Snowforest Taiga I'm sick.. and I'm scared

Please note that Meridian has been infected with RABIES. Any threads with her put your character at risk of being bitten and infected! Please state whether you want this to happen or not! Right now he is only in stage one and is still relatively in control of himself, but sick. If startled or confronted by and stranger he may try to bite though.

Meridian stumbled down from the mountains. He wasn't sure what had happened. All he knew is that a very sick wolf had bitten him and now he wasn't feeling too hot. It had been a couple days since the bite. Since then he'd be throwing up repeatedly and having no interest in eating. His body felt hot and he wasn't able to walk straight or see properly. His brain felt fuzzy too. But more than anything, he was scared. He didn't want to turn into whatever creature that wolf was. She wasn't herself. He wanted to stay Meridian.

As winter came, Ashlar couldn't help but think about spring. This year he would need to be careful if he left the Rise at all. Despite having few regrets, he knew that it was likely he would not be a father again - he only needed to remember the expression Avicus had worn. Yet unless she asked... he would not infringe on Prophet's place either. He was not blind.

With a resigned loneliness he remembered Ratio and wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to the man. Maybe it would have been easier... but that wasn't fair. He shouldn't want him for that.

Ashlar nosed at the plants at his feet, ashamed. Then his ears perked as he heard the noise of someone nearby. It didn't sound like they were well.

He approached cautiously, but as soon as he saw the other wolf, concern and fear mingled. He looked terrible. Are... do... do you need help? He kept his distance, but was tempted to draw nearer to assist him. Why did his heart race? Some deeper instinct struck fear in spite of his compassion.

"I don't know whats happening to me. I'm sick. A wolf foaming from her mouth that seemed long past awareness of her body bit me. I think i'm turning into what she is." Meridian said, panicked. "I, my name is Meridian. The wolf that was sick that bit me forgot that. She didn't respond to another wolf calling her name. I don't want to forget who I am. I dont know if I can be helped though."

Turning into...

Ashlar had never heard of anything like what this wolf spoke of, but he sounded terrified. The bard took a few steps closer, his golden gaze full of concern. He wanted to help, but his stomach tightened when he tried to think of how. How did he treat a disease he'd never heard of!? Why was he always useless?

I want to help, if I can. He said, hoping he could at least help him to calm down. What feels wrong? Is it just the bite? I can help treat it. He knew how to handle wounds and infection. Maybe it was a fever that came with, something that would need better herbs.

"I-I can't eat. I'm scared of things. If I put food in my mouth it feels like sandpaper and I just choke it up. I'm dizzy all the time, and hot. I don't know whats happening. The wolf who bit me was foaming at her mouth and another wolf was telling me to run. Something was really badly wrong with her. The bite is fine, it barely hurts." Meridian said. "I just dont want to turn into her..." He whimpered.

sorry this has been slow, Ashlar has been getting the short end of my muse! I’ll try and pick it up for this one in particular <3

It sounded like sickness but one he’d never heard of, with those symptoms in combination. Especially the foam. Another set of warning bells went off in the healer’s head but he ignored them. He couldn’t leave without at least trying to help.

Have you tried honey? I could try and find some. Sandpaper throat sounded like something was needed to soothe it, and he could attempt to find a hive. I could try some herbs too, to help your throat? So maybe you could eat? His ears tilted back, and he shifted with an unsure sympathy. It felt horrible not being able to be sure about helping, not the way Baba always was. Gannet would have known what to do, he was sure of it, and each time it felt a bit like he was failing the teaching he’d been given.

He would provide both, but couldn’t do more. All he could do was try.