she's... tired. tired deep in her bones, in a way that she's never felt before. her revelations in her den with gawain and elijah have left her in a sort of exhausted state that she can't seem to shake off. it's better than the wild, endless grief that's waiting just beyond the fog, she supposes, but not by much. she'd been foolish enough to fall for a monster, and that knowledge leaves her cold and hurting inside.

what kind of life would her son have had if his father hadn't disappeared? it's a thought that upsets her - but more than that, it makes her angry. she wishes her ex were here in front of her so that she could carve her pain and her rage into his hide. instead, she sinks into a hot spring with a quiet sigh, soaking her aching muscles and praying to relax for a while.

@Giovanni

code by corvus

He does not notice her at first; the pale stranger is obscured by the clouds of vapor that shroud the landscape, and he is preoccupied with his recent success. Giovanni had approached the springs with distinct interest etched across his striped countenance, satisfaction humming in his chest as his vibrant irises flitted over the warm waters that define this heavenly piece of landscape. Now this was more like it! Blood from a recent – fresh! – kill painted across his mouth and paws, mingled with remnants of the Mire’s muck that still stained his limbs and belly. It had been too long since the titan had hunted for himself with any sort of success, and although the meal he had caught was hardly enough to satisfy a lion of his stature, it did appease a part of his spirit that had been lacking in these recent months. It was almost enough to bring a smile to his face.

Without paying much mind to the other scents that may have clung to the wetness in the atmosphere, the titan submerges himself into the closest spring, a rumble of pleasure rolling from his throat as the hot waters closed around him. Only a prominent stinging sensation emanating from his left limb interrupts what should have been utter bliss, and the lion lifts his forepaw from the water, frowning when he notices a fresh rivulet of crimson seeping down the earth-and-stone fur of his forearm, coming to a slow drip from his elbow into the water. Ears flatten into his mane, his mood darkening; the gash had almost been half-healed, likely having been reopened during his hunt, and it stung like a [redacted] now. With an irritated sigh the titan would submerge his forelimb back into the hot water, trusting for now, the hot water would keep any (further) infection at bay.

@Mononoke

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whilst the clouds of vapor might easily hide someone as small and pale as she ( her fur nearly the same color as said vapor ) it doesn't do quite as well hiding @Giovanni from view. as such, between vision and sound, momo becomes aware of him around the time he slides into the other side of the spring she's trying to relax in. tensing up, she debates on if now is a good time to try and very quietly leave the water.

through the steam rising up from the water, though, she sees him lift a limb to inspect it, only to drop it back into the water with an irritated sigh. the natural healer in her refuses to let her leave now, and - very hesitantly - she calls out to him in her soft voice. um, hello there, comes her gentle tones, body hunkering down deeper into the water. are you alright?

code by corvus

Had he paid closer attention upon his arrival, he would have noticed by now that he shared this spring with another, and surprise would not have rippled through him like it did when her voice manifested from the far end of the spring. His crown swung in her direction, brilliant teal seeking the source of the gentle tones that had carried across the water, his muscles tight with apprehension and shock beneath his saturated coat.

Through the broken swirls of mist, he is able to spot the smaller lioness, hunkered low in the water, a small and unaggressive target. Her words were a simple greeting, followed by concern, but it took the titan a long moment to answer. More or less. He replied after a pause, lying for the moment; the gash on his forearm continued to sting, but he did not know her or the reason she was curious about his well-being. He cleared his throat, shifting in the water so that his spine was pressed against the warm, wet stone and his teal gaze shifted away from her, glancing over the edges of the pool so that the small lioness remained in his peripheral. Sorry, I hadn’t realized this spring was occupied. And what a brute he felt to be for disturbing this stranger, sullying her pool with his blood.

@Mononoke

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It's alright, she says, her voice gentle. I'm easy to miss in all this steam. A soft laugh escapes, but it's more self-deprecating than genuinely amused. Are you sure you're alright? I'm a healer. She's not trying to be pushy - she's just concerned that he not try and hide an injury out of some misguided sense of stoicism or some such nonsense.

My name is Mononoke, she adds after a moment, offering a sweet smile through the vapour. You can call me 'Noke, for short, if you want to. Most people do, aside from Elijah and Gawain, who just call her Momo. She almost blurts out that @Giovanni is pretty - she's not sure she's run into anyone with quite his coloring before, and she's fascinated by it.

code by corvus

Turquoise eyes flit back to her when she laughs – the cadence of it caught him by surprise, it was almost self-conscious in its manifestation, and it inspired a greater sentiment of discomfiture in the earthen titan at his careless intrusion. A frown twitches at the edges of his lips, his tongue beginning to curl with an apology that would dismiss her implied criticism – after all, it was his fault for not seeing her – but she continues onward and her next words pull on his trust like few others can and they give him a moments pause. She’s a healer.

I’m Giovanni, The titan introduces, his tones now weighted with the inflection of a hesitant but kindling respect, and he shifts again in the hot water, his spine coming off the stone as he eases his weight from the injured forelimb. and I am fine, really. I thought this cut had healed already. He frowns at the offending limb as he pulls it from the water, the muck having washed from his dark fur and allowing for a better view of the half-healed gash that splits his skin. Any advice? He asks after a moment, his eyes flicking to the pale woman, who he could see so easily now; it was truly a notion to consider how he had missed her before.

@Mononoke

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it's nice to meet you, giovanni, she murmurs, offering a soft but genuine smile. his explanation makes her frown a little, though, and she peers at him through the vapor. i could take a look at it, if you'd like? i have my herb pouch with me. she gets out of the water, picking up her pouch necklace off the stone floor, and trots towards him.

she's a pretty sight, though maybe not as pretty as she used to be; her upper body coated in scars, her lip marred by a particularly distinctive scar, and one of her eyes missing. she's also becoming rather severely underweight lately, and, well, it's not a good look.

still, she's a creature of light and it shows as she stops nearby @Giovanni and places her pouch back on the floor, moving a little closer without it to eyeball his injury. it's not too bad, at least, but you still need to be wary of infection. the hot water will help clean it.

she slips back into the water and faces him, smiling gently. i can put a couple of things on it to help it heal once you're ready. no rush to get out of the water. it was relaxing here, and she certainly isn't about to hurry him out of the water when the water in and of itself is helpful.

code by corvus