darkSpyro

"Yeah. Blood. And Vamp!" he hissed, tensing.

Shard grunted, almost tripping once by a hidden rock. He barely was able to keep his balance and keep running.

ooc: is Loren/Nadia anywhere near Shard/Nailoh?

Nadia growled quietly and sniffed the air again. Her teeth sharpened and her nails formed into claws.

Ooc: yep.

Loren heard whoever it was stumbling through the trees, and braced... To find it was Shard, Nailoh on his back. "Woah! Shard! Stop!"

Shard growled, jumping back. He landed on a sharp rock that dug into his heel. He gritted in pain but growled. "Who are you?" The scent was familiar, but hard to distinguish amidst the pain as well as all the other scents. Wait...Nadia?

Nadia sighed and relaxed.
"Oh. It's just you.." She said, actually sounding bored.

"Nadia?" Shard growled.

"Yes, Sherlock, it's me. How many weretigers do you know?" Nadia replied, snarling at him, since he growled.

"Well, excuse me for being blind." Shard replied curtly. He clicked his tongue. "Never mind that, could you help me? I need to get Nailoh to the nearest healer or we'll both be blind." He growled urgently. "I can't tell one direction from another in my state and I'm tired after having to fight off that Vamp."

"Yeah, sure. I can take you to Abby. We're not that far from camp." She said.

Shard grunted in response, taking a step. However, he didn't expect the pain to be so bad and twisted his angle, about to fall.

Nadia hurried to his side and caught him before he fell.
"Careful." She said, actually sounding a little nicer now. "You know, if you're having that much trouble, I could easily carry the both of you. It wouldn't be any trouble at all." She offered.

"No....just carry her." He said, forcing his breath to keep calm. Shard's fur bristled a bit.

Loren intervened. "I'll get her to a Abby." he said, stepping forward and gently getting Nailoh to let go of Shard's back. "Nadia, help him back to camp. Play nice, you two." he reminded her. Nailoh clung to him. "Loren?" "Yep." "Oh thank you... Listen, there is a Vampire on the territory. Sh attacked us by the north stream." "Thanks."

"You're leaving me with him?" Nadia asked, gesturing to Shard, annoyance obvious in her tone of voice. "Super. This will be fun." She add, sarcastically.

"Yes, I'm leaving you with him. Don't bite each other's heads off, okay?" he said, not so sarcastically. Nailoh waved with one hand. "He had better be in one piece, Nadia!" she warned, as Loren carried her off.

"Okay, geez, it's not like I planned on trying to kill him or anything." Nadia sighed.

"Tch...alright....." He mumbled something under his breath about being stuck with someone out in the middle of the forest. Truthfully this was REALLY embarrassing for him. And he was pretty mad about it. First of, he still isn't over the fact that he has to rely on others to help him when his whole life he's done everything pretty much independently. Second of all he doesn't want to be SEEN needing help. And ESPECIALLY not by Nadia.

Nadia turned to Shard and sighed.
"Look, I don't like this any more than you do, but it looks like we're stuck together for the time being. So let's just get this little trip over with." She said.

"Just....be quiet. This 'trip' never happened. Don't you dare say anything about it." He warned and snarled. Shard's fur bristled even more.

Nailoh managed to be in pain and still look worried. "That's going to end so badly." Loren sighed. "I know."

"Like I would even want to. And don't even bother snarling. I'm not the least bit intimidated by you. But let's just hurry this along, because I rather be doing anything else." Nadia hissed.

"Tch, because obviously the blind guy can lead the way." He muttered sarcastically.

"Whatever." Nadia sighed. She then started walking towards camp. "This way, fluffy." She said in a teasing tone.

Loren jogged into camp and snapped orders to go make sure the vampire was out of their territory. Then he headed for Abby's cabin.

Abby hummed as she sat in a comfy chair, typing up a storm on her laptop. At least she could give advice to junior healers when there was really nothing else for her to do.

Loren kicked at the door. "Yo. Help needed!"

Abby stopped humming and set her laptop aside. She hurried over to Loren and Nailoh.
"What's the problem?" She asked.

Shard's muscles flexed slightly at the word 'fluffy' and barely suppressed his anger. Kick to the heel, chop to the base of the neck, grab throat, pull out! Kick to the heel, chop to the base of the neck, grab throat, pull out! Kick to the heel, chop to the base of the neck, grab throat, pull out! His mind kept repeating, replaying mentally how he would kill Nadia here and now. But....he didn't. Shard kept a lid on his anger....for now and shifted to a wolf so he could better use his senses to follow Nadia.

Loren handed her over. "Dirt and rocks in her eyes." He explained. Nailoh whimpered in pain.

Abby gave a slight nod and quickly got out supplies. She first got out a little light.
"Okay, let me see how bad it is. Can you open your eyes for me?" She asked gently.

Nadia stayed in human form and just walked on in silence, putting her hands in her pockets, and being rather relaxed. She didn't want to be stuck with Shard, but at least he wasn't quite as annoying as Roxanne. The vixen would surely pester her constantly until they got to camp. At least Shard stayed pretty quiet. Still, there was no telling for sure what he was thinking.

And silent Shard was. But for him it was like balancing on a knife. He felt like he could snap at any moment. Shard was exhausted, hurting, and more frustrated and embarrassed than he'd ever been in his life. The stress was almost too much to handle. Almost. Keep it in check. Don't want to go on a rampage here.....Keep it in check....

Nailoh opened her eyes slowly, painfully. It was hard, but she managed. She was tearing up. There were little stones and such in her eyes.

Nadia just sighed as continued walking, kind of bored now. She would be less bored if Shard would actually say or do something. But maybe it was best that he didn't.
"We're getting close." She said, in case he actually wanted to know that.

"Hmm, I see." Abby said, frowning slightly. "Don't worry, I'll have your eyes cleaned out in no time." She assured her. Abby then set the little flashlight down. "Just don't rub your eyes, okay? That will only irritate them further. Now I'll be right back, I have to get water to rinse them out with." Abby then got up and headed into the kitchen.

"Good." Shard merely replied.

Nailoh shut her eyes again with a whine of pain. She clenched her hands on the cot she was sitting on. Loren took pity on her and pet her hair softly. She relaxed slowly.

Nadia could see the camp in the distance. "Okay, we're definitely close now. I can see the camp. It's up ahead." She told him.

Abby returned with a small canister of water. Then she picked up an eye dropper to flush out the rocks.
"Okay, I need you to open your eyes and tilt your head back. I'll use the eye dropper to put water in your eyes and flush out the rocks." She said.

"I can smell it too. Weres...." He muttered somewhat dejectedly. "Well, in any case would you take me to the healer tent so I could see Nailoh?" Shard asked with somewhat of a bored tone.

"Yeah, sure. And don't sound so bored, Shard. Being around other weres isn't that bad." She said.

".....tch, I'm just not good around people." Shard muttered looking away.

"And you think I am? I'm not any better, considering my temper and all. But now look at me, wife, mother, leader of camp, or Co. leader anyway. And even though I'm still not really great with people, I still rather be here, in camp, with a family, than out on my own. Besides, Loren..... He helps me..... Helps keep me calm, and helps me to be a better person than I would be on my own....." Nadia trailed off quietly. Then she sighed. "...I kind of hate admitting it, but..... I do need him...." She muttered.

Shard turned his head towards Nadia's direction. "I've been alone, I've always been alone. The one thing I loved in life died because I wasn't strong enough, and I was left with nothing. Nothing. Different from everything else and in a foreign place I knew nothing about. But I lived. I thrived. Loneliness became my best companion until......until I came to your flea-ridden camp and....met her....And now........it's all happening again." Shard sighed. "No....I'm better off where I used to be. Now........." His voice trailed off.

Nadia just sighed and gently shook her head.
"I lost someone, too. Someone I dearly loved and even thought I would someday marry. But he died saving my life. My parents also gave up their lives for mine. I've pretty much been through Hell and back in my life, and I've managed to survive any crap thrown my way. But if it weren't for my sister, I wouldn't be standing here now. Abby helped get me this far, and everyone else played some part as well. As tough as I try to be, I...... I realize that I can't do everything on my own........ Even if I could, I can't imagine my life now without Loren, Wyatt, heck, even friends like Kento..... I may not have been too thrilled about being in this camp when I first got here, but I'm glad I stayed, and I don't want to be anywhere else....... This is my home, my camp...... I live here and fight for those that also live here...... I feel stronger here....." She trailed off as she took a glance around camp.

Nailoh whined as she forced her eyes open again. She waas bleeding slightly, and the tears welling up made it sting. Her claws were ripping into the metal of the cot, knuckles white with repressed cries of pain.
Loren nodded to Abby. "I'll go." he said, and headed out, huffing out a sigh. Someone howled in pain, and soon a mother brought her young son over. He was sniffling, arm broken. He'd been tree climbing. Loren sighed... "Abby is in there." he waved them in.
They headed in. The woman waited patiently. The little boy whimpered quietly.

Abby looked up, seeing the mother come in with her son. She frowned slightly, seeing another patient when she wasn't even finished helping Nailoh yet. She didn't like to keep anyone waiting, but Nailoh was there first, and needed her eyes cleaned out before any more damage could be inflicted.
"I'll be with you as soon as I can." She assured them. Then Abby returned her attention to Nailoh. She filled the eye dropped with water and gently squirted water into her eyes. She then picked up a cloth to wipe away some dirt and blood, careful not to actually touch the eyeballs with the cloth.

Nailoh sat quietly...
The little boy just sniffled. The woman sat with him. "it's fine. He broke his arm. It's not a life threatening injury here." she cuddled her son and hummed a soothing tone.

Abby kept working to clean out Nailoh's eyes. She was going a little slow, careful not to irritate her eyes any further. She was making some good progress.

"Friends? Stronger?....no, they never made me stronger. I always ended up failing them and they'd end up dead the next day." He growled angrily. "I......I was best working alone. Watching my own back. Looking out for my own survival. I shouldn't need to depend on anyone. I was best when I was cold and merciless. Now.....I'm so close to breaking. Once more...Once more and that's all it will take for me to snap and...." Shard's expression changed to that of sorrowful anger, lips curled into a snarl but ears drooped and depressed.

"You could at least try to lighten up. If that's even possible for you. I've had my moments where I've lost control or just accidentally hurt Loren in some way. Worst case scenario, I could really hurt him if I lost it. But he can also calm me down and bring me back from that easier than anyone else, except maybe Abby. It's our love for each other that helps to calm me and give me some control over my halfling form. Since I've arrived here, no matter what has happened, Loren has been there for me, to pick up any broken pieces and help me through whatever problems I had. Yeah, there's always a chance that something could go horribly wrong. I could end up losing him like I lost Cameron...... or I could let go of all that..... I could let Loren help me instead, so that something like that doesn't happen..... I could have a little more faith that the love we share for each other is stronger than any rage I may feel...... Loren gives me a reason to work with my halfling form..... A reason to live....... But if you think you're better off alone, then there's no point in even sharing anymore information, since I obviously can't change your mind. If you rather be alone, then I don't even know why you're here. You clearly think you don't need anyone, you don't want help, and you apparently don't feel any stronger fighting for someone who loves you. So excuse me for wasting your time with my stupid little stories of accomplishment and happiness and all that crap. 'Cause that apparently doesn't mean much to you. But, hey, it's your life. If you want to screw it up and live alone, than be my guest. After all, it doesn't affect my life any. But it does affect Nailoh's. And since you guys have spent so much time together, I can't believe that you would stand here and complain, ranting on about you rather live alone. You seriously need to open your eyes and see the good things in life, because talking to you is just depressing. I'm overcome my problems, and I don't need you bringing me down when I've got it good now. So I think I'll go hang out with someone a little more fun, but I don't think you'll mind, since you like being alone so much." Nadia grumbled. Than she walked off towards her cabin.

Loren headed off to find Clow. He found him sulking in his old cabin. "Hey. What's wrong?" he asked, poking him in the head repeatedly. Clow shrugged. "Abby is always busy these days... At least, when I'm not, anyway." Loren sat and patted his back. "It'll be okay. Just... Keep waiting."