DTC, The Tavern, Forming Relationships...

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Bluestreak:  *sitting on the hearth, hunched over and hugging herself in her cloak as she watches the rain fall through the open common room door*

Wheeljack: *hurrying in to get out of the rain, is whistling that same song he always seems to be whistling*

Bluestreak:  *peers at him from under the hood of her already battered woolen cloak, but then resumes her huddle*

Wheeljack: It's been awhile since I've seen weather like this! *amused by it nonetheless*

Bluestreak:  *quietly replying since even Anna's not in the abandoned common room right now*  Really?  It's been raining a lot lately, though I guess the wind wasn't blowing like this.  It's almost like it's raining sideways, and the thunder sounds like Deepdancer's mad, but she's sleeping in Ratchet's chair in Ironhide's room so I know she's not.  I wonder if Ratchet's okay, though, because he went out today and.....  *little squeak and a wince and falls silent*

Wheeljack: *headtilt, concern clear in his eyes* Are you okay?

Bluestreak:  I think I am, because I don't have a fever like Heartstone has, and I can walk around and everything.

Wheeljack: *small frown behind his mask* Did you get hurt while you were out today? *moving to approach Bluestreak*

Bluestreak:  I didn't go out today.  I went yesterday.  I got caught in a cave in, and something else I can't remember.  *pulls cloak around her more closely, trying to stop a shiver because the shiver hurts*

Wheeljack: *more frown* Did you hit your head? *going to try and get a good look at Bluestreak's eyes now*

Bluestreak:  I don't know.  I think I hit everything, which seems kind of funny when you think about it, but it really isn't. *eyes just slightly out of focus, but also dull with pain*

Wheeljack: *concerned* I think you might've knocked yourself silly... *going to get some of those painkiller herbs that he found  the other day out of his satchel now*

Bluestreak:  *quietly*  Deepdancer says I'm always silly, because I ramble so much.  But I think she likes me anyway.  I guess I should have gone to her or Ratchet when I got home last night, but I was just so tired that I went to sleep instead.  And then I had all these crazy nightmares and I couldn't get them to go away even when I went out and sat with Mika....

Wheeljack: *purses his lips slightly behind his mask* That probably wasn't a good idea, going to sleep with a head injury...

Bluestreak:  *huddles up more*  I'm sorry, but I can't even remember getting home last night, so I must have already been asleep when Mika brought me.  I just remember going to the hearth here and wrapping up, and then having the dreams and going outside to Mika.

Wheeljack: *Soothingly* I'm just worried about you, that's all... *moves to sit down next to Bluestreak and offer her a piece of honeycomb* Here...

Bluestreak:  *looks at the treat and hides*  *apologetically*  Thanks, but I'm not really hungry right now.  It... it hurts to chew.

Wheeljack: *concern grows* Here... lemme have a look...

Bluestreak:  *gives him an uncertain look with those big blue eyes, but she knows he's Ratchet's brother, and Wheeljill and Ironhide's brother, which makes him family*  O... okay.  *pushes back her hood with a slightly shaky hand that's already showing bow calluses, to show that the entire left side of her jaw is bruised black*

Wheeljack: *low whistle* No wonder it hurts to chew... Does it hurt when you try and drink anything? *has the beginnings of an idea forming in his head*

Bluestreak:  I don't think so.  *shivering a little bit and wincing from it*  I haven't really tried though.  I was too busy keeping warm and feeling tired.

Wheeljack: *small nod, reaches to very gently pat her hand before he moves to get up* I've got an idea... I just hope Anna's got a tea kettle or something I can heat water in...

Bluestreak:  *burying herself in the folds of blue wool again*  I think she does, I mean she seems to have everything for cooking, and the soup pot's not here today, so she has that if she doesn't have anything else, right?

Wheeljack: Yup. Sit tight. I'll be right back. *going to try and find Anna and ask about borrowing a small pot, will explain why he needs to borrow said pot*

Anna:  *in her room behind the bar, sitting by the little firepot that she uses for heat and for brewing herself the occasional mug of hot cider like the one she's holding now.  Her little blind wyvern is draped around her shoulders.  She looks up when Wheeljack appears at the half door*  What do you need, 'Jack?

Wheeljack: Anna, do you have a tea kettle or a small pot I could borrow? Bluestreak's jaw's black and blue, and she said it hurts for her to try and chew anything...

Anna:  *frowning as she sets her tankard aside and gets up*  Does she need some broth?

Wheeljack: That'd probably help, but I was thinking more along the lines of brewing some tea outta the painkiller herbs I found earlier.

Anna:  Ah.  *pause and give him a wary look*  How safe are you around fire?

Wheeljack: Safer than 'Jill. *Because he doesn't really muck about with cooking, but he can at least boil water without burning it.*

Anna:  That's not saying much.  That woman's made water explode.

Wheeljack: ... How'd she manage that? *yes, he sounds both exasperated and impressed, Anna*

Anna:  I have no idea.  But however she did it she taught it to Thrrpt and now the kid does it for the fun of it.  *going and getting her cast iron tea kettle and its little matching hob*

Wheeljack: I'll ask her sometime... But right now, I wanna get Bluestreak taken care of...

Anna:  *nods*  I'll get some broth ready.  If those are the usual painkiller herbs then give her honey with them.

Wheeljack: I've got some honeycomb... I can cut it and get the honey out of it for her...

Anna:  Which kind of honeycomb?  *bustling and throwing together the things for a quick broth*

Wheeljack: Redstinger bee.

Anna:  *frown*  Don't give her that.  Don't you know you can get hooked on it?

Wheeljack: ... Seriously? *didn't know that*

Anna:  Seriously.  Sell it to the big shots.  *over to a storage chest and takes out something wrapped in oiled parchment*  Here's a chunk of the good stuff.

Wheeljack: *makes note of that as he puts the honeycomb he had back in the small jar he took it out of* Huh...

Anna:  *gives him a slight grin, and then resumes her broth bustle*  I'll leave the wine out of this.  Ratchet says it's not good to mix with the pain killing herbs.

Wheeljack: *nods* Ratchet'd know... I wonder where he went? I kinda want him to have a look at Bluestreak to make sure she didn't seriously hurt herself when she was caught in the cave-in the other day...

Anna:  He's out working.  Might not be back tonight, with the way the storm's going.

Wheeljack: Well, I hope 'Mia found him then....

Anna:  *chuckles*  If she did he won't be back tonight.  Chromia and Ironhide only have one use for storms like this.

Wheeljack: ... Huh? *puzzled*

Anna:  They sleep through them.  They slept right through the stable roof blowing off a few years ago. *yes, she's talking about the women who will wake and go for the throat if someone unknown tries breaking into said stable*

Wheeljack: ... o_o;; wow...

Anna:  But enough chitchat.  Go heat your water and make your tea.  *flaps a hand at him*

Wheeljack: *nods and goes to do so*

Bluestreak:  *folded down when he returns to the hearth, her forehead on her knees and her cloak pooling all around her like muddy water.  Her back is rising and falling in the slightly erratic rhythm of troubled sleep*

Wheeljack: *reaches to gently nudge her with his foot as he gets everything set up to make tea*

Bluestreak:  *soft murmur in a language that's not Common, or the wood elf tongue*

Wheeljack: *Blink blink, shrugs and nudges her again*

Bluestreak:  *groans and sits up slowly, face covered by her hood*  What...?

Wheeljack: Anna's making you some broth... and once I get these herbs steeped, there'll be tea...

Bluestreak:  *groggy blinking*  Okay....  I....  Hrrmm.  Weird dreams.  But I dreamed Ratchet and Chromia were sleeping.  *rubs eyes*

Wheeljack: They prolly are... Apparently, 'Mia and 'Hide can sleep through storms...

Bluestreak:  *sleepy half grin*  Yeah, Old Lumen was talking about that the other day, when we had that smaller storm.

Wheeljack: Apparently, one time, the stable roof got torn off, and they slept right through it... *Keeping an eye on Bluestreak as he works to make the painkiller herbs into a tea, which then gets sweetened with some of the honey from the honeycomb Anna gave him*

Bluestreak:  *reluctantly puts her hands out of her cloak and takes the cup, then blows on it and breaths in the steam for a few moments, her eyelids drooping again*

Wheeljack: *reaches to gently touch Bluestreak's shoulder*

Bluestreak:  *slightly startled blink and a quizzical look*  Did I fall asleep again and miss something you said?

Wheeljack: You were nodding off... *concern clear in his actions as he moves to sit next to her*

Bluestreak:  *sips tea and sighs*  I'm so tired that it's starting to hurt too.

Wheeljack: *keeping an eye out for Anna* Well, hopefully this helps you feel better...

Bluestreak:  *uncharacteristically silent nod, and then she blows on her tea again before drinking deeply*

Anna:  *comes out and saws a slice of stale bread off the loaf on the bar, then puts it on the bottom of a big tin bowl before pouring broth in on top of it*

Wheeljack: *Attention goes to the bar, and then he's nodding before returning his attention to Bluestreak* Think you'd be able to walk over to the bar, or should we just sit tight here?

Bluestreak:  *quietly*  I could walk to the bar, but I really want to stay here by the fire.  It's warm here, and I'm almost comfortable.

Wheeljack: Alright... *still going to keep an eye on you, Bluestreak*

Anna:  *bringing the bowl over, and there's a spoon in it.  Offers it to Wheeljack, her expression concerned as she looks at the bruise now visible on Bluestreak's alabaster skin*

Bluestreak:  *downs the rest of her tea and makes a rather comical ick face which makes her wince as it pulls on bruised muscles*  *quietly*  Thank you, Anna.  I'll make sure your dishes go back safely, um, how much will this cost?  I can give you the gold now....

Anna:  That's free.  Just hushup and eat.  *turns and heads back to her room*

Bluestreak:  *blinky*

Wheeljack: *Soft chuckle* Would you like some help with this? *yes, he's being sincere*

Bluestreak:  Yes, I think I could use some help.  I'm a little shaky, and I might spill the soup if I put it on my knees like I usually do.  And I really don't want to spill it.  I think it'd make me cry....

Wheeljack: *nods and moves to offer her a bite of the broth*

Bluestreak:  *is a good patient, who drinks every spoonful he offers her.  Gradually as she does she starts to relax as the medicine he gave her takes effect, and finally, when the broth is mostly gone, she reaches for a bit of the soggy bread and eats it carefully*

Wheeljack: *will gently drape his cloak around her shoulders when she's done eating* When Ratchet gets back, or Deepdancer wakes up, whichever happens first, you should have one of 'em look you over to make sure you're not seriously hurt...

Bluestreak:  *leans against him, her unbruised cheek resting against his arm*  Alright.  Do you think I can sleep now?  Because I'm really really tired and it's getting hard to think.

Wheeljack: I think so... I've got an extra bedroll, if you'd like a bit more padding...

Bluestreak:  Padding....  *sighs and nuzzles her face against his arm and then goes limp*

Wheeljack: *Acks softly and moves to check on her*

Bluestreak:  *sound asleep, her breathing deep and steady as she cuddles against him*

Wheeljack: *blink blink* Er... *looks around, before gently setting Bluestreak down long enough to unroll the spare bedroll he mentioned and spreads it on the hearth. Then he's carefully setting the half-elf down onto said bedroll*

Bluestreak:  *murmurs quietly and give a little shiver, then moves restlessly till she's no longer laying on the bruised part of her head.  If Wheeljack looks he'll see that the bruising extends back from her jaw and up, and over the back of her head, showing through her fair cropped curls in places*

Wheeljack: *Small frown, murmurs something quietly in the dialect of his home region, before moving to sit down next to Bluestreak, intending to keep an eye on her until Deepdancer wakes up or Ratchet returns.*


Out in the cellar under the stable


Kia:  *sound asleep after a hard night's work helping one of Anna's cattle deliver a tangled set of twins, the blankets tossed around her curled form and a slight smile on her face as she dreams of sun and sand and a whispering ocean*

tiny bull calf:  *laying in the crate he was put in, though he's lifting his head for the first time now to look around this quiet, peaceful place*

Perceptor: *oblivious to this, as he's fallen asleep at the desk... again.*

bull calf:  *his belly hurts.  He needs something....*  *makes a few thumps in his box as he tries to get to his feet, but then startles and huddles like a baby deer as someone pounds loudly on the trap door*

Kia:  *sits bolt upright, blinking disoriented*  What?  Perceptor... where?

pounding:  *happens again*

Perceptor: *Sleepy murmur*

Kia:  *looks at him and then rolls out of bed and jumps into her outer pants as she hurries to the ladder.  A quick snap of her belt and then she's climbing the ladder to call out to the knocker that she's coming*

bull calf:  *bawws*

Perceptor: *blinks blearily and moves to sit up with a wince*

Kia:  *talks for a moment, and then accepts something and climbs back down the ladder as the trap door is closed by the visitor*  Perceptor, are you awake, my love?

Perceptor: Barely... *stretching and wincing more as his back pops*

Kia:  Blackout has brought you a gift.  At least I'm fairly certain that Flashpoint wouldn't have been out in the storm and looking that slim.  *walking over to the desk, her bare feet soundless on the fur rugs that cover the wooden floor*

Perceptor: *small frown, nods* Not to mention that Tracks would not likely let Flashpoint go out in the storm in her condition....

Kia:  Yes, that too.  *pale blue eyes sparkle with amusement as she holds out the oilskin wrapped package*  I wonder if any of the others know how Blackout can change her skin.

Perceptor: *As he moves to reach for the package* I'm not certain that they are aware of the fact...

Kia:  She is a very old, and very powerful being.  I am thankful to the Starsinger that she has decided to live here in peace.  *gives him what feels to be a wrapped and carefully padded book*

Perceptor: Most curious... *moving to carefully uncover the book*

Kia:  *watches as he discloses a delicate and exquisitely detailed book of Undergoth prophecy*  *soft chuckle*  I think we're going to need bigger shelves soon.  *looks over at the calf then as he 'mmmmms' hopefully and excuses herself to get him some milk from where it's stored in a box of straw in the shower*

Perceptor: *Absent sound of agreement, has already started reading*

Kia:  Have you eaten?  *prepares a pan of milk and feeds the little calf, who is too weak yet to punch very hard and too unsteady with his injured leg to try*

Perceptor: *another absent sound, is engrossed in reading*

Kia:  *soft chuckle as she finishes caring for the calf.  Then examines the little creature before hefting him with difficulty under one arm and going to the base of the ladder with intention of bringing him back up to his mother where she and his twin brother are residing in a stall during the storm*

Perceptor: *Blinking a bit as the letters on the page start to blur slightly*

Kia:  *halfway up the ladder and suddenly gasps as the calf wriggles*  Perceptor, help me!

Perceptor: *sets the book down and hurries over to the ladder*

Kia:  *struggling to keep her grip on calf and ladder, but it's clear that she's losing the fuzzy baby*

Perceptor: *moves to lay against the ladder and support the calf*

Kia:  *shaky*  Will you take him, my love?  I....  *swallows, showing the first fear he'll have seen in her*  I do not think I can bring him up.

calf:  *nose in Perceptor's face*

Perceptor: Of course... *carefully moving to take the calf*

Kia:  *has to force her fingers to let go, and then leans her forehead against the ladder and breaths deeply*  

Perceptor: *soothing sounds for both the calf and Kia*

calf:  *looks around curiously, his big brown eyes dark in his little white face*

Kia:  *finally takes a last deep breath and then looks down at Perceptor*  Can you think of a way to lift him out of here?  He needs to go back to his mother.

Perceptor: Perhaps using a sling of some sort?

Kia:  *considers that and nods*  Will you lift him?  *obviously not feeling confident for a second try on her own part*

calf:  *licks the front of Perceptor's robe*

Perceptor: Of course.

Kia:  Thank you.  *gives him her gentle smile, and then quickly scales the ladder to go get some ropes.  Ties these quickly into a safe holder for the bull calf, and then comes back down*  Alright, now we must put him into this....

calf:  *soon trussed up and flicking his woolly ears wonderingly*

Perceptor: *moving to climb up the ladder so he can lift the calf*

Kia:  *makes sure the rope is straight so that the end of it isn't yanked out of his belt as he goes up*

Perceptor: *once he's up the ladder, he's moving to carefully lift the calf via the sling and rope system*

calf:  *kicks a back foot slightly, then looks down to see where the ground is going*

Perceptor: *Soothing sounds* Do not fear, little one... Soon you shall be reunited with your mother and your sibling... *works on pulling the calf up through the opening in the stable floor*

calf:  *flicking little round ears, and as soon as he feels the floor under his hooves even weakness and injury can't keep him from trying to bounce*

Perceptor: *moving to try and guide the calf towards his mother* Now now, there will be plenty of time for that in the morning... *sounds amused*

Kia:  *climbing out after them.  Is amused herself*  It is only just after noon, my love.  The darkness is from the storm.

calf:  *bounce bounce bounce.  Is easy to steer and willing to obey what Perceptor is showing him to do.  Has his head down and his tail slightly arched and is liking the game.  But then he stops short as his mother scents him and calls.  Ears flicking!  What is it!?*

white cow:  *another gentle call.  She'd like her baby back now please, Perceptor.*

Perceptor: *guides the calf to his mother* Most curious... *If push comes to shove, he will pick the calf up and carry the little guy to his mother*

calf:  *follows Perceptor's lead.  He still likes the game, even if he is curious about that big talking behind this door*

Perceptor: Kia, love, would you get the door?

white cow:  *noses the door, and then steps back out of the way*

Kia:  Yes.  *slides it open and grins at the little white mother who is standing and watching them hopefully as her other son sleeps in the straw with his head curled over his back*

calf:  *answering the soft moo now with a little 'mmmm' of his own*

Perceptor: *moves to gently nudge the calf through the door*

calf:  *in he goes!  And then he pays careful attention as Kia shows him a good place to get more milk!  Soon drinking and waving his tail*

Kia:  *walks over to Perceptor, her pale face shining as she smiles at him*

Perceptor: *Soft chuckle as he moves to put an arm around Kia*

Kia:  *puts her arms around him and rests her cheek against his chest as she watches the little calf drink*  It is a pretty picture.  *one hand gently rubs his back*

Perceptor: *nods* Agreed... *small smile*

Kia:  *softly and knowingly, but without looking up at him*  Did you sleep last night, my love?

Perceptor: *Sheepishly* I lost track of time while doing research...

Kia:  *light chuckle*  Well, then let's go back to bed.  *steps away from him and turns toward the trap door*

Perceptor: *nods and moves to follow Kia*

Kia:  *leaps lightly down through the trap door as she often does, then wanders over to look at the new book as she unfastens her belt buckle*  Hmmm.  Pretty.

Perceptor: *moving to climb down the ladder as he usually does* Indeed... Though I wonder where Blackout managed to procure such a book...

Kia:  *pokes through the wrappings, then picks up a note and looks at it.  Brows shoot up as she realizes it's written in her native script*  ...The underworld.

Perceptor: My word...

Kia:  This says that the book was written by an 'Undergoth fanatic', and that it is supposed to be full of prophecies for the future of the Undergoth people.  She says she also has another book, but that it's in a condition that she thinks will render it unappealing to us.

Perceptor: I do wonder what the condition would be to be unappealing... *covers his mouth as he yawns*

Kia:  *turns back to him, setting the letter down as she does so*  We can find out tonight.  You need your sleep now.

Perceptor: *muffled murmur of "Yes, dear."*

Kia:  *off go the outer pants, and then in her knee length tunic and inner pants she's coming over to tug on his belt and try to help him get ready for bed*

Perceptor: *getting his robe removed, or trying to*

Kia:  *helps with the ease of what is fast becoming long practise, then pats him on the chest encouragingly*  Do not forget your boots, my love.

Perceptor: *small nod, moves to sit down so he can remove his boots*

Kia:  *crawls onto the bed behind him and starts getting the blankets all straightened out.  Then pauses to smell her tunic and throws it on the floor before scooting over to get a new under shirt and exchanging it for the one she's got.  Clad now in knee length white linen shirt and green silk leggings, she crawls back into bed and smiles at her room mate*

Perceptor: *has won the fight against his boots, moves to scoot back a bit so his legs aren't hanging off the edge of the bed. Covers his mouth as he yawns again and blinks blearily*

Kia: *rubs his back and then uses the hand to urge him to lay down.  Uses the other hand to pat his pillow and loose the lavender smell from it*

Perceptor: *will lay down when urged, still blinking blearily* *quietly* Thank you, Kia...

Kia:  *pulls the blankets and furs up around them and then slips her arms around him from behind and snuggles close to his warmth*  For what, my love?

Perceptor: *just as quietly as before* For everything... *moves to snuggle close*

Kia:  *reaches up and pulls the lamp string to drop the shade over the flame, then gently pats Perceptor on the chest as she closes her eyes*  *very softly, as she settles herself for a return to slumber*  No, my love.  Thank you.

Perceptor: *Quiet sound of contentment as he slips into slumber*

((co-written with random_xtras))