - I assume they are your people - are here with you. You are in the infirmary which is where we let sick people and animals rest. Everyone is healing well. You've been through quite a bit. Your leg was broken... most of your ribs on one side... and your lung was punctured. I've healed a lot of it, but there's going to be pain I didn't sense when you were out of it. Now that you are waking up, I can fix the rest. I have a Konti gift that lets me feel animals and kelvics... what you are feeling. I can feel the pain you are in. So just relax, and let me work on it." The Konti said, moving her one hand off his forehead and traveling it down to the first section of major pain. He felt a warmth infuse him around his shoulder and deep within his body a torn ligament was knitted together. Pain eased.

Kavala shifted the infant in the sling across her body and kept moving her hand down the kelvic's body. A blanket was pulled gently away and bare flesh was exposed as the Konti worked one-handed. She didn't seem afraid to touch him, to probe the tender flesh and all the places she hadn't healed because she couldn't feel his pain.

The warmth moved down his body, taking care of the ache in his head, the pain in his shoulder, his arms, chest, hips, knees, and finally even a torn muscle in his calf. And when that was done, the absence of the steady ache of chronic pain left a hollow echo in him. The Kelvic would feel weak and then hungry.

The Konti heard his stomach grumble and smiled. "If you can tell me your name and sit up gently, I think you might be on the mend enough to follow me to some food. You are far to big for me to carry though. And I think little Ia'del here would protest having to share her ride." The Konti said gently, her pavi punctuated by gestures that emphasized humor in her words as she infused grassland sign in her speech.

"So... what is your name. And can you tell me what happened?" She asked, taking his hand and gently urging him to sit up slowly.

[Copper]

Not only a Konti, but a Drykas. He had seen one before among the Opal Clan. A healer with a divine mark upon her cheek, but she was the only one he'd ever seen up close. The others were in passing, and they almost always had an Akalak or two with them. He'd never felt an urge to go closer to the giant, imposing, and surprisingly colorful men. Her family name was unfamiliar to him, but that was no surprise. There were many pavilions--past a present--and it was hard enough memorizing the groups among his own clan. It was reassuring, knowing they had made it to Riverfall. Endrykas was at its closest point on the Run to the cliffside city. Copper left the colorful grassland tents behind with a caravan heading to trade goods among the Akalaks when they'd found Shahar's group by the river. He was remembering now. Still, whatever happened after that his mind must be refusing to dwell on. The Kelvic decided to push it all aside for later. It would come to him again, he knew. Instead, he gave all of his attention to Kavala. It was easier to focus on her than murky memories. The present was simple, and her touch was reassuring. He didn't understand these gifts Konti had. In fact, he'd never heard of it until now. Magics were beyond his understanding and while he was aware of several practices, he knew not how to use any. The Ankals would not teach him Webbing, and he had no reimancer acquaintances. As a pup he used to love watching them dance with fire, but he'd never asked to try. And so Copper laid still so Kavala could use her magics on him, curious of this link. When the healing began, he was startled. The Kelvic had never been touched by a Rek'keli healer--not that he knew he was now either. Copper could feel it working where her fingers traveled. While the pain didn't completely vanish, it diminished considerably. On her face he could see she felt it as well. He hadn't doubted a word she said, but seeing was believing--and understanding. There was no embarrassment when her hand explored lower. His body was no secret, and he had no concept of embarrassment over such a thing. Still, he understood that people occasionally preferred him to wear clothes. Modesty was a very human emotion. Copper watched her work. She seemed as at ease as he was. It was refreshing. Slowly, her magic mended the damage. His thoughts felt clear--for the most part--and the pain was fleeing. He was left feeling stiff but passable. Almost normal, if not for some residual aches and severe fatigue. The pain seemed to have been mask how tired he still was, despite a deep drugged sleep. And hungry. He couldn't remember ever being so famished. That and her gentle coaxing was enough to beckon him to sit. Moving was awkward. He felt old beyond his years, and each movement was deliberate like clockwork. Arms, shoulders, hips shifting. Each gear testing and moving to get him propped up on the edge of the bed. "Thank you," he breathed with obvious gratitude. A stiff sign with clumsy fingers emphasized his words. There were a few names that he could give her. The Grassriders had several nicknames for him. Some teasing, others endearing. He thought for a moment before deciding on the one the adults seemed to prefer. "Copper, of the Grassrider Pavilion. Emerald Clan." Words were coming much easier now that he could think through the aches and pains. "Food sounds... wonderful," he admitted with a smile. Another rumble punctuated that sentence. Now that they were face to face, he could see how tired she seemed. He peeked at the baby, and was pleasantly surprised to see delicate scales accenting a perfect little face. He'd definitely never seen a baby Konti. When his smile grew, she would see his rows of sharp teeth. Sharper and longer than any human's, but not exactly like those he sported on all fours. When his eyes found hers again, he continued. "I cannot remember what happened, really. I left Endrykas with a group bent on trading furs and leather in Riverfall. I wanted a change of scenery. Our winter was harsh, and we lost our Old Mother." That was always how he referred to Antea, the Ankal's grandmother. "I remember the river, and...," he paused, finally looking at the other Drykas lying in the room. They looked as horrible as he had felt. "Shahar was there. The women. But then something happened. Someone was hurt, and then there is nothing." He looked down at himself and remembered something rather unimportant. "Where are my things? My bag?" Then something important. "My tooth? I wore it around my neck." If he'd lost it out there, chances were he would go search for it. Antea had given him the nightlion fang when he reached manhood. She had been the closest thing he'd ever had to a bondmate, but she never did allow the relationship to develop into that. He understood why. He would outlive her by many years--and she'd been right. Copper remembered finding them when he was still on two legs, but he had a funny feeling he'd shifted at some point. "You found us injured. It sounds as if I was nearly dead. Thank you for helping us." He squeezed her hand, and realized he forgot he was even holding it. Her gift was a relief to him. The touch was its own kind of medicine. Better even in several ways. "Will the others be alright? Were there any other Drykas there? The caravan?" He realized they should be on their way to get him some food, but now that the floodgates were open his questions kept coming. "I'm sorry," he apologized when his stomach growled again. "We can walk and talk?" He would allow her to help him stand, but for the most part insisted on independence. He appreciated her there to make sure he stayed balanced, but he was afraid of jostling the baby. It was a sluggish process, and the stiffness of his body protested all the way. When he was finally on his feet, he sighed and gave an 'all clear' nod.

[Kavala]

She watched quietly as he came into himself, retreating more fully from the sleep and waking to the point of talking and asking questions. He knew his name, that in and of itself was a good sign, and he remembered something of who he was and where he came from as well as a bit about the others. And he remembered an Old Mother that had been lost. Kavala had been through something like that as well when her great grandmother on her father’s Drykas side had been left on the grass having breathed no more. She merely nodded, moving her hand to his shoulder as he half rose in the bed and stroking him there.

When he fussed about the necklace, she took up the length of leather that was coiled neatly by the head of his bed and gently opened it to drape around his neck. She fastened the thong around his neck knotting it securely at the back of his hairline so the tooth swung down and was displayed proudly at his lower throat. The thong was still wet as if it had been washed, but he could still detect the faint stench of blood – most likely his own – on it.

“Your things are with the rest of the supplies we recovered that your people were traveling with. I don’t know what is yours and what belongs to the others, so we put the supplies on one of the spare beds by the doorway.” Her gentle words were accompanied by a gesture that showed an overflowing bed near the door. He could then see other forms and shapes lying in beds very similar to his. The infirmary was divided in two with beds running up each wall and a walkway between mostly barrack style. It was far more elegant than a barracks, but functional all the same.

“No one was too permanently injured, though everyone had critical injuries that required a skilled healer. Like you, they are sleeping it off, but I think Kelvics recover faster.” Kavala said, taking his hand again and standing by as she urged him to climb to his feet. “I think you need food before anything else. Once I show you where that is, you can easily come back here and visit your friends and sort out your gear from the rest. There are horses in the barn too. One we had to put down where we found her, but the rest are mending well also.” The Konti said gently, then stepped back as the Kelvic rose.

She didn’t seem bothered by his nudity, nor did she asked him to wear clothing. If he wanted some, she could find him a robe or gown from the clinic… but she didn’t want to bother him with it just yet. It might have seemed curious, but if Copper could walk on his own, she’d lead him out into the facility itself, on the way to the tunnel that lead down to The Within Commons.

“We certainly can talk as we walk… if you can walk. You’re doing fine in the talking department.” The Konti smiled, then shifted the infant against her, and released Cooper’s hand. She watched his balance, nodded to herself, and started to lead the way. “I’m always worried about head injuries when people have seen battle. They are hard for Healers to see sometimes. But your eyes look good and your balance seems okay. I think your skull is fine.” She said, leading him out a set of double doors and through what looked like the actual healing clinic itself. There were multiple rooms she pointed to as surgeries and supply rooms, then they were in a waiting room and out another set of double doors to a small courtyard.

The Courtyard looked modified because its stone had deep set grooves where frames could be placed in them to suspend horses or bigger animals that needed procedures which they had no room for inside. The frames were stored in racking off to one side, and everything outside looked neatly landscaped and gardened. The Courtyard overlooked a large arena that was flanked on the far side by barns. More barns could be seen to the west which brought in the smell of dog to him. He could smell cat too along with the horse smell that flooded him with information. Other animal smells were present faintly. Cow, chicken, some sort of raptor….

A rustling of wind was the only warning they got before an enormous eagle dropped out of the sky. It back winged inches from the Konti – who didn’t flinch at all – and transformed before Copper’s eyes. The young man staring back at him with golden eyes was younger than he was – perhaps only a year or so – but he was tall and lanky for all that he was young and was filling out nicely. “Larik… meet Copper. Copper, this is my brother’s son Larik. His twin Cadra should be in the kitchen about done with big pots of stew I asked her to make if our visitors started waking up. Cooking is her favorite thing and she’s also Kelvic.” Kavala said, actually feeling hungry for the stew mainly due to Copper’s proximity and famishment. The twins would approve, since the Konti was painfully thin since the birth of her own babies.

Larik nodded at Copper and the two Kelvics seemed to have a moment where they eyed each other thoroughly before they decided to move on. “Aunt.. I just checked and the herds are all in and all accounted for. I have them in the Sea Cave for now because Cadra swears her tail is twitching again which means a storm tonight. So.. the bachelor herd, geldings, and broodmares that are in foal but not with a foal are there. Everyone else is up in the broodmare pasture with their foals.” He said, smiling slightly though keeping a discrete watchful eye on the newcomer.

Kavala kept moving, slowly sure for Coppers sake, but moving nonetheless. She passed down a stone walkway surrounded by planted gardens, then passed through two heavy stone doors sunk into the ground. The path dipped down, going through the doorways, and seemed to drop into the earth itself. It was a ramp of sorts, wide enough to drive a cart down or two horses to walk side by side. Kavala and Larik took the first right they came to, traveled down a side passage, and through another archway that opened up into what looked almost like the inside of a tavern. It was an enormous common space with a high vaulted ceiling decorated in Drykas style decor and knot work.

An attached kitchen, expansive and filled with good smells, was obvious on one side. A redheaded young woman that looked an awful lot like Larik but who smelled notedly like cat was purring over a huge stew pot. Larik was already grabbing a bowl and filling it for himself. But when Cadra spotted Kavala and her guest, she picked up two bowls and began dishing them up heaping herself.

Thick slices of buttered and honey bread were passed over as well, set on a long bar that ran the length of the kitchen. Kavala took a seat at the bar after fetching what looked like a large section of metal tube hug with a leather skin hide stretched between it. There was a second one on the kitchen counter that contained another child with deep ebony skin and a shock of white hair. The child was happily bouncing in the counter seat which was more of a baby sling than a chair. Kavala took of f the konti infant she had at her breast and quietly slipped the now sleeping babe into the bouncy seat she set up and went to fetch Copper something to drink. It turned out to be sweet juice made of apple and pear harvested in the fall.

Kavala made quick introductions between Copper and Cadra.

“Eat as much as you like. There is plenty.” Kavala said, sitting down to dig into her own food, a careful eye on the tiny white babe on the counter beside her but on the far side of Copper. She smiled at the other child across the room which Cadra was evidently watching as she cooked. “This child is my daughter, Ia’del. The other in the other sling is Ralac. I had a very difficult pregnancy with the two of them together and almost lost my life. Cadra and Larik have been invaluable for helping me with them. I couldn’t make it through a single day without their vigilance and babysitting. I have a third son who is in his fifth year. His name is Tasival, but hes out with Aweston - our cousin - night fishing down on the sand.” Kavala said carefully. Cadra simply smiled but Larik shrugged. They looked like her praise somewhat baffled them.

“So what about you? Do you remember what sorts of foods you like or what you do as a profession?” Kavala asked carefully, knowing she didn’t want to pry into his past if he wanted to conceal it, But she was willing to make quiet comfortable conversation if he’d let her.

[Copper]

The fang had not been lost, and she returned it to its proper place around his neck. He felt better when it was once more resting in the hollow between his angular collarbones. Copper noted the group's belongings by the door and he nodded. He hadn't been very worried about losing clothes, but it was good at the same time that they hadn't been scattered. All he cared about was the tooth, and it was back where it should be, albeit carrying the metallic odor of blood. "I will sort my things later. I don't have much. Just a bag with a few items and clothing," he explained, then motioned to the pendant. "Thank you for taking care of it." He never mentioned getting dressed, and he didn't question Kavala for not telling him to. It was new, but a good new. He wanted to be uninhibited. No clothing rubbing on his scratches or bruises. His skin needed to breathe. "It is good they aren't in danger anymore," he continued as he looked at the group lying in their respective beds. As for the horses, he couldn't begin to know which one may have been put down. He was unfamiliar with their mounts, but knew the man had a Strider. He hoped it hadn't been that one. Once before Copper had seen the grief of a Drykas who'd lost their bonded steed, and he didn't want to experience that again anytime soon. It was a palpable sadness and it had clung to his fur for days, weighing heavily. He allowed himself to be led from the clinic after one more backwards glance at the others. They were all still strangers to him, but he felt a protectiveness toward them forged through their common predicament. That, and they were of Endrykas. His first steps was careful and calculated, but his head stayed clear. Occasionally he would stray to the side then correct himself and shuffle back. He followed Kavala in a funny, lazy zigzag that steady grew straighter as his equilibrium returned to him. He'd sometimes been called hardheaded by those of his pavilion, but he assumed it was dumb luck and not his stubbornness that allowed him to survive without a broken skull. Or perhaps it did have a little something to do with it. Too stubborn to die. "You made the pain better. What is it that you did? Magic, yes? I've never been healed so quickly. I believe you when you say I was as broken as I was." As they passed through the clinic, he tried to absorb what he saw. It was hard trying to concentrate on everything. There was a lot to see so suddenly. Smells filled his nose as they walked along. Many different kinds of animals. Most of them he was familiar with, but some were only just recognizable. Horse was the strongest of them all, and it gave him a sense of comfort. He heard a far-off whinny just before the air stirred and an eagle landed in front of them. He bristled instantly and grabbed Kavala's hand in surprise. She didn't seem nearly as startled as he was. But surprise was quickly replaced but curiosity when the bird changed in a familiar swirl of light. Copper released the Konti's fingers and took in a deep lungful of air. He tested the Kelvic's scent on the back of his tongue, then respectfully broke eye contact with a tilt of his head. This was not his territory, and he was a visitor. After a few beats, he met the other Kelvic's gaze and signed a silent greeting in Pavi. His stomach rumbled when Kavala mentioned stew, and he offered the eagle a nod in return. His shoulders relaxed instantly when Larik seemed satisfied. They moved along as he discussed business, and Copper listened curiously. It was a well organized place, this Sanctuary, and the number of Kelvics surprised him. When they came upon the doors that led underground, he hesitated at the threshold. He'd never actually been underground before. Larik and Kavala moved ahead confidently, and finally he forced himself to step inside. He kept a hand on the wall for support as they traveled deeper into the belly of the earth. His skin crawled as the sky disappeared and all that was left was stone and dirt. The smell down below was faintly different than up above. There was soil and rock, but the air was fresh and he caught a faint whiff of the stew Kavala spoke of. His mouth instantly flooded with saliva and he all but forgot about being brushed by the stone ceiling. They emerged in a massive room that felt oddly like home. More importantly, it smelled like food. He saw the female that had to be the cat Kavala spoke of. He could smell feline mingled with stew. When she began filling two bowls with the hearty meal, he almost whined. Kavala introduced the two of them and he offered a somewhat shy smile. His eyes kept trailing back to the food. Copper sat carefully with the rest of them and watched intently as Kavala fetched him a drink. The bowl in front of him was steaming and smelled like something sent from the Gods. There was also another child. A boy that looked like the blue skinned Akalaks but with Kavala's hair. Curiosity made him forget his food for a moment, and when the Konti began to explain he listened while watching both children. "Pregnancy I have seen can be hard on all mothers. Women are strong. I have heard birthing cries before, and it always throws a pavilion into stressed disarray." Bold green eyes bore into hers. "You are thin," he stated bluntly. "I watched you walk. The toll shows with the narrowness in your face and hips. But you're strong. I felt that. Eat and grow strong again." He dipped his head and shoveled a spoonful of stew into his mouth. The look on his face was a mixture of relief and near ecstasy. He chewed and swallowed quickly, then wolfed down a few more bites. Then he dipped his soft hunk of bread in and tore off a bite. Copper washed it all down with a long swig of juice. He came out of it choking violently as the combination of eating and breathing tangled together. The Kelvic wiped his mouth and took a deep, rattling breath to calm his heaving before he apologized quietly. "It's delicious," he complimented Cadra when he found his voice again and quieted his coughing. "I'm sorry, I'm very hungry." He had the grace to turn a little red. The next bite was slower and more careful. After he swallowed a took another small drink, he dove into Kavala's question. "I like stew, I know. Anything with meat. I think I did something with meat, actually." He thought for a moment, then remembered the sound of rumbling hooves and barking dogs. "I hunted with a pack. My pavilion is of the Emerald Clan. We're hunters. I don't believe I'm as good as some, but that is what I do. What I did." Copper wasn't sure what would happen now. He owned Kavala his life, so he wouldn't just up and leave as soon as he was healed. His ribs hurt even now from coughing. He stared into his bowl and brooded over another bite of bread. With a mouthful he continued, "Bread is alright, but I like red meat. Rabbit is good. Venison. Beef, maybe? I think I've had bison." He thought for a moment. "Yes, bison. Not beef." "Are there many others here? You mentioned a brother. How far are we from the main city?" There were many questions to be asked and it was hard to keep them all in. OOCI'm sorry for the delay! I've been having college finals, but only one left tomorrow and I'm done.

[Kavala]

Kavala reached out and touched the Kelvic’s arm, rubbing his shoulder gently as they walked. “It’s a goddess granted power, Copper. I am a twice marked healer of Rak’keli, the Goddess of Healing. She grants her followers the ability to bring flesh and bone that has been abused back to rights in a touch. It comes with a price though. Healers must heal. We have no choice in it. Once we are marked by Rak’keli, her power controls us.” Kavala said softly, reminding herself to show him her leg later, where the glittering twin winged serpents indicated her status as a Healer.

They both continued walking, she as slow as he, though for a different reason. Kavala was tired from working on the party, fighting for their lives, and it was soon for her… her own health slow in recovering. She would be on her feet and stronger as quickly as she could be, but it slightly irked her that her steps were weaker than they aught to be. The Konti did not try to put too much on the Kelvic at once. She wanted him to be comfortable and relaxed. There had been far too much stress lately for anyone’s liking. Recovery, even if it was just form exhaustion right now, was far better done in peace than in situations of high anxiety. Food, a warm fire to lay down by, and perhaps a task or two in the morning come first light would be the way to go. If he fell into a routine while his company mended, then he’d be better off and get well fast.

She wondered if he was bonded to anyone. There was no worry pouring off him about anyone in particular and in fact other than just a slight bit of wariness being in a new place, it didn’t seem like he was all that upset. That reassured Kavala. Kelvics had it rough in the world and one of her goals was to make it easier on them if at all possible.

When he offered her advice, Kavala blinked, then smiled. “Yes. That’s all true. Your advice is very good. I am. Sometimes when a Healer gets sick there is no one to take care of them and no one realizes they need care until it is too late. We all sometimes think it can’t happen to us… getting ill… though it can and will often quickly.” She added, taking a seat across from him and working on her own food. She could eat now, whereas before she could not, not unless it was something raw from the sea.

She nodded as he ran through what he actually did and what he’d eaten. It made sense that he was probably a hunter for his clan, maybe even someone who watched the herds. She nodded, knowing the Drykas rarely had beef. But bison was plentiful if the hunters were good. His clan must have had strong hunters.

“No… not many others. A few… less than a dozen. I have a brother, a cousin, a handful of friends that reside here… and some employees that are full time. The employees I think I would count more as friends than hired folk though.” Kavala said, looking thoughtful. “We are a few miles north of Riverfall. It is a fast trip by foot if you don’t mind jogging. It’s not even that far at a sedate pace. I often ride horses into town or take a pony cart when we have shopping to do. Its easier to carry stuff home that way.” The Konti said, nodding to herself.

“We raise dogs and horses here. There is a mews were we house wild birds that need healing and sell some of them fully trained. We have a Falcon Mistress who watches them and all of us help with the dogs. We don’t much lock them up though so the kennel duty doesn’t come around often. There’s cows, chickens, pigs, and assorted wild animals here at any one given time. We act like a farm, but are a full fledged healing facility for animals and Kelvics. And starting in the fall we are taking on students and offering classes in healing. We want to get more healers out there that are willing to help animals and Kelvics, not just humans.” Kavala said, meeting Copper’s eyes.

“You are welcome to stay here as long as you want… either waiting for your friends to recover or even assisting us if you’d like something to do. We can always use more hunters and guards for the herds. We can’t feed all the horses we have here unless we take them out on the grasses to graze. So they must be watched from night lions and glassbeaks and whatever else might eat them. Larik, my nephew whom you met a few minutes ago…” Kavala nodded her chin to where the young man was dishing up a hearty bowl of stew and talking with his twin sister. “… flies patrol on them, but there are more and more horses and his time is stretched thin. We could really use some help watching them by other Kelvics that can easily move around the grasses and know its predators.” Kavala offered.

“We pay well and there’s a place to stay and all the food you can eat included in the job.” She said, not knowing if he’d even be interested with all his friends in the infirmary recovering. But she thought she’d throw the offer out there anyhow.

[Copper]

He couldn't picture having no choice in something. Copper bristled a little at the thought of being controlled by some higher power. He'd never seen a God, only heard of them and took part in their worship in Endrykas. But she'd been touched by one twice. He peered her with a tilted head--a very doggish expression. "That is why you helped us. Some--many really--would have left me to be taken by the Sea, along with the others. We were not fit enough to survive, and the Sea punished us. But you brought us here. I am not ready for Dira yet, or to be laid under Syna for the scavengers to have me. You acted in kindness too, I think. Not only a need to heal. Perhaps you want to more than you cannot?" It was a guess. Something to help him comprehend a little easier. He couldn't wrap his head around the whole thing completely. It was too complex in his current state. Gods and Goddesses and magic were too far beyond him. He was grateful for the last soothing touch on his shoulder. It kept the ache in his head away. His mind settled and the strain left him for now. He would tackle these new concepts later. He wondered idly how this Sanctuary defended itself. If there were so few, how did it fend off Zith and other threats? His brows furrowed as she went down the list of what and who were here. There were plenty of animals--he smelled many of them above and heard their calls. So few people though. Compared to Endrykas which had the Watch and many more trained warriors, he was surprised by how safe this place felt. The Akalaks weren't far away, but far enough that if there were to be an attack here, aid surely couldn't be instant. Perhaps he would ask her later. When she offered him a place to stay, he sat a little straighter in his seat. He'd expected to stay for as long as it took to heal, as well as the Drykas he'd found in the Sea to wake up. After that though, he hadn't much of a plan. The future was black like his sleep had been. This could be his way to pay her back. It was an easy solution. He regarded Larik a moment before turning again to Kavala. "I will stay," Copper said simply. "I will help however I can. This is the least I can do to repay you. I will bring meat and guard your herds." This felt good to him--like he would be settling back into a familiar routine. It was the right choice. "If the others leave, that is fine. I stay regardless of what they decide when they wake." Now he had a strong course. That was easier than he thought it would be. Copper's shoulders relaxed and he smiled easily, flashing his sharp teeth and long canines. For now it seemed, this would be his new home. Another question arose after he carefully chewed another bite of bread. "Was there no one to mend you when you were sick?" He frowned now, Copper was starting to think she fretted over others more than she did herself. After all, she was up and moving and rescuing injured from the Sea even in her current postpartum condition. He wondered if this was how most Healers were, or mainly those divinely marked like she was. His experience with the Opal Clan had been almost nonexistent back in Endrykas except for the end of last winter when Antea passed, so he hadn't an idea. It seemed like a lot of necessary stress on the body.

[Kavala]

The Konti looked thoughtful. She offered the kelvic dog a fleeting smile and shook her head, denying his words a moment. "No, that is not why I helped you. I helped you because you are my people. I may look Konti, but I was born on the Sea of Grass like the Drykas still slumbering in the infirmary. The Drykas, no matter what Pavilion or Clan they come from, are too few and in the end we are all united as family through our culture. Yes, Rak'keli compels me to heal when someone is wounded. But I did so willingly in your case. You and your party deserve a chance to live if you are strong enough to do so, regardless of the situation that brought you to where you were." She added, crossing her arms in front of her and rubbing them lightly. Whole bodies, to Kavala's way of thinking, did not guarantee life. It was the vibrant nature of someone's spirit that dd.

"There are ways around compulsions. We cannot hide things from the Gods and Goddesses, so everything we do is visible to them. They leave us many choices though, more than one would think. My hands can heal, true enough, but they can also kill. I am not as I should be now. But when enough time passes, and things are to right, you will understand. Everyone here is strong. We train hard to fight and protect. And I always have a choice. If I don't want to heal someone... perhaps they are my enemy or there is darkness in them that cannot be touched with light... the compulsion goes away when Dira comes to collect them. No man or woman, regardless of race, can hide from death. And there is no healing death. Thus far, Rak'keli has understood this and I still wear my marks." Kavala confessed, her voice firm in its conviction. She didn't want the kelvic to think she was soft just because she was weak... that healers had no choice or were slaves. They were not.

"I do want to heal. You are right. But only those who want to live and only those that give back to others. There are a lot of dark people in the world. Some have their place as protectors or judges, but most I think have lost their way and those I do not care to interfere with. Greed. Brutality. The need to dominate or own. Cruelty. Those healings would always be involuntary." She added, glancing away and down at her hands.

Kavala was surprised the kelvic readily agreed to stay. But she stopped him after he said he wanted to repay her. "There is no debt. Please understand that. You owe nothing to me and my kind here. You would be wholly welcome, but please stay because you would like to try a life here for however long it suits you and not because you feel you owe us. We heal because we feel its necessary... not for the payment involved." Kavala said firmly.

It was true she mostly got paid for her services, but then again that was only by the people that could afford it. No one was turned away. Her power cost her nothing, having been freely given by The Goddess of Healing. What she charged for was the medicines, time, bandages, and other supplies she could not get easily or without coin. Some wounds could not be healed with a touch. Some sicknesses took years to recover from. Her own situation was a good case in point.

The Konti reached across to tuck the pale little baby girls blanket more firmly around her. Sharp eyes took in baby Ralac, across the room, noting he was doing fine and dozing under Cadra's watchful gaze. Her eyes returned to Ia'del and then her hand cupped the little girls shock of white hair and stroked it without thought, soothing the child as she continued her conversation with the kelvic.

The Konti took a moment to glance down at her thin arms. The trip to Endrykas had taken a lot out of her. She had been sure it wouldn't be too much and she'd be ready. But the truth was a harsh mistress. The sooner the Konti could get her strength and stamina back up, the better. That meant piling in the food and getting her body moving. A run up the beach, she decided, was just what she needed.

Almost finished with her first round, the Konti loaded her plate up again, knowing groceries was what she needed after months of not being able to keep anything down. She ate without apology, making sure Copper got his food replaced as well. Dogs could pack it down and she was sure kelvics were no different.

She was startled, looking up and meeting his eyes, when he said he'd stay. A smile played across her lips. Kavala didn't know Copper, but she could feel his neutrality, his decency. She liked that. He was young, strong, and could be a huge asset to the group. Right now, they were low on employees, low on friends, and could use all the help they could get. The truth was she needed him, but she wasn't sure how to drop the facade of being a leader and the one that always took care of everyone's problems to say that.

"I... We... could really use the help." She said softly. "The herds are in constant danger and Larik is tired. You would be more than welcome to stay, bring in meat, and just use your eyes and nose to assist. I would like to pay you though, for time. We can work out the details later. It would be a good wage though. There is plenty of coin to go around." She added, wondering if she should tell him about her plan to make the facility a teaching school as well. Those plans wouldn't happen until the fall, but they were things that were progressing nonetheless.

His question startled her and derailed her train of thought. Heal the healer? Kavala smiled. "I have a good friend here. He is a very skilled healer as well. He tends bar in the city in a place called Alements. Though he's an Eth, he is as much Drykas as I am. He helped me live. There is no instant fix for starvation and the weakness of pregnancy. Those things take time. But my little girl here... was born too early. Her lungs would not always work. And Caelum often breathed for her when I could not. His touch... being one of Syna's own... can age things once a day. He... aged her I think, though he would not say so... and in aging her the undeveloped parts of her lungs and gills grew stronger and developed. I think he saved her life. He's not my brother in flesh, but he is in spirit. His little girl, also a Konti, is around here as well. She is not his by blood, but his wife gave birth to the girl and Caelum treats the child as his own. Sometimes... I think there are more children around here than there are adults. It would be good if you could look after them as well, Copper. They are precious to us." Kavala said, smiling slightly, though she turned her head away briefly and rubbed at her eyes as if she had a headache.

It wasn't pain in her skull though, it was sorrow in her heart. Then anger. Kavala hated feeling weak. The sooner she could get back on her feet and back to training the better. She forced the last few bites into her mouth, her stomach overfull, and knew she would indeed try running the beach today.

"When we've digested our food a bit, would you be interested in a light run on the beach? I can't go far, but I need to get moving again, and the sand is easy on the body to restart training." He was still ill, but playing on the beach might bring some joy in his worried gaze. The Konti could feel the Kelvics concern, and she hoped the situation she'd outlined for him... a job, a place to stay, wasn't the cause of it.

"You can meet some of the other dogs here too... they often come with us. But only if you want..." She added, wanting him to feel comfortable, at home. Kavala had known quite a few kelvics. She'd never bonded with one, but she had spent a great deal of time making them comfortable. The best way she'd found to do that was to embrace both sides of their nature, treating them like both people and the animals they picked to be. It helped, at least a little, that she was a Dreamwalker and had walked her own Chavi back to a time when the kelvics were first created. She'd been one then, and knew without a doubt what was involved in the race. Most people thought that kelvics had dual natures. They didn't. She knew, for instance, that Copper was always a human and always a dog and would think like both at the same time constantly.

To treat him as just human or just dog was wrong... not when he was both. And that was why when she tried to speak to him, she'd speak to both his natures, and not just single one out. The attitude she took was half the reason kelvics trusted her for the most part, and almost all the reason that all the Akalaks who had bonded pregnant kelvics brought them here to birth.

"So.. interested in a run? Just a short one? And I'll give you a tour of the facility afterwards. I'll even let you pick out some quarters so you can have your own place to sleep that's comfortable." Kavala said, hoping he'd agree. Otherwise she'd go alone after the babies were fed and put down for a nap.

[Copper]

Copper listened intently as the Healer explained in more depth. He liked her reasoning, and she spoke he regarded her thoughtfully. It was new for him, trying to remember that she was in fact Drykas. The delicate scales on her face and the gills on her neck made it an adjustment. To him, she was just like the other beautiful, elusive pale haired women that all looked so graceful and soft. They all looked like siblings, really. But this one, she smelled like horse and the earth more than she did the sea. Her eyes were Drykas as well. Not their color, but their distinct pride and vitality. Copper nodded his understanding. "Your body is recovering, that is obvious. But the soul is strong. You are Drykas, this I can see. I smell it on you. I think I understand this magic of yours now, if only a little. It's new to me, but I see what you say." He related it to eating. He would always be compelled to eat, but even if he were starving, if the food was rotten he would try to turn it away. "I promise I stay because I wish to. I left Endrykas on my own. I wanted to see new things. When Dira took Antea, I decided this. I went with my pavilion's blessing. They taught me much, but I wished to seek out a new pack." More so, he craved the companionship that all Kelvics wanted deep in their very bones. Antea had refused to bond with him because of her age when he came to them as pup. She had been right, but he'd grown restless. The old Drykas always kept enough distance to keep the connection at bay, but she'd been the closest he'd ever come to bonding. When she died, decided to move on. There were no others he felt compelled to attach to, except perhaps the Ankal's daughter, yet he never had. Copper assumed it was not meant to be. Now, he was here. He felt that this was where he needed to be right now. The Kelvic didn't necessarily want to be paid, but he knew now that he was no longer with his pavilion he couldn't rely on others so strongly. He'd need money in this life. It was an odd thought, having coin. Such matters had always been trivial to him. Completely unimportant bits of metal. The Grassriders had given him quite a bit to start, but he didn't think that would last forever. From what he knew, those shiny little pieces disappeared fast. He'd witnessed mostly bartering; trading goods for goods or services for goods. Copper found that more logical than passing around little shiny round things. Kavala would clearly see the skepticism on his face when she assured him some payment, but because he knew he'd need it, he didn't argue. "You will have my nose, ears, and my eyes to assist your Larik. When needed, also my teeth to defend." His voice was firm and his face was intent. The Kelvic would serve her herds to the best of his abilities. "This Caelum sounds like a very powerful healer to have helped you and the baby so. It was lucky he could save her." Copper looked at the small sleeping Konti, then frowned, a little embarrassed. "But... what does 'an Eth' mean?" More magic he thought to himself, a little bemused. Living with all of these things would be an adjustment. Webbing was an everyday part of life in Endrykas, but many of these magics like the healing and aging were new developments for him. The Kelvic was a little overwhelmed by the power that he didn't even know existed. He'd never thought of what could be out there, but now he wondered, and it made him feel small. He watched her turn away, and for a moment stayed silent. Copper could offer some reassurance here, for which he was glad. It seemed like the Konti needed it. When he had a chance, he reached out and touched her fingers, but only briefly. "I will help watch them," he assured her firmly. "Don't worry." He smiled then. Children weren't new to him. Often back at the pavilion the youngsters would play with him. There were many times he'd had his ears and tail pulled, or a smaller child crawl on his back and demand a ride. He never protested. At the end of a long day they would sometimes curl up with him by the fire and sleep in a pile. It wasn't uncommon to have three of four youngsters sleeping all splayed across him. On two legs he would carry as many as he could as a game, until he couldn't carry any more. They would cling to his shoulders, hips, legs, and back like little spiders. Copper was fond of them. The Kelvic was a little surprised when she offered a jog on the beach. It was wore off quickly though and he nodded. "Yes, of course. I understand the need. I feel it would do me good as well." When he thought about being able to run, it excited him a little. He was made for it. Mostly everything had come back to him now--all except the events leading up to waking up here. The shroud from his sleep was lifted with the help of a hot meal in his belly. He was now finishing his second bowl, but decided if he stuffed himself it likely wouldn't be good. "I will meet your dogs," he consented, though his face grew guarded. In Endrykas he had a very well-established place in the hunting pack. This was developed through several years of bonding and occasionally fighting. He'd been reprimanded young for mistakes and put his place. Copper had climbed through the ranks to a comfortable position, though nowhere near Alpha. That title belonged to the largest of the pack, and he'd fought for years to attain head rank with his female. That dog could have easily dismembered the Kelvic in a second. He wondered what it would be like meeting this new pack. "Sooner is better than later," he assured her. "I am new and this is their territory. I must make myself familiar to them." It was a little easier he felt for a Kelvic to establish itself than it would be for another animal. While he was canine, they saw and could sense that human half in him. It made for an interesting dynamic at times. He finished up the last of his second serving and mopped the bowl clean with one final mouthful of bread. It was one of the best meals he could remember ever having, and not just because he'd been found close to dead in the Sea and woken up starving. Cadra could cook. Copper was sure he'd be slithering in here often for a snack or two pretty frequently. His appetite could be insatiable at times. "We can discuss this job more on the run?" he asked Kavala. He wanted to be sure of his duties. Copper wanted to and would perform them to the very best of his abilities.