"I... suppose that's another good sign." Sarrika commented, kneeling to get a closer look at the bear-turned-cub. How he managed such a feat as leaping out of bed in his condition boggled her. She hadn't known Sir Blastus as a cub naturally. They were roughly the same age. He'd known her profession right away because of her clothing. Healers were hard to miss in their white with lavender symbol. She sighed, glancing up at the two adult knights. "Think you can get him to sit still for me?"
Sir Plucki was trying to take it all in stride and picked up his even more pint-sized fellow. "Er... My French is a bit rusty..." He eyed Blastus with an unsure smile. "Bonjour, mon frer."
Sir Gumlittle, however, was trying to hide a great grin at seeing their brother in arms in the arms of the captain of the guard! Despite everything, he gave in to laughter. A hearty laughter of one who's been through a tough time and the weight of it all left him so light and airy that he can't help himself.
Blastus, recognizing Gumlittle also, giggled and pointed at him. " Silly brother. "

Far Pastures Of Gummadoon


Cubbi knew tired. He knew weariness. He thought he knew bone-tired, dead-tired, and weary-beyond-belief, but this...
The young knight-in-training stared out at his accomplishment and felt nothing in his head. Didn't feel like he'd just done three full fields of unicorn droppings. Didn't feel the rest of the chores of the day and evening. And yesterday's. Didn't feel like he'd made much of his time... Didn't feel his arms.
Yes, his brainworks had sunken into the miasma of slowness because of how far he'd pushed himself. He stared and stared at the field, trying to fit it all in. Unable to. He contemplated the fact that his whole body hurt yet it didn't hurt as bad as it had the rest of the day. It was beyond hurting now. He could hardly feel it. Could hardly feel anything. He just stood there, analyzing this beyond point, analyzing the fact that he could no more lift his arm than he could his legs. He felt his head start to tip forward and analyzed that. It was the last thing he analyzed before he fell flat over, unconscious.

Corvi's Home

Corvi brought his mother her dinner but she was asleep by the time he came in. Well, I'll just leave it on her nightstand... With delicate care, he deposited the tray noiselessly and exited.
She had him worried. Didn't know what was wrong with her. Should he call for a healer? Mother didn't like them much but they might help...
He sighed. He knew the story. Mother was afraid of healers because of his older brother. They hadn't helped him, so how could they help her? That's what she thought. Corvi didn't exactly agree. He'd been to see Sarrika once, and she was with Sir Blastus now. He knew there was no other way to make Sir Blastus better. Sarrika was the only thing that would keep his favorite knight alive. He wanted to tell Mother that but he knew it'd stress her out, and he wouldn't do that. She was too weak as it is.
So he went about the usual chores, tucked his brothers in, read them stories, saw them fall fast asleep.
He missed Mother doing that for him sometimes, but he was the man of the house now. He'd do it for his mother. Always and no matter how long it took her to get better.

Toni's Home

"I'm not DUMB!" Toni wanted to yell at her back. In his head, he did yell, as he cried. Only the tears came out. Lots of them. Stupid tears for babies! What would everyone think if they saw him blubbering like that! He forced his eyes to squeeze out the last of any such nonsense tears and gritted his teeth and scrubbed the floor till he was rubbing the stone foundation a new layer. This had to be clean. This HAD to be clean! Mom would see now. He wasn't worthless! How could she say...? He WASN'T worthless! He'd MAKE her change her mind... somehow.
In the morning, or what little left there was, Toni got up and crept to the bathroom. His hands were blistered from all the cleanser and intense scrubbing. His face felt hot and dry from all the crying. He'd cried in his sleep and dried tears left slight marks on his face. He was just reaching for a towel to dry his face when his mother grabbed him by the neck and hauled him out.
"Ungrateful! I do all the work around here and here you are taking up water and space. Get out!" She nearly flung him away and into the wall of the hallway before marching into the bathroom where she slammed the door.
Stunned, Toni stared briefly. Then, in only his nightclothes still, he ran out of the house. Anywhere but his mother's sight was better!