The Harbinger Arrives (Open)

[Qit'ria]

Common Text
Xanthean Text
Kashehino Text

Ymiden 72, 718

Qit'ria awoke easily, stretching and yawning, her eyes not yet opened. As they slowly raised, she realized that she'd slept in once more. Home was a funny thing to the ballooned woman. She hadn't slept into the triallight since she'd left home, but in the thirty or so trials that she'd been home, she'd slept in every single trial. It was nice. Home. She looked around the hut, seeing her father already cooking at the hearth, smiling at his turned back. She'd been so sure that he'd be angry at her arrival, that he'd run her off with angry words and raised fists. Instead, he'd just smiled and embraced her. And they cried, together. Her elder brother wasn't quite as forgiving. They hadn't seen one another since she was seven arcs old. He'd gone from the shy, artistic minded boy she'd known, to a cold, distant man. He had looked at her exactly once since she'd returned, and that look told her everything she needed to know. He held her responsible for their sisters' deaths. And she was in agreement with him.

She slipped from bed, pulling on some clothes, smelling bacon and eggs and onions in the air. Her child kicked at the prison that was her terribly swollen belly, and that was followed by the loud grumbling. She was so hungry any more, it was practically insatiable. She tiptoed over to her father, and wrapped him up snugly in her arms. There were no words needed in that embrace. Her father turned, all smiles and hugged his only daughter, kissing her on the forehead, and it actually felt right for Qit'ria. For once, everything felt right. He held no grudge against her, no judgment. She'd learned how reclusive and withdrawn he'd become after she left, but the moment she returned, it seemed that he had as well. He was talking to long lost friends, doing his medical rounds, and most importantly, he smiled.

After breakfast, Qit grabbed a bucket, heading down to the local stream to draw some water for chores and dinner later. She was not used to being so fat and wobbly. Her back hurt, her ankles hurt, her breasts hurt, but still, she had fallen into the chores that needed done around the hut. She wondered where Enlick and that redhead whore were, and what they were doing. Probably on the boat. What was her name again? Elwyn? Something stupid like that. Kneeling by the stream, she filled the bucket, and stood up. Turning and stepping away, she felt a strange dripping on her legs. Strange, she'd been far enough away from the stream to not get wet. Looking down, she instantly realized what had happened. Her legs and the grass below them were slick with fluid.

Her water had just broken.

The bucket dropped, and she cradled her belly, turning back toward the outskirts of town where her family's hut was. The baby was coming soon. She needed to get home. To get to her papa. And so, she started waddling as the first spasm of pain cut through her, nearly dropping her to her knees, leaving her gasping. She had to get home, her eyes wide and panicked. Home. Home. Get to papa. She didn't even look to see if anyone else was around. She just began the slow, painful march home. It was time.

[Rose Greenwood]

Life in the city of the Sev’ryn was quiet as it had always been for Rose. In the past seasons they had only see one true outbreak of illness at the Medicine House and that had involved a group of local children. Though that mystery had not quite been solved life had returned to a sense of normalcy within the weeks that followed. Rose Greenwood spent her mornings foraging at the edge of the forest for wild herbs and at this time of year the ground was flush with medicinal plants and fungi that she could collect for the other healers.

The young woman still had a great deal to learn, the local medicine women cared little for sharing their secrets with a foreigner from Strosdyn who had high minded attitudes about medicine. While chants and prayer might be excellent for a patient's state of mind, Rose preferred northern medical techniques, that insisted on science in lieu of religion.

The healer was busy collecting sprigs of chamomile and peppermint near a stream when she heard the crash of a water filled bucket. Rose turned on her heel, her pale green dress fluttering around her calves as she caught sight of the Sev’ryn at the water’s edge. The healer saw the blood and her face went nearly as white as a sheet. It wasn’t the presence of the fluid that startled her…she knew what it meant because she had seen it before. This woman was about to go into labor, and Rose had never ever delivered a baby before. They were too far from the Medicine House; and moving a mother in labor was never a good idea once the contractions had set in. The half Sev’ryn girl caught sight of movement at the corner of her vision. A middle aged hunter was passing by with his bow in hand and a brace of rabbits hanging from his pack.

“O'yẹ!” She called, finally snapping into action. The man paused, looking at her with a bemused expression before catching sight of the pregnant woman trying her best to waddle back to her home.

The healer dashed forward toward Qit’ria, stowing away the fistfull of herbs in her pouch before offering the woman her arm to lean on.
“Bọsẹyẹ ayoeng,” she commanded in broken Sev’ryn. Snapping her gaze up the doctor met the hunter’s dazed expression.

“Ohunkohun, olọravu slosneppe, ìparí Mish'oa” Rose snapped hastily before trying to support the poor woman. The hunter stared at her blankly before the healer shrieked at him with wild brown eyes.

“Besryn ƙungiyoyin!”

The man bolted toward the direction of the Olọravu Slosneppe . Rose couldn’t be sure if he was startled by her shouting or by what she had said. If he could get her message to the Medicine House then perhaps the more senior medicine woman Mish’oa coud get there in time to assist.

The healer turned her attention back to the pregnant woman who was probably very reasonably scared. Granted she did appear to be made of sterner stuff, at least moreso than most women.

“Chozni, chozni.” Rose murmured softly, encouraging the woman to breath deeply and evenly as they made their way toward a nearby hut.

Off Topic

Xanthea Translations

O'yẹ = Hey!
Bọsẹyẹ ayoeng” = Take arm
Ohunkohun, olọravu slosneppe, ìparí = Go medicine house, get Mish'oa
"Besryn ƙungiyoyin" = Baby coming!
“Chozni, chozni” = Breathe, breathe

[Ellen'wyn]

They were sitting on the railing of his ship, trading information and sharing a lunch. He had a lot of questions about Desnind. The culture, the people, the festivals, the language. He also had a lot of questions about her. They'd been back for over half of Ymiden now, and he'd been her shadow ever since she'd landed on his ship's deck earlier in the season. Initially she'd been his eyes when he lacked sight--a result of the very storm that had sank the sink she'd been travelling on. Ellen hadn't really known what the think about it all. Finding out that he was real, that they'd shared the same dreams, and quite a bit more than that.

She chewed the inside of her cheek, trying not to think about that, but despite her efforts felt her face heat up. He nudged her suddenly and she almost slipped, jerked out of her thoughts, catching the railing before she could tumble. Ellen looked at him, and his face seemed just as startled as hers. He was holding out another piece of fruit, and after a brief hesitation she plucked it from his fingers with a quick mumble of thanks.

The half-breed cleared her throat and took a bite to stall just a little longer. Now that his sight had returned, Enrick wanted a lot of answers. Some of them were easy enough. Others though--well, they were complicated. What did the dreams really mean? What did this mean about their relationship? What was their relationship in the first place? Ellen wondered herself about the latter. After all, when they'd all found each other, she was more than a little surprised to see that he was travelling with Qit'ria, another Sev'ryn, and pregnant at that. Very pregnant.

It hung over she and Enrick like a dark cloud, and she'd tried her best to hide the mixture of uncertainty, shame, and disappointment she felt. There was a chance that he was to be a father, and here she was falling into his dreams and then his actual life. She could tell that Enrick and Qit weren't close. Qit was as cold as ice, and she made no attempts to not be, in some cases, outright hostile to him--or Ellen for that matter. Enrick had been open about his strange relationship with the other woman, yet the redhead tried to rationalize that it was none of her business in the first place.

Still, it didn't feel right. She felt like an intruder. Perhaps she was being cold, avoiding the questions and conversation that was ultimately unavoidable. Yet all she wanted was to keep running from it.

"Apau," she finally said, breaking her silence. "It means 'fruit'. And thank you is 'ofïïsï ke’u'. Then to me you would say, 'ke’u awt nyärä', which is 'you're welcome'."

[Ricky]

So much had been spent learning of their half, his half, and the ways which the Sev'ryn lived here. Indeed he'd spent a great deal of time being Ellen's shadow, not only because she was more well educated with Desnind and its people; but also because deep down the fisherman felt something between them. What that something was remained a mystery though as no matter how much he wanted, no amount of courage could be mustered to accept the reality. No matter how much he wanted it to be casual, the fact was Enrick likely possessed baggage with another. He'd brought her here intending only to see Desnind for himself but without even knowing it, found Qit had been carrying what he feared might've been his child. Why fear though? Did he not want to raise his own family one day?

While the answer to that was definitely a 'certainly' it wasn't intended for someone... like Qit. She was far less invested in the emotional investment than he was, and definitely made it clear with their first courtship that she didn't approve affection. Enrick on the other hand... Rather enjoyed being able to express that sort of thing. Probably because he'd never really found many chances to do so, and therefore longed to feel and reciprocate such things in life. The fact he was half Sev'ryn, and still lacked his Ose-bori, did not help in dealing with any of this at all. Growing up with that complication in his life, it was no wonder he found himself struggling to accept someone like Qit in his life. But... there she was. Carrying a child he didn't want to think, but couldn't help suspect, was his even though she never confirmed nor denied it.

Why would she? Clearly she wanted nothing to do with him, just use him for whatever needs she possessed more or less. Thus he stood over his railing trying to distract Ellen, as she was easily occupied with the fact Enrick expected to be a father. Wow... Holy shit did he just think himself that? Could he really be capable of parenting a child? Raising a kid he thought his own? He wanted to believe that but somehow, the aspect of it becoming reality terrified him immensely. No way was he really ready for such a thing, for one he hardly knew anything about himself; and he definitely didn't want to be like his own father either. There one Trial and gone the next. No child should have to go through what he did, learning to live alone in the world when you're father thought yourself old enough.

"So what's te word fer tis ten?" He brought up as he held before her a fruit he had bought from the market, still quite rusty with the bargaining routines they did there. Nonetheless it was pretty easy to make a living for himself here, since they were always eager to accept working people in their community. Fishermen were needed here just as anywhere else in the world, and Enrick had made sure to work hard to earn his keep while here. After being blinded for trials after that storm which hit earlier this Ymiden, he felt next to blessed to have his sight back afterwards. So naturally with being caught up in a new part of the world, he'd been lost in learning all he could while he was here; and thus far mostly wanted Ellen to be there for it. He watched her with eyes decorated with silver in their hazel hues, outlining his curiosity with his calm and collective nature. While he certainly felt fine and dandy, he ultimately wondered what crossed the fellow half breed's mind; since she seemed caught up in her thoughts now more than ever.

"Apau?" He reiterated with a slight turn of his head, the silver in his eyes more broad as he listened to her. "Well, 'ke’u awt nyärä." He once more repeated to her warmly, if not imperfectly, due to his accent weighing in on the words. He had learned so much in the short span of time he'd been here, and yet somehow it still felt there was more to figure out in turn. Yet even as he took in all he could, somehow the gap between him and Ellen felt the same. Wider with the aspect of knowing what was to come, which certainly came at a time neither expected it to. One of the local Sev'ryn seemed to run along the docks, urgently shuffling their way to his schooner as the two leaned against his rail. When the dark haired and brown eyed man reached them, he spoke to Enrick in the native tongue out of habit due to the urgency.

"Enrick! Qit'ria ies kọv nitori tare! anou whakamātao ies teyngta èrè's nïkïän!" He exclaimed quickly in between his pants as he looked mainly to Enrick, who seemed to stare in complete dumbstruck awe since he didn't understand a lick of what was just said. "Qit'ria ready!" He declared in broken common. "Baby come now!" At that point it became clear what he meant... Rather quickly his cheeks paled as the fruit he'd taken back earlier was dropped, and his eyes darkened to a deeply bronze coloration as a result. He looked to Ellen'wyn quickly as he wanted to, yet at the same time didn't, bolt for wherever it was Qit would be right about now. Which he didn't honestly know where to be exact, and hoped to either be led by this Sev'ryn or the one next to him... who he trusted far more.

But at the same time he didn't want to ask her to be there, if she didn't feel at all comfortable with the situation. Truth be told he didn't either... but it seemed as though to-trial would be the trial, where Enrick would learn if he really was going to be the father of a child or not.

[Chevnoavi]

[img]http://i57.tinypic.com/2ajx351.jpg[/img]

Ymiden 72, 718

Noah had decided to take a quick dunk in the downstream of one of the river's deeper areas. It gave her a horrible feeling of claustrophobia when she was submerged over her legs. But the Avriel had to bathe no matter how uncomfortable she found the water. No one else here in Desnind seemed to share her discomforts... But she could remember that before she ran from home, everyone avoided water submersion. It was something with her people she guessed. Noah scanned the wind currents out of habit. As she watched the currents ebb and flow she heard a scream.

She turned her attention upstream trying to figure out how close the scream was. Noah gave her wings a few flaps and shook out any water in her wings as she listened for the source of the scream, preparing to make her way to them. A voice called out that Noah recognized from a few seasons ago, Rose. While she didn't understand most of what was said. It sounded serious. She ruffled her feathers slightly before lifting off gently and gliding off in Rose's direction. While Noah didn't have much medical knowledge she would offer her help anyway. Even if it was to just fetch supplies or some other small task.

Touching down near Rose and mystery woman Noah figured out the source of the screams. The lady beside Rose was very pregnant but it looked as though that was about to change. Real quickly. Oh boy. She ran up to Rose as fast as her feet could take her, "O-O'yẹ! Rose! You need help?! She much expecting! Baby come now? Noah help." The Avriel still hadn't picked up much of the native tongue and still spoke mostly in broken Common. Her eyes shown her eagerness to help the very soon-to-be mother. "What you need?" While she waited for Rose's instructions she spoke gently to the pained woman hoping to help calm her as she took her hand to lend some support, "You be okay. It okay. Rose best doctor. No worry. We help. Am Noah." She began to mimic what Rose spoke to the woman, "Choz-ni, choz-ni, choz-ni," There was no doubt that the last person the woman would of suspected to come help would be an Avriel.

Xanthea Common Lorian

[Qit'ria]

Common Text
Xanthean Text
Kashehino Text

Qit'ria heard a woman's voice shouting, but it was through a fog. Her focus was on one thing. Get to Papa. Papa would take care of her. He was a healer. She ignored the voice and focused on her steps, careful. One step after the other. But then Qit'ria felt skin touch her own, and in a defensive reaction, her arm snapped out, grabbing the woman's throat, nails digging in briefly. Then the words the woman had said registered, and Qit'ria's eyes went wide. She immediately let go, "Sev aji kïn.. aaaah." Her fingers were now squeezing the woman's arm in her vice like grip, as another contraction rampaged through her. She'd broken down her body, shattered her own bones, reshaped, and yet these contractions were pure hell.

While hunched in pain again, she heard more words from the woman but couldn't make them out. She did make out the last one. Breathe. Bear would've said the same thing. So she did. A deep inhale through the nose, taking it all the way down, filling her lungs, then slowly letting it out. She took another step, another breath. She managed to find some focus now. Back to Papa's. Step after step, breath after breath, nails digging into this stranger's arm.

Qit'ria heard the other woman coming over, casting a side eye she stopped cold. This woman was just like her mate. An avriel. She didn't look like he did. Noth. His name was Noth. Such a nice name. Strong. After this baby was born, she would find him. And the first place to was Etzos. To find Zeepa, to get his location from her. And whereas Noth had been black in feathers, this woman was white. Beautiful people. Especially their wings. Noth only had the one, but Qit'ria had assumed the other was lost in battle. But this avriel didn't have his strength, his ferocity. She seemed weak, panicky. Maybe female avriel were just like that. At least she was pretty.

Qit'ria let the woman get underneath her shoulder, and the three slowly hiked toward Qit'ria's childhood home. It was a simple one room hut, crafted of deadfall, mud and an assortment of other building materials. Once Qit'ria saw it, she called out, "Yeye!" Her father came out of the hut, saw the situation, and his face broke into a broad smile. "Tọjẹ, èrè ies av äpäu. Come come."

Qit'ria led the way up the ramp, stopping for yet another soul splitting contraction, squeezing whatever flesh was available and in reach from the two women supporting her. Entering the home, they'd see that it was all ready and prepped for a birth, as if the older man knew it was going to happen totrial. There was a sitting couch made from freshly boiled hides in the center of the room, a fire going in the center of the hut, smoke escaping out the top. Buckets of water, with fresh clean rags were on hand.

With a whoosh, Flek'ack put on the grey, hooded cloak, one he'd not worn since Qit'ria had left home. He smiled at Rose, "Ke’u hìtua dav, sev hìtua ïbẹrẹ." Smiling at Noah, "I am Flek'ack. Thank you for helping get my daughter home," eyes shifting over to Rose, "Both of you." He stepped back, tucking his arms in to the opposite sleeves, and his eyes now stern and expecting as they looked at Rose.

Qit'ria sat down on the lounge, hunching forward, as another contraction tore through her being. The baby was kicking hard, and her body was preparing to set it free. And her spark now perked up. Qit'ria's eyes went wild. No. Not now! Her spark seemed to think they were in danger. It was thumping on her soul like a dog begging for a treat. It wanted to change, to become the big, powerful bear, so that they wouldn't be in danger any longer. To slash with powerful claws and crush with unstoppable jaws upon these strangers, for clearly they were at fault. Qit'ria half focused on her breathing as she turned the rest inward.

To confront her spark. She sent out wave after wave of disapproval through to the eager parasite. It retaliated. It attempted to force it's way deeper into her soul, to rip her magic out and force the transformation. Qit'ria had to quickly gain control, and redirected the ether it was attempting to take control of. She then realized she didn't even have her bear totem on her, it was over on her bedfurs in the corner of the hut. To those around her, it just seemed like Qit'ria was in intense pain and concentration, though Flek'ack's eyes grew worried and surprised. He could tell something else was amiss, though not sure as to what.

Inwardly, she continued to pull her ether out of reach of the spark, before taking on a stern "tone" with it, like a mother would. She conveyed the mental image of the totem in the corner of the hut. Out of reach. They couldn't become the bear, no matter how much the spark wanted. And the unruly spark pitched a fit, but was no longer snatching at her ether, now stored in her mouth, throat, and lungs, the rest safe inside her soul. She'd return the rest when her spark calmed down.

But it didn't. It lashed out faster than she could contain it, and infected the ether she had held there. And twisted her body to its will, in a small way. It Awakened within her, growing stronger in its defiance of her control. It knew what the bear was like. She twisted in pain, her contractions increasing as it changed her. Her teeth grew, elongated, her jaw breaking and readjusting to accommodate the new bear fangs. More and more was adjusted. Qit struggled to contain it, dug her nails hard into her thighs, to draw blood. And with a roaring "NOOOOOOO!" she managed to stop the spread. What she didn't notice was that her roar, was that of a bear's, and her new fangs were bared.

And another contraction ripped through her, quicker than the last.

Sev aji kïnä = I am sorry.
Yeye = yeztlik'o' = Papa
Tọjẹ, èrè ies av äpäu = Well, it is about time.
Ke’u hìtua dav, sev hìtua ïbẹrẹ = You will do, I will watch.

[Rose Greenwood]

Pain lanced across Rose’s throat, but it was brief and fleeting like a papercut. For a moment though she felt adrenaline race through her veins as fingers closed around her throat. She had startled the pregnant Sev’ryn and paid the price for it. Thankfully the woman released her almost immediately and muttered a hasty apology before her hand slipped to Rose’s forearm as a powerful contraction hit her. Her fingers were like an iron vice grip and Rose felt herself nearly fall over from the sudden sharp pinching pain.

“Oh my….” Rose said with gritted teeth.

“You are very…very strong.” She squeaked while gasping for a breath.

At that moment a familiar winged shaped appeared at the corner of the young healer’s vision. It was the Avriel that had helped her tend to children in the past season. They had stuck out in the healing house like a sore thumb but she had worked to make herself useful and clearly intended to help her now with the woman who was trying very hard to dislodge Rose's arm from it’s socket.

“Noah!” The doctor cried with relief. At least she wasn’t alone, and the Avriel could be relied upon to help with the delivery.

At that very trill an aged Sev’ryn man poked his head out of the nearby hut and the pregnant woman’s face lit up with relief. He had a kindly face that was creased with wide smile. The man was obviously the woman’s father and somehow, he had known that the baby would be coming soon because once at the door Rose could see that he had been preparing for this moment. There were buckets of clean water and rags prepared for just this occasion and silently Rose thanked him for his efforts and foresight. Right at that moment another contraction racked Qit’ria’s body and she clamped down on Rose's arm once again.

She yelped shrilly like a wounded Icraphern before the woman’s pain seemed to relent and she stumbled into the house to settled into the chair her father had prepared.

“Ọfïïsï ke’u Flek’ack, osise making whäïä.” The healer spoke fretfully as she knelt in front of the lounge and began pulling a stack of the cloth into her lap to prepare for whatever the hell came next. Rose had never delivered a baby before, she was a glorified herbalist if she was anything at all.

With that last thought in mind Rose tossed her bag of chamomile and peppermint sprigs toward Noah that she had been gathering moments before.

“Steep those in hot water together for as long as you can.” Rose didn’t have the presence of mind to translate to Xanthean right at that moment so she hoped that Noah could make sense of her hurried words.

“It might help the pain and keep her calm.” Rose looked at Qit nervously, wondering if any drug could possibly calm the woman down right now.

Little did Rose know that right at that moment the Sev’ryn was in a contest of wills like no other with her Spark. Rose had never really met a mage before and was certainly not expecting what came next.

The pregnant woman writhed with what Rose suspected was a particularly painful contraction when her skin began to warp and her teeth began to grow. The healer shot to her feet, throwing the rags in her lap to the floor just before she caught her foot on the trim of her skirt and found herself falling backwards and swiftly toward the ground. A shrill high-pitched yelp escaped her throat as she fell before hitting the floor with a sharp crack.

The healer’s head swam and for a moment before she turned her amber eyes up toward the Sev’ryn woman who now had fangs crowding her mouth. Her thighs were bloodied from her freshly acquired claws and for a trill Rose thought she might just faint.

She almost considered running; just bolting out of the hut and leaving Flek’ack to tend to his monster of a daughter. Rose’s breath came in quick gasps, she knew if she didn’t get control of herself that she would probably pass out from over-ventilating. She had seen it happen to patients before.

Focusing on her breathing and scooting herself a healthy distance away from the woman, Rose started to get her bearings and took notice of the blood leaking down Qit’s legs. The woman's face was creased with pain, and it only intensified as another spasm rocketed through her body. She was covered in blood and her thighs were stained with fluid from her water breaking. At that moment Rose could only remember her father’s last days as the Scarlet Lung took him. No one else wanted to help, because they had seen it kill before, they were so frightened of the disease that she had been alone in those last breaks before his death. Fear had driven them away, and it was threatening to drive her away from this patient right now.
Swallowing heavily the red head clumsily came to her feet and began picking up the rags she had dropped.

“Ïdäkẹjẹ steftxaw tä ibon kalubale” she uttered shakily. The healer looked at Qit with a pallid, terror-stricken face but that didn’t stop her from kneeling down beside the woman and beginning to take wet rags to the claw marks on her legs to sop up the blood.

She worked with a singlemindedness to put pressure on the wounds that kept her focused on her patient rather on the thought of running away.

It would have been easy to leave, but that wasn’t who she was.

“Chozni, chozni” She started whispering again, trying and failing to hide the fear in her eyes.

Off Topic

Xanthea Translations

“Ọfïïsï ke’u Flek’ack, osise making whäïä “ = “Thank you Flek’ack, for making ready”

"Ïdäkẹjẹ steftxaw tä ibon kalubale" = “We need to make clean”

“Chozni, chozni” = “ Breathe , Breathe”

[Chevnoavi]

[img]http://i57.tinypic.com/2ajx351.jpg[/img]

Date

Noah let out a gasp along with a bird like caw, her wings puffed out as the pained woman lashed out at Rose. It was obvious she had been caught off guard. "R-rose? You okay? You hurt?" Rose managed to speak, and the woman retracted her hand from the medic's neck and held fast to her arm. A grimace on Rose's face. She looked pale... Noticing Noah, the healer looked somewhat relived at the bird's appearance. She had helped Rose before with the sickness that plagued the village children. While clumsy and medically unskilled, the Avriel put her all into helping Rose whenever the need arose. "Noah is here! Noah help!"

As Noah tried to assess how she could help besides taking the woman's other arm, an older man appeared and hurried them into his hut. The labored woman had called out to him, Yeye.... Tilting her head to the side as she contemplating the meaning of the word. Although when the man stood and looked at her, she blurted out without thinking, "O'ye! .....Yeye...." She quickly turned away awkwardly, unsure of what she told him. Looking around the dove closed her wings tightly against her as to not knock over everything. The man was prepared clear water and cloths were plentiful. Hopefully this was everything they would need. Truth be told... Noah had never witnessed a birth firsthand, as an Avriel that was cut from her race she doubted she would ever go through one herself.

As the woman cried out in pain, Rose began to move around stacking things here, laying cloth there. Noah could feel Rose's panic. Once given her task, Noah began brewing the tea. "Tea strong? Not be bitter?" She yelled out to the healer. Letting the tea brew, Noah began to place a wet cloth on the woman's forehead. Beyond small tasks Noah felt helpless unable to communicate with the mother-to-be... But maybe she didn't need to understand...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a scream which caused her wings to puff out. She rushed to Rose's side unsure of what had just happened. The Avriel helped steady Rose holding onto her. "Breathe too fast... In...Out...In...Out.. Can do this. Noah help." Looking at the woman, Noah's wings spread slightly her mind no longer thinking of them a baffled bird like noise came from her. Eyes wide in disbelief, the woman had...bear...she was a bear? No she was still a woman... and yet a bear. Were there people like this?

The room smelled of blood and something Noah could only guess was birthing fluid. A metallic smell. As Rose regained her breathing and returned to tending to the woman, Noah followed along. While she had no idea what the healer had just told her, she began to bandage and clean the woman-bear-lady. After that she'd check the tea and return to the woman's side to wipe the sweat from her head, offer her a hand to hold or crush in this case, and reassure her in the only language Noah spoke well, Lorien.

Xanthea Common Lorian

[Ellen'wyn]

His accent was ever more strange when he spoke Xanthean. It didn't seem to cross over as well as it did when he spoke the Common tongue. Enrick tried to enunciate, but it wasn't quite working out yet. She knew what he was saying, but if he tried that on anyone else he might get a few funny looks and wrinkled noses sent his way. It made the corners of her mouth twist in the hint of a grin despite herself, and she nodded at him.

"We definitely need to practice more."

Ellen's mood might have improved then, if not for the enormous interruption. He came galloping down the dock, flushed and a little winded as he announced the inevitable yet still gut-wrenching news. She felt her heart sink. The small smile crumbled, and the walls came back up in an instant. Everything about her seemed to wilt, just a little.

The redhead's face was overcast like a thunderstorm, brows heavy and furrowed, teeth gritted and lips pressed in a hard line.

"Bọsẹyẹ ïtẹsïwäju tä Ileri," she told the man.

She knew his face but not his name. He nodded vigorously, turned on his heels, and trotted back the way he'd come. The half-breed pushed herself away from the rail and out into the air. She dropped, wings slightly ajar, and landed with bent knees on the planks below with a dull thump.

"He will take us," Ellen explained, trying and probably failing to not sound overly curt.

The redhead avoided his kaleidoscopic gaze--avoided looking at him at all, really; instead briskly marching off in the wake of their guide. It was a quick and very silent walk, at least on her end. She heard several voices inside and hung back as the man ushered Enrick through the treshold. The half-blood still refused to look at him. Her face was turned away as he rushed inside. She was too busy focusing on the grain of the house's wooden exterior and swallowing the hard lump in her throat.

The sudden commotion inside was what finally tore her away from her hesitant lingering. There seemed to be some struggling, a thump or two, and then a loud roar erupted from inside. It made Ellen jump and all the little hairs on her body stand at attention. She grabbed her knife on instinct, but it slipped right out of her hands. She hadn't realized she'd been clenching her hands so tightly that the nails she'd recently let grow too long--they were very nearly small talons now--had bit the flesh of her palms and made them slick with blood.

Ellen fumbled in the grass, wiping her hands vigorously and grabbed the knife again. When she stormed inside to investigate, she wasn't prepared for how crowded it was. Several people hovered over Qit, and she couldn't really see anything except her sweating legs and soaked thighs. The redhead swallowed hard.

"Dẹọdọ ies kawtu? Dẹọdọ sngä’ï ọsïsẹ mäkïnï? Sev gbóògì av bysez!" the half-breed snapped at the backs turned to her.

She looked at each of them, but froze when she saw the white wings ruffling anxiously as their owner hovered over the laboring woman. Ellen backed out of the house so quickly that she tripped over her own heels and fell flat on her ass. She hadn't expected to see another like her. Her heart took off in a mad rhythm. She'd never seen another Avriel in Desnind. What was it doing here? Was it a half-breed like herself, or a true Avriel? She picked up her knife again and clambered awkwardly to her feet, gripping the handle like a vice, blade back in the perfect downward stabbing position--just in case.

The redhead crept back inside, eyeing the creature suspiciously as she moved to stand somewhere mostly out of the way. She was already drenched in sweat. Nerves, fear, anger, aggression--her emotions were a swirl of chaos and all she could do at the moment was shake in silence, mysterious roaring momentarily forgotten. All she could do now was stare at the other winged creature, suspicion plastered plainly on her face.

Translations

Bọsẹyẹ ïtẹsïwäju tä Ileri - Take us to her

Dẹọdọ ies kawtu? Dẹọdọ sngä’ï ọsïsẹ mäkïnï? Sev gbóògì bysez! - What is wrong? What was that sound? I heard a beast!

[Ricky]

She answered for him and sure enough it the Sev'ryn man took the lead, although it did not go unnoticed how different Ellen had acted. Merely moments before the news was brought she seemed to open up again, a curtain of hope that maybe they would be able to move past all this. But no. Now that they were moving for the hut where Qit'ria was located, immediately the mixed blood he walked swiftly with shied away once more. Enrick felt innate confliction with this within that was also insurmountable anxiousness and worry, as he believed himself to be moments away from experiencing a change he wasn't ready for.

Thus they moved on in a hurried fashion and soon arrived, Enrick the first to head on in with a passing glance shot to Ellen. She avoided any chance of looking at him, and somehow that hurt more than he would've expected it to when he paid it thought. But there was not much time to devote to such thought, shortly after he walked in he found himself staring at a group within the hut. Qit'ria who was accompanied by who must've been her father, at least Enrick remembered something along those lines about him, and two others who appeared as strangers he hadn't seen before. One of them appearing normal except the hair, marking her as another ginger, and the other not so much as he appeared to possess wings like Ellen; only her's was white.

"Sorry Oi'm late," He muttered as he walked in slowly, "Got 'ere as fast as Oi could b-" and then it happened all so suddenly. Qit's roar became a feral one as her features began to shift, changing her shape as she tried her best to fight whatever enforced the change. Enrick stepped back in terrified awe at what he saw, never before knowing Qit being capable of such strange and terrifying power. Was she even human? She had fangs now and her facial form realigned to match the set she bared. Just when he had believed her savage before, Enrick now saw in truth what that really looked like on Qit. Had she really been able to change into other things this entire time? Why now did she struggle with wanting to stay within the same form?

His heart pounded while the irides remained a jet black hue, as he watched complete and utter shock at what he was looking at. Ellen entered next and she must've stormed away in surprise, surprised as well to see that another Avriel breed had found their place among the group. So... why were they all here again? The other ginger seemed to be helping her out along with the father, but what the white winged woman was doing didn't register to Enrick yet. Ellen probably intended to help because she'd heard Qit... do whatever unnatural thing she just did, while the man of the hour himself merely stared in pure dumbfounded awe. This... this was really how he was going to remember the birth of the kid. His kid. Assuming it was his still that is!

Needless to say he gulped hard and remade a second attempt, thus walked forward towards Qit until he was just a couple feet away. "Oi'm roit 'ere Qit," He offered a hand should she have any desire to take it, "Oi'm 'ere fer ya." If there was anything else that someone needed him to do, then he wouldn't hesitate to at least try. But for now he felt that, at least, Qit needed to know that Enrick was here to support her at best. Other then that he for once, felt quite at fault since he was probably the reason she suffered all this pain.