Chapter 3: Anaconda
Outside the grocery store
15 minutes later
Laurie
With Laurie leading the way through the New York streets, the brunette eventually turned back to the girl who followed her.
"This is the place,"
she told her, facing back forward at the building in front of them.
"Let's hurry up about this,"
she soon added.
Revna
Rev inspected the shop. It didn't seem like anything special, but maybe she was wrong. She also sneaked a few glances around. The longer she stayed in one place, they more likely they were to show up. Satisfied there were no sirens nearby, she followed the brunette into the store.
Inside the grocery store
Laurie
Inside the store, Laurie looked around through the maze of freezers until they led to the ice cream section, seeing the Ben & Jerry's freezer. Laurie didn't look comfortable, though. Her eyes were actively looking around every single gathering of people, almost like she was searching through them. From up close, her look was just a bit... guarded.
Revna
Once inside, Rev followed Laurie towards the freezers. But she seemed... skittish. Restless. But Rev didn't know what to do about it.
Laurie
Laurie watched the same spot for a little while, when...
"Laurie, hey!"
some girl her age called from the opposite side she was looking, making her brows lower and eyes point up. Great. Of course. I knew it. Laurie just thought, and the girl hadn't come alone, naturally. Her and her group of blondies walked over to her and Rev.
Revna
When Revna spotted the group making its way to them, she quickly and carefully schooled her expression into one of cool neutrality. They clearly know Laurie, Rev noticed. Not a positive relationship, based on her reaction. Probably best to be polite and reserved.
Laurie
"Hey, girly!"
The same girl said with real teenage-girl-enthusiasm as her and her group stopped in front of Laurie.
"What are you doing outside of school? We all miss you,"
she said in an encouraging manner. Laurie wasn't falling for it one bit.
"Just leave me be, please. I'm not feeling well,"
she tried excusing herself, her eyes showing no sign of openness or friendliness. She really hated these girls. One of them looked over to where they figured Laurie was heading in the store,
"Laurie, you can't just be at home eating cookie dough. We're having important things this week, remember?"
they continued, making Laurie's glare at them even more closed off and unfriendly. They damn well knew of her 'migraines', as she could get away with calling them. And even that they wouldn't respect. Bitches.
"I'm not here to buy that."
Laurie lied, trying to walk away, but the girls kept talking,
"Laurie! We wanna have a conversation, can't you just stay and chat for a little?"
Revna
Rev frowned at the behaviour of the girls. Despite Laurie's multiple rejections, they kept insisting. Maybe pestering is a better word. But one tiny tidbit of information the girls revealed was interesting. So Laurie is in school, Rev pondered. She should be, but with her 'condition', she'd wondered. She herself had trouble with high school, after all. But... She decided to help a little.
"Excuse me,"
she said while walking through the group, heading for the ice cream and effectively drawing the attention to herself. She just hoped that Laurie would get away with this short distraction.
Laurie
Laurie's 'friends' looked up at the older girl, smiles spreading.
"Oh wow, hello pretty!"
the main girl complimented Rev.
"Laurie, is this one of your friends?"
they asked, twirling their Barbie-hair. Laurie looked back at the distraction, not wanting to respond to the girls anymore, but it was very possible they'd keep going even as they left.
Revna
Rev smiled politely at the compliment.
"We've only recently met, and she helped me out when I was in a bind,"
she said, smartly dodging the question.
"Which is why I was treating her to something."
She maintained her attitude that got her through high school; polite, but also distant and reserved. Most people gave up getting close to her because of it. While she hated it back then, it came in handy now. Provided the reaction from the girls would be the same.
Laurie
Her wording makes it sound like she sees me as a baby, Laurie thought to herself, though that was probably just her criticism speaking. Rev did come off like she didn't wanna start a conversation with them. What was she doing? Laurie had suspicions, but didn't wanna take them too far. While the girls were distracted, Laurie made her silent leave through the payment without the ice cream, kinda giving up on it while her classmates were in there. She obviously didn't remember who was actually supposed to pay for it this time.
Revna
Rev spotted Laurie leaving, hoping the brunette would wait outside. She looked at the main girl.
"I'm afraid I must be going now. Goodbye,"
she said with a polite smile. She turned and grabbed the ice cream Laurie had wanted. Paying quickly, she left as well.
—--
Outside the grocery store
Laurie
Outside the grocery store, Laurie sat on a bench as she waited for Rev with her phone out, but it wasn't on. She was just thinking of the girls from just now, irritated. And when she thought about home instead, it didn't get much better. With all of this on her mind, she felt her concussion hurt even more. Everything just made her feel like shit right now.
Revna
Seeing Laurie sitting, Rev approached her. She tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey, are you alright?"
She sat down next to her.
"Maybe this'll make you feel better,"
she said with a little smile, giving her the box of ice cream.
Laurie
Laurie reacted at first to the shoulder tap with eyes that said: don't try me, bitch. But they soon changed more and more after she saw the box of her favourite ice cream in Rev's hands, they lit up a noticeable bit. Looking up at the black-haired raven girl again, she eyed away briefly, forming a small smile at her.
"Thanks, Rev,"
she said, accepting the box gently.
Revna
"You're welcome, Laurie,"
she replied, relaxing just a little bit.
Laurie
Taking off the lid of the box, Laurie watched as the little cool steam went off from the ice cream. It looked so good! Laurie hadn't had this for too long! And as spoons followed to these brands, the young brunette grabbed it and began eating. She let out a highly satisfied sigh, closing her eyes as her smile widened uncontrollably, her loose shoulders giving away her sudden relaxation.
Revna
Rev looked at the younger girl with a soft smile. Smiling wide and relaxing, she looked more like how a teenager ought to look. How she herself used to look, a little over a year ago. It hurt, thinking back, but not as much as it used to. Instead, Revna settled for watching Laurie fondly.
Laurie
As Laurie had eaten a few spoonfuls of cookie dough, she remembered that she was in company. The girl chilled out her childish speed-eating, getting reminded that Rev had kind of been put in the middle of something unrelated to her earlier.
"Uh... sorry, about the thing inside."
she apologised, awkwardly.
Revna
She chuckled softly.
"It's quite alright. But if you don't mind, what was that all about?"
she questioned the girl. Rev had to say, she was curious. Laurie's power was special, but not in a way that she was unable to hide them.
Laurie
Laurie sighed, her brows sharpening again as her guard switched back on.
"Nothing, just... natural school drama, really."
she told Rev.
"I don't bother with all that stuff."
Revna
Rev shrugged.
"Okay."
She knew it wasn't her place to pry anyway. Something as simple as curiosity was easily buried.
"So, now what?"
Laurie
Laurie then remembered why they were even there, Right. I'm a dumbass, she thought, before clearing her throat to speak.
"Well, there are a bunch of things to learn about hiding your powers, but I'll just give you the basics to get by."
Laurie cleared with Rev, the girl was always planning on teaching Rev quickly and simply. Even though her mom was at work and her dad living in another apartment, she'd still like to get back home to be by herself.
"...It's basically just either knowing what triggers your powers or sensing exactly when they're starting to come, and subsiding them."
she explained.
"See it like when you're walking and you're about to step in mud. If people see it, you're caught red handed and you have to brush or wash it off to rid the evidence. Or, if you notice that you're about to step in mud, you can avoid the trouble entirely, by stepping aside on the concrete."
Laurie told Rev.
"And it isn't like you can't keep a low profile when talking to idiots, so that's pretty much what else there is to it. The subtlety of the process develops eventually, but I'm probably the most attentive person in this city, so you should be fine if you think anyone notices your struggle to correct yourself. They don't."
she finished, taking another bite of her ice cream.
Revna
Revna furrowed her brows. This advice doesn't help me at all. She sighted.
"I'm afraid I can't use this. Not because I don't want to, but because I cannot,"
she replied.
"My problem mainly relies with my strength, as you can tell,"
she continues.
"But your method hinges on one point: that, like your silhouetting, you can turn it on and off; use it, or not use it. But I don't have a switch. I am always 'on'. To borrow your metaphor about stepping in mud, everywhere I step is mud. I cannot avoid it. With every step I take, how fast I run, every handshake, I always need to hold back. But I am still hu- fallible. When I get startled, I mess up. Like with the bench. So I want to. I really do. But I can't,"
she finished. Letting out a low chuckle, she added,
"If it helps, I think my strength is only a side effect of what's happening to me, not my actual power."
She looked at her side, trying to gauge Laurie's reaction.
Laurie
Laurie wasn't too shocked about the last sentence, not from what Rev had already told her.
"In that case, the solution's pretty obvious."
she said bluntly, but with helpful intent.
"Dress for the occasion."
The brunette simply answered. Although, Laurie did wonder a lot. She still tried to figure out what Rev's power actually was.
Revna
Revna tilts her head.
"What do you mean?"
she asks the brunette. Dress for the occasion? Does she mean weighted clothes?
Laurie
"You go out in mud, you come prepared. Let me spell it out like this since you don't understand."
Laurie said, using her spoon to gesture to herself.
"Let's say: I can wear heels, since I can avoid mud. Those are built for solid ground. But you can't go out on a muddy field in heels, so you can't wear them, since there's no solid ground to spare. You gotta wear boots, and go through the mud."
she said as she pointed to Rev. Laurie used her spoon for illustration. For solid ground, was the cookie pieces. She stabbed the pointy part of the spoon into them, they didn't break apart. The pointy part symbolised heels. When she stabbed the 'heels' into the ice cream, representing mud, they went straight through. As for boots, Laurie turned the spoon to its curvy point, pressing it against the ice cream. The substance remained stable. Laurie looked up at Rev again.
"In other words; other rules apply to you. How can you fit your strength and ravens into how you act in public? What'll make them look like they need to be there?"
she asked at last.
Revna
Rev nodded thoughtfully. Laurie brought up a good point, albeit in a rather... roundabout way.
"I see the point you're trying to make, and I agree. Do you have any suggestions?"
Laurie
Laurie thought for a second.
"...Well, where do things require strength? Where are ravens seen regularly?"
Laurie tried to make Rev figure some of this out for herself, it'd be more practical like that when she went off on her own.
Revna
It didn't take long for Rev to put it all together. She nodded to herself.
"I see."
Guess I really am ill-suited for living amongst humans. At least until I finish changing, and who knows how long that will take? She remained silent for a while. She hadn't realised, but a small hope of companionship had settled within her. Another person to talk to. But it was not meant to be. She should've known. And they were also bound to show up as well. Staying was never a good idea.
Laurie
Laurie realised Rev hadn't been ready for an answer, her brows lowering a little in hopelessness. Expectations too high? Was that Laurie's flaw? But, she tried not losing hope, seeing this from another point of view. She'd gathered a few things about Rev during the little time they'd spent together, among things she'd been thinking over.
"You didn't ask for this to happen to you, did you?"
she suddenly asked, a bit of empathy in her gaze.
Revna
Revna scoffed, and answered in a sarcastic tone.
"You mean the fact that I am in pain 24/7, with extra bouts of torment so extreme, they consume every other feeling? Or that I can no longer be around other people, safe for a few, lest I be mocked and feared? That I can no longer express emotions, in fear I destroy everything around me? Or that I am hunted for these very reasons?!"
She huffed.
"No, Laurie. I did not ask for this to happen to me. If I knew of a way to return it, I would. Without hesitation."
Rev hadn't meant to spill almost everything like that, but all of it was true.
Laurie
Laurie frowned at this now, getting mad that her help and forgiveness was seen past.
"Hey, if you're assuming my powers are light because they're different from yours, you're really endangering yourself!"
she told her.
"Maybe it's because we're both freaks, but I'm trying to help you. If I didn't care, I would've just let you be and get caught by the police for fighting a band of robbers, who you already knew were following you."
Honestly, did this girl wanna be captured or not?
Revna
Rev sighted again.
"I apologise. I did not mean for my words to come off as blame or ungratefulness. You have done nothing but help me. You asked, and I responded too intensely."
Rev stood up.
"But as you pointed out, staying in a city like this for an extended period of time is unwise. It is best for me to leave once more."
Laurie
Laurie's expression stayed the same, but her stance stood down on the bench again, showing some mercy. This was when Laurie knew what to think of Rev. Laurie didn't want her to leave. She bought her cookie dough ice cream, and apologised for her rudeness. Deep down, Laurie actually just wanted a friendship to be as true as humanly possible, because none of her former friends ever bought it for her. As insanely idealistic of a thought as it was, she hoped this would've made her wish... real. It might've shown on her face, too. Within long though, Laurie's guard went up completely, as her gut feeling told her something was coming.
Anaconda
Out of nowhere, a bang sounded from the ground a few buildings away! Big, green, long and unclear figures went around down along the roads, and people started screaming!
Laurie
Laurie stood up, startled,
"What the hell?!"
Revna
Rev too spun around, facing the new threat. For a minute, she thought the Serpentians had found her again, but at a closer look they were not her hunters. But then...
"What the heck are that?"
Anaconda
Soon, a beautiful woman in a tight green and black suit stepped out, her chest high and her face low, asserting dominance as she walked. The green forms of light and smoke were soon seen in more detail, as big snakes. They slithered around every corner of the street, as if scouting for something. They roughly followed the woman's pace, her hands spreading out as if to show them as her guard-dogs.
Laurie
Laurie's brows went down in defence, Great, who's this now? she thought, it was clearly another villain-invasion. Laurie slowly walked backwards with her head low, trying to smoothly get out of the scene. She looked at Rev, as if trying to make her follow.
"Rev,"
she tried, her head motioning back as a sign.
Revna
"Coming,"
she replied quickly, turning as she did. She glanced up. Huginn was inconspicuously circling above them.
Anaconda
So, where's the signal hiding?... The woman with a curly ponytail thought, still walking confidently forward. Suddenly, the snakes perked up, making the woman turn her head. The snakes' heads slowly rose, their snouts directly pointed at the two girls at the bench, their focus on them entirely.
"Stop right there."
she called out with power, raising her hand before one of the snakes struck the bench and stabbed the broken wooden planks into the ground where Rev and Laurie headed away to, two snake heads staring them down from each side to keep them in place.
Laurie
Laurie backed away from the broken pieces and one of the close snake heads, her pulse rising, Wait, we're being targeted?!
Revna
Rev immediately lifted her spear -disguised as a stick, still- and dropped into a fighting stance. This woman wanted something from one or both of them and Revna doubted she'd leave if they denied her.
Anaconda
The woman's eyes soon fell to only one of them, her anacondas still in place. It's that one, then. The weak one, she thought, eying Rev soon after,
"I'm Anaconda,"
she soon announced, her tone still powerful and clear as she stopped walking, her snakes beginning to circle around the two.
"Mistress of sorcery, empress of perplexity, bound to no master,"
she titled.
"You are my prey, and you are not getting away."
she told them, her face now upwards as she looked down on the pair of girls.
"Although, I'm not here for you."
she told Rev, moving her hands in quick S's, making one of her many snakes hiss at Laurie, emitting a sound that made her paralyzed, before another one wrapped its body around the brunette, lifting her up in the air with the spirals of mystical lines and patterns.
Laurie
Unable to move suddenly, Laurie gasped as she started to panic! What the fuck was happening?!
Anaconda
The snake-woman made mystical stairs up to Laurie by barely moving her fingers, walking up with solid steps. The paralysis didn't last for long, but as it slowly wore off in the sorcery-serpent's grasp and Laurie grunted and moved as to try releasing herself, a smaller coil slid around her neck to keep her steady. A second small one wrapped around one of her hands and carefully pulled it out of the bigger coils. Anaconda had positioned herself above Laurie, still looking down at her, but with hauntingly piercing eyes.
"Good to see you in person, little Demon-Blood,"
she spoke to the girl,
"Or was it... Laurie?"
she then asked, a bit of sorcery spiralling up to the tip of Anaconda's index finger, forming a long, fang-like claw. Before Laurie could register it moving, her hand began to sting really bad, but she heard the sound of the slash afterwards. Anaconda moved her fingers around the black blood drop, her smoke surrounding it like sharp clouds. The woman then smiled.
"Just as I expected it to look..."
she said to herself.
Laurie
Laurie let out a painful yelp at the pain in her finger, forming a fist in her hand to hold in the stinging. The girl opened her eyes again though, observing the snake-woman's behaviour. Even though Laurie was struggling to breathe, Anaconda's bigger snakes surrounding them had slowed down their movement as she was fixated on Laurie. That left openings, openings the brunette would've used if she wasn't being suffocated.
"...Your power... only works out-... outside your body."
She told Anaconda directly, trying to fool her to think she was dominating her back, when, in reality... she was testing Rev's loyalty. And skills to fight an actual villain. This direct hint hopefully did let her know how to at least attack this woman.
Anaconda
"What was that?"
Anaconda asked, the serpent's grip around Laurie tightening, the girl choking as she felt like her bones were almost about to snap!
Revna
For a moment, Rev didn't know what to do. These snakes were made of smoke, not something she could hit. So she didn't act when the sorceress attacked Laurie, although she had to grit her teeth to do so. In this time, she made a mental check-up on herself. She was still shaken from her episode earlier. Better to end this as quickly as possible. But how? That was when she heard Laurie talk. Her hearing had advanced enough to hear it. Her power only works outside her body? Within moments, Revna knew what to do. Light fell upon her, and when it cleared up she threw her spear as hard as she could towards the woman. Before the projectile had even hit her target, she was running, using a nearby car to use as a springboard. She jumped up, rearing her arm back to strike at the woman as hard as she could.
Anaconda
The spear whooshed past Anaconda's head, scratching the back of her neck, tearing a part of her suit, striking a lump of her ponytail and ripping it off to where it was headed. That was just enough to draw the woman's attention elsewhere. Then, from her blind spot, came Rev with her fist! She hit her on the side and broke a good bunch of her ribs, knocking her down to the asphalt!
Laurie
Laurie deeply breathed in as soon as the sorcery-snakes let go while dispersing, but fell down towards the asphalt as well now that nothing held her up!
Revna
Having hit the sorceress and feeling her ribs break under her fist, her second concern was Laurie. As soon as her punch fell, she turned and went after the brunette. Just before they hit the ground, Rev managed to pull the younger girl up and into her chest, rolling around at the same time. Buffering her with her own body, Rev hit the asphalt hard. She may be tougher than humans, but this was a lot. Having all the air knocked out of her lungs, she gasped a few times before releasing Laurie.
"Are you okay?"
Rev managed to say.
Laurie
Laurie took more deep breaths and coughed while gripping around her neck as she was on solid ground again, but her gaining oxygen led to more focus on the pain in her finger. She grunted and grit her teeth as her hand now grabbed around her wrist, it hurt like hell! Looking at it, it seemed like the new green in her blood spread like roots into her veins and turned black. Laurie soon folded her hand together again.
"I think I'll be fine..."
she told Rev, it didn't feel like any bones managed to break. Laurie looked up at her as she still caught her breath.
"...Thank you."
she said, this was Laurie's evidence, Rev was her friend.
Revna
Rev massaged her ribs, but still smiled.
"You're welcome,"
she chuckled. But soon her expression became serious once more. She looked towards where their foe had fallen. She held out her hand, palm up. Huginn, in the meantime, had flown to her spear and retrieved it for her. Maybe in the future, she could call it to her but not now, not yet. Her raven dropped it into her palm.
"Either stay here, or stay behind me,"
she told Laurie as she slowly walked towards their enemy.
Laurie
Laurie didn't argue, even though she'd taken note of Rev's injuries. She wasn't that worried though, but that wasn't because she didn't care, not anymore. The brunette now just looked at Anaconda with her fuck-off eyes, staying kneed down where she'd been dropped off.
Anaconda
Anaconda held a small towel against the back of her neck as it bled from dark red to green, but she hardly reacted to the pain, not other than baring her teeth a bit. The woman then straightened up again, now looking directly at Rev,
"You're in the way, 'Rev'."
she told her, walking towards the black-haired girl.
Revna
Revna just settled into a low stance, spear at the ready. At a moment's notice, she could reach Anaconda.
"Yes, I am."
she replied.
"I am not letting you hurt my friend. You are not the first snake I've fought, and you won't be the last."
Rev wasn't exactly sure why she went to such lengths for someone who she only met that day. Maybe it was a gut feeling, or the hope of an actual comrade. Perhaps she was just sick of running. All she knew for sure was that she would protect her friend.
Laurie
Laurie's eyes went to Rev briefly, not only was she experienced in this area of villains, but... 'Won't be the last'? She thought, looking back at Anaconda as she invisibly processed the info, She's being pursued. Even more reason to leave town. She calculated, sighing as the angry eyes stayed on the woman in the tight suit.
Anaconda
Anaconda narrowed her eyes just a bit at Rev's threat, she wasn't going away. What a pest. The shining-armour-look didn't fool her, though. Rev had weak points. Even with this much confidence, she didn't attack before now. She was hesitant from being unaware of how to defeat her. That's where she wasn't strong. Anaconda formed more serpents from her hands, their gaps opening wide in Rev's direction to trigger her past memories of snakes she'd mentioned, before striking at her!
Revna
Rev narrowed her eyes and moved immediately. Rather than a detriment, the visage of the snakes helped her. She hadn't fought for over 6 months for nothing. Almost on instinct, she dodged the first few snakes, then ran for the woman herself. That's right. Focus on me, she thought. If Rev kept her attention, she wouldn't be able to attack others. But it couldn't go on forever. Rev was tired and her ache started to set in badly now. On the upside, Anaconda was also in bad shape: she'd felt her ribs break with her punch. She flipped over another snake, getting real close now.
Anaconda
Anaconda watched Rev move, putting her towel back into her clothes before walking forwards once more.
"I'm not just a snake. This is a warning, before I hurt you."
she spoke, her heels tapping on the concrete.
Revna
Close enough now, Rev swung her spear at the woman's neck. It should be enough to incapacitate the sorceress immediately.
Anaconda
Anaconda quickly got a snake to catch the spear with its mouth, lowering it to bring up a second snake from her other side, staring Rev down as it waited for the right moment to strike.
Laurie
Laurie watched the fight closely, and she started realising something. Anaconda's attacks were becoming the same. And just as Laurie was getting suspicious, she noticed that as she lowered the snake on her right, and got ready with another at her left, she shut off her powers in her right hand.
"Left, Rev!"
Laurie quickly shouted to her!
Anaconda
Just after Laurie called out, Anaconda went for a nerve attack from Rev's left, her snake's staring merely serving as a distraction for this strike. She aimed for her neck muscles!
Revna
When her spear was caught by the gaseous snake, she hurried to reclaim it. As she did, she noticed the new snake staring her down. But Revna was not naive enough to focus all her attention on one target while in battle with multiple opponents. She saw the attack coming at the same time she heard Laurie call out. Rev moved her spear, slamming it upward against her opponent's lower arm. In one fluid movement, she spun around, dodging any attacks while creating momentum for her spear to strike at Anaconda's exposed and already injured ribcage.
Anaconda
This time, blood flew from Rev's strike at her ribs! Fortunately, it only slid across her skin. Anaconda managed to move enough for the spear not to pierce her stomach. The woman had a slightly bigger reaction to this injury, taking a step back to signal a pause of strikes, not putting hands over her large wound.
Revna
Not giving the sorceress a moment to rest or recuperate, Revna pushed forward. Throwing in a flurry of strikes with her spear, she started an intricate footwork. She danced around Anaconda, keeping pressure on her legs, torso and arms. She grit her teeth. She would not be able to keep up an attack like this. But she had a plan. All she needed was an opening.
Anaconda
Anaconda knew she was too wounded to keep going with this pest, it wasn't worth the stamina. Changing her focus to Laurie once more, she quickly and loosely wrapped a longer towel around her ribs.
"I'm coming back for you,"
she told the brunette, changing her focus back to Rev.
"Only you two will know I was here,"
she said lastly, sending multiple snakes at Rev from in front of her, as a defensive shield. She used this chance to slip away while the serpents struck at the armoured girl, before they eventually disappeared completely, along with the green smoke that had been covering the scene, revealing sounds of the city again and police cars only at the spot where the bang in the ground happened. The snake sorceress was gone, like she was never there.
Revna
Revna shifted from offense to defense incredibly quickly when the sorceress sent her snakes at her. Jumping and spinning around, she landed and looked around. Anaconda was gone. But she would be back.. Rev knew for sure. Out of action, the adrenaline that was keeping her going disappeared. She bit back a scream and sank to one knee, completely spent. She tried to stand with her spear as support, but failed. I guess this is my limit for now, she thought grimly. It had been a while since she had been this exhausted. Not since France. She looked over at Laurie, seeing she was fine, and smiled faintly.
Laurie
Laurie was taking some of her painkillers to at least try to subside the pain in her head right now. The concussion, the strangling, blood rose to the top of her head and reddened her face. And she knew she was in for at least twice the pain later. It was gonna suck. But... she would've been killed if Rev hadn't stepped in to save her. She fought Anaconda, with everything she had... for her. But, Laurie wasn't gonna ask her why she did it. Rev's answer might disappoint her, so she just wanted to appreciate that she did it. Laurie stood up, walking over to Rev before kneeling down next to her.
"Gain some strength..."
she looked around, sighing softly as she thought the decision through.
"...and then we'll find somewhere safe for us."
Laurie said, meaning every single word. She wouldn't leave Rev, she'd stick with her.
Revna
Rev nodded weakly and closed her eyes for a moment. The pain wouldn't go away on such short notice, but with a little more energy she'd be able to walk. The one thing that would stop her agony and 'reset' her body, so to speak, was sleep. So she remained there for a while, on one knee, her spear keeping her upright. Huginn flew down and landed beside her. After checking her condition, he looked at Laurie with an intelligent gaze. Slowly, some of her energy returned and she struggled up until she shakily stood, heavily leaning on her spear.
"Let's go,"
she managed to say through clenched teeth. Fuck, do I hate the aftermath of a big fight!
Laurie
Laurie watched Rev carefully and patiently as she slowly let herself recollect for a little while, she wouldn't rush her. Remembering a raven was with Rev, Laurie eyed the one who looked at her in, not hostile, but innocent question. When Rev got herself to stand up, Laurie quickly put her arms up to support her.
"Hey, easy. Take it easy."
she told her, one hand on Rev's shoulder and another on her arm.
"My place isn't far from here, we can crash there for now."
Laurie told her, trying to help her walk as much as she could.
Revna
Leaning on both her spear and her new friend, Rev managed to limp away from her battlefield.