It took a week for the fever to burn through her and by the time it had, there wasn't much left. Her stocky build was now wasted to a sickly hollowness beneath her loose and unkempt pelt.
Pure luck (and dogged refusal to die) kept her through the illness. But death would have been inevitable if she had not chanced upon the stream. Her hind leg was unusable - hunting was impossible. The past week she had spent in and out of dreams, stumbling after shadows and chasing phantoms. Teya had led her through a field of flowers... Towhee had stayed with her through an unknown number of nights. She had lost all sense of both time and herself.
And still the dark one lurked, appearing at times, usually only briefly.
When the fever finally faded she could barely remember the past week. She woke with a splitting head, a bone dry mouth, and a canopy of leaves overhead. At some point she had made it into a forest.
She drew in a breath and immediately was sent into a coughing fit. Water.. Bridget focused in desperately and could have cried with relief when she heard the telltale sign nearby. She lurched to her feet and essentially dragged her useless limb as quickly as she was able towards the sound.
For the first time since her fall, apparently someone was willing to let her catch a break. She drank too fast and her stomach convulsed, but when she was done and it had settled, she noticed shadows and shapes struggling in the current. Salmon.
She had to take a moment and only stared, somewhat slack-jawed. She'd never seen so many fish before. With a low growl, hunger won and she emerged, waterlogged, a few moments later to voraciously tuck in.
Pure luck (and dogged refusal to die) kept her through the illness. But death would have been inevitable if she had not chanced upon the stream. Her hind leg was unusable - hunting was impossible. The past week she had spent in and out of dreams, stumbling after shadows and chasing phantoms. Teya had led her through a field of flowers... Towhee had stayed with her through an unknown number of nights. She had lost all sense of both time and herself.
And still the dark one lurked, appearing at times, usually only briefly.
When the fever finally faded she could barely remember the past week. She woke with a splitting head, a bone dry mouth, and a canopy of leaves overhead. At some point she had made it into a forest.
She drew in a breath and immediately was sent into a coughing fit. Water.. Bridget focused in desperately and could have cried with relief when she heard the telltale sign nearby. She lurched to her feet and essentially dragged her useless limb as quickly as she was able towards the sound.
For the first time since her fall, apparently someone was willing to let her catch a break. She drank too fast and her stomach convulsed, but when she was done and it had settled, she noticed shadows and shapes struggling in the current. Salmon.
She had to take a moment and only stared, somewhat slack-jawed. She'd never seen so many fish before. With a low growl, hunger won and she emerged, waterlogged, a few moments later to voraciously tuck in.
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Messages In This Thread
I can do this all for you - by Bridget - November 27, 2021, 12:07 AM
RE: I can do this all for you - by Welkin - November 27, 2021, 01:14 PM
RE: I can do this all for you - by Bridget - November 27, 2021, 11:10 PM
RE: I can do this all for you - by Welkin - November 28, 2021, 01:05 PM
RE: I can do this all for you - by Bridget - November 28, 2021, 08:36 PM