02.12.10 - At Least You Aren't

Location: Salamandastron Infirmary

Characters Involved: Sidney, Taye

Taye didn't quite make it into the mountain under his own volition. For the last several hundred yards he was crawling and then he just collapsed. The sentries saw him, though, and he was carried in and rushed up to the infirmary. Hardy conscious, he was stitched up and bandaged up and the healers have been hovering mostly ever since. The lieutenant has lost a lot of blood and it shows in his gums and the inners of his ears. Deathly pale, if you will. He's stripped down to his waste, his torso, neck, and shoulder bandaged up. The few gashes from the claws of the marten's kicking feet have been bandaged, as well, his pants cut away above the knee. He hasn't woken yet and it's been a few hours, now late into the night.

Sidney wasn't there when Taye was brought in, but he heard about it pretty soon. Important news travels fast around here. He showed up for the last of the medic work and has been nearby ever since, tense and worried for his friend. The buck's sitting on a chair near Taye's cot, leaned over forward with his elbows on his knees.. just watching Taye's face. The rise and fall of his chest.

The rise and fall of his chest is shallow, just barely there. Sid's going to have to watch very closely for a bit, there, until his chest suddenly hitches with pain. His forehead wrinkles with discomfort but he doesn't try to move. Apparently if you wake from a black out enough times with holes in you, you learn not to disturb them. His eyes slit open.

Sidney's ears perk and his head lifts a little. "Taye," he says immediately, low and intent. He shifts forward, to the edge of his cot, and brings his hand down to rest very gently on Taye's arm. No squeeze, no pressure except for the ginger contact.

Taye's ears flicker. They are about the only part of him not bandaged, it seems like. His eyes slide to the other buck's face and his throat works as his lips part. "Sid," he croaks.

Aw. Aw man, Taye. Sid blinks a bit furiously, leaning in closer, and his hand presses just very slightly. He wants to squeeze his hand hard, or wrap him in a hug, but this'll have to do. ".. Taye," he mutters, and clears his throat quietly, finding it a bit constricted. He picks up a cup of water next to the cot, and brings this carefully to Taye's lips. It's tilted enough to wet his mouth, not much more than that. "... you made it home."

"... Yeah," he agrees. His eyes slide around the old familiar room and then settle back on Sid's face. His arm - the one of them, anyway - raises and crosses over his body with a ginger sort of wince as his fingers close over the back of Sid's forearm. Squeeze. "Hi," he mutters with a very faint grin.

Sidney's eyes shut at the squeeze that comes in return. It's reassuring, and his lips curve in a faint smile. Kind of wavery, but it's a smile. "... what the hell happened?" he mutters, eyes coming open again to rest on Taye's face.

Taye's jaw works slightly. His entire body feels raw and tight with discomfort. His paw squeezes a little tighter on his arm. "... Marten. Out on the shore. She was... eatin'. /Someone/..." His eyes close. "Looked like a... patrol uniform." A wave of nausea hits him at the memory.

The words send a jolt of feeling through Sid, down into his stomach. A little slice of revulsion, maybe. "... eating?" His ears are splayed out to the sides, expression.. shocked.

Taye doesn't nod, but the ill look on his face is enough confirmation. His muzzle twists as he fights to keep his gorge from rising again. "... Don't wanna talk abou' that righ' now," he whispers. Takes a few seconds. "'Bout half a mile down the beach. Someone c'n... check."

Well, Sid doesn't really want to talk about it, either. He swallows, nodding his muzzle just a little up and down. A glance goes off to the side, but one of the nurses has overheard - hovering as they are - and is already moving toward the door with a troubled look on her face. Sid ducks his head and rubs his fingers at the spot where his hand rests. ".. at least /you/ aren't..." Dead? Eaten? Sid looks vaguely ill at the idea of either. Ah, dammit, tears pricking his eyes.

Taye's eyes slit open again and he looks up at Sid. He manages a faint smile. "... Aw, don't worry. I can't die." It's true. He is indestructible! He breathes out a tired sigh. "... She's abou' s'bad off as I am. Maybe a patrol c'n catch 'er."

".. doesn't mean I /like it/," Sid mutters, voice whispery at the back of his throat, "when you go.. trying to prove that, or something.." There's humor in his tone, just barely. He gently lifts Taye's hand in his own, and gives the knuckles a slight nuzzle. Comfort! For both of them, maybe. ".. if she's all bloodied up, same as you.. they'll track her easy."

Taye's muzzle tilts in a very faint nod. "She is," he murmurs. "Stabbed 'er a coupla times... Gouged out 'er eye, I think."

"She's probably.. bled out somewhere in the.. the dunes already," Sid says vaguely, thumb rubbing at Taye's knuckles, slowly back and forth. ".. if not. Can't have gotten far. Nowhere to hide on the beach, either... They'll get her good for this, I promise, Taye.."

Taye's eyes close again and he just. Takes a deep breath. He feels close to passing out, again. "... I'ma sleep," he mumbles. Just a warning.

Sidney's nose bumps the back of Taye's hand, and he lightly lowers it to the bed again - but with his own under it, lightly holding. ".. I'ma stay here," he responds in a similar mumble. "You just sleep, Taye.. just sleep."

Yeah. Yeah, sleep. Taye's breathing slows but doesn't stop, evening out a little as he drifts off again.