Moonspear Straight as an arrow; bayonet trials

It would not be long now. Surely word had reached @Hydra that her brother's fever had dimmed. He was awake for long stretches, listening to the wind in the trees, watching as life ebbed on around himself, occasionally visited by Kukutux. The visits were less frequent now that he was awake and ambulatory but he did not know that, he basked in her presence when it came.

Having found the latest deposit of fresh meat near his sleeping space, Revui had picked at it and managed to down half before his belly felt unpleasantly full. He watched as a fly was attracted, shooed it away after it landed a couple of times, then looked out at the view. He did not recognize this as part of Moonspear proper. There was more tangle here, it was broom choked, with spiders decorating the debris close to the forest floor. The terrain tapered off to an old deer trail and then a cliffside of sheer rock. The fall wouldn't have killed anyone, but it would hurt.

It surprised him to find such thoughts settling comfortably in his head. When he turned back to the partially eaten femur that had been breakfast, he saw a trail of ants attempting to form. He lowered his head, huffed, watched them tumble away.

Since the day she had seen her mother taking care of the wolf she did not know, Sialuk had occasional crept close enough to see him, but he had always been sleeping. She was ever-so-curious about him, but there seemed something secret about him, so she had not asked her mother or father what his story was. Today, he was awake as the Ostrega approached, and she sucked air into her mouth when she saw him move.

She had no gift to bring him, and she quietly chided herself for not having anything with her. Hunting was still something she was working on, and she did not wish to steal from her mother's stash of medicines. But there, growing just to her left, was a single flower, and she plucked it before approaching the wolf who had been in her mother's care.

Gently, she dropped it at his feet. I am Sialuk. My mother, Kukutux, she has been taking care of you. Since this was the case, she assumed there was no need to be frightened of him, and yet... there did seem to be something strange about him. How did you come to be here? she asked.

Even in his diminished capacity Revui could not help but listen to his surroundings, and he heard someone approaching with an irregular gait. Irregular in the way that it hastened, moving more like a pest creature than a wolf, until the pale figure arrived touting a flower between their teeth. Not a pest, then - just a child.

A child that bore a striking resemblance to his dead father. They were not of an age to be Charon's, and by proxy a sibling to Revui, but there was a passing stab of something familiar about them all the same. A little bit like Charon but softer, smaller. Having met most of Hydra's children (and knowing her dark complexion had spread to each of them somehow) he could assume this was not her child.

They approached and lay the flower near where Revui was settled, then clarified matters - mentioning Kukutux. Asking a question he often posed to himself in private.
"How did you come to be here?"

The last thing he remembered, at least what he could piece together as real rather than part of some fever-dream, was, "I came from the sea." The smell of brine was the strongest thing in his memory. Before that, the musk of pine and a conversation with a friend; but Merrick seemed so far away from him now, as did Ursus.

Revui's mouth felt dry suddenly, and he coughed to clear his throat. "I was born here though, like you."

Her mother had spoken of the sea once. It had made her sad. Sialuk still did not really know why, but she had been too distracted by other things to inquire further on the subject. Now, she was once again curious. Did this wolf have something to do with her mother's sadness? Was he the cause for it, or was he too saddened by whatever was at the sea? Sialuk did not know, but she was put at ease knowing that he had been born here, like her.

Then you are family, she declared, but I do not know your name. What is it? She had other questions, too. Why did he not smell like the rest of the pack? The scent of her mother was on his pelt, but not that of Hydra or her father. Were they all avoiding him? If so, why would they avoid family? More questions, but Sialuk waited for her first to be answered, having learned that asking too many at once tended to result in many of the questions being glossed over.

Then you are family. Said the child.

How odd it sounded, this declaration that he'd waited to hear from his own blood, coming from someone bearing the facsimile of his father's face. In his heart Revui knew he belonged upon the mountain but equally so, he had tarnished the Ostrega name in some ways that could not be forgotten.

She asks for his name, and he is quietly mulling over thoughts that previously would not have entered in to the equation; his fever had done something to enliven his grey matter, or something. That or he was eager for companionship - knowing he wasn't likely to get much of it here.

Revui Ostrega. He used to be proud of his name. Used to wonder how it sounded to others; did they quake upon learning of him? Had they learned by word of mouth to fear it? He did not look for such recognition in the young face before him. Quite the opposite.

...what is yours? The man asks, sounding surprisingly tired.

He gave his name, though it was not one she had heard before. She was surprised by this, given that she had heard so many other Ostrega names. Maybe it had something to do with him being sick, or maybe it had something to do with him coming from the sea. When he asked for her name, she gave him a sympathetic look. Perhaps he had trouble remembering things, too. Was that part of his sickness? She did not tell him that she'd already given it moments ago. Sialuk Ostrega, she said.

What has my mother done to help you? I am interested in learning more so that I can help the sick. Already, she was trying to diagnose what was wrong with him. His voice was slow and weary. He slept a lot. Sialuk didn't know if there was a word for what he had, but perhaps she could ask anaa when she approached her for lessons on the matter. As time wore on, it seemed more apparent that Moonspear could use another set of paws for healing the sick and wounded.

It could have been his illness, with lasting effects to his memory both short- and long-term, or it could have been that Striga was thoroughly distracted by a hellcat in the ceiling at the time; lets go with illness for now. The name registered as one he hadn't heard before, it did not sound like a name an Ostrega might grant their child. The name made him think of Kukutux, and he told himself again: 'This is Kukutux' little one.' He had to repeat it a few times for it to sink in.

Her next question was met with a blank stare for about three seconds, then a sigh. Revui could list the many things she had done for him that he knew of, but the act of healing was not one of them - not for the fever - because he had been asleep through most of it. He would do his best, though.

Do you see... How ugly I am? Revui drawls, referencing the many pink and puckered veins of flesh across his body, some missing bits of fur. She put me back together. Sometimes... Sometimes the pieces don't want to fit, and when that happens you get sicker. She helped with that, too. It is why I slept so long. It wasn't a very creative explanation but it was all he could muster.

She did not think Revui ugly, but she understood what he referenced when he pointed to his scars and other marred parts of his body. How had he been torn apart, she wondered. And why didn't the pieces fit? Had it always been that way for him, or was it something every wolf was cursed with? The way he explained it was vague enough that Sialuk assumed he had been asleep when anaa had been working on him. Still, this would be useful information to ask her mother, and she would do so when she asked for her lessons.

Are you put back together now? And will you still sleep so long? In other words: was he cured, or was Kukutux's job unfinished? Sialuk wondered if anaa would let her help if she asked to do so. Surely there was much to be learned from watching, but paws-on experience seemed even more valuable to the raindrop.

He found the edges of his lips curling in a smile, and while it did not permeate his gaze with warmth or anything, it was a start.

I think I am. Revui rumbled in reply to her first question. He did not know what to say next. I do not know if I will sleep for a long time, or not. I might sleep through the cold like a bear. If I did.. Would you still visit me?

So far the girl was his only company, so far as his waking mind could recognize. It was nice to have someone to talk to even if it was a child, and as Kukutux seemed to be keeping her distance, he found himself connecting with her daughter instead. His smile did falter then, doubting that such visits would be allowed.

He smiled, and Sialuk found her own expression soften and brighten as well. She was not sure why her mother had been more secretive about this particular patient, but the raindrop saw no need for that now that she had met him. I would, she replied, I have visited you before, but you were sleeping then. It is more pleasant when we can talk. She heard a rustling behind her then, and for a moment she wondered if she'd been caught, but a quick glance showed that it was only a squirrel scurrying up a tree.

Next time I visit, I will bring you food from the caches if you would like. It seemed like an offer he would enjoy since he did not seem in any shape to be hunting for himself. She wondered if he had been far from this place at all. And why was it she had never heard of Revui before? She knew all her other aunts and cousins, so why wasn't she told of him. Sialuk told herself that it was because he'd been away, but deep down she knew there was something she was missing. It suddenly occurred to her that maybe whatever he was sick with might be contagious. But anaa had been here. Hm.

A part of him had only been kidding around. When she admitted to having visited him before he was awe-struck for a moment, surprised the child would take the time and visit a stranger (especially so for one not technically part of their pack); but then, this was Kukutux' daughter, and it was reasonable to believe Sialuk had inherited some level of kindness from her mother. That or, she had been following and observing the practice of medicine. Charon had made sure to teach his children to fight, so it made sense to Revui that someone like Kukutux would teach their children the opposite.

If it is alright with your mother. He says. It sort-of felt like he was back in the Nightwalker pit, orchestrating a scheme of some kind. Sialuk his only confidante. In this case Revui was only stuck because of his newly acquired weakness; he was not held here against his will, he would not need to fight or escape from anything. He could relax to some degree, let the girl and her mother help him.

He made a small mental note to thank them somehow, eventually.

Last one from me! <3

That would involve telling her mother that she had come to see Revui, but Sialuk would figure that out when she got to the moment she needed to twist her words and avoid getting in trouble. For now, she was excited to have found a new friend. I should be going now. It was nice to finally meet you, Revui! With her tail swaying softly from side to side, she paused to hear any last words from the fellow Ostrega before making her departure.

She doesn't mention Kukutux, and rather, seems put-off when he mentions her mother. It doesn't bother him much, he does not think hard about it, and soon she is leaving him. The farewell is a kindness; he hopes when she visits him again, he is at least a bit more awake for it. Without her there to keep him company Revui drifts in to uneven thoughts and then, gradually, half-sleep.