G A R E T H
The woman had questions, naturally. Why would a man who had just seen her attack his companion offer her aide and shelter? What possible motive would he have for lending her assistance? Most would assume that it was to have a favor in their back pocket, and truth be told, if this had happened before Salome (he didn’t want to dwell too long on that thought- she had disappeared again, much to his disappointment, but not to any surprise) when he had been dealing with more unsavory folk, it would have been handy to have a favour to call if he had any need of it. As it stood today, however, there was no such need. He had promised himself, Noor, Luvena, too, even if only in his heart, that he would take care of the denizens of Novus, of Denocte especially, but his healing knew no such thing as a boundary. He would not dare snub his nose at someone in need of aide just because they spoke to different gods and answered the call of a different Sovereign. Nonsense.
He smiled, responding to her queries. “Well, if you bite the hand that feeds you, that says much more about you than it does me. Sure you might argue that I am foolish for allowing you into my home, but if you intend to harm the man who is offering you a chance to regain your strength and your very life back, I think that speaks more of your soul than it would anything of my supposed naivety.” He cast his gaze back to Noor, the elk now drawn to his feet. He stood unsteady, pain clear on his features, but he observed quietly.
Gareth nodded back to his companion. “Noor, however, will probably take a while to warm up to you, but I can’t exactly blame him since you did try to eat him.” He chuckled, being almost unnervingly good natured about the entire thing. Surely any other sane person would have left the predator to die. But it simply wasn’t in him. His grandmother had been sure to instill in him that all life was sacred, was worth healing and believing in. Even if this mare had tried to eat bonded, which if he was to be fully honest with himself was an unsettling thought, to suddenly no longer have Noor at his side, she had done so because she had felt there was no other choice. An animal backed into a corner, injured and frightened, will always lash out. Such is the way of things. He could not fault her for doing what came naturally.
He stepped back, giving her room to gain her footing. He was glad to see that she saw the wisdom in his words, as he knew she would. One did not look a genuine gift horse in the mouth, as much as she spoke about possibly deciding to eat them both. He didn’t see her as a genuine threat, and he had an inkling that she was much more likely to leave without a trace once she was healed enough to do so. He had already made peace with that possible outcome, as it was the most likely.
The stallion nodded, looking to her legs. “Let me at least help you lessen the bleeding. It’s a bit of a long walk back to my home, and I don’t want you to be completely miserable through all of it.” He didn’t want to think too hard about passing the Arma with her injuries. Hopefully by the time they reached that part of Novus her injuries would have at least scabbed over once again. It would be arduous, but necessary. He could not care for her without his stores and she would never make the winter, even if he somehow managed to tend her wounds in the field. As it stood, the peaks would hold snow already.
Noor watched them at a distance, the throbbing in his haunch lessening as he became accustomed to the feeling. He could see the concern cross his friend’s features, and he pressed his thoughts to the stallion’s mind.
Gareth, are you sure she’ll make the trek? It is a long way from here to home and every mountain pass and half of Novus between us. That’s days travel when well prepared. How are we going to fare if our pace is cut to a quarter what it needs to be? The snows are already in the Arma. We’d be lucky not to catch a blizzard on our way. What about her appalling diet, Gareth? Are you going to kill for her to eat to keep her alive just long enough to get home? Have you gone absolutely mad?
The elk snorted, stamping a hoof as he continued his telepathic tirade.
What if we run in Salome again? You don’t think that would be an issue? Or if we run into anyone else for that matter. Do you think this beast is just going to be cordial while she starves to death? I wont be at her mercy, Gareth. If my wounds heal enough to leave you both behind, I will. I know those mountains as well as you and I know my way home. I would rather take my chances than wait for hunger to overtake her.
Gareth calmly and politely ignored the mental assault, though something flickered behind his eyes. Concern. Noor had a very good point about the travel. But he would deal with those obstacles as they arose. He had offered his aide, and he was going to give it. He was a hearty man, and he had been raised in those mountains. He was confident that he could bring this mare home to heal her. He needed to believe in that, if nothing else.
He smiled, responding to her queries. “Well, if you bite the hand that feeds you, that says much more about you than it does me. Sure you might argue that I am foolish for allowing you into my home, but if you intend to harm the man who is offering you a chance to regain your strength and your very life back, I think that speaks more of your soul than it would anything of my supposed naivety.” He cast his gaze back to Noor, the elk now drawn to his feet. He stood unsteady, pain clear on his features, but he observed quietly.
Gareth nodded back to his companion. “Noor, however, will probably take a while to warm up to you, but I can’t exactly blame him since you did try to eat him.” He chuckled, being almost unnervingly good natured about the entire thing. Surely any other sane person would have left the predator to die. But it simply wasn’t in him. His grandmother had been sure to instill in him that all life was sacred, was worth healing and believing in. Even if this mare had tried to eat bonded, which if he was to be fully honest with himself was an unsettling thought, to suddenly no longer have Noor at his side, she had done so because she had felt there was no other choice. An animal backed into a corner, injured and frightened, will always lash out. Such is the way of things. He could not fault her for doing what came naturally.
He stepped back, giving her room to gain her footing. He was glad to see that she saw the wisdom in his words, as he knew she would. One did not look a genuine gift horse in the mouth, as much as she spoke about possibly deciding to eat them both. He didn’t see her as a genuine threat, and he had an inkling that she was much more likely to leave without a trace once she was healed enough to do so. He had already made peace with that possible outcome, as it was the most likely.
The stallion nodded, looking to her legs. “Let me at least help you lessen the bleeding. It’s a bit of a long walk back to my home, and I don’t want you to be completely miserable through all of it.” He didn’t want to think too hard about passing the Arma with her injuries. Hopefully by the time they reached that part of Novus her injuries would have at least scabbed over once again. It would be arduous, but necessary. He could not care for her without his stores and she would never make the winter, even if he somehow managed to tend her wounds in the field. As it stood, the peaks would hold snow already.
Noor watched them at a distance, the throbbing in his haunch lessening as he became accustomed to the feeling. He could see the concern cross his friend’s features, and he pressed his thoughts to the stallion’s mind.
Gareth, are you sure she’ll make the trek? It is a long way from here to home and every mountain pass and half of Novus between us. That’s days travel when well prepared. How are we going to fare if our pace is cut to a quarter what it needs to be? The snows are already in the Arma. We’d be lucky not to catch a blizzard on our way. What about her appalling diet, Gareth? Are you going to kill for her to eat to keep her alive just long enough to get home? Have you gone absolutely mad?
The elk snorted, stamping a hoof as he continued his telepathic tirade.
What if we run in Salome again? You don’t think that would be an issue? Or if we run into anyone else for that matter. Do you think this beast is just going to be cordial while she starves to death? I wont be at her mercy, Gareth. If my wounds heal enough to leave you both behind, I will. I know those mountains as well as you and I know my way home. I would rather take my chances than wait for hunger to overtake her.
Gareth calmly and politely ignored the mental assault, though something flickered behind his eyes. Concern. Noor had a very good point about the travel. But he would deal with those obstacles as they arose. He had offered his aide, and he was going to give it. He was a hearty man, and he had been raised in those mountains. He was confident that he could bring this mare home to heal her. He needed to believe in that, if nothing else.
"Speech" | Noor | @Pangaea | I figure once we get them going from here we might pick up in another thread in the Arma, maybe a week into their journey?
