Eye for an Eye: Sleepless Night

Eye for an Eye: Sleepless Night
Date of Scene:	07 March 2013
Location:	Traverse Area - Traverse Town - Hotel
Synopsis:	Late in the evening, Hati isn't able to sleep, so she tells Faruja a few dark truths to see if he would withdraw from helping her, or stay.
Cast of Characters:	Hati, Faruja Senra
Tinyplot:	Eye for an Eye

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Hati has posed:
In Traverse Town, the only difference between night and day is the quiet that falls on the city streets when the world has fallen to sleep. Things still look the same, but the silence tells of night and peace and rest.

Skoll had come in at one point to check on his sister, bringing up another blanket for her. Certainly, he'd given Faruja that 'big brother warning glare' before heading out to patrol the city. Staying in one place for too long doesn't suit the wolf these days, especially with that collar possibly working as a beacon for the Gaudium Lords. Then again, his sister is a higher priority than they are at the moment.

The wolf did seem a bit better. Even if the lines hadn't receeded, there was a bit more brightness in her eyes. Maybe the tea had helped? There was still a bit of the ground horn left in the kitchen for later. She'd likely need it if they were going to face off against Lillian.

The room has been dark now for a time, but the wolf doesn't seem able to sleep. Sometimes, there is a soft whimper from her, a sign that the dark magic was still painful when the witch decided to make it so. After an hour or so of this, she seems to give up on sleep. Instead, she lets one hand dip off of the bed, reaching down to try to find where he's laying. "Faruja?" Her voice is quiet, perhaps not wanting to wake him.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja is quite used to that particular look from the male wolf, or at least a form of it. Having an older sister himself, he simply smiles in that vaguely placating way, not bothering to vocally reassure the wolf. Actions louder than words, after all, and he doesn't want to wake the wolfess. With a cot at the side of Hati's bed, the rat eventually found his way to sleep.

A hand reaches down. She finds something slender and quite fuzzy, which flicks in her hand. An ear! "Mmm...go 'way Sis. Fed them last night, your turn to take them out flying." Mumbles the rat. Should Hati look down, she'll find the Templar in a rather odd position. Dressed in breeches, he's managed to roll over several times in the night. One foot has ended up on the bed as he lays on his stomach, barely hanging on, the sheet he'd acquired wrapped about his legs haphazardly. Right arm bent over his head, and the other straight downwards, seems our Burmecian is quite the mover while he sleeps. At least on the floor, anyway! The ratling's tail flicks as he shifts awkwardly, given his strange positioning down there, ending up nuzzling into the hand reaching for him.

Hati has posed:
The sleepy mumbles are enough to draw a faint smile across the wolf's lips, her head resting agianst the pillow. Since she hadn't been able to sleep, her eyes are well adjusted to the dark, with the only light filtering in through the window from the streetlamps below. Her finger trails over the edge of his ear, mostly an idle sort of motion, affectionate and quiet.

Rather than speaking again, Hati just grabs up that extra blanket. Movement doesn't hurt as much now, so perhaps the tonic is doing some good. Carefully, she fluffs the comforter out, and then lays it over him, making at least some attempt at keeping him from being too cold. Funny, how she's the one who's ill and yet she still goes about trying to take care of him.

It brings back a memory of watching her mother take care of some of the sick wolves. She had such a gentle nature, and it was never fair what Odin had done to her. It hadn't been fair what he did to Hati, either. Maybe, if none of that had happened, she would have been able to be the sort of person that she was when no one could see. Maybe she would be able to get past the anger to those other emotions.

"Silly mouse..." She whispers, watching him with warmth in her green eye. Alas, she can't really help but distract herself from her sleeplessness, and that means that her fingertips move to brush strands of hair out of his face.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Flick flick! The Burmecian shivers, shifting and giving a snorted chuckle in his sleep. "Hey...watch the ear Sis." Mutters the rat. As that fluffy comforter lays over him, he shifts again, finally laying back properly. On his face is a content smile, even if his muzzle hangs open slightly, the tip of his tongue visible.

"Mmm...mom?" Comes Faruja's voice once more. Something brushes against his hair, and with a light yawn, his eye slowly opens to gaze back into the warm gaze of the wolfess. Blinking, confusions can be seen briefly before his waking mind catches up and he remembers where he is.

"Hati? Mmph, what time is it?" Glancing about, it quickly becomes apparent it's still late. Too comfortable to sit up, instead the ratling peers at the wolfess.

"Can you not sleep?" Reaching up, not quite thinking, he'll rub one of the wolfess' ears as honest concern fills his voice. He'd never before this night seen the wolf so vulnerable. It frightened him to the core, to know that he could wake up and find the girl cold and still. Inwardly, he says a prayer, thanking his god that the girl at least so far has seen the night through.

Hati has posed:
Raising an eyebrow, the wolf might have made some joke about just what sort of relationship the mouse had with his sister... well, if he was awake anyways. For now, she just lets out a soft laugh, shaking her head. The poor Templar is probably lost in dreams, so he can't be completely held responsible for what strange nonsense comes out of his mouth.

When he finally starts murmuring and coming around, Hati muses quietly, "I think it would be a little weird if I was, don't you?" He probably isn't fully awake enough for that at the moment, so she just watches him blink and rouse himself, bemused with that soft quirk of a smile. "Late, or early. Not sure." The wolf replies with a lift of her shoulder. She can't see a clock from where she's at, and it's impossible to tell with the way this strange city works.

Her eye closes at the touch to her ear, clearly showing appreciation for the momentary touch. "Mmm, not really." She admits, "I think she's getting impatient. Then again, maybe she'll get bored of this after a while." Hati rubs at her eye. She hadn't removed the eyepatch at all, so perhaps it is at terrible thought of what might lie beneath it. If the black marks were any sign, then the eye is surely corrupted.

Some things still weigh heavily on her, though. Evja's departure and refusal to help, the mouse's own talk of flogging. Caring about people is troublesome. "You don't have to come, you know..." She whispers then, some measure of sadness in her eyes even as she brings herself to say those words. In some ways, she knows what his answer will be, but it would not sit well with her heart if she didn't give him that chance to back out, here, without the others to judge.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja's sister has always been the affectionate sort, and ever ready to tease her beloved brother at a moment's notice given how /easy/ it was. Not too different from Hati really, though without all the anger built up. And more tying her brother's tail into a knot while he sleeps.

Blink blink. The rat rubs his eye. Yawn. "Yes, I suppose so. Feh. Wretch. She shall have her reward for what she sows." Mumbles the rat mid-yawn, showing some teeth. The reminder that there's yet another enemy just out of the reach of his claws digs into the rat's psyche. If there's one thing he hates, it's being useless.

With a slow stretch, the rat gets to his feet, stumbling about slightly on a leg that's asleep. He spends a moment wiggling and stomping his foot to get the blood flowing, muttering all the way. Someone's a grump in the early morning hours.

The question is asked, and even as he makes his way to the stove, he peers back. "/Come/ now! I am not that damned Ju...I will not abandon a friend, or...or someone I care for. What sort of a knight...nay, what sort of a person would I be were I to leave you to die when 'tis in my power to change?" Already, the rat is mixing tea, two seperate pots. One for the wolfess, with the unicorn horn, and another for himself.

Hati has posed:
He isn't the only one who is frustrated at the moment. It frustrates the wolf-girl to no end to be like this. Every day of her life since becoming free from her father, she had struggled in order to be strong and capable, able to take care of herself. Now, here is he is, lying like some invalid in a bed, depending on others. "I wish the strength to rip her throat out, myself." The wolf-girl growls, but the sound tapers off quickly with an intake of breath. "I hadn't thought of her using this sort of magic against me. I was foolish in that."

Serrak had taught her about this sort of magic, so surely his daughter would have known. She would have been able to figure out just how vulnerable having this eye made the werewolf, and just how she could use it against her. It is some small comfort that Katyna, Skoll, and even Faruja shared in her vehimence against such evil magics.

"It is a foolish sort of neutrality. The worst kind. That that sits idlely by and lets evil happen when they can choose to change that fate." For all that Hati had served the Shadow Lords, her reasons had always been bound to that truth. No matter where she went, even now, she saw those too weak to fight. The wolf shifts a little, but she doesn't try to sit up. Instead, she just watches him with that one eye. "I suppose I'm little better. I still don't know what I fight for, yet... I would at least fight for those I care about." She pauses, and then shakes her head, "I would have fought for him." Would have... but perhaps she'd think twice, now. For all she had become a better person these past few months, she is not without her grudges.

That said, Hati just lets out a breath, "Thank you. It... could not have been easy to make the choices you have. To give me a chance." Her tail sways beneath the blankets, slow and steady.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja waves his tail dismissively. "'Tis the way of this new world, Hati. Danger at every street corner, 'tis so very easy to lose sight of basic things. Worry not. She shall be dealt with. If there is something I have learned, 'tis that to attempt to shoulder every burden upon one's shoulder is to invite naught more than broken bones. Humans, nezumi, werewolves...we are social creatures for a reason, to see that our flaws are lessened by the strength of others."

The rat pauses, and sighs, rubbing the side of his head. "My, my, my. I almost sound like Ser Seatlan going off like that." He smirks, chuckling to himself briefly.

Grind grind. Faruja presses down on a mortar as he starts to mix unicorn horn into the boiled water. His tail sways all the while, only staving off a whistle due to the wolfess in the room. A simple task like this is calming in the morning. "Stagnation and death, Hati. Naught else will such a path lead to. If that is the one which the viera walks, then so be it. We whom have the strength of will to fight for something must do so. Many spend their entire lives deciding that question, dear wolf. 'Between you and God' as dear Sister Mariam so oft says. If I am any judge, it shall come at the moment where what you care for most is threatened. Only then do we know what we are worth, and what truly means everything to us. It shall come in time, as does all things."

A cup is poured, horn mixed in, and the rat walks slowly over to offer it gently to the wolf. The Templar snorts. "What worth is there in easy decisions? So very close was I to a precipice, Hati. A few words spoken differently, and 'twould have been blades rather than words. Thank the Lord better sense, and a few prayers sorted my head out. One can be only so stubborn in these times. The line between our beliefs and duties, and foolish appeal to tradition, is paper thin in such a jumbled world."

Hati has posed:
Hati has to laugh in agreement with that, although the sound is short and weary. "Like a certain mouse who dives in head-first without thinking on the cry of 'Heresy!'" It seems the wolf-girl has recovered enough of herself to at laest have that sense of humor there again, offering him a smile. You can almost imagine the little animation of a stick-figure Faruja running right into a huge army. It's Disney, you get silly thought-bubbles like that sometimes.

She doesn't draw parallels between him and Reize, and instead, the wolf-girl just tilts her head, "Tell me something about the Nezumi?" She knew a bit about him already, but not particularly much about his people. Werewolves were a very strange sort, and her own memories of them are foggy. Yet, there is real interest in her question.

When he returns with the 'tea', she manages to sit up, taking it and rubbing her hands on the glass. Talk of Evja brings her back to that night on the beach, and the troubling words. "Faruja." She speaks his name warmly enough, but there is that uncertainty in her eyes. "Would you ever ask me to be like you? To follow your god and your ways?" At the very least, the wolf is direct about it. She isn't the sort to sit and ponder and worry over something and never bring it to light. "Would you push me away if I said I couldn't?"

She looks down into her cup of tea, then lifts it to her lips drinking deeply. "Well, if you would have stabbed me when I kissed you... I would have taken that as a no." Hati muses over the edge of the cup. Even after such a serious question, she can still make some light of it. The thought if his duties comes to her mind then, "If they sent you after me... to take me back to your holy city in chains... Would you?" Stupid wolf and her hard questions.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja points his tail at Hati in a vaguely threatening manner. "Oh, quiet, you! Continue to speak so, and I shall have to fill thy gullet with sweets to keep it occupied!" The threat turns into a looming tickle behind the ears with that tail! Not too much though, he'd rather not put the wolfess into pain-stitch accidentally.

Ear-perk. That proud smile comes to his muzzle, the same one whenever he speaks of his people. "We are a people of artistry, grace, honor, and courage!" he boasts, thumping his chest with a hand.

"Any nezumi whom isn't some criminal lives their lives honorably...or that is the ideal at any rate. Honesty, bravery, that sort of thing. Dance is a national love, and is one of the few threads keeping both the Burmecian and Cleyran peoples from utterly splitting asunder. We can trace many back centuries. A Burmecian noblewoman would know traditional dance as well as any Cleyran dancer."

Hard questions follow, and the rat doesn't immediately answer. Instead, he covers his muzzle with a cup of his own tea, sitting down and thinking. It's a set of questions that deserve a real answer. Gazing her in the eye, Faruja smiles lightly. "Hati, I am an Ajoran. 'Tis a founding principle to share the love and light of Faram and the Divine Saint with others. With every step, we are to be examples for others to follow, though of course we falter in such; for all are sinful in their own ways. One could say 'tis an open offer, a question repeated by the Faithful to friends, family and strangers with every breath we take."

A pause, and the rat shakes his head. "That said, I am a Templar. We must be part religious scholar, and part realist to fulfill our duties. All will come to know the Lord in time. However, pushing aside an otherwise good soul whom has not yet come to His Light would do little to make the offer attractive, hmm? No, Hati. I would have patience. Even if one must come to the realization of the truth within the Lord's arms."

Snort. Snicker. Her quip actually brings the rat out of his serious mood briefly. "'Twould be fitting, for sharp clawed ones such as you and I. However, I must say, I have no regrets in the outcome."

As for his duty? Falling silent once again, he gazes at the wolfess. "Were the justification for such a thing truth? I suppose I would. Nay, I would allow no other to do so. A nezumi takes care of their own, and you have proven as worthy as kin. However, hardly do I expect you to go about stabbing Cardinals in the gut, my dear." Pausing, he then moves on to the better question. "Were I asked to drag you back, and the reason an untruth? Mmm. I do not know. I find myself in two minds. The first, of course, is to knock the teeth from those whom would order such a thing without due cause. The other, and likely more reasonable response, would be to have you tucked away somewhere in a holding cell guarded by people I trust until we have the matter sorted out and your good name cleared then sent away with a proper apology. We have the Inquisition for a reason, after all, to prevent foolish mistakes and work them out."

Hati has posed:
The wolf bats at his tail like a dog might at a fly buzzing around, but her expression is lighter than one might imagine for someone in such dire straits. The faint smile looks strange on lips already darkened by the curse within her veins, but at least it isn't spreading further. The scene shifts subtlely, perhaps a quick edit put in to cover up something the wolf says that strictly isn't for the children in the audience. One can guess it's a comment fit to make the mouseling flush.

"I'm sorry I missed getting to dance with you." After a little playful wink, she goes on, head tilting slightly, watching his display of Nezumi pride. "Though I am certain that our traditional dances are a far thing from yours." If Faruja had caught any glimpse of Skoll's sort of tribal girations, he might have some thought as to the dance that this girl is more familiar with. "If we get through this, I'm going to have to take you out dancing. We could teach each other. If you can keep up with me."

Her challenge tapers off with a laugh, but the rest of her questions linger and thus her smile falters. Though his answer to the first should bring her some comfort, it seems to fall short due to the other thoughts swimming in her mind. "I suppose it was foolish to take much of what the Judge said to heart, but I don't know much about all this. Feelings." She shrugs then, as if she were talking about not knowing a novel, or a movie. "I can't say I will ever come to that light. And I'll admit... it's terribly amusing to lead you astray."

The smile tries to linger for a moment after that, but it falls as she shakes her head. "You know I haven't always been a good person. Even now, I struggle with choices and confusion and feelings I don't understand." Better to be out with it now, rather than having him find out worse things later. She takes a drink of the tea, draining it to the bottom before setting it down. "I have brought the Heartless into worlds. Not yours, but others. I have never brought them to fall, myself, but I was a part of it." Her green eye looks towards him, unsure what to expect of it. "I make no excuses for it. I simply thought it was the right thing to do at the time. Now... I'm not so certain."

This is why she must have brought it up. For all her failings, Hati wants to make sure he understands the person he is fighting to save. Katyna or Skoll would fight for her regardless. Katyna because she already knows, and Skoll because he is her brother. Faruja, though, still has a choice.

Faruja Senra has posed:
What does one do when they're lit up like some sort of mouse-shaped christmas light thanks to a certain wolfess? Why, they hide their face amidst a cup of tea, slurping it down far past the actual existance of steaming hot beverage. The rat's tail curls about his seat, clutching as he cuts off whatever reply he has in mind. Somewhere, a censor is crying.

Head-tilt. Faruja brings to mind that very dance, and swiftly extrapolates it to the wolfess. From the looks of things, that blush isn't going away any time soon. Still, he smiles, the challenge accepted by the way his tail unwinds and he snorts. "Fah! We shall see! Hardly shall I be bested by someone whom hardly even knows a week of proper rain! Challenge accepted, oh dear wolfess. More motivation to make it through, lest you forfeit and Burmecian dance be declared superior by default!"

Rubbing his chin, one ear tilts as he crosses his legs. "To put it bluntly? 'Tis confusing to those whom have known them from birth. A tangled, sticky web, feelings. Yet, sturdy. Weave them strong, cast aside that which cannot support you, and a solid foundation shall you have." A pause, and a shrug. "Alright, the analogy is hardly the most fitting, but certainly you see the point, hmm? The mistakes you have made were made in ignorance, and without memory. What concerns me is your actions going forward, Hati. Decide for yourself, whether you wish to stand beside or against the worlds. /That/ is the question posed to all of us. Neutrality does not exist in this conflict. I trust you, Hati. You shall make the right decision in the end. Were I to believe otherwise, hardly would I stay beside you. I care for you deeply, and...more than that, you are a friend and comrade. I shan't abandon you so easily. Then I would be no better than that /coward/."

Faruja Senra has posed:
As for leading him astray? Faruja gives an indignant 'hmph'! "I should like to see thy attempts! The Lord tests us all, through flame and temper shall one's faith be forged anew and stronger for it."

Hati has posed:
That is one thing that the wolf will never grow tired of. Finding those subtle ways of flustering the Templar just seems to bemuse her terribly. "Well then, I look forward to testing you, as always, my dear mouse." Hati chuckles then, some hint of her darker humor there. "I wouldn't dare let you get off winning without a fight, and besides... I have every intention of proving our less than estemed Judge wrong about you." She doesn't go on to elaborate on just what the bunny had said, at least not for now.

"But my actions were not made in ignorance, or even due to my lack of memories." The wolf girl runs a hand through her hair. The tips are starting to fade back to their original white color, rather than the blue she tends to keep it. "Serrak was my father, my protector, my savior. I believed him at his word because no one else had ever been kind to me." Her eyes look away from him then, looking out at the eternal night. "He believed that if the worlds were brought down into darkness, it would force the light to create something new."

With a sigh, she shakes her head, uncertainty playing across her features. "He dreamed of a world where daughters didn't outlive their fathers. And I dreamed of a place where what happened to me would never be allowed to happen." She blinks slowly, clearly trying to control her own emotions, "People turn a blind eye to the suffering of others so often... and I hate them for that." Growling softly in her throat, she leans back again, "I am trying to keep an open mind, but for every act of kindness, I see one of cowardice." Faruja had chosen to fight for her, where as Evja had not...

She does manage to let go of that anger though, and offer him a weary smile. "Ahh, my brave knight. There is no one else I know who I'd let play the role of my hero. Best do it well, as I don't imagine there will be other chances." Hati is not the sort to let herself be laid so low as this too often.

Faruja Senra has posed:
One ear twitches, the rat tilting his head. "What /ever/ did she say about me, exactly?" Comes the rat curiously, looking vaguely displeased. Clearly he was being gossipped about!

Serrak's idea has Faruja staring dumbfounded. Nevermind the utter Heresy of it, the mere thought has him unable to speak.

"Mean you to tell me that he thought...if...grah!" Both hands rub over his face, the Burmecian standing and pacing.

"Even if such were possible, 'twould accomplish nothing! For in all things, there are good and bad men, some whom walk paths of righteousness, others whom fall astray. And to sacrifice entire world...unthinkable!" Rants the Burmecian, in that lovely tone of a zealot.

"Mayhap so, Hati. But is it truly proper to toss aside the wheat with the chaffe?" Questions the ratling as he moves away from the plot of Serrak.

Smile growing, he leans down, slipping an arm around her shoulder as she mentions heroism. His tail curls against her own. Siiip. Mmm, tea and wolf. If only she wasn't stricken so, and he'd have no complaints! "Then I should best relish the opportunity and prove myself worthy of thy esteemed company!"

Hati has posed:
"It may seem like foolishness, but imagine for a moment losing your soulmate, your wife, your everything. Then only to watch your daughter waste away. It is a cruel fate, and not one that he deserved, no matter what sins he might have done." While he does not condemn her, she is part of this, and her one eye looks at him, cautious and uncertain. "As for me, I was an outcast long before my father left me to die in the snow. The other wolves shunned me, picked on me, treated me like filth because Odin hated me." She growls under her breath, "Skoll never knew, and my mother never lifted a hand to protect me, because she was too afraid."

Pausing, Hati leans her head back, "I don't remember much kindness, and even after my exile, I rarely saw much worth redeeming. Not until recently." Her tail thumps once against the matress. "Maybe it's because my memories have started to come back. Or maybe people are just nicer to one another now that the worlds are in such danger and their time is short. I don't know." She rubs at the side of her head with one darkened hand, "It's hard to see light when you live in darkness, but I'm trying to. Just need time to figure it out." And time is something she may not have.

It isn't usually in Hati's nature to pass on someone else's hearsay, but the wolf just looks at him, her head cocked slightly to the side. "That you could never be intimate with a woman, because you would be far too flustered, and likely to pass out from the mere thought of it." It may not be the exact wording, but it's close enough. The wolf girl shrugs then, offering him a small, wicked sort of smile. "I fear she gives you far too little credit. And as much as I look forward to the chance to test the theory, I think a Templar such a yourself would be able to handle such a challenge." She rumbles a soft laugh, still able to be amused even with the danger that lies on her doorstep.

With that, she leans in against him, her tail swaying soft fur against his. "You know, you're a strange creature sometimes. As if you needed to prove /yourself/ worthy." Hrmph.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja shakes his head, finding no words coming easily. He can certainly feel for the loss of one's dear to a person. But at the cost of an entire world? He sighs. No. He can't accept such selfishness.

"That I cannot answer, Hati. The worlds certainly have changed much. Take your time, think. No matter what you choose...you will have my love." A nod. He couldn't stop loving her at this point. She's dug her way into his being far too well.

Slowly, the Burmecian scowls! His arms fold, squeaking in indignation! "H...Hardly! I shall have that blasted rabbit know that I am quite...quite...my stamina is more than sufficient thank you! And...see? There, my thoughts are quite on such, and I am not passing ou..." The rat swiftly shuts up. Despite it all, he's as red as can be, grumbling several things that clearly aren't kind regarding the Viera. Yup, looks like someone's hit a button or two there.

Reach out! The wolfess gets a hug. "Finally, /someone/ who believes in me in such...ahh, areas." Cough.

Smirk. "Would you have me any other way? I like to think of the term 'eccentric' is far more fitting!"

Hati has posed:
Okay, now that one word stops Hati in her tracks, and the wolf freezes, looking up at him with that one green eye. "Love?" She asks in almost a whisper. Isn't that what she wanted? To learn about what it is to love, and be loved? For someone so uncertain of her own emotions most of the time, it is almost a frightening prospect. The wolf catches her lower lip with one fanged tooth, then looks away quickly. It's probably one of the few 'shy' moments she's ever really shown, and it passes quickly enough as she clears her throat. "I don't think I could go back to that, anyways. Not anymore." She had people to protect now, and so long as they exist, she could never want the end of existence.

At least his sudden indignation has that smirk returning and the more familiar, lackadaisical mannerisms of the wolf showing on her features. With a laugh, she seems quite amused with his flusterings. "I wouldn't know, either way, but I'm sure you're more than capable." She can't seem to keep herself from laughing, which probably is a good thing. It makes the situation seem so much less dire when she has the energy for that.

His sudden hug has her blinking, and then she offers him a quick nuzzle against his shoulder. She could make some sort of joking comment, but... right now her mind is elsewhere. Maybe his words from before, maybe the entire prospect of all this sinking in as something more serious than her easy-going words had made it out to be. "I should probably try to get some rest..." She admits, as if that were a way of excusing herself from such thoughts. Later. Emotions and figuring out all that can wait until the whole... dying thing is taken care of.

Besides, this gives the mouse a chance to go off and deal with certain heretics in bars...

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja bares witness to a moment of shyness from the wolfess. It's almost surreal, seeing her show something so normal as that. He smiles all the more for it, chuckling. "You are so very /cute/ when embarrassed." Teases the ratling, taking the opportunity presented to him.

Slowly, the ratling stands, pulling the covers over the wolf. Leaning down, he gives her a kiss on the forehead. "Rest well, my dear wolf. We shall see you through this, on my honor." Whispers the Burmecian. Once she's snoring away, he heads out to let her sleep.