Herbs and Boiled Tea

After Veltar had eaten the fish brought back to him, he wasted no time in setting up a little station near Syrana. He started water to boil, and organized each ingredient into its own stack. There was enough here to help if they weren't too late.

The fact that Syrana had not stirred even a bit caused alarm for him. She also still kept expelling a foam-like blood that smelled like strong almond oil.

He grunted at the scent and set to work straight away at putting rosewood into the water to soak it up and steep longer. The more astringent, the better at this point.

Ajax and Lara had taken to adjusting Myranda and Metas' positions to something more comfortable, and then dripped water across their lips to make them drink water each time their mouths opened to lick the moisture away.

"What do we do if they die?" Jyriah asked out of nowhere.

"They aren't going to die - so stop asking," Ajax replied sternly. "I don't know your sister well, but from what I've gathered - she doesn't seem like a push-over. I know you don't know Metas very well, but I assure you, he's not one to lay down and die," he was lying, but he felt that if he just lied boldly enough, it would change their reality.

"Hey, you don't need to be short with him. Both of his sisters are in a coma, can you just try to be a little nicer?" Joss hissed towards Ajax.

With the space being so limited, they were all starting to get on each other's nerves as each day passed. Ajax and Jyriah had really gotten at each other's throats more than anyone else - and now Joss was starting to hate the green-eyed wolf too.

"Why don't you go take a walk, Ajay? I can handle this for right now," Lara suggested as sensitively as possible. The last thing she wanted was to see another spat break out.

"I would appreciate it if one of you would leave so I can concentrate on this, please" Veltar chimed in as he delicately pulled apart fibrous roots and tore apart strips of the wooden stems that still had perennial roses on them. Funnily enough, they were a beautiful and rich pink, which was Syrana's favorite color. It had been a long time since he had seen a flower of any kind, let alone a colorful one.

"Fine," Ajax grumbled and got up as suggested to leave and get some fresh air.

Veltar almost felt bad as he destroyed the delicate plant, but he was able to quickly toss that thought aside as he saw his mate laying still at his side. Her breath was still so shallow, and her eyes had not lost their dark color.

"Jyriah...." Veltar started with a heavt sigh.

"...Yes?" he answered with concerned.

"I want to make sure I still remember the wolf I love. Would she rather die, or would she rather live and have no sight? I don't want her to resent me," the still ragged lycan revealed with shame. It was considered taboo to ask another person about the desires of your paired - one should already know if the connection is true.

Who could blame these two, though? Jyriah surely didn't when he replied with respect and sincerity, "Veltar, she'd rather live and be with Syri and you over anything else. She'd be more angry if you let her die, trust me. She won't resent you in the slightest, I promise. If magically I am wrong, then I will tell her what I've said....and to be thorough, if you don't try to save her, I'll go drown you in the river out there. Sound good?"

Veltar cracked a smile and chuckled. It had been so long since they had bantered back and forth, but it felt as though nothing had changed.

Joss just smiled at seeing Jyriah in some state of normalcy as he started to regain control of the situation and adjust better.

There was a sense of calm that drifted over the quite cave, and it was very nice. It actually lasted longer than anyone expected, and for a good ten minutes or so the only thing that filled their ears were rushing water, boiling tea, the sound of a rock sliding on a smooth surface as it ground out each ingredient with care and precision, and the sounds of each other's breathing.

Just as Lara was about to run the cloth across Metas' lips again, both he and Myranda shifted together at the same time, which caused the snowy lass to jolt back with fright.

"Awhaa!?" she let out at first, but once she realized what was going on, she let out a squee of delight.

"What's going on?" Jyriah asked and pushed himself up onto his knees so he could see what was happening.

Metas let out a long, warm hum through his lips and instinctively pulled Myranda into his embrace as though she were a stuffed toy. In turn, she smiled and nuzzled into him with a happy noise she made from her nose.

"They must have come out of their coma. This is good - it means they're going to live and heal much quicker," Lara informed, and then started to choke up with joy as her childhood friend finally began to breathe in sleep like his old self - loud, and lengthy.

Veltar didn't seem to react. He was well and fine and subtly celebrated with a smile as his work continued on now adding crushed petals into the formula that he continued to brew and add to here and there.

The scent was aromatic and beautiful - it smelled strongly of fresh roses and wood, and added to the happiness of the moment. Even Syrana seemed to stir at the scent, but it was brief, and it was only to roll towards the alchemist who was working tirelessly to save her.