Eyes for the Blind

[Sera]

Milovan's attention was abruptly brought fully back to her words rather than just the half-listening he had been doing as he was concentrating. His mouth opened, but he could think of nothing to say to that. It wasn't just amazing she was still alive, it was a miracle. She didn't have the common sense of a gopher.

"Stay still!" he said sharply. "You just have to stay still long enough for it to clot up. After that you can run around. Some." Besides sitting on her head, however, he didn't know how he'd keep her from re-opening the wounds, assuming they ever got a chance to close.

"I'll start bring materials for our shelter and fire if you will just stay still. Otherwise, we'll both just sit here."

[Thalron]

She pouted and was about to retort something about how she would never make a blind person go in search of materials when she squealed and jumped up in surprise, swing and bashing her tail against a rock as... What appeared to be a large fish had bitten onto the end of it.

When it finally was bludgeoned to death she stopped, and stood there panting... She really didn't like getting surprised like that. The fish probably would have let go had it not been for the somewhat hook like spikes on the end of her tail...

"That... Fish tried to kill me!" oh yes, just as logical as ever. "Stupid fish monsters..." she grumbled and stared at the thing on her tail malevolently.

[Sera]

When she squealed, he jerked his head around to try and see what was attacking, but he could see no new masses. Only then did he realize she was bashing her tail against a nearby rock. He squinted, but, by then, she'd already killed it and, conveniently, announced what it was.

The male sat back, pressing a hand to his chest above his heart as though that could help calm the racing beat. Rei was going to kill him prematurely. "At least now you don't need to go hunting. Go ahead and eat it."

Now /he/ was shivering. He thought that it might have been reaction to this latest scare, but when another breeze cut through his wet fur he discovered the real reason. He sighed under his breath. "I'm going to gather some firewood; stay still." He shot her what he thought might be a stern look, then carefully worked his way up the path. There should be plenty of deadfall and what not in the area; he didn't think he'd even have to go too far away.

[Thalron]

She glanced over at him, then snerked and looked away... Turning, she smacked him with the fish playfully as she pointed out where some firewood was. "Ooops." she announced, as if it could have been an accident, but then she actually sat down and began removing the thing from her tail.

"Do you know how to cook? I heard your supposed to cook fish cause of all the parasites!" she announced as she pulled the fish free with a sickening 'schluck-crunch' as it came off of the spikes and such... Immediately afterwards she dipped her tail in the water to wash it off.

[Sera]

The hybrid flinched when something wet and slimy smacked his hindquarters, and he shot her a look over his shoulder. It should have been a dirty look, or a warning or something, but really it was more of a blank glance that could have meant anything or nothing at all. He turned further, however, when she directed him to the firewood, and he made his way over there instead.

Fortunately it was dry and there was enough twigs that he thought he could get something started. . . assuming he could remember how. There was something about rocks, and something about rubbing sticks together. He frowned as he tried to remember. As seemed to be her habit, Rei managed to interrupt his thoughts.

He glanced in her direction as he began to set up a small pyramid-like shape with the sticks-- that was right, wasn't it? "I think you're supposed to wrap it up in leaves and bury it in the embers of fire," he said a bit hesitantly. A moment later it occurred to him to be amazed that she had even thought of such a thing.

[Thalron]

The innocent smile she gave him was likely lost to him, definition didn't seem to be a strong point. After he looked away though she began to gut the fish, idly tossing a few bits aside... Though to be honest she didn't really remove that much. Just the guts, she left the bones in because those were crunchy! and large enough not to stab into her mouth.

After that she meandered over to where he had set up the wood for the fire and looked at it... For a moment it sounded like she was clearing her nostrils, but then she hurked and coughed out a small fireball onto the wood, which seemed to do the trick.

"Jaradka is a good cook! If you can convince her to cook, usually she just eats things raw... I guess I do too though."

[Sera]

Milovan gave a startled sound-- almost like a yelp-- when Rei spat the fireball. It was just as well that she had, because he was still trying very hard to remember how to start a fire. Nevertheless, it had, unsurprisingly, frightened him again. He turned to stare in her general direction; he-- obviously-- had no idea that she could do that.

Finally, however, he said, "Ahh, thank you." He looked around and realized, again, that he couldn't see. "Do you see any broad, green leaves? Those should work to wrap your fish up."

[Thalron]

She giggled and nuzzled him cutely before lying down next to the fire... Oooh... Warmth... "Wrong typo trees around here! We could use some bark though..." she commented idly as she dragged her claws against part of a fallen log, attempting to peel some of the bark off with minimal success. Eventually she got enough to wrap up the fish though.

"I'm amazed that I spit fire! Sometimes it's acid, or goo, or weird light, or blood! ok, well maybe that last one only happened once... And Jaradka said I had just eaten too many beets and thrown up... But it was totally blood!" Apparently she had changed to telling random stories that had little or nothing to do with the situation at hand. A understandable trait considering her fascination with adventures, it only made sense that she'd want to talk about things like that constantly as well....

[Sera]

Milovan started to say he wasn't sure if bark would work, but, really, what was the worst that could happen? The skin might burn, and, even then, he wasn't certain it would occur to her to not eat it. He wasn't going to worry about it for now, anyway. She'd probably eaten far worse in her lifetime already and had-- obviously-- survived this long with little more than scars. Though. . . perhaps that explained her. . . mentality.

"You spit different things?" he asked curiously instead, lying down by the other side of their small fire and hoping it would be enough to help warm him up and dry out his fur. He wasn't looking forward to spending a night cold /and/ wet. One or the other was bad enough. "Can you control it?"

[Thalron]

Rei decided to dip the bark in water first, soaking it before returning to wrap the fish in it. Despite her appearances it seemed she actually know a few things that were useful. She had actually done this before...

"Oh yes! I'm part CHAOS." She squeaked the last part out and attempted to look scary... or something "It's random! ish. I can sorta umm, effect it but not very much. Once I spit bubbles! and I hadn't even eaten soap that time."

[Sera]

Milovan turned his head to 'watch' her actions, though he got more out of the sound of things entering and leaving water. His ears perked up to listen, though other than assuming she'd just dunked the whole thing, he couldn't tell really wot she was doing. He was quite willing to let her take care of herself for a bit. He rose to turn his back towards the flames for a bit, shivering despite himself yet again.

"They were actually soap bubbles?" he asked, almost sounding impressed. That was curious and, well, strange. But, it did make a weird sort of sense if she was part chaos. She didn't need any such abilities, in his opinion; she was quite chaotic without any help at all. "I'm glad you were able to get fire this time. Soap on the wood wouldn't have been of any use." Another thought occurred to him. "How much soap do you usually eat?"

[Thalron]

She waited for the bark to no longer be dripping before she put it into the fire. It sizzled at first, but after that it protected the fish from the direct heat, while the water steamed it within the bark. It didn't really have any seasoning, and the bark would probably give it a slight earthy taste or smoked if left long enough... But it worked.

"Yup!" She giggled as she looked around, finding a stick to poke the fire with. She liked the ways the fire and embers crackled and cracked... Or brightened with the breeze, which by now had dried her. One advantage of being short furred she supposed... Although now, even without the water she was kinda cold on the side opposite the fire. "Umn..." she hesitated. "Not much...? Haven't you ever been curious what it tasted like?" of course she didn't mention she usually had to try the new scented ones they got in.

[Sera]

Milovan looked in her direction and could only shake his head slightly. "No, I can't say I ever have. If it was meant to be eaten, or even to taste good, it would be food and not for cleaning." He thought that was rather an obvious fact, but, then Rei obviously didn't look at the world through normal eyes.

Milovan was experiencing much the same as Rei; the side facing away from the fire was still chilly. Of course, his fur was taking a bit longer to dry through. As his back grew warmer-- and at least slightly drier-- he shifted back around again. He wondered if they would be all right out in the open once things really grew dark; normally he found somewhere to hole up, be it a tree or underbrush somewhere rather than sleep out in the open. Of course, he would prefer to be back home come nightfall.

[Thalron]

Rei shrugged and poked at the fire a bit more, deciding to add a bit more wood to it... She knew that they'd have to abandon it come nightfall though, the smoke it left would attract things best left... elsewhere. And she was with a blind person! She couldn't protect him from all the evil creatures that wanted to eat him if she was tired and injured!

She was momentarily distracted from her thoughts as she smelled the cooking fish... It was... Very nice smelling to say the least.

The next distraction was a bit more surprising though, as another small creature poked her head out from one of the bushes nearby... It was the only pure of the creatures visible now (other than the fish) Her brown fur looked eerily similar to Milovans, although she was a pure tsume. Normally she was very wary of venturing to other creatures, but she happened to know Rei... and found her odd... But harmless. She didn't know the other one though, what had attracted her was that smell.

"Umm... Can I join you two?" She sounded shy, and innocent... As well as a little afraid.

[Sera]

The hybrid didn't see the shrug, but guessed at its existence by Rei's silence. He kept his head up, ears perked upright at the sound of the Hills as night approached them. He wished he would dry out fully. Shifting yet again, he wondered if Rei was as concerned about the nighttime as he was. She really didn't seem like the type who would be, yet she had been concerned about parasites in the fish and, if the smell was any indication, was cooking it very successfully for having asked him how to do it.

His ears jerked to the side a moment before they were joined by another. His ears went backwards as he stared widely at the direction of the newcomer. He relaxed just a little at the sound of her voice, even though he mentally knew that a voice wasn't always a good indication to one's alignment, as it were.

"I don't see why not," Milovan answered in a calm voice. "Provided Rei doesn't mind."

He /hoped/ that if she looked dangerous Rei would mind.