The Fall to Start It All -- Tag: Shoki

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77.06.12


A scream of frightened desperation pierced the air. Two hearts beating rapidly with growing horror raced across the far edge of the southern fields far from any help that could be provided in time. One racing heart belonged to a runner as it bolted in a race with the wind itself. The other heart cried in the center of a terrified girl that clung to the saddle and mane with a white grip of fear. 

A second scream tore forth from the girl's throat as the jungle rushed rapidly towards her. Her near-white hair broke free from it's braided bun and whipped her back with each stride of her runaway mount. She was not used to riding faster than a slow trot. She had been riding out to the crop fields where her family was working for the day. She was bringing them food and water. The food basket went crashing to the ground at the first jumping kicks from her mount. The water skins slapped the runner's flanks making the situation dire as instead of relaxing under her gentle croons, it prompted the frightened runner into bolting. There was nothing she could do to stop it. Realizing this for herself after her attempts at calming it failed, she had quickly become terrified at the speed at which the ground underneath her was tearing past. 

Darting her wide gaze to the rapidly approaching greenery of the jungle she screamed again in a desperate, wordless cry for help. Did anyone hear her? 

Gripping the flying mane and saddle with white knuckles made no difference in the end for it was not just her that came crashing into a terrible halt with the ground. In one moment her frantic eyes were filled with tears and the blur of the ground underneath pounding hoofs. In the next moment, without having let go of her mount, her world twisted in a sickening flip. Two hooves had fallen into a natural burrow with no chance of recovery. The snapping of the runners neck put it swiftly out of its misery. Bellamia was not so fortunate. 

Bleeding from several scratches along her head and right arm, her world stopped moving. When her frightened mind realized that she was still alive, she opened her mouth to cry out with her suffering but nothing came out. Laying upon her belly, and right cheek, she did not even try to move. She knew if she did, this great pain might possibly become even worse. A heavy weight lay across her buttocks. It was the runner's broken neck. It was dead.

Both legs of hers were bent unnaturally. One bend was above her left ankle. The other was midway up her lower right leg. Her right shoulder was dislocated. A moment after the pain of her injuries became known to her the girl, Bellamia Goldenborn, passed out from the strain. It was unclear how long she would be out. It was unclear if she would even be found.

[Shoki]

Another day, another visit to the Weyr. Cr’wean was perpetually busy it seemed. Fortunately this time he didn’t have to stay out all hours for his shift. Lucky him. He was flying to the Weyr, Kiyosh flying at her usual speed, a rather relaxed pace. It was all so average and normal, that what came next was a jarring surprise.

[smear:993300]Cr’wean.[/smear:A0522D"] Cr’wean jolted out of his thoughts as Kiyosh suddenly started to turn, spiraling above the edge of the jungle in a manner that came naturally to her. Cr’wean looked down, attempting to determine what had Kiyosh so serious. When he saw it, his brow furrowed and he spoke seriously.

“Land.”

Kiyosh landed in the fields, and Cr’wean dismounted. As soon as he did so he was struck with the sudden realization that he didn’t hear anything. He dashed forward to inspect the figure who looked so awkward, and let out a little breath. Well, at the very least he still had a patient. He turned back to Kiyosh, who nodded and opened her beak as Cr’wean pushed the dead runner off of her so he could get a good look at his patient.

Low and reedy, Kiyosh’s voice spread over the girl as Cr’wean investigated with his fingers. Two breaks were clear, and they were already starting to swell. One was clean, the other, not so much. He checked her arms, but they felt good, until he got to her shoulder. Kiyosh’s song changed slightly, reedy and soothing. Pain relief. Well, it was lucky she was out already. With a grunt he pushed and popped the shoulder back into its proper place. He examined to check that it was done alright, but it was clear it was back. Now for the rest. The scratches were all minor, easy to bandage, but he was cautious about moving her much. At least until Kiyosh was finished with her observation as well. He had faith in his abilities, he was good with bones, but in a situation like this, he wanted to be sure. Moving her could be dangerous.

He went back to Kiyosh to grab his bag, which was full of the usual tools of his trade. Bandages came out and he started to patch her up, Kiyosh finally gave him the go ahead to move her. He turned her over so he could work properly, working diligently on getting her to a state where he was comfortable getting her on a Lifewing.

“Call the Aerie, let them know what is going on, she’ll need a room and I need a hand with transporting.” Cr’wean didn’t even look up. Kiyosh would handle it nicely. Help was on the way.

[Deleted]

The once passive face of the girl, slowly scrunched up in an ugly expression shortly after she was turned over. A hiss of breath was sucked in between her clenched teeth and a little cry escaped her lips. Arching her back a little and tilting her chin up, her fingers sought for something she could grab hold of but there was nothing but the ground underneath her. Bellamia's eyes remained closed but it was very clear that she was awake and in a great deal of anguish. Tears pooled upon her sealed lashes and gently rolled down her scratched and dirty face. 

Sounds came to her ears. The rustling of movement. Her own heartbeat. Her quiet little whimpers she could not hold back and a sound she'd never heard before. It was reedy and soothing. The intensity of the pain she could have been feeling in this moment was lessened because of the lifewing's song. But Bellamina was clueless. She did not even know a lifewing was near. She knew nothing at all but her pain, her fear and the strange sounds of something and someone nearby. 

Fluttering open her eyes for a moment she shut them quickly when the world spun out of control and her peek produced nothing but blurry shapes. One of which was quite large. Was it a boulder maybe? It was a strangely-shaped one if it were. 

"Daddy?" She cried quietly, wondering if maybe it was her father nearby. She was too old to call her father 'daddy' but in this moment it really didn't matter. In her fear it did not matter at all.

[Shoki]

As he worked, she came to. Sort of. It was a good sign, even if it might be painful. Cr’wean was about to talk, prompting conversation while he worked, but then she spoke and he was surprised. Did he look old enough to be this girl’s father? He both hoped that he did and he didn’t, for entirely different reasons.

“No. My name is Cr’wean. I’m a healer. Can you tell me what happened?” Cr’wean looked at her legs and grimaced. Splinting them was not going to be pleasant. Kiyosh, can you increase volume? Kiyosh started singing louder in response, and both he and Kiyosh could feel the song now. Not pain relief like it would be for their patient. A slightly weariness seeped in. It wasn’t bad, they could keep this up for a while, but it was more taxing then before. Of course he was willing to do this, since he knew others would be on the way.

“This will hurt.” But it had to be done. He started with her right leg, pushing the leg back into place so he could splint it. He stopped after, to check how she was doing.

[smear:993300]A rider and a healer inbound.[/smear:A0522D"] She didn’t say much beyond that, she was concentrating on singing.

[Deleted]

A voice she did not recognize. Words that made her confused. Could she tell this stranger, this healer, what happened? Shaking her head for an answer instead of speaking was a very bad idea. The sickening wave of nausea from the movement made her moan in misery. 

"Cr'wean." She finally muttered as an echo when the worst of the nausea passed with nothing more than a small gag and cough. "Healer." 

She was glad for a healer. She needed one. Why she needed one was a jumble of disconnected mysteries. In this moment when pain was all encompassing, she had no idea what had happened to her. Where was she anyway? Opening her eyes in a second attempt to see was a little bit better than the first. She saw a slightly curly head of dark brown hair leaning over her legs and what was that?!

A creature that was both beautiful and terrifying stood with wicked-looking claws. Was it staring at her? She felt strangely comforted by the sound -- it was coming from the feathered one -- increased in volume. It was a lifewing! Trying to lift her head to see it better was a horrible idea. The nausea returned ten-fold. She didn't even get a chance to moan with the misery of it before three little words reached her ears. What was going to hurt? She already hurt. 

Instead of a moan, a sobbing scream coughed forth and the mercy of unconsciousness was not kind this time. She was still awake. "Stop." She cried pitifully.


[She has a concussion and will vomit if moved into a sitting or upright position.]

[Shoki]

Cr’wean avoided grumbling. He might do it constantly, but he didn’t have as much time as his mind went a mile a minute. She was mostly giving him one word statements. Not fun. Of course even worse to the untrained observer was the scream and he insistence he stop. Not so simple, but for now he was merely keeping the leg that was now in proper alignment according to his fingers in place with a splint. He did continue to talk though. Less because he enjoyed conversation, and more coaxing her into one. And explaining what was going on.

“Sorry, but if we are going to move you out of the middle of nowhere, we can’t go making things worse. Your legs are broken, and I started with the most painful one to set. It’s straight now, but I have to do the other one.” Cr’wean was about to keep talking when a higher, more clear voice settled into the song that was already being sung. He looked back for a moment and spied the other lifewing landing next to Kiyosh, and holding another rider and a regular healer. They brought a stretcher, which was good. They didn’t look very pleased when they saw what was going on.

“What’s the situation?”

“Two breaks, on dislocation, a number of lacerations.” The healer went to check Cr’wean’s current work, giving Cr’wean a moment to sit.

[smear:993300]Concussion.[/smear:A0522D"]

“And a concussion.” Cr’wean motioned behind him as he spoke, giving the other men a pretty good idea why he had tacked that on to the end.

“We’ll get ready.” The trotted back to lay out the stretcher while Cr’wean turned back to the girl.

“Ready?” He couldn’t wait much longer on this, but fortunately the Lifewings were only on pain relief. They needed to start moving onto other songs though.

[Deleted]

Another lifewing came. Bellamia saw it land and the person dismount and ask what was going on. Between what Cr'wean had already spoken to her and what he said now to the other, Bellamia had a pretty good idea now of why she was suffering. Strangely though her previous level of pain was decreasing very swiftly. The songs of two lifewings on pain relief was doing an amazing job. The throbbing pain in her head was now only a dull ache. The ache in her fixed shoulder was completely gone now. Her legs though still hurt her enough to cause her attention to be focused there.

Was who ready? Cr'wean had asked that. Was he speaking to her or to the other one that had come? He had only straightened one of her broken legs. Now he had to do the other. The realization of this fact came slowly but when it did come she took a deep breath for courage and to brace herself. Then she spoke. Her words this time were more than just one at a time. The decrease in her pain helped her much in her ability to speak more clearly.

"I know you have to but..." She didn't want him to do it. She knew it must be done though. So with tears streaming down her cheeks she amended what she was about to say with this instead. "Yes... I'm ready."

[Shoki]

Cr’wean waited until she spoke and then nodded. He didn’t have to take more than a moment, he was confident as he set the leg.

But it would still hurt.

Moving quickly to splint it now that it was in place, the stretcher was placed behind him and the other rider moved to her other side. The moment he was done, Cr’wean moved out of the way and the stretcher went right next to him. In a well-practiced fashion, they moved her onto the stretcher, just one quick motion before she was on it. Then they secured her while Cr’wean and the other rider started talking in a language all their own.

“You want to keep up the relief tune?”

“What needs doing next?”

“One for the concussion. I could start the one for repair but you know how that goes.”

“Salagash is better with concussions, we’ll leave the last part to Kiyosh.”

The riders helped to lift the stretcher as they talked, securing her on the back of Kiyosh. The Vulture never stopped singing, even as the other lifewing changed tunes for things humans hand could not fix. All settled, the other pair started moving to the other lifewing, whereas Cr’wean got on Kiyosh.

“We’ll get you to the Aerie. You’ll be okay.” He sounded confident, or was it just professional? Either way, it was the healer training talking. Not that he wasn’t confident, it’s just if he was talking strictly about his own skills, he would sounds a lot more grumpy. Still, they made toward the Aerie with good time.
---
Cr’wean was drained. Sure, there was everything that came with being a healer. Mostly it was being a Lifewing rider. At the Aerie those two things were hard to confuse. Healing was just patching people up, and all the other things he wasn’t as good at. Being a rider meant that his energy and his partner’s was easily given to others, so that they could be made better.

Not that he regretted it, but it did make his mood worse. He bottled it all up for later though.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Cr’wean was checking up, and Kiyosh was singing softly. The rooms of the Aerie were made so that the Lifewings could continue their work form outside them. Cr’wean rubbed the back of his head as he watched her reaction. “What’s your name?” Something he should probably learn here…

[Deleted]

The setting of her second leg was hard to take. It pained her a great deal despite the songs of the two lifewings. Surprisingly though it felt a little better after it was back into proper alignment. Bellamia appreciated that the healer Cr'wean had done it quickly.

Looking upon the stretcher as it was placed by her, she stiffened a little when the two healers moved her onto it. A wave of dizziness made her head spin at the movement. Raising a hand to her forehead she closed her eyes tight. After she lay her arm by her side again, she was secured to the stretcher and it was picked up. The conversation they had with each other was very confusing. After a time she quit trying to make sense of it.

Opening her eyes she saw the two lifewings better when she was moved to Kiyosh and her heart jumped with a strange desire. She did not know why, not yet anyway. Her mind was too distracted to realize the significance of this moment.

----

Resting in a room at the Aerie, Bellamia listened to the song from Kiyosh. It was soothing and was helping her to feel better. Her song was soft. Then Cr'wean, her rider, checked up on her. How was she feeling?

"I am doing better. It doesn't hurt so much." She gave him a weak smile.

What was her name? Bellamia's eyes narrowed slightly as if she were in deep thought. Did she remember her name? Did she have amnesia now? How hurt was her head? After only a short moment as the wave of discomfort passed, she looked up to Cr'wean again and said, "I am Bellamia. What happened to me?"

[Shoki]

Better. That was good. He nodded to himself, debating dimly on explaining what would happen next. But he finished listening to her first. Then he answered her questions.

“You would know better than I about the runner. As for how that affected you, you have two broken legs, and a number of cuts. I fixed your shoulder, you just need to rest it for a while to avoid dislocating it again.” He pointed to the correct shoulder by way of explanation. He was pretty sure she could have guessed though. “You took a hit to the head, it seems, but as long as you just rest, there isn’t much to worry about. Kiyosh doesn’t foresee other problems.”

[smear:993300]Cute human gets better, I get a snack.[/smear:A0522D"] Kiyosh told her rider with a little more upbeat attitude. He sighed.

Yes, I’ll ask later about the runner. Vultures. His attention returned to Bellamia.

“Bellamia, You will have to been the Aerie for a while, it will be a bit before you will be allowed to walk.” Certainly if he had anything to say about it. He wasn’t about to let a patient of his rebreak their legs.

[Deleted]

When a runner was mentioned the memory of that terrible moment came back to her and her brows furrowed and her eyes grew very sad. Yes, she remembered how it had spooked on her and then how she had woken. She recalled seeing a large animal nearby but had not really paid it much attention in her dizziness at the time. The runner. It had not been moving and that brief memory told her that it was probably dead. She felt bad for it and then was very grateful that she had not shared its fate.

Cr'wean and Kiyosh had found her. How far after the event had she been found? Did it really matter? Yes. Her family might be worried. Did they know she was here? Several questions raced through her mind but she kept quiet as Cr'wean listed the injuries that she had sustained. As serious as it all sounded, she knew it could have been so much worse. It was good that Kiyosh did not foresee any other problems. She had enough to worry about. Giving a slight nod, thankful that the wave of dizziness did not plague her too badly for the action, she acknowledged all that Cr'wean had told her.

She will have to be at the Aerie for a while? She could not walk for a while? The first filled her heart with a strange sense of excitement. The second a wave of sorrow. Not walk? Being stuck in bed? What could she possibly do laying in bed? There was work to be done and people to help. How could she not walk? She would be useless. A burden on society. Instead of feeling sorry for herself though, she swallowed that bitter pill and chose to focus one what she could still do. Get well.

"I will rest but..." She sighed and changed her thought away from asking for a task to something she was thankful for and a question she was curious about. "...The runner. I remember that I was taking food and drink to my family in the fields. They will be worried for me. I am a Goldenborn. The runner ran away with me around middle-meal. Is it the same day? Did you see me fall? What is it like to be a lifewing rider? I feel drawn to them. Kiyosh is... she feels... I don't know. I like her very much."

She was rambling a little and she knew it so she closed her mouth and cracked a little smile. "You and Kiyosh saved my life. Thank you." She finished and then remained quiet shifting her shoulders a little with discomfort.

[Shoki]

So many questions. Cr’wean got a little of his usual grump back into his face. Even so he waited until she was quite done.

Then, of course, she had to finish by thanking him. Cr’wean was never good with ‘thank you’s. He huffed a little. Kiyosh took the opportunity to barrel into the conversation.

[smear:993300]Oh, I am glad you like me too. It’s nice to meet you little Bellamia. It’s wonderful to see you feeling better.[/smear:A0522D"] The mindvoice of the Vulture was remarkably reminiscent of her song. It was low, a little rougher, but Kiyosh’s enthusiasm broke through regardless. Even so, it was clearly female. Cr’wean merely cleared his throat, and Kiyosh continued with the song she accidently dropped in her excitement. Still, nothing hurt, she picked it up where she left off.

“I can get a message out, we’ll let them know.” He didn’t sound as reassuring as he did gruff, and he mentally went over the other question. What was it like being a lifewing rider? “Tiring. It’s tiring to be a lifewing rider.” His words were basically as blunt as could be.

[smear:993300]Oh? What about all that stuff you were worried about when I was a fledgling, hmmm?[/smear:A0522D"]

Pretty much immediately forgotten once I started work. The song broke off for a moment and replaced with Kiyosh’s hissy laughter. Different Lifewings made different noises, but often the ones around humans mimicked them. So Kiyosh’s way of laughing was to use her natural hiss to mimic a snicker. She got back on song though.

[smear:993300]Don’t listen to him, Bellamia. It’s quite lovely. We find a song that matches our own, and we reflect our rider’s song in our feathers.[/smear:A0522D"] Cr’wean huffed. ‘In the feathers of a Lifewing, their rider’s heart can be seen’. A most annoying thought, but it was rather forgotten once one was a full rider. Not because it was or wasn’t true, but once it hit that stage, it was merely part of normal life. Therefore, not exciting at all.

[Deleted]

Bellamia heard a voice in her mind. She'd never experienced such a thing before. It was a little worrisome at first when she thought she was going crazy. But then the words themselves registered and a tired look of wonderment lit up her face. Kiyosh was speaking with her! And what a sweetheart this lifewing was!

Cr'wean was gruff now in his responses. It was nice that a message would be sent to her family but had she offended him somehow? Why did he sound and look so grumpy now?

Before she could utter anything a hissing sort of laugh was audible from Kiyosh and it made her grin a little to hear it. Laughter in whatever form could be contagious. Then the lifewing was speaking to her again. A song that matches the rider's own? Reflecting that song in their feathers? The first sounded amazing. The second was just confusing. But after considering what both the man and the lifewing had said, Bellamia responded.


"Tiring? I think it would be wonderful and an honor to share a song with one." She contradicted quietly. Then her brashness got the better of her and she added something she instantly regretted. "I think you like it too but are just too grumpy to admit it. If I were a rider I would be smiling all the time, tired or not. A smile heals the soul both your own and those who you smile at. You're a healer right?"

Quickly she placed a hand over her mouth and her eyes grew a little wide. Had she just insulted the man that had saved her life?

[Shoki]

“Honor or no, tiring is a fact.” Cr’wean remained in the same mood until she spoke again, at which point he just stared at her. Kiyosh was just delighted.

[smear:993300]Oh go on Cr’wean, heal some folks and give us a smile.[/smear:A0522D"] Cr’wean turned bright red. Stupid Lifewing. He could feel his temper getting the better of him.

“I’ll be sure to mention that to the healercraft hall to get the in the curriculum.” Cr’wean merely sounded sarcastic, it was better than blowing up in a patient’s room. Last time he did that, well, there was a reason he was used to graveyard shifts. “And yes I am a healer, would be even if I hadn’t become a Lifewing rider.” Cr’wean still sounded testy. Kiyosh wasn’t exactly about to let this go though.

[smear:993300]Don’t worry Bellamia, he’s always like this. Isn’t that right, my adorable rider?[/smear:A0522D"] Cr’wean twitched. Beet red that went all the way to his ears. Of course she had gone and said that to the patient as well.

“I take it all back, it’s the most aggravating thing in existence.”

[smear:993300]Aw, is my cute little man all upset? Shall I give you a smile?[/smear:A0522D"]

Kiyosh…

[Deleted]

Bellamia acknowledged that being a lifewing rider was tiring. He'd said that more than once now. How it could be tiring, she did not know. But she wasn't about to open her mouth again and ask just in case she said something else she would regret. With her worried eyes focused upon the healer she slowly lowered her hand to rest on her belly. Her pink lips were turned down slightly with her expression.

"Sarcasm is not nice. I was being serious." She blurted out and again found her hand over her mouth. But then Kiyosh seemed to know just what to say and her worry-filled eyes quickly turned into a subtle dancing mirth. Cr'wean was so red right now. It was clear that he was not happy, but Kiyosh, she made everything alright.

With Cr'wean's grouchy retraction of his statement by saying it was the most aggravating thing in existence to be a lifewing rider along with what Kiyosh said next, Bellamia had no choice. She had no chance of stopping what came next. Behind her hand she began to laugh. The sound of her voice was weak in her continued pain but it was a soft, sweet sound. It was musical almost and for some, addictive. And as much as she tried, she could not stop herself. She knew this might make him even more red but she felt that it would be okay. Kiyosh seemed to make everything okay.

"I wish...." She spoke through her brief laughter that slowly came to a quiet chuckle. "I wish with all my heart that I could have what you do." She meant a lifewing. "Kiyosh makes everything okay. I still hurt but I'm not scared anymore. And you aren't so scary you know Cr'wean. I like you too."