Raven sat on the stone steps outside the door of Kistig's cottage, whittling a bit of firewood into the rough shape of a dove. The sun was sinking behind him, casting him in deep shadow. He should have felt the chill of early evening descending, but Raven found himself tugging at the collar of his jerkin in an attempt to let the heat it held rise free. Soft foot steps crunched on the loose gravel between the two sets of stairs that led to the hermit's home. Looking up, he saw the flighty Alchemist approach. Nodding, he folded up his pocket knife, setting the carving in a stray tuft of weeds.
" Safely home?" He asked
" Yes, yes..safe as wind and water. Home, home, home I lead the White Wing and safe, safe she flew away." Kistig says bobbing his head repeatedly.
" I knew I could count on you, Kistig." Raven said. He leaned his head back against the doorframe, heaving a great sigh wearily. He felt drained, completely and utterly drained. He had been in bad shape before his escape and he had been pushing himself ever since. Raven knew he was running on empty. He felt the bone deep weariness of sheer exhaustion. Shade being returned to her home was a weight off his shoulders, but there was still much to do. How long had it been since he'd slept for more than an hour or two without the pain from one of his injuries waking him? Too long.
Darting eyes, flit over the seated Asmo. They fell on stained bandages wrapping both hands and wrists. Seeing the faint lines at the edges and dark circles beneath hooded golden eyes, Kistig scurried mouselike to the young Daeva. " Oh, Rave, Rave, Rave what has become of my dark, dark dancer with the whispering blades?" the mage said softly.
Raven opened his eyes as he felt cool fingers touch his face. "It's nothing. I need to get back to Fayvr. He's expecting me."
" Yes, yes, I'm sure he is, but you look so peak'ed. You worry Kistig." The mage fished about in his cube, producing a small vial that he placed in Raven's hand. " Drink, my precious poignard, it's something you want. It's something you need. Rave can always trust Kistig."
Raising the vial to his lips and tilting it back, Raven swallowed the contents. The effect was almost immediate. A cool, comforting fog descended over him. The vial tumbled from his hand to tinkle merrily as it bounced haphazardly on the stone threshold. Blinking slowly, Raven turned his head, reguarding the alchemist, his eye lids heavy.
"Yes, yes...it will all be ok." Kistig said helping Raven to his feet. The leather clad Deava swayed drunkenly. " Lean on Kistig. Come, come. Follow me." The mage coo'ed as he ducked under one of Raven's arms, proping him up. He paused, taken aback at of how light the one he supported seemed. " So thin. So frail. What has befallen my sweet smiling Sin that I return to find him waiting so wan outside my door?"
The world around him was but a murky a haze. Leaning on the Alchemist's shoulder, Raven followed him inside docilely. The ground had an odd squishy feel to it. It rolled and heaved beneath his feet causing him to cling to the mage that lead him.
" No, no...no claws. Almost there, almost there." Kistig said reassuringly. " Here, here. Down we go. Down to soft, soft bed as soft as dark, dark wings." The mage whispered in honeyed tones as he lowered Raven onto the bed in the corner of his cottage.
" Soft." Raven slurred.
" Yes, yes indeed. Soft as cobwebs. Soft as snow. Now sleep my sweet, sweet Sin, sleeeeeep." The words an echo of a memory, Raven closed his eyes and did just as he was told.
The sun streamed in through the open door. A finger of dawn, warm and golden slid down the wall to touch Raven's face. He threw an arm over his eyes, blocking the light. Grumbling, he rolled onto his right side. He lay under and upon brax fur blankets. Warm, soft and familiar, he buried his face into them. For a minute, the past few months seemed nothing more than a terrible dream. Until the sight of the fresh, white bandages wraped tightly around both of his palms and up both of his forearms brought it all home. Raven sat up, throwing off the covers. The cool brisk air hitting his skin was all the wake up he needed. His clothes lay on a chair beside the bed. Donning them gingerly, he walked across the earthen floor to stand in the doorway. A knapsack sat, acting as a doorstop. It was a familiar farewell. Heafting a strap over his shoulder, he walked down the steps and onto the path that lead back to Fayvr's camp.