exsiliumlogs | (no subject) (part 2)

[He starts to comment on what a fine meal fish can make but can't shake his interest in something Isaac said.]

You are friends with bears?

[That makes him grin.]

The bear clan is actually older than the wolf clan, our history tells us. And they're not the strangest I've run with either!

[He pauses and decides maybe that needs more of an explanation. The grin slowly fades as he talks. Isaac feels a bit of a pang, thinking of how rich the world used to be, and all the animals wiped out forever.]

They're like me, in other words, but yes, I have quite a few friends who are bears. But true brown bears, who don't change, were hunted until there were none left in most places. Same with wolves.

Edited 2013-02-27 04:06 (UTC)

[He shoots a small smirk over his shoulder.]

We have bear and wolf clans, as well. But they do not turn into bears and wolves. [Which is a very fortunate thing indeed as he imagines if the bear clan turned into bears, and the wolf clan into wolves, the turtle clan... would have more than their fair share of troubles in life.

It would make adoptions between clans difficult, too.

Isaac's report of over-hunting keeps him from saying anything else. He walks on in silence, his steps heavier.]

[Isaac sees how the last comment changed Connor's steps, and so decides not to bring that up again, but having someone know has opened a floodgate. He wants to tell Connor everything. He has to keep reminding himself to keep it to little bites of information. ...and doesn't think he's doing all that well even with that.]

If we are from the same ... world [His voice quirks at that, as he finds the concept a little boggling.] some of them probably do. We weren't nearly so common back then. Things changed...

We call it a blessing for a reason. We're resistant to illness. We don't get sick as often, and when we do it's almost never as severe. And while we might starve more quickly without food, as long as we do get enough to eat, we heal more quickly from injury too.

[Connor's head tips slightly, a sure sign he's listening, but he keeps his thoughts to himself as they cross the dried land.]

[He could keep going easily, and has to visibly stop himself from saying more at one point.]

I'm rambling, huh? Maybe I should ask if there's something you want to know-- Oh.

[It is a belated thought, but hadn't stood out before and now he's interested.]

You said something about clans. Can I ask which you... I guess I just did.

[He laughs a little to himself, but isn't very contrite about potentially prying.]

[His smirk is back and this time it's accompanied by a faint light in his eyes.

Instead of answering, he points to a dark agglomeration of rocks up ahead of them.]

My camp.

[Isaac smiles back. He can take a hint, and it will be a challenge to find some way to figure it out later. That and the remaining curiosity are bright in his expression as he looks around.

He can feel blood drying on the edges of the mess already, and it would be nice to get the smell out of his nose. or less overwhelming at any rate. So Isaac is putting his senses to use looking for water. To Isaac it seems natural to have a water source nearby, but he's always lived a life around the rhythms of a river.]

And not a moment too soon?

[A little teasing, but there's relief too. Rest is definitely something he's looking forward to.]

[Connor grunts a noise of agreement and brings the horse in closer to the rocks before stopping it. Isaac will likely catch the scent of the river-turned-creek that hides just out of sight, down a shallow drop-off behind the rock formation.]

I will tie the horse upwind and return to you in a moment. If you are able, get a fire started. The wood to burn is piled together already.

[Best not to ask where he got the broken wooden planks that are piled together with dry brush.]

Shouldn't be a problem!

[He says that cheerfully, hoping he remembers how. It's been a while since he had to practice without even matches. Of course, the first obstacle is getting off the horse.

After a moment of thinking, Isaac makes an attempt, and while it is decidedly ungraceful, he does get to the ground with barely more than a stumble. He grins ruefully at the horse.]

Sorry about that.

[After that he heads over to the fire. It will take a minute or two to remember, and then a second try, but given enough time he'll get it started.]

[Connor leaves him to it, wandering off to tie up and see to the horse. He's gone long enough that Isaac has time to fumble with the fire a bit.

After a short while, he trudges back to the camp proper with his rabbits. They're promptly set off to the side, out of the way. Connor fishes an iron pot out of a crevice between two boulders and away he goes again, this time to retrieve water from the river-creek. He comes back a minute later and sets the pot up over the flames.

Sitting down to wait for the water to heat up, he produces a needle and thread from another belt pouch.

One would think he patches up wounds often or something.]

My blade is... was clean. There should be little risk of infection from that. [There's a small quirk at one corner of his mouth.] If infection is ever a problem for you.

[Fire started, Isaac had settled himself near it and immediately started half-dozing. Connor's question wakes him, though the first words still sound mostly asleep.]

Infection? Mm, yeah, it can be a problem. Usually not a serious one, though. It can slow down healing a lot, and scarring is worse.

[Not that Isaac has many scars. The worst is on his other shoulder and looks a little sunken in, like something bit him and tore a chunk out.]

Changing with an injury can be dangerous. It can make them worse, if it's a bad change, [here he stops, blinks himself back awake, and continues] so it's better to be as healed as possible before the next cycle. Sometimes there's no choice though...

[He takes that nodding off as a cue for him to hurry up. Satisfied that the water is hot enough, he pulls the pot from the fire and soaks a scrap bit of cloth in it.]

Hold still a moment. [He warns as he scoots over to Isaac's side.] I will be quick.

[And quick he is. Despite the events of the last few hours (... and the last few days), his own wounds and exhaustion, and his heightened awareness of the threat Isaac's blood supposedly poses, his hands are steady as he sets to work. He cleans off the gash and gives it a cursory look over before threading his needle.

The resulting stitches aren't especially neat, but they'll do their job.]

[Isaac only nods at the words, and is entirely relaxed, even when Connor starts cleaning and stitching the wound. He does hold still, and aside from the occasional hiss, his only reaction is to become more alert.

Actually, the most tedious part might be cleaning up the gash. With all the hair on his back, blood would mat easily. It's not thick enough to be a true coat of fur, and lacks the thick undercoat a wolf would have, but the stiff, longish hairs are exactly like guard hairs on wolves, and covers most of his back in a rough diamond shape, widest at the shoulder-blades.

When Connor is done, Isaac turns with a smile, and reaches out to rest one hand over Connor's briefly.]

You have very steady hands; thank you. But you should wash immediately.

[A snort.] So should I; I'm a mess.

[With that Isaac stands, and from his reaction whatever is causing him to move so stiffly hurts worse than the cut.]

[Connor dips his head in silent agreement.

Soon they'll be able to communicate with nods alone.

He stands up beside Isaac. No further assistance is offered, but he watches him out of the corner of his eye as he heads around the rocks and down the other side to reach the water. Connor wades upstream a ways but not so far that he is out of sight or earshot.

He is as fast getting cleaned up as he was putting in those stitches. In no time he's back up at the camp, his shirt and jacket strewn over a flat rock to dry. No traces of blood remain on the fabric. Secret Assassin blood stain removal technique - very effective.

Most of his weapons have been tucked away between the rocks. Only his tomahawk remains, hooked into his pants belt for a change. He climbs up onto one of the taller rock formations and there settles down to skin his rabbits. The improved view is something of a comfort.]

[Isaac smiles and nods back. It takes him longer to wash, but he wanders back out before too long. He's still damp from the washing, but doesn't seem to mind, and settles himself on the ground near Connor.

He closes his eyes and relaxes, letting his hearing warn him of anything unusual approaching, but the tiredness hasn't gone away. Isaac finds Connor's scent comforting, and knowing his friend is on watch lulls him into giving in.

In no time he's curled up in a position that would be more comfortable for a wolf than a human and sleeping quietly.

[Connor stays on guard duty most of the night, never feeling quite comfortable enough to sleep.

He's gone by morning, though. All that's left of the camp is the smoldering remains of the fire, the iron pot, and two freshly-killed rabbits left near Isaac. Maybe they'll suffice for a snack before breakfast.]