-viola

Ashely hid under the blanket a little until the room got quiet... At first, she didn't want to leave the safety of the blanket into what might in fact be danger. She wasn't stupid! But... as the silence grew, it made her more antsy. It wasn't as if she wasn't used to being by herself; her kind wasn't as big of a social creature as humans were. However, she was still a kid, and still used to being taken care of. Plus, with no one looking out for her... anyone could come in. Just, being alone was still kind of scary to her.

"W-wait up! She dragged the blanket with her as she literally crawled towards where Diana went. That person comforted and helped her, so she knows they're good! She kind of tumbled out the door, having struggled with opening it. Outside there were a couple more people, including Diana, and some sort of non-human... it seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She looked a little warily at it... that... that probably wasn't what caused the terror, right? She could certainly take down something like that, and she couldn't imagine a human having a hard time with it. Especially since it was down, and realizing the other humans were worrying about it... it didn't seem to make sense that they would worry something they were SCARED about. Thinking about it like that, she lowered her guard. "So... what... what happened?" Looking up at everyone, they could probably see that she was a bit of a mess, eyes red and face wet and puffy.

[edit] (( OOC: can someone tag loser-viola for me? :( ))

"You wouldn't want all the blood rushing to your head, anyway. And you might spill your tea!" came the reply; he ignored the dusty ceiling comment, knowing that she didn't mean to cause any offense.

Jervis rooted around in his cupboards as the kettle boiled, looking almost desperately for something edible and presentable to give his guest. He wasn't expecting guests - he'd never had guests, not even... before - so he'd let his food supply dwindle down the mere essentials. Fortunately, he found a small Victoria sponge that just a day past its best before date and a nice-looking plate to put it on. He removed the packaging quickly, stuffing the wrapper with its 'valued to clear' and '75% off' stickers in the bin before there was any risk of Selphy seeing. He poured the freshly boiled water into a teapot and milk into a small jug. The two went into a small round tray and Jervis placed it on the table that held all his tea supplies, gesturing to the array of multicoloured boxes that were piled up on its surface. "What do you fancy? I'll have whatever you're having, I like them all."

In their cage on the dressing table, Tea and Cake rushed to the bars of their cage and watched the two intently, clearly in lookout for any chance of food. Four tiny pink paws clung to the bars and they let out indignant squeaks when it looked like Jervis was ignoring them. Both of the mice were as white as snow with sleek coats, pale pink ears, and eyes that were almost red. Despite their hungry squeaking, both were also rather plump.

"Really, you two?" Jervis sighed good-naturedly. "Is that how you deport yourself in front of a lady - yelling for food like a pair of hooligans? I thought I'd raised you better than that!"

Meanwhile, outside, the Wendigo watched the car pull away and wondered whether they could risk taking a break for it. The pain was easing and they felt like they would be able to run, or at least limp quickly, very soon. That and everyone seemed to be moving away from them, the risk they posed apparently forgotten. They looked around, scoping for escape routes.

[-viola] OOC: BLah I'm so behind

Andrea followed everyone to Tim's room. She stood there and watched as more people began to enter into the room. She shifted to an open space as she watched the pixie use her magic. Andrea had recalled seeing a med kit in her room under Mara's bed. "I think my roommate knows how to stitch wounds. I'm not sure but I have seen a medical kit." Andrea spoke before disappearing into her room to see her roommate lying on her bed. "Do you know how to stitch wounds?" Andrea asked as Mara look up at her roommate, "Why?" She asked "Someone needs stitches and it's a personal IOU." Andrea smiled as she wanted her roommate to do the task. Mara got up and reached under her bed to grab her med kit. She handed Riley to Andrea before being pointed to room 2, "Who needs stitches?" Mara asked the group.

OOC: I'll reply to things later. I'm currently on my phone typing this. I won't be by my laptop until 11:00 Subeta time or so. I can edit this post or something, depending on who comments. Thank you for being patient! :)

Owlsarebirds, don't worry. I get notifications when people post on this thread so I'll see your post love. :)

OOC// CURRENTLY OUT OF TOWN AND TOTALLY AFK SO I WILL UPDATE AND READ THRU TOMORROW SO SORRY

Diana refocused her eyes on Jackie, only half-way paying attention to what the siblings were saying a moment before. "It's kind of deep tissue injuries? I'm not quite sure. I could just feel the pain mainly. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help," she said with her lips pulled tightly. She turned around to find Ashley to join the group and was about to leave Tim's side. "Pardon me. I have to make sure this girl is okay. If you need anything more from me, I'll be over here." She flew over to Ashley's side and smiled at her. She watched Andrea walk in, say something, and leave to go into her room. Mara instead emerged from the room asking who needed to be patched up. She was about to reply when Ashley asked what happened out here. Diana shrugged before turning back to Mara. "Tim needs to be patched up some," she started before poking her head outside to talk to Covie. "What did happen exactly Covie? I know you were on the scene the entire time."

OOC: Look forward to you coming back Urge. :) It's okay.

Selphy, distracted as she was by Jervis' rather interesting room, jumped slightly when he was suddenly there, speaking to her. "Oh...well, do you have any chamomile...?" She looked at the table where he'd put the tray down, and felt rather foolish for asking when she saw the colorful array of boxes. She'd be far more surprised if there was any kind of tea he [i]didn't[i] have. She moved on. "I usually find it very calming, is all."

She was saved from her embarrassment by the sudden sound of squeaking from atop the dressing table. She glanced at Tea and Cake, and felt her cheeks turn pink now that she could see them better; so cute! She giggled slightly, not something that happened often, when Jervis scolded them, hand over her mouth so as not to be rude. "Maybe they're jealous...I'm sure they would also love to join you for tea, Mr. Jervis." She didn't usually call people so formally (if she called them at all), but, somehow, Jervis' very proper way of speaking made it feel natural to her.

"I should think you're right." relied Jervis as he prepared two cups of camomile tea. "I haven't been taking them out as much as I used to - I daren't risk them escaping and getting caught in some trap or even by a cat - so the poor things are probably desperate to stretch their legs. They do get rather bored in that cage."

Tea and Cake were two of Jervis' oldest lab mice, having endured much of his poking and prodding as he experimented with telepathy. He had strapped electrodes to their heads, run them through mazes, put them under x-ray and CT scanners, fed them potions he'd mixed from ancient grimoires he'd brought from strange old witches, and once spent half an hour showing them educational flashcards meant for human toddlers, all in an attempt to plumb the mysteries of the mind. And eventually the odd mixture of magic and science they'd been exposed to had an odd affect on the two. They were currently four years old - ancient by their species' standards - and much smarter than the average mouse.

Jervis glanced at the mice, his gaze returned by four pleading pink eyes. "But I suppose I could take them out for a little while, if they promise to be good." As if by magic Tea and Cake dropped to all fours and trooped to the door of their cage, waiting patiently side-by-side. Any resistance to the idea Jervis might have instantly crumbled. Selphy, or rather Selphy's thoughts, was right: they were very cute.

He handed Selphy her cup of tea on a saucer then crossed to the cage to let the two mice out. They climbed into his hand with practiced obedience, clambering up his shirt sleeve to perch on his shoulder. Tea and Cake looked around the room curiously, noses and whiskers twitching, with special attention paid to Selphy. They bobbed their heads at her, a gesture very much like a human nodding hello.

OOC// HELLO FRIENDS I RETURN

TO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS: MY MOTHER IS HAVING A HS REUNION IN NEW MEXICO, I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE MY LAPTOP BEHIND, MY FATHER MAKES US ALL DO LOTS OF THINGS AND I HAVE BEEN GETTING TO BED AT AROUND MIDNIGHT EACH NIGHT - NOT EXACTLY PRIME TIME TO BE RESPONDING, AND ON MOBILE, SUBETA SUUUUUCKS

tldr; I've been in the desert with no way to get on subeta reliably, and this should never ever ever happen again.

I live in Charleston, SC, and if I drop off the face of the earth again, text me at 8437549746. I'll see it, and I'll respond real real fast. I am also a girl, so thanks for gender-neutral pronouns, but y'all can use she!

-- since you said it was okay, I'm gonna get Tim to interact with all the others who are trying to heal him.

BIC//

Covie stared at the poor, mangled beast. She spoke Russian - an archaic dialect, of course; one that she had learned from the snow gods that had swept through the moors every winter, but it functioned all the same. She stared down at the creature as it spoke, blown away at the pain and hurt she heard in its voice. She had expected a voice, of course, but nothing so plain and heart-wrenching as this.

The creature was in pain, many voices tumbling from its throat as one, and had been for a long time. As the others began to move away, she felt frozen - it had been so long since she had called upon the healing powers of the aether, more than half a century, and she was unsure if this creature could even be helped. As it shifted restlessly, Coventina crouched down in front of it.

"Do you want the pain to stop?" she asked simply.

--

Tim sighed as Diana's healing magic kicked in. "No ouch," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. He knew that his eye was in bad shape - he couldn't see out of it, and the pain radiated from there and his shoulder so strongly that Diana could only mute the hurt, rather than completely nullify it.

He remembered, vaguely, that Coventina had once told him about healing a whale's eye when it was caught in a net on her travels, but wasn't sure if a whale eye was anything like his eye. After all, Tim had never before seen a whale, and for all he knew, it could be like a diamond - very different from his species. He wasn't sure what a leather awl was, or what it was for, but he was pretty sure that Babs might have one - after all, that cabinet in the front office seemed to have everything that anyone at the motel might ever need.

"Barbara have sew!" he gurgled as happily as he could manage. The mood in the room was somewhat dour - though understandable, it wasn't fun to be around.

The Wendigo stared back at the stranger who addressed them, hardly daring to believe that she had what they thought she had said. The many animal souls in their head were quieter now, curled or hunched over and growling to themselves. They may not be intelligent by human terms, but they knew when to fight, when to run, and when to freeze. Right now most of them were waiting for a chance to bolt. Some were still eager for food - the taste of Tim's blood only sharpened their hunger - and some looked towards the stranger with their promises of ending the pain.

Jacobi's soul was one of them. They had pushed themselves to the forefront of the Wendigo's shared consciousness, taking as much control as could be taken of this patchwork body. It was the first time they had really tried to take control of their new form for decades; they had tried to communicate with humans and other supernaturals at the start, to beg for help, but it had always been met with failure. Eventually they had all but given up, letting the primal instincts and simple needs of the animals take them where they will. But now... Now they felt the need to be a little more human. The Wendigo looked up, returning the stranger's stare with an expression of deep doubt and blooming hope.

Oh, she was a powerful one all right, even a dabbler in the occult like the man he had been could tell that. The power around her was deep and crushing, like the pressure of water deep beneath the waves - the weight of thousands of tonnes and thousands of years. Water spirits, storm spirits, spirits that rode on lightning bolts and lived in man's newfangled machines, Jacobi knew of all them. He'd talked with most, too. But this stranger was something beyond the powers that he had liked to play with.

But could she really help them and make the pain stop?

"<H... How?>" the Wendigo replied bluntly. "<We... We are... Urgh! The hunger, the noise... Makes it hard to think. Holding on but I... It's hard. S-so many voices... So many in here... >" They shifted their position slightly and tapped the side of their head with a claw to underline their words, letting out a soft hiss when pain pulsed from where their antler had been. "<What is... one man ah... against the hun-hunger... and fury of a hundred b-beasts?>"

((<Cheap translation convention a-go-go!>))

[-viola]

Mara nodded at what the pixie said before entering into the room. She put her things down before looking at the marshman, "This might hurt or feel weird so don't move. My doing this only because Andrea asked me to." Mara told the marshman before opening her kit and getting out gloves. Mara went over to the sink to sterilize her hands to stitch up his eye. Mara got out a suture and thread before she started to do it slowly. His skin was harder to stitch than regular human skin. "When I'm done you can't touch your eye and depending on how fast you heal I can take them out." She spoke. All the while she was doing this Andrea was standing in the doorway with Riley in her arms watching her roommate work.

-viola

Ashley was relieved to have someone next to her, and was tempted to grab her hand for more security, but she resisted; humans tended to not like sudden, grabbing movements, and grabbing someone's hand could be too personal. Diana told her about Tim, and she nodded. "I see... will he be OK?" She didn't really care about non-human-related things so well... but, she wasn't a monster! Well, technically, she could be considered one, but not THAT type of monster! An intelligent being dying... it's a bit much for her.

Tim suddenly shouted about the owner having "sew". She tried to remember what that could be... humans could be just as complex as her people, and sometimes it was hard to remember what is what, especially with something not as commonly referred to as this... but, someone else had also mentioned a "medical kit", and it was something she worked VERY hard to remember for safety. They're usually white boxes with two perpendicular lines in red. "I, I can go look, if you want!" She wanted to be helpful! Though, then she looked at the exit for the room, and realized, oh no.

She would have to leave and go by herself.

"Um. Would... would anyone mind coming with me? I, I don't know if what caused, well..." She looked at Tim, and waved her hands to the rest of the room. "THIS. If, if it's still around." Forgive her if she's a little anxious to wander around as a small kid just waiting to be killed and eaten. Besides, having another person around would help pinpoint what exactly she's looking for! It'd be good to have some help.

Cooper sighed, this room was chaos, and she was pretty useless. She was relieved that one of the others was able to help heal Tim. She didn't have an awl, and Tim's attempt to speak made her relax slightly. At least the guy was well enough to talk. "I can go with you." she volunteered. The statement lacked enthusiasm as she waved her had to indicate that she was the one to have spoken. "I don't think that thing left yet either."

Cooper wasn't exactly keen on going out, but she assumed the lad from the roof had it taken care of, whoever the one talking to it was. At least it would be doing something. If the creature attacked she could maybe protect this girl. It was better than nothing.

ooc/ sorry it's a bit short

Coventina blinked down at the creature - no, Jacobi - and thought back to her formative age. <"When I was very young, Dea Matrona taught me how to heal. I had a hand in healing creatures of all shapes and sizes, fixing maladies and ailments that bothered anything from fish to kings to gods.>" She paused. <"When Dionysus was just discovering himself and his powers, he lost control and sent many of his followers into the depths of madness. He hated this aspect of his powers - and he knew of the healing font that was my bay. He brought those he ailed to my bay, and I worked with him to cure them of their madness - after all, insanity is just a malady of the mind."

She paused. "With my experience, I believe that I can help quiet the voices, if not permanently, then at least temporarily. With any luck, I may be able to heal your minds enough that you can lay some of them to rest. I may be able to heal your body, in part, as well. Do I have your permission to try?"

--

Tim sat very still as Mara sewed up his eye. "No touch. Eye safe?" he asked, worrying about the fact that he had only dim sight through his injured eye. "But shoulder?" He felt the pain still pulsing in his arm, and she hadn't addressed that issue. Tim's species was used to being tossed around and hurt, so it would heal quickly, but it at least needed to be sterilized, or infection might take; Tim remembered all those who had gotten infections when he was young had died, or nearly passed on.

The Wendigo thought on the stranger's offer for a while. Perhaps it was fortunate that the other souls that lived in their head were mere animals, unable to understand what was being put in front of them. They probably would have objected and clung onto life - even a twisted and painful life such as this - rather than be 'laid to rest'.

They licked their lips with a long tongue, tasting the Marshman's strange brown blood that still clung to their muzzle. The taste made them hungry and made them shudder at the same time. What would Marta say if they could see them now, attacking strangers like some rabid wolf? Rooting around in rubbish and eating animals - fat little puppy-dogs - like they'd never been taught how to properly live? They were once a scientist, for God's sake, an intelligent and educated man. A man of civilization and manners; a God-fearing, church-attending, family man. Not a beast and certainly not a thug. They still wanted to eat that dog, though.

They nodded, making a harsh sound that was almost a laugh. "<What... what do I have... to lose?>"

"It should be after it's healed." Mara spoke before finishing the eye. She looked at him as he spoke, "I'll put some stuff, sew it and bandage it. Don't touch it either." Mara instructed before she got out a disinfectant. "This will probably sting." She told the marshman before the disinfectant it on the injured shoulder. Then she proceeded to sew it and then bandage it. "Your sight should come back just be careful walking about and don't go anyplace where there is bacteria that could get in and infect your wounds. I can check on your wounds tomorrow and if you have any questions or pain, I'm next door. If I'm at work talk to Andrea." Mara told the marshman as she took off the gloves to dispose of them."Anyone else need healing?" Mara looked around the room of people as she was putting her stuff away and put the suture in a small container to sterilize it.

Chevelle breathed a sigh of relief when another woman appeared, by Andrea's summons, and patched Tim up with no apparent problems. "Nah, don't think so. I'm gonna take a look outside again and see what Covie is managing with that thing." She gestured in that direction. "The owner's probably wonderin' why I slammed through her wall too. Probably should be me apologizin' and not Lee, heh..."

The girl nodded, and headed to the door, waiting to make sure that Cooper was following her; she was not going out there alone. However, once she knew she had support, she quietly opened the door, hurrying out of it and heading towards the lobby. That seemed like the first place to look, since it seemed like that was where the owner was most of the time.

Ashley walked as quietly as she could, not wanting to have the same fate as the creature she was trying to help. However, whatever it could be wasn't in sight, and she made it to the lobby with no problem. With Babs not being around, it seemed like Ashley would have to do this the hard way. Hopefully, Babs would understand and not automatically kick her out for digging where she wasn't supposed to be. She hoped over the lobby desk, knocking some things off of the table, before searching around the back. But, there were a lot of things... would she be able to find them?

"Tell me if you see anything!" That included the "sew", AND danger.

Cooper followed the other girl to the lobby, "I'm Cooper by the way." she told the girl as she began rooting around in various drawers she saw in the lobby decorations. Quietly she replaced the things Ashley had knocked over while hopping the desk. "I haven't found anything yet, although I don't want to get too personal and invade her office." Cooper vaulted herself over the desk as she made the statement, clearing the previously displaced decorations with ease. It felt good to move like that with ease.

Cooper began searching the desk from the other side, combing through each drawer carefully. Briefly memorizing where everything was so it could be returned to the exact same place, forgetting the location when she moved to the next drawer. It was a trick she'd learned when she was young and it was a handy habit to keep in use. All she was finding were notes of sorts, files, documentation of visitors, payments. Nothing even remotely similar to a sewing kit, much less an awl. "I think short of going into her actual office, we aren't going to be finding anything useful." she said, sighing.

Diana nodded at the new girl who said she'll go with Ashley. "Be careful you two," she called after them. She stepped out of the room to look at the creature and join Covie. She watched the interaction quietly, not understanding a word being said. "How is it going out here Covie? What exactly is going on?"

OOC: Sorry it's so short guys