Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine returned the hug as hard as she dared without causing Meesei further injury. Meesei's words caused Sabine's open lips to curl upwards into an agape smile.

"So you will...live?" she asked. She let out a short laugh of breathless relief before realising herself. "Um, a potion to heal over a long time?" Sabine cast her eyes over to the alchemical tools still set up. Her face had dropped into thought. "I could if I had the right ingredients."

Sabine's head swung back to Meesei with excitement. Her displayed levels of energy belied the dark rings around her eyes from the near-constant treatment from the night before. "I will find what is needed. I will not be long. Um..." Sabine looked around awkwardly and then tried to ease Meesei down to a seated position on her bed. "I can tell the others as well."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The night spent keeping watch felt to Gallus like it was beneficial. Not only did he have a further distraction from his thoughts, but Ri'vashi's stress was a kind of buffer against showing his own stress. While talking, they avoided darker subjects. There were long periods of time where they were both silent, though even inane little topics made for long conversations.

It was with the first signs of light before the sun rose when Gallus finally gave up for a moment to grab a stimulating potion to keep himself awake.

---

Sabine's eyes slowly peeled open at the voice of Meesei and the commotion around her. She had to wipe the gunk from her eyes with the quiet crying she had been doing each time she had settled to nap in the night. She thought that her eyes were playing tricks until they were clean.

"Meesei, what are you...?" Sabine interrupted herself when the reality of the situation processed in her mind. She immediately sat up, ignoring the head rush that inevitably came over her as she watched in stunned silence.

Once she had her faculties back, Sabine stood to her feet and took Meesei by the arms. "How did you...?" Sabine looked up and down Meesei's body. "The silver was stuck. I did not think my potion would work this well. If it were strong enough for this, your organs would have..." Sabine wasn't sure whether to be happy or scared, as evidenced by her bewildered look. "I do not understand."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I've got work now. The next post will be a while.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus and Ri'vashi would probably converse for a while, but that can be summarised unless they bring out the other bottle of booze. Though, I'm not sure Ri'vashi would allow that given the situation.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Yes, I will," Janius whispered. He took a few moments up against Kaleeth's head to breathe and put away his tears.

Even then, another tear ran down the corner of Janius' eye when he opened them and held his head back to look at Kaleeth in the dark. He gave a hopeful huff through his nose and a smile, before leaning in to give her a long kiss.

Janius ran a hand down Kaleeth's back once he pulled back. "Alright, we'll manage this," he mumbled with more confidence. "I love you, darling. Let's get some sleep."

---

Gallus' smile faded and his eyes went to the ground ahead. "As I feared," Gallus said to himself. He sighed in deliberation for a few moments, right up until the point where Ri'vashi might have spoken up. He turned his head up to Ri'vashi and put a hand on his hip. "Would you mind some company on your vigil?" Gallus' words were upfront and honest, no innuendo.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

IS religion becoming more influential in Australian politics? (Though I admit that perhaps the name 'Sex Party' doesn't have much relevance to their core idea. Seeing that, I'm just thinking: 'ah, and those must be the representatives of dick-thinking. Wouldn't 'The Sin Party' have been better? Or 'The Get-Religion-Out-of-Politics Party'...)

@Kho

Religion may have had increasing influence a few years ago. These days, it's probably more far-righters detracting from the main right wing party into the 'I'm scared shitless of the gays' parties.

In my limited understanding, the Sex Party developed from a bunch of advocacy groups for sexual health and civil rights, hence the name. As for why that name if it's not necessarily their platform, what can I say? Sex sells, man.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

<Snipped quote by Frettzo>

I'm not sure. But if you want complexity, just take a look over here at Australia. We have a federal election coming up this week, and for the Senate we have 38 different parties, plus 16 independent candidates. Granted, most of them are tiny and won't get in and will be forgotten about until the next election, but it still means we have a ballot paper that is one whole meter long (I'm not even joking. I just measured one).

@BBeast

Granted, Aussie parties are more upfront with their naming in the senate. Shooters and Fishers Party. Family First Party. Christian Party. Sex Party.

Not even joking with that last one.

It's one of the many reasons why I enjoy our preference voting system.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Janius smiled and nodded. "I don't doubt that. It's just that we've never left him alone for this long. Well, he's got Jo'rashaad and S'ajira, but..." Janius let out the rest of his breath and frowned. "He's barely two and a half years old. I can't help but be worried. And..."

Janius closed his eyes and swallowed. For the first time in years, and very uncharacteristically for Janius, he began to seem more uncertain and tense than Kaleeth. He held Kaleeth so close that he brought his face to her shoulder. "We're in so much danger now," he mumbled. Kaleeth could feel his tears start to run onto her scales. "Kaleeth. Can you t-...? I need you to tell me we can manage this."

---

Gallus closed his eyes and dismissed Ri'vashi's apology. "I think it will be enough to hear that she's alive. Tzirret can go and see how S'nishi is himself."

Far from letting Ri'vashi get away that easily, Gallus caught up with her to stand beside her so he could talk to her more directly if she wanted to keep walking. "But enough about those matters for now. How are you faring, clan leader?" Gallus managed an empathetic smile. "And how is your pride?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Everything, really," Janius murmured in defeat. He brought his hands up and drew his fingers down his face. "Meesei, that gas, the fact that the general escaped..." He exhaled. "I think I miss little Newt, too."

Janius ran his hand down Kaleeth's arm and looked down. "With all that's happened, I wish I could just...embrace him and reassure him. Let him know that we're okay. Let him know that everything is going to be okay."

---

Though they were all either asleep or close to it, Gallus visited his pack soon after the last few orders of business he had were taken care of. Both Uthri and Tzirret took some time to grieve and weep for Irenya. It was especially hurtful news to hear that her body would have a low chance of being recovered. Gallus promised to make her a memorial or something similar, even if she could not be cremated as she would no doubt have preferred.

All through the time spent comforting and letting emotions flow near Peiter's unconscious body, Gallus was the only one apparently not crying himself. He put on a strong veneer for Uthri and Tzirret, no matter how he really felt.

Gallus remained with his pack for a long while, but he found it uncomfortable to be amongst their hurt states. Seeing Peiter's missing arm in particular seemed to make him shift in place. After a short time of denying that anything was wrong, he took his leave, citing more tasks to be done. In reality, he didn't have anything to do in that moment. At least, nothing he had the energy to do.

What Gallus ended up doing to occupy himself, at first, was to walk around the camp without aim. Most people were retiring for the night, if not keeping watch or running medical supplies. One such area of activity was with the larger tents containing the Senche-rahts as their wounds were being attended to. Gallus spotted Ri'vashi as she was walking away from them, having finished her business for the night.

Gallus stood in her path until she reached him and fell in behind her wide strides. "How are they?" he asked, "One of my boys is fond of the sister of one of the Senche-rahts. S'nishi, I believe her name is. He might like to know how she's faring."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

An amused smile crept through Gallus expression upon the mention of his father. That soon faded to suppressed sadness again when he was reminded of Irenya

Gallus gave a series of small nods. "I'll hold you to that, champion. Don't think I won't." Gallus clapped Meesei on the shoulder and stepped back. "Stay strong."

Gallus looked like he was on the brink of breaking down as he turned around and stepped to leave. He stopped before he reached the threshold of the tent and spoke with his back to the others. "You two take good care of the champion, understand?"

"We are," Sabine said. She neither halted her work nor eluded to Gallus' moment of weakness in the slightest.

Satisfied, Gallus pushed the tent flap aside and walked out of view.

---

Janius had his arms around Kaleeth as he stared up at the ceiling of their tent. He must have been laying still for at least half an hour at this point. His mind just couldn't settle to sleep. He turned to his side for the fifth time tonight and accidentally disturbed one of Kaleeth's wounds to the point of eliciting a wince from her.

"Sorry," Janius said as he stopped his movement immediately. "Are you getting any sleep?"