03.06.09 - A Message

Location: Ruingate, Venin House

Characters Involved: Harper, squirrelspoof

Whether they are actually intended as slave quarters or not, Harper has a small room to his very own. It is taken up mostly by his cot - it's really not much more than a closet space. But then again what does a slave need all that room for? Exactly! Harper is awake, this morning, and lies on his cot face down. His knees are drawn up beneath him and his arms are hugged around his ribcage. His forehead is pressed to the hard mattress.

He's not the only slave owned by this family - and now another enters, a squirrel in his teen years, collared also and carrying a small healing kit. "Alec?" That's what Tobe's been calling him, anyway. The two haven't met yet but the squirrel moves to sit on the end of the buck's cot. "I'm .. not very good at healing and all, but I can fix you up a little if you'd like."

The sinking of the mattress cues Harper in to the fact that someone else is there, and then there's a voice! But it's a voice that calls him Alec. Clearly this is not a friend. He manages a faint growl of annoyance.

The squirrel edges back a little. "Hey.. I'm not going to hurt you," he says, and moves one hand to rest it gently on Harper's back. "Let me look at you, I'll do what I can."

Harper's reaction to the paw on his back is to bristle. He's in too much pain to move away. "... Go. 'Way." His throat feels like it has shards of glass in it.

The hand moves away, and the squirrel frowns. "You need to be patched up," he insists. "Tobias will expect you to work whether or not he beat the tar out of you..."

"... Can't fix broken ribs. Can't fix a broken tooth," Harper grunts out.

"Well, uhm." The squirrel hesitates, tail flicking. "I can get you something to help with the pain? Besides, I have a message for you."

"... If it's from the cat, I don't care." Harper whispers. His eyes close. He hesitates, then his head shifts in what is probably supposed to be a nod. "Something. Thanks."

"It's from the doe," the squirrel says.

Harper doesn't say anything for a long time. "... What?"

"The.. the doe. You came here with," the squirrel says. "Passed through the slaves."

"... The message. What is it?" Harper's arms come apart and he pushes them flat to the mattress, sitting up. He winces.

"She's okay," the squirrel says. ".. that's the message. She says she's okay."

Harper doesn't say anything for a very long time. When he does, his tone is short. "You c'n go."

Well obviously the buck has no interest in being helped. The squirrel rises with a small sigh and sets the healing kit down on the bed, for Harper to use if he wants to. He moves out of the room.