"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
Regardless of where you live, a broken leg is a poor prognosis for a horse. Being large in size requires four healthy, strong legs and hooves to survive. If you factor in the rough climate of the Isle, Jesper's odds grow worse and worse as the summer days grow shorter and shorter. The first order of business, after his battle with Sabrina, is to find help. He knew healers existed but, none lived here with him. Well, not that he knew of. Lifting his poll, Jesper emits a loud, distressed bugle to summon any Icicle who may possess the gift of healing. His bronze-tipped lobes remain alert for any return calls to say help is on its way.
The sun begins to move from its highest position and, Jesper still has not heard anything. With a sigh, the black rebalances his mass onto his three, already tired limbs. He hops forward cautiously. The awkwardness of his new gait diminishes slightly and, before long, he is hobbling along slowly. He winces and grunts with each step but, knows that his best hope is to continue. He makes his way to the shore closest to Nerine. He had made the swim many-a-time but, today that would not be feasible. By the time he reached the shoreline, the daystar touched the horizon and, began to slip behind it. Temperatures would fall quickly as darkness falls over the Isle. Fatigued from the battle and, lack of nourishment, Jesper halts. His tired muscles quiver and, his three intact limbs shake. He should rest even if getting up and down is more difficult than walking on three legs. But first! He puts all of his energy into calling out to Nerine for help.
Next, he shifts into canine form to wrap himself in his thick, warm fox pelt. He allows a distressed howl to echo through the cold air before he sinks into the powder crusted grasses (summer reached the Isle but, just barely). Curled up and, off of his feet, Jesper remains alert at first. His self-preservation reminds him that he is vulnerable and, needs to stay awake. His broken right limb is propped out in front of him because it caused him too much pain to try to move it. As the night drags on, he finds it more difficult to fight sleep and, before long he is drifting off.
The mother bear had been hiding a lot more than she would prefer, sneaking away into the deep forests of Beqanna and refusing to emerge until everything began to cool off.
At first, the bear had been quite involved in everything, confronting Castile about what he was doing to Loess, and the harm he was causing to some of the other lands in Beqanna, though her confrontation ended quickly, swept to the side by his mass, unafraid of her voice.
After trying to heal those that were affected by the war, the bear hung around the cove for a while, trying to do her bit and help, though before long Caelestra was wandering Beqanna again, exploring her lush landscape.
The bear approaches the familiar borders of Nerine, her mind set on visiting the icicle isle again, not forgetting the hospitable manner Leilan had last welcomed her in, allowing her to stick around for a while and take in the harsh but pretty nature of the isle.
As she begins to swim she hears the pained and distressed howl of a fox, her head slightly tilted as she quickens her pace in the water, her massive paws allowing her to swim freely and quickly through the water.
Cael quickly notices the fox as she shakes her pelt, trying to get rid of all the cold water as she walks toward the small figure.
"Hello?" she says warmly, her eyebrow raised at the small fox "Are you quite alright?" she says, kneeling down and gently nudging the small canine.
Her expression becomes quite worried when he does not react, the bear shifts into her equine form, her constellation markings once again taking shape on her side as she kneels down again, pressing her nose against the side of the fox as a small aura of light appears around the area, without knowing the origin of the foxes tired demeanour, she feels like she should avoid trying to operate, afraid of causing more damage than she would heal.
The mare now shifts back into her bear form again and curls around the fox, trying to use her thick fur give the small canine some warmth.
@[Jesper] I haven't written her in a little while so this is a wee bit messy but I thought I'd get a reply out quickly
Heavy eyelids stir blearily as bronze-tipped lobes catch the greeting of someone approaching. The voice is gravelly and yet, sweet and feminine. His ice blue gaze struggles to focus in the darkness though, it could also be the fatigue. In his weary state, Jesper finds it difficult to tell exactly how big she is. Since he is in his fox body, most everyone is larger than him. If she is a threat, it is not like he has the strength to fight. To be honest, he does not even have the strength to shift into his equine body.
He feels the warmth of her hug and, the bristle-like texture of her fur. Jesper blinks a few times until icy blue gaze opens. The fox swivels his head around until his eyes meet the soft green gaze of the bear. Before his eyes, Jesper sees her shift into a stunning black mare. She is a shifter, Jesper thinks. He offers a genuine smile to the lady. Her sweet gestures continue as her expression becomes worried, she nudges him and kneels down to his level.
At last, the silver fox finds his voice and, addresses the bear shifter. "Hello there. I am afraid not. I was injured in a battle earlier today." He points to his outstretched right front leg with his nose to indicate where the injury is. "It is broken. Are you able to help me?" The last thing he wants is to assume she can fix the injury but, perhaps, she knows someone who can. He does assume that she swam to the Isle because she heard his call and, wants to help in some way - even if indirectly. Jesper smiles softly as the female shifts into bear form once again and snuggles against him. Despite the stiffness in his joints, the throbbing pain in his right shinbone and, the hungry rumble in his stomach, Jesper felt safe with her at his side. He sighs, and then adds, "Thank you for answering my call. My name is Jesper, by the way."
SO GIVE ME HOPE IN THE DARKNESS THAT I WILL SEE THE LIGHT 'CAUSE OH THAT GAVE ME SUCH A FRIGHT
He knows, vaguely, that something is wrong with his grandson. but he also knows it's not immediately life-threatening and he is the parent currently in charge of the twins, and he can't leave them alone. He's restless with the knowledge, with the magic being the only link between himself and Jesper, and so by the time Nihlus returns to him, not even the tempting doe-eyes his lover is making at him are enough to keep him from being quite instantly where his grandson is.
With the long-honed instincts of a warrior, he takes in their surroundings first. They're in Icicle Isle, but on the Nerine side. The next thing he locks eyes on is his grandson - and the bear wrapped around him. For a moment the magician's ears are pinned flat against his head, his eyes shining fire, his teeth bared. The bay holds on to his self-control just long enough to ascertain that the bear isn't the threat in this situation, still there is a growl under his breath that he has to fight to contain, because seeing the giant predator wrapped around his currently tiny grandson pushes a whole lot of buttons. Still, with a few deep breaths he can acknowledge that the bear is doing a good thing, keeping Jesper warm. When Brennen is sure he is as calm as can be, he approaches them the rest of the way.
"Jesper," there is still a dangerous rumble to his voice, an undertone that promises violence; but the violence isn't for them. The affection, however, is; he touches the fox's shoulder with all of the gentleness the tone of his voice would have you believing he can't manage. Amber eyes flick to the bear, assessing. "Can you heal it?" the words are brusque; he isn't a practiced healer, so it will be better off to leave it to her if she can do it. But if she can't, he won't leave Jesper in pain for a moment longer, and he will harness the magic to heal him if it kills him. In the meantime, he turns his gaze back to the man he still sees as a child, one of his tribe. "Who did this to you?"
BUT I WILL HOLD AS LONG AS YOU LIKE JUST PROMISE ME WE'LL BE ALRIGHT
Brennen
@[Jesper] @[Caelestra] sorry indignant grandfather insisted on being here
The mare stands up and shifts back into her horse form as the small canine speaks, her attention turning to his broken leg.
"It's nice to meet you Jesper, I'm Caelestra" she smiles, looking toward a now approaching stranger, once the horse arrives he asks her if she can heal the fox's leg, though he seems more worried than aggressive, probably related to the canine "I can try my best" she replies, kneeling down beside the broken leg.
The mare had little knowledge of broken bones, her usual healing was mainly compiled of punctures, slashes, small wounds and the occasional large gash. During the war between Tephra and Loess, the mare had been quite busy going around and helping whoever she could, at that time she had seen the worst of injuries, some so severe she wished she was able to forget about them, though the death toll always haunted her and created a guilty feeling inside of her, one she knew she was not at fault for, but one she blamed herself for.
"I am sorry if this hurts," she says with a frown as she lowers her head, closing her eyes and gently pushing her nose into the leg. As she starts to push, a white aura of light appears around her nose and the broken leg begins to glow. The mare sits concentrated for a few minutes, moving her nose up and down the leg as she tries to fix the broken bone, mending it together and fixing any cracks.
Once she is sure the leg has been fixed the mare stands up and the aura of light fades.
"Hopefully that fixed it. Try not to get into any more fights" she says humorously, standing quietly next to the pair.
Caelestra. Jesper repeats the lady's name to himself. Her name reminds him of the sky and so, he finds his pale blue gaze drifting up from her concerned features to the peace above. One of the many beautiful things about the Isle, is a unobstructed, panoramic view of the heavens. The gray fox sighs as he focuses on the twinkling stars above.
Jesper's attention shifts as he hears the whoosh of wings behind him. Bronze-tipped ears swivel backwards to catch the crunch of a horse's footfalls. Given his vulnerable state, his heart races initially. Then, he reminds himself that he is in the presence of a bear. Brennen's familiar cologne fills his nares next and, Jesper breathes a sigh of relief. He offers a nicker in greeting as his grandsire calls out his name. When he feels the warm touch of Brennen's muzzle into his shoulder, Jesper closes his eyes. For the first time since his duel with Sabrina, the male feels as though everything will be all right.
Brennen's question to the female causes Jesper to open his eyes and look up at the black mare. He waits patiently and, listens whole-heartedly. His future depends entirely on whether or not his leg can be fixed. Caelestra's response is genuine and, her body language supports her words. The fox cannot be sure what to expect but, her apology causes him little worry. "It cannot hurt any more than it did to break it," Jesper says with a soft smile. He catches Brennen's question but, remains preoccupied by what the dark mare is about to do. His pale blue gaze is drawn to the glow emanating from her muzzle. The light extends to his cannonbone and, envelops around the break. Jesper feels a warmth that penetrates through the skin and seeps right into the gulley running through his bone.
When the aura subsides, the fox releases the breath he did not realize he had been holding. His gaze shifts from his right front leg to meet the female's gaze before he looks back at his leg. The imperfection running along the front of his leg is gone. The bite wounds from Sabrina's initial puncture are gone also. Jesper stares a few more breaths and then, decides the only way to test it is to stand up. The fox begins by uncurling his left front leg and stretching it out alongside the right front. Male shifts his weight onto his haunches and pushes himself up into a sitting position. He is careful to support more of his weight on his left front, just in case. He feels no resistance with half of his weight and so, he pushes himself up onto all fours. Standing there, the fox shifts his weight until it is evenly distributed across his limbs. And, it feels good. A smile spreads across his face.
He steps forward and still feels no pain. A wave of relief and elatement flood Jesper and, in a show of his gratitude, the fox leaps forward. He bounces and weaves between Caelestra's front legs and then, he stops and sits right between her front hooves. Balancing his weight on his hind limbs, the fox reaches up to lick the mare's chin. He yips and then, scoots forward. Jesper spins about to face Caelestra and then, his pale blue gaze meets her soft green eyes. In another breath, the male takes the time to shift from his fox body into his equine form. His black pelt mirrors that of the mare's though, he lacks the intricate design on his left side. In his equine form, Jesper notices a slight tension in his right front. It is definitely not broken but, the ligaments are definitely stiff. He is unsure if her magic was limited due to him being a canine or, if his anatomy as a horse is that much different.
Nevertheless, the leg is in far better condition than it was. Jesper smiles up at Caelestra and, makes fleeting eye contact with Brennen before he addresses the mare. "Caelestra, thank you. I am indebted to you. I have no doubt that this injury could have been the end of me. How can I ever repay the favor? You are, of course, welcome to rest here or, stay as long as you wish. If there is anything more I can do, please let me know." Lastly, with a sincere tone to emphasize his words, Jesper says, "And yes, I promise to avoid any more fights."
The black figures now is as relevant as ever to answer his grandsire. Turning his attention towards the winged bay, Jesper speaks up. "Her name is Sabrina. She had been a resident of the Isle for a while. She kept to herself. Well, her and Crevan kept to themselves. I never suspected she would try to overthrow me. Then again, I may have lost focus and, was less attentive. Regardless, I have learned my lesson and, will not lose focus again. I doubt Sabrina will cause any more trouble, either." Jesper gives a reassuring smile and nod of his head to Brennen. Then, the black waits patiently for either of them to continue the conversation.
SO GIVE ME HOPE IN THE DARKNESS THAT I WILL SEE THE LIGHT 'CAUSE OH THAT GAVE ME SUCH A FRIGHT
He is quite still, almost as if frozen, and the way he watches her isn't quite natural for a prey animal. The magician doesn't look away, tenseness in every line of his body as his amber eyes are locked on the mare. Brennen can't stand the idea of someone else doing the healing, despite knowing that it's the better option than him simply bludgeoning it with magic. He only shifts his eyes to Jesper when she's finished, and his grandson stands successfully.
While the little fox leaps forward and greets the woman with quite a bit more enthusiasm, he forces himself to exhale and relax, muscle by muscle. In the the back of his head, he makes a promise: he will practice more varied use of his magic, so he won't be in this position again. Still, he manages a fleeting smile when Jesper meets his eyes. He settles in to wait quite a bit more patiently as his grandson thanks his healer. When he does turn his attention to answering Brennen's other question, the bay's attention sharpers once more, committing the name of this 'Sabrina' and 'Crevan' to memory. "Are you sure?" he asks, tail swishing sharply in discontent. "Perhaps it would be better if spoke to them. Discouraged...any more ambitions."
BUT I WILL HOLD AS LONG AS YOU LIKE JUST PROMISE ME WE'LL BE ALRIGHT
The mare smiles exuberantly as the little fox regains his energy, weaving in between her front leg before settling down in front of her and licking her chin.
"That is quite alright, I am happy to help" she replies warmly, her body twitching slightly as the cold reaches her pale form "If you do not mind I might stay a while, I haven't really figured out where I want to settle down" she says uncertain, normally used to travelling around Beqanna and doing as much as she could for those that needed her help, though sometimes this included getting into quite a lot of trouble.
Her expression remains warm as Jesper turns to the other equine, speaking about who had challenged him, the names spoken of didn't ring any bells though she still tried to imagine who they were and their motive for overthrowing the kingdom.
Her newly formed plan would most likely include staying on the isle for a while and making use of Jesper's hospitality especially since she had been carrying for quite a while and was almost ready to give birth.
The mare steps forward next to them before the other equine is finished and offers a little humour "Maybe you need to hire a few bodyguards, maybe a bear?" she smiles, her tone remaining warm and whimsical.
Jesper holds a patient stance now that his body is whole and, the pain is gone. Above them, the night ceiling grows darker and the stars twinkle a little brighter. The air is an unforgiving cold and snaps against his sides. With his leg healed, the black takes notice of his body's others demands: hunger and cold. Jesper makes the effort to grow a thick pelt which rivals that of a shetland pony. He knows he should look for food soon but, being gracious towards the lady who spared him from a horrid death and, the grandsire whom is there for him no matter what, is more pressing right now. However, he could stay warm while they converse.
Bronze-tipped ears listen carefully to Caelestra as she speaks. The black mare's comment about not knowing where to settle down draws a warm smile to his face. He would love the company of a bear-shifter and, he imagines a bear-shifter would love what the Isle has to offer. His aquamarine gaze notes her expanding barrel and, within seconds, Jesper positions himself so that the blistering arctic wind gets lost in his thick pelt before it reaches Caelestra.
Brennen's words draw the black male's light blue gaze to his grandsire. He nods in poll in understanding as he listens. The winged bay steed speaks from experience and Jesper appreciates his advice. As Brennen finishes, Jesper picks up right where he leaves off. "As part of our challenge terms, Sabrina stated she would leave the Isle if she lost. But, I see where you are coming from. Sabrina kept her initial ambitions from me so, it is entirely possible she has additional tricks up her sleeve. I will make a point of locating them both to tie up any loose ends."
Jesper shifts his gaze to meet Calestra's eyes before he addresses her. His tone is gentle and warm, with respect and gratitude. "I do not want to take advantage of you, Caelestra. You have already done so much for me. And, gauging by the life you carry, you must protect yourself first. Though, I must admit, your proposition to become a bodyguard for the Isle is tempting. I promise to mull it over and, approach you with my answer when I have a clearer head. Please, stick around for a few days. I would love for Camomila to meet you."
@[Brennen], I am happy to end this thread here. If you want Brennen to stick around, I can always start a separate thread for grandpa/grandson.
@[Caelestra], I am going to start a new thread for Cael and Cam, so you dont have to reply to this one if you dont want to =)
Jesper
![[Image: YDKFjJC]](https://imgur.com/a/YDKFjJC)
