This is a cleaned up log of Skype RP with Orrin, Nihka, and Anstarra. Things have been moved around/edited for the sake of ease of reading and a more written narrative experience
Several Days after the failed northward expedition into Xelpahtol
There was blackness. Though Orrin did not know it, he was unconscious for a while. Maybe his captors kept him that way, maybe it was the toll of his fight or maybe the toll his inner dragon took upon him was getting worse and worse. Regardless, time seemed to hold little meaning in this place; there were no windows in this subterranean gaol.Â
The walls are coated with crystal and ice, the air is cool but not freezing, and light seems to come dimly from the walls and ceiling. The chamber is small enough, fifteen fulms in any direction. There was a pot for necessities and some layered mats as a bed. Orrin is dressed lightly, left only with his tightly bound slacks that made up the bottom-half of his under armor and basic bandages around his chest. His weapon and armor were nowhere to be found and though he was not shackled by the wrists and ankles, he was, for all intents and purposes, a bloody heap.Â
Face down, his broken body laid upon the cold unforgiving ground in a puddle of his own blood that managed to seep through his dressed wound. It was black from the exposure to the air and cold and the scent of copper would be readily apparent even to a Hyur and so could only be imaginably overwhelming to a Miqo'te. He was shivering, his breath could be seen condensing against the floor.
In the distance, footsteps could be heard echoing in the distance, bouncing off the shining walls of what was known as the Crystal Caves. Nihka approached, dressed for cold weather and wearing a fire aspected choker like a strange negative image of her fiancée.
X'indro is about; Nihka saw him briefly, a laid-back-looking male with short, spiked hair and crystalline pink eyes. Though Nihka did not know him, he did stand out because a pair of similar-looking warriors tailed him, one male and one female. He was busy, leaving a meeting with the Nunh, but still waved amiably at Nihka on the way, giving her an interested look.
Nihka steps into the doorway of the prisoner's room. She hadn't expected anything like this... but in exchange for free passage and the ability to treat the clip tails (and freedom to teach them things) she is somewhat beholden to the whims of the Nuhn.
Nihka taps lightly on the wall. Something to intentionally give away her presence so as not to startle the patient. Nostrils flared, and through the scent of blood she recognized something familiar .Her ears drooped completely against her head, and she approached. Recognizing the horrible state of her patient, Nihka set to work without any further attempts to announce her presence. Kneeling beside him and pulling out medical supplies, medicine she'd brought with the intent to share with the clipped... looks like it might need used. She had some clean bandages... maybe not enough but hopefully…
She checked his pupils, pulse, all vital signs, and worked to clean the injuries and apply her typical alchemic salve. Not enough to instantly cure but definitely help speed recovery. She worked quietly, diligently, and efficiently, lost in thoughts about what could have happened.
Orrin’s pulse was weak, but steady, she quickly realized that the Dragoon had seen worse days, deeper wounds. She had treated far worse as well. It was the sheer negligence of his captors that had left him in this state. Usually Orrin would be able to limp back home for proper physicking and treatment. Not this time however, beaten and then dragged over the Xelphatol Tundra had worsened the injury, an old wound on the verge of healing had reopened under his left peck and was the reason for the hemorrhaging. His fingers were curled into gnarled, clawed positions, his body was tense and wound like spring under pressure.
Nihka grimaced, and pulled out supplies for stitches, lots of gauze, and some of her more potent healing concoctions, force feeding the unconscious Dragoon with a gentle touch and massage to the throat. Soon enough the Hyur relaxed thanks to the salve. Though he still shivered, being left in a pool of chilled, coagulated blood had done him few favors.
If his captors were negligent, Nihka was the opposite. Once she was sure the bleeding was stopped, she took off her coat to drape over him in order to keep him warm while she got up to ask the guard for some blankets. Naturally such a request would end up fulfilled by a cliptail... and not the proud huntress standing guard. Nihka would eventually procure (rough, uncomfortable) blankets to drape over Orrin.
It wouldn't be instant, but the added bandages, the coat and then finally the blanket would eventually stop his shivers and pained moans. Â Nihka took her time packing up her healing supplies, watching and waiting for some sign that Orrin would be okay before she felt comfortable leaving.
 A few minutes would pass, Orrin'd appear stable, twenty minutes now and not a sound, but a bit past a half bell the wounded soldier would let out a pained, nearly airless gasp, eyes wide, hand outstretched towards the cave ceiling, a sudden act that of course would cause him pain, turned to his side curled up into a ball, the neatly laid out blanket wrinkled and folded over from the sudden movement, barely covering him anymore.
Nihka watches with a frown, quietly observing. As Orrin curled up, she stood and moved to adjust the blanket to drape over him once again. He feels a touch and turns towards it, teeth grit from the stinging pain "...Nihka..?"
Nihka offers a small, weak smile to the male.
"..injure... try not move...."
He smiles softly "Thought I saw an angel…" his gaze flits about around the cavern "It is like Halone's frozen halls..." he keeps looking and his eyes narrow: just behind Nihka, within view was a silver-haired miqo'te standing guard at the door "Where are we..." his softness quickly faded into a low growl.
 "....crystal cave....  fallen star tribe land...." Her ears lowered slightly."... please stay still...."
Orrin would not, of course, heed any such statement and try to prop himself up on his elbows, blanket rolling down to his hips exposing the fresh bandages that now started to show signs of being bled through. Not a moment later he collapses again onto his back as a shock of pain rolls over him. "Why.."
".. because if move... will... tear injure...." She sighed and moved in to check on the bandages she had applied. ".... limit supply bandage... please... lay back...."
"Not that, I know that..." he said "Why...are you here..."
Nihka raises a brow. ".... information.... chance talk..t..to tribe.... have few patient.. in. tribe... need treat..." She glanced back to the guard spying on them.
"You...you are helping them?" he gasped and then coughs up a fit, spitting up some blood that had not the chance to escape till now "Helping them maim and kill?"
"...no.... I am..try... prevent fight.... prevent kill..." She turned back to look at Orrin, frowning sternly. "..t..to avoid blood...."
"They…killed two score men, stripped their skin clean from their bones, piled their skulls in monument...Ngh.." he could not keep his head up, he stared at the icy cave walls "You only tend to their wounded...let them go back for more..." he gasped.
Nihka's eyes narrowed. "...not tend huntress..." Her tail flicked and twitched. "...tend to clip.... huntress proud.... refuse treat... not need treat...†Nihka sighed. ".... try show...outsider not beast... show possible dialog... with... outsider... instead hunt... instead kill...." She poked his chest gently. "...like prisoner... instead kill..."
"You think they keep me out of mercy?" He groaned in pain "my... imprisonment is only a step to more bloodshed…" he gasped those agonizing, airless gasps, struggling to breath, his left hand gripping helplessly at his chest.
"... Orrin..." She sighed, trying to press on his shoulders to hold him still. ".... relax....or will tear stitch..."
He could not hold still, he felt like he was suffocating, he rolled over, propped onto one weak arm, he retched onto the floor, that coppery tinge filling the air freshly once more. He then collapsed beside the blood, quivering.
Nihka growls softly."...do... i... need... restrain..." Yet… she moves to adjust the blanket again to keep him covered.
He seemed settled now, his body concluding its removal of dead blood from his body. He closed his eyes involuntarily, his breathing was quick and shallow. Nihka frowned, her ears lowered as she watched him convulse and cough.
"....Orrin.... " she paused  "... reason Orrin here...."
He is shuddering, letting out the occasional groan of pain, clearly trying to hide his suffering, his fingers digging into the blanket with near white-knuckle force, or what he felt it to be. In reality it was quite feeble. Â Nihka caressed his forehead, brushing sweat slicked hair out of the way. Orrin turned to lay flat on his back, only position he could rest without putting pressure on his ribs and the stitched up wound. His face scrunched up tightly, soon enough the delirium of his injuries would claim him and he'd drift off into a restless, pained sleep, but he was better off than before. Nihka closed her eyes and sighed softly. Eventually, she stands and pulls her coat back on, gathering her things. She did as asked... she had more work to do.
Nihka held onto one thought: Hopefully, this was all worth it. Hopefully, lives would be saved.
Several Days after the failed northward expedition into Xelpahtol
There was blackness. Though Orrin did not know it, he was unconscious for a while. Maybe his captors kept him that way, maybe it was the toll of his fight or maybe the toll his inner dragon took upon him was getting worse and worse. Regardless, time seemed to hold little meaning in this place; there were no windows in this subterranean gaol.Â
The walls are coated with crystal and ice, the air is cool but not freezing, and light seems to come dimly from the walls and ceiling. The chamber is small enough, fifteen fulms in any direction. There was a pot for necessities and some layered mats as a bed. Orrin is dressed lightly, left only with his tightly bound slacks that made up the bottom-half of his under armor and basic bandages around his chest. His weapon and armor were nowhere to be found and though he was not shackled by the wrists and ankles, he was, for all intents and purposes, a bloody heap.Â
Face down, his broken body laid upon the cold unforgiving ground in a puddle of his own blood that managed to seep through his dressed wound. It was black from the exposure to the air and cold and the scent of copper would be readily apparent even to a Hyur and so could only be imaginably overwhelming to a Miqo'te. He was shivering, his breath could be seen condensing against the floor.
In the distance, footsteps could be heard echoing in the distance, bouncing off the shining walls of what was known as the Crystal Caves. Nihka approached, dressed for cold weather and wearing a fire aspected choker like a strange negative image of her fiancée.
X'indro is about; Nihka saw him briefly, a laid-back-looking male with short, spiked hair and crystalline pink eyes. Though Nihka did not know him, he did stand out because a pair of similar-looking warriors tailed him, one male and one female. He was busy, leaving a meeting with the Nunh, but still waved amiably at Nihka on the way, giving her an interested look.
Nihka steps into the doorway of the prisoner's room. She hadn't expected anything like this... but in exchange for free passage and the ability to treat the clip tails (and freedom to teach them things) she is somewhat beholden to the whims of the Nuhn.
Nihka taps lightly on the wall. Something to intentionally give away her presence so as not to startle the patient. Nostrils flared, and through the scent of blood she recognized something familiar .Her ears drooped completely against her head, and she approached. Recognizing the horrible state of her patient, Nihka set to work without any further attempts to announce her presence. Kneeling beside him and pulling out medical supplies, medicine she'd brought with the intent to share with the clipped... looks like it might need used. She had some clean bandages... maybe not enough but hopefully…
She checked his pupils, pulse, all vital signs, and worked to clean the injuries and apply her typical alchemic salve. Not enough to instantly cure but definitely help speed recovery. She worked quietly, diligently, and efficiently, lost in thoughts about what could have happened.
Orrin’s pulse was weak, but steady, she quickly realized that the Dragoon had seen worse days, deeper wounds. She had treated far worse as well. It was the sheer negligence of his captors that had left him in this state. Usually Orrin would be able to limp back home for proper physicking and treatment. Not this time however, beaten and then dragged over the Xelphatol Tundra had worsened the injury, an old wound on the verge of healing had reopened under his left peck and was the reason for the hemorrhaging. His fingers were curled into gnarled, clawed positions, his body was tense and wound like spring under pressure.
Nihka grimaced, and pulled out supplies for stitches, lots of gauze, and some of her more potent healing concoctions, force feeding the unconscious Dragoon with a gentle touch and massage to the throat. Soon enough the Hyur relaxed thanks to the salve. Though he still shivered, being left in a pool of chilled, coagulated blood had done him few favors.
If his captors were negligent, Nihka was the opposite. Once she was sure the bleeding was stopped, she took off her coat to drape over him in order to keep him warm while she got up to ask the guard for some blankets. Naturally such a request would end up fulfilled by a cliptail... and not the proud huntress standing guard. Nihka would eventually procure (rough, uncomfortable) blankets to drape over Orrin.
It wouldn't be instant, but the added bandages, the coat and then finally the blanket would eventually stop his shivers and pained moans. Â Nihka took her time packing up her healing supplies, watching and waiting for some sign that Orrin would be okay before she felt comfortable leaving.
 A few minutes would pass, Orrin'd appear stable, twenty minutes now and not a sound, but a bit past a half bell the wounded soldier would let out a pained, nearly airless gasp, eyes wide, hand outstretched towards the cave ceiling, a sudden act that of course would cause him pain, turned to his side curled up into a ball, the neatly laid out blanket wrinkled and folded over from the sudden movement, barely covering him anymore.
Nihka watches with a frown, quietly observing. As Orrin curled up, she stood and moved to adjust the blanket to drape over him once again. He feels a touch and turns towards it, teeth grit from the stinging pain "...Nihka..?"
Nihka offers a small, weak smile to the male.
"..injure... try not move...."
He smiles softly "Thought I saw an angel…" his gaze flits about around the cavern "It is like Halone's frozen halls..." he keeps looking and his eyes narrow: just behind Nihka, within view was a silver-haired miqo'te standing guard at the door "Where are we..." his softness quickly faded into a low growl.
 "....crystal cave....  fallen star tribe land...." Her ears lowered slightly."... please stay still...."
Orrin would not, of course, heed any such statement and try to prop himself up on his elbows, blanket rolling down to his hips exposing the fresh bandages that now started to show signs of being bled through. Not a moment later he collapses again onto his back as a shock of pain rolls over him. "Why.."
".. because if move... will... tear injure...." She sighed and moved in to check on the bandages she had applied. ".... limit supply bandage... please... lay back...."
"Not that, I know that..." he said "Why...are you here..."
Nihka raises a brow. ".... information.... chance talk..t..to tribe.... have few patient.. in. tribe... need treat..." She glanced back to the guard spying on them.
"You...you are helping them?" he gasped and then coughs up a fit, spitting up some blood that had not the chance to escape till now "Helping them maim and kill?"
"...no.... I am..try... prevent fight.... prevent kill..." She turned back to look at Orrin, frowning sternly. "..t..to avoid blood...."
"They…killed two score men, stripped their skin clean from their bones, piled their skulls in monument...Ngh.." he could not keep his head up, he stared at the icy cave walls "You only tend to their wounded...let them go back for more..." he gasped.
Nihka's eyes narrowed. "...not tend huntress..." Her tail flicked and twitched. "...tend to clip.... huntress proud.... refuse treat... not need treat...†Nihka sighed. ".... try show...outsider not beast... show possible dialog... with... outsider... instead hunt... instead kill...." She poked his chest gently. "...like prisoner... instead kill..."
"You think they keep me out of mercy?" He groaned in pain "my... imprisonment is only a step to more bloodshed…" he gasped those agonizing, airless gasps, struggling to breath, his left hand gripping helplessly at his chest.
"... Orrin..." She sighed, trying to press on his shoulders to hold him still. ".... relax....or will tear stitch..."
He could not hold still, he felt like he was suffocating, he rolled over, propped onto one weak arm, he retched onto the floor, that coppery tinge filling the air freshly once more. He then collapsed beside the blood, quivering.
Nihka growls softly."...do... i... need... restrain..." Yet… she moves to adjust the blanket again to keep him covered.
He seemed settled now, his body concluding its removal of dead blood from his body. He closed his eyes involuntarily, his breathing was quick and shallow. Nihka frowned, her ears lowered as she watched him convulse and cough.
"....Orrin.... " she paused  "... reason Orrin here...."
He is shuddering, letting out the occasional groan of pain, clearly trying to hide his suffering, his fingers digging into the blanket with near white-knuckle force, or what he felt it to be. In reality it was quite feeble. Â Nihka caressed his forehead, brushing sweat slicked hair out of the way. Orrin turned to lay flat on his back, only position he could rest without putting pressure on his ribs and the stitched up wound. His face scrunched up tightly, soon enough the delirium of his injuries would claim him and he'd drift off into a restless, pained sleep, but he was better off than before. Nihka closed her eyes and sighed softly. Eventually, she stands and pulls her coat back on, gathering her things. She did as asked... she had more work to do.
Nihka held onto one thought: Hopefully, this was all worth it. Hopefully, lives would be saved.
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