You owe me one (Tirael, open)

[lorki]

Muttered curses flowed from the ferret's clenched fangs as she dragged the cloak from her shoulders and dropped it on the dark, moonlit path. "Hellsteeth. Hellsteeth. Hellsteeth," she grimaced, not in pain, more in anger. A chilled early spring wind whipped up around her, but she could hardly even notice it she felt so warm- too warm. "Damnit. Damnit. Damnit." She whispered, the red fortress up ahead appeared so far away, when it reality it was hardly a hundred feet in front of her. She lifted a paw to tentatively press it against the open gash on her shoulder, had it stopped bleeding already? "Damnit." Shaking, her paw reached down to her belt for a knife to reopen the wound. She couldn't hardly feel it, in fact most of that arm had fallen into a tingly numbness. As the blood began to flow from the clean wound again, she turned back to look groggily towards the Abbey. "Damnit."

Sleet inhaled deeply, her mind repeating the same words. Just walk. You have a Fever. Its not really hot. Its not really foggy. Just walk. And she did, awfully slowly, with dragging steps and displeased grunts along the way. She would survive this... or, maybe, get shot from the ramparts. Either way, Sleet had not managed to survived so long to end up killed more by a poison than by an enemy. It was just a fever. Why the hell was it so warm?

"Damnit. Damnit."

A voice called to her from the walls, her ears didn't so much as twitch towards the sound and whatever they had said warbled in her mind. She raised her eyes just long enough to watch the gate begin to open up ahead before they dropped back down. Something else was shouted, she couldn't understand it once again. But, in an attempt to avoid being shot at, she raised a paw and gave a slight wave.

"Wooarrouu," a voice demanded ahead of her. She blinked and raised her head, and to her surprise was standing directly in front of a small gang of... gatekeepers? She almost laughed. Almost.

She reached down and unclasped her belt, letting her collection of knives fall from her waist, she let her shoulders sag and her arm hang, allowing her satchel to slide to the ground. "Sleet." She growled, "I need your... your Tirael healer... Your healer, Tira- whatshisname... Your..." her voice trailed off, tired and hoarse.

"Whad? Whaddayew doinere fermin?"

The words had to be deciphered by her tired mind, because apparently her ears had begun to ignore their function... or she was dieing. And not dieing an insulted beast, that was for sure. Summoning some sort of hidden reserve of attitude, Sleet lifted her head and glared towards the speaker... who she couldn't quite make out through the fog, or the dark. Was it really foggy? "Don't be such a noble bastard, I'll spit my own blood in your mouth." She hissed and tossed her head back, "Tiiiiiiiirrrraaaaaaaeeeeel," she called, without much thought, while a small crowd of quite unsure Redwallers watched on.

[Grath]

“healer... Your healer, Tira- whatshisname... Your..."

"What? What are you doing here vermin?"

“Ah, give it a rest, laddie!” Aidan said, bulling his way to the front of the small group and whacking the gray-furred squirrel between the ears with a wet reed. The brigadier presented a fearsome sight, his right arm was bound in a sling close to his side and his tunic, borrowed from a bigger beast, gaped open to show bandaging across his chest.

“This beastie ‘tisn’t a threat t’ye, now get off yore high branch!” He snapped, peering more closely at the newcomer. Seemed to be some type of ferret. All bloody and not too well-looking though.

"Don't be such a noble bastard, I'll spit my own blood in your mouth."

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you will.” Aidan said somewhat absently. “Well? Where is the healer chap? Anybeast know? Speak up, lads!

"Tiiiiiiiirrrraaaaaaaeeeeel,"

It didn’t seem as though any of the woodlanders around him knew the answer to his question. Aidan reached to grab Sleet’s uninjured arm. “C’mon, lass, better get ye t’ th’ infirmary…” He guided her inside the gates, which closed behind them.

[Tirael]

Ugh...noise...why all the noise...what time is it?...

Some sort of commotion was going on outside the door; slowly, the penetrating racket forced Tirael's eyes open. He pushed himself into a sitting position, waiting for his eyes to focus as he wondered what could be causing this. Realizing with a start that it could be an injured or sick beast, the healer threw off his blanket, pulled on his tunic, and bolted out the door.

On the way down the staircase, he had to make his way around several pockets of Abbeydwellers, all chatting nervously or excitedly, and almost all of which seemed as clueless as Tirael. As he ran, he realized he'd forgotten his bag; he chided himself for leaving something so important behind, and though he almost turned back, he'd reached the Great Hall already, and what was coming through the door stopped him in his tracks.

No--no, it can't be, it can't--

Without thinking, he sprinted across the Hall, nearly knocking a mole over in his dash to Sleet and Aidan. "SLEET!" The otter skidded to a halt in front of the pair and looked desperately at the ferret. "You're gonna be fine, you have to be fine..." As he threw one of her arms over his shoulder, he murmured with faint humor, "It wouldn't be fair of you to die before I can pay you back for all you've done..."

[lorki]

Sleet blinked absently at Aidan as he stepped forward to help her, she swayed uneasily as the hare told off whatever brown blob had been speaking to her. Her vision shifted in and out of focus as the beast reached out to hold her arm, and without thinking of any real response she took a teetering step along with him. "Damnit Damn-"

"SLEET."

That was not one of the words that could be distorted, nor was it quiet enough. She raised her head, a stupid grin plastered over her face, "Tirral," she slurred, "there y'are, yee idiot." Frustratingly, Sleets thoughts were still functioning in near normalcy. It was her motor capabilities that were seeming to slow. She knew in her mind that she looked like a dead beast, but certainly she was not. Sleet had spent the better part of ten years building up immunity to most every poison she came across. Although, she'd apparently missed one. But this was too long a story for the healer, not that he'd be able to follow it anyhow.

Allowing herself to more or less slump once he was supporting her, she strained to understand what he was muttering to her."Yoonna behfin, yoave tobeh fin..."

"I am. Dun even 'orry. I gutted tha'-" she paused before saying 'Worthless long eared bastard', recalling that a hare was holding up her other, end and that she was in a small crowd of former woodland warriors. "Well... Dun Orry. I jus need... y'know what'eva y'needs.... that..."

"Ehwouldn't befair ayuu tadie beforahcen Pahyuu back ferall yuuvdun..."

She grinned again, "Yeew owe me 'un." She paused and shuffled forward with him, "whys it so d**n hot?"

[Tirael]

"Yeew owe me 'un." Sleet paused and shuffled forward with him, "Why's it so d**n hot?"

Though it was obvious Sleet's mind was fuddled, the question set Tirael's brain in motion. He muttered, "Don't know, we'll fix that for you," as he considered what would be causing it. The most obvious answers were infection or poison; but, given how new the wound looked, infection seemed unlikely.

That just left an entire world full of potions for him to whittle it down from. Great.

"Lie her down, please? Gently," he said to Aidan as he released Sleet. As soon as her weight was off him, he crossed to a cabinet and began rummaging through a variety of jars, bottles, and bundles. "Lobelia, lobel--here! And, uhh, slip--slippery elm, there!" Grabbing both ingredients, he dumped them into a bowl along with warm water, grabbed his pestle, and started mashing. Once it was mixed, he made a poultice and pressed it to Sleet's shoulder. "There, that should help suck out the poi--well, whatever's in your blood," he told her. He was mindful of saying anything too specific around Aidan; knowing that he was alone in a room with a Long Patrol officer and a rather irritable ferret, even one that was barely functioning, made him wary.

Right, Aidan's still here, I forgot... "Uhh, Brigadier, this is Sleet, my--" He cut off as he wondered what word to use. "...my friend. Saved my life."

[Treble Tiderunner]

"SLEET!" The otter skidded to a halt in front of the pair and looked desperately at the ferret. "You're gonna be fine, you have to be fine..." As he threw one of her arms over his shoulder, he murmured with faint humor, "It wouldn't be fair of you to die before I can pay you back for all you've done..."

“Calm down lad,” Aidan said soothingly, tightening his grip on the not-bleeding-prodigiously-side of the ferret Sleet as she tottered again. “Ye need yore head ‘bout ye, I’m sure, wot!

"Yeew owe me 'un." She paused and shuffled forward with him, "whys it so d**n hot?"

Aidan sighed and moved forward with the pair. They finally arrived in the infirmary, which Aidan had to admit looked much better than the first time he had seen it. He followed Tir’s directions, aiding the ferretess to the bed.

"Uhh, Brigadier, this is Sleet, my--" He cut off as he wondered what word to use. "...my friend. Saved my life."

The brigadier nodded curtly, not having much to say, not likely she’d notice anyway.

[Tirael]

For several awkward moments, otter and hare simply stared at each other. Tirael shifted uncomfortably. "Well..." After another moment or so of silence, he abruptly turned back to his workspace, seeking a towel to bathe Sleet's face with. Just as his paw closed around the fabric, though, he paused, his eyes narrowed and his ears laid back. "Wait a minute..."

Suddenly, he whirled on Aidan and pointed an accusing finger. "What are you doing out of bed!? You're supposed to be recovering, not cavorting around the Abbey in the middle of the night!" Setting the towel back down, the healer stalked over to one of the beds, pulling the covers back as he muttered darkly. "All these creatures are crazy, think they can just get up and wander around when they're full of holes, and I have to clean up for them..." He looked up at Aidan. "For you. Now, lie down and do not try to move around until you're healed enough."

Grabbing the towel again, he dipped in a cool water basin, squeezed out the excess, and moved over to Sleet's bedside. He gently pressed it to her cheeks and forehead, murmuring, "At least you're too weak to disobey that."

[lorki]

"There, that should help suck out the poi--well, whatever's in your blood,"

"Wha?" She gasped, a slight laugh edging into her voice, he let her head roll back to look up the ceiling, "yah think I dunno wha 'appened? Trus' meh, I was there." Her mind was hardly able to be concerned with what any other beast thought at the moment, her vision flickered into focus and she turned her head to stare at Tirael. She'd made a bit of a gambling decision to get to the abbey. Having full on sprinted until she no longer could, the poison had managed to get though her body at a very quick rate. She'd figured better to be almost dead and make it here, then be completely dead in the middle of a forest.

"Uhh, Brigadier, this is Sleet, my--"

"Tir...tha's... tha's not my n... tha's not... Brigadier?" She blinked, her eyes suddenly wide as a spark of fear lit in her chest. She tossed her head around, "Tir... I..." Her feverish mind couldn't quite handle the situations. She felt fearful, however she was unable to exactly pinpoint why. Her heart thudded away in her chest, she kept her eyes on Tirael.

He stood over her, muttering something and then the constant heat was lifted for a moment. It felt awfully nice, and her mind shied away from her earlier panic... but... Her eyes snapped back again, she reached out, paw gripping at Tirael's chest while she tried to prop herself up. "Tir," she rasped, her expression horrified, "Everyone here... they all want me dead. I...I know that they...I..." Her grip on the unfortunate otter slipped and she toppled out of the bed, collapsing onto the stone ground.

Actually, the contact with the ground was awfully cool and welcoming. The confused ferret ran a paw over the stone, muttering, "dis issa really nice blanket... Where didja get it?"

[Grath]

Suddenly, he whirled on Aidan and pointed an accusing finger. "What are you doing out of bed!? You're supposed to be recovering, not cavorting around the Abbey in the middle of the night!"

Aidan, startled by the healer’s sudden reversal in attitude, actually took a step backwards, bumping into a bed. The otter continued muttering as he stalked over to a bed, yanking back the covers. The brigadier stood straight as an arrow, shoulders back, feet together as he watched Tirael’s suspicious activities.

"For you. Now, lie down and do not try to move around until you're healed enough."

“I’m not an invalid, sah!” Aidan protested, ears standing quivering indignantly. For a few moments it looked like it might come to a standoff, Long Patrol Brigadier against the Healer of Redwall Abbey, but just then the otter’s attention was captivated by the ferret. She babbled on here and off there, eventually slipping off the bed to lay on the floor, happily muttering to herself. Aidan shared a glance with Tirael and went to help replace the ferret in her bed. It was when he bend down and went to lift her that he remembered-- he'd been up because he couldn't sleep.

It was a combination of the pain and the awkwardness of sleeping with his right arm bound close to his body. He winced, swearing quietly under his breath. He would have removed the binding bandaging but for the fierce look in his sister's eyes-- she would have made an excellent officer.

"Damn..."

"dis issa really nice blanket... Where didja get it?"

[Tirael]

"Tir."

Visibly startled by Sleet's sudden grab at his chest, Tirael instinctively grabbed her paw as they gripped his tunic. He stared at her, wide-eyed, clasping her paw, and growing increasingly concerned about her condition. She was acting even more feverish now, and he worried his treatment might not be working fast enough.

"Everyone here... they all want me dead. I...I know that they...I..."

The otter's expression was one of pure sympathy as he said gently, "That's not true, and I wouldn't let anythi" He cut off in alarm as Sleet suddenly let go of him and slid onto the floor.

"Dis issa really nice blanket... Where didja get it?"

Tirael held up a paw to forestall Aidan, hissing, "With all due respect, you have one working arm. I can handle this, you need to lie...DOWN." Holding a fierce stare at the Brigadier for another few seconds, he then turned and stooped to grip Sleet's shoulders. "I, uh...it was there when I got here." His mind flashed back to something she'd said a little while back. "Tir...tha's... tha's not my n... tha's not..." What does she mean? That's not her name... He managed to lever the ferret back onto the bed, then gently pushed her into a lying position. "So," he said. "What is your name?" He hoped he'd get an answer; he'd long-since realized that Sleet knew far more about him than he knew about her, and it was about time they got even.

[lorki]

Sleet groaned as Tirael hauled her back into the bed. She still felt as if she was in perilous danger, but her legs weren't working, her arms were hardly working, her head- well, at least her thoughts were starting to clear. Still, Sleet had been the lone killer of a good handful of badgers, she'd poisoned an entire Patrol near the shore once. She'd had countless bloody, deadly, gory run-ins with Salamandastron beasts. Some knew her and some did not- but if they did, there was a good chance they weren't a great fan of hers. Her fear was not misplaced.... only, perhaps, a bit more obvious that it would be otherwise.

"What is your name?"

The question dragged her out of her thoughts. She tilted her head back again to look at Tirael. "D'yah know wha Sleet is? Itssa raindrop covered in ice. Whoda'ell would name a babe tha? An kits dun even 'ave fangs... y'know..." She trailed off, she knew there was a reason not to tell Tirael her given name- more or less the fact that she didn't discuss her past with anyone, under any circumstance... well, not anymore at least. No beast needed to know her baggage... nor her fears, for that matter. Burn scars were the only hint she was willing to give- and only because she couldn't hide them all.

She let out a deep breath, turning her eyes to stare at the stone overhead. "Bu' its m'name now, tha's all that matters. Sumtimes... things havta change."

[Grath]

Tirael held up a paw to forestall Aidan, hissing, "With all due respect, you have one working arm. I can handle this, you need to lie...DOWN."

The Brigadier was not accustomed to backing down, but now his arm was throbbing, as if to remind him of its presence. He nodded curtly and stood back, watching the young otter haul his friend into the infirmary bed. Aidan stumped back to his own, spying the drink Roseleaf had left for him. He sat on the bed as he drank it all down. ’Drink some of this for your pain, ‘dan, but don’t drink it all or ye’ll put yoreself t’sleep…’ the words echoed meaninglessly in his brain, the young otterlad had after all a good idea… the bed was cool and inviting…

With things were blurring and swirling in his mind, the hare rolled over on the bed and surrendered to sleep. He heard one last thing before the darkness claimed him.

"Bu' its m'name now, tha's all that matters. Sumtimes... things havta change."

yes…sometimes things just havta change…


[[aidan out ]]

[Tirael]

"D'yah know wha Sleet is? Itssa raindrop covered in ice. Whoda'ell would name a babe tha? An kits dun even 'ave fangs... y'know..."

Tirael remained silent, digesting what 'Sleet' had told him. It was odd to think of Sleet as a kit; it didn't seem like she'd been born. Somehow, it was as if she'd just strolled into the world haranguing everything in sight, without an innocent past at all. Huh, he thought. Neither of us has a past... Glancing at Aidan, who'd finally relented and gone back to bed, the otter realized he was alone with Sleet now.

"Bu' its m'name now, tha's all that matters. Sumtimes... things havta change."

Again, he stayed silent for a moment. "Sleet...or, whatever your name is..." He gave her a faint smile. "I don't know what, or who, it is you're trying to forget, but...don't. I don't know who you were before you were Sleet-" -he laughed- "-I don't even know who you really are now...but...don't lose her." He looked away. "A painful memory's better than none at all."

Suddenly, he didn't want to be quite so close to her. Getting up, he walked over to the cabinet and began putting things away, his face hidden by the cabinet door.

[lorki]

"I don't know what, or who, it is you're trying to forget, but...don't. I don't know who you were before you were Sleet-" Funny, even she hardly knew who she was before she was Sleet. She remembered, but more in the way one would remember an old friend, than remember themselves. As if she had not been the one living it, only now knowing it had been lived. "-I don't even know who you really are now...but...don't lose her." She considered telling Tirael that she couldn't lose what she didn't have. What she was now wasn't much more than a paradox, an excuse, and a terrible mistake. But, Tirael's face was looking a bit grave.

"A painful memory's better than none at all."

She rolled her head to watch him as he moved over to the shelves. She raised a paw and wiped it across her face, she was beginning to feel a little less dead. Her fever was possibly going down- the poison was starting to be controlled. It was a nice thought... but she knew she'd probably be laying in that bed for half a day, and not have much ability for a few more days after that. Poisonings were annoying things.

"Dun worry," she murmured, "I can't ferget." Sometimes a blessing, mostly a curse. Sleet often thought she'd give near anything for a day of peace. But it wasn't as if a better history would give her anymore standing in this world than she already had. Essentially, she was born to be exactly who she'd managed to become. Pity.

"Why'er yah upset, Tir?" She asked, suddenly realizing he might be hiding for a reason. Sleet, being a bit insensitive as she was, hadn't much considered any problems the otter might have- besides being a doofus and getting himself into trouble all the time.

[Tirael]

"Dun worry," Sleet murmured, "I can't ferget."

"Well, lucky you, then," Tirael muttered. He knew he shouldn't be angry at her for what she was saying; most creatures seemed to think that forgetting unpleasant memories would make everything nice and cheerful. But the thought of somebody wanting to forget...it offended him like nothing else could.

"Why'er yah upset, Tir?"

The otter paused. He realized that Sleet knew about as much about his past as he knew about hers, and despite the temptation to keep it that way, the fact that she actually seemed to care made him more amenable to her. Sighing, he closed the door. "When I was five, some of N'tashi's soldiers got me in the head with a slingstone. I...I forgot everything. Whatever family or friends I had. Gone." He shook his head sadly and said, "My name's all I've got left of whoever I was, I just can't imagine getting rid of it."

He glanced at Sleet, noting that they'd never really spoken deeply about anything. Most of the time one of them was tied up, or at spearpoint, or somebeast was in some form of danger. Most of their interactions had really been the ferret insulting him in some way. He found himself wondering if that was just her being rude, or if she was trying to protect herself from something. "So, you can make fun of me for being brain-damaged or whatever it is you're thinking." If she was going to derive satisfaction from his issues, he wanted to at least beat her to it.