He was tired. He could feel the weariness seeping into his bones, dragging him down. The flight back to Ichika had tired both man and horse out, not to mention the terror of having his child die on him from malnutrition had aged him at least a year. He needed a good long sleep, but there was too much to do. Like a clockwork animal, wound up tight, his excitement at being home once more was preventing him from relaxing back and drifting away into sleep. After he'd finished his conversation with Jace, and the wolfdog had revealed Wretch's absence, Saul had moved to find his horse. The stallion still had precious cargo attached to his dark steed and he wasnt willing to have the young horse roll or something similar in a way that would break it all. He was yet to really go through all the things he'd collected on his travels, but his thoughts had been on the egg that may or may not hold a life within it. He'd caught up with Hermes', grazing peacefully by the shoreline a couple of miles away.


Soft words were spoken towards the horse as Saul coaxed him back the way they'd come. It was time to show the stallion back to his stall and to check on Maia and Arete, who would surely be overjoyed to see him. He allowed the journey to meld into the background as he moved forward, slowly removing items that were strapped across the horses back and shoulders. His backpack was loaded down before he added the egg on top, hoping his body head would be enough to keep whatever was inside alive long enough till he could find a warmer spot. He approached the ranch cautiously, hoping he wouldnt wake up the horses before he let Hermes into one of the paddocks. He would come back in the morning to put him in his stall, but for now the stallion could remain outside.


With a soft sigh, Saul moved back and away from the ranch. He was going to have to return to the earthen den sooner or later and check on everyone. His body felt lethargic as he walked forward, running a hand over his messy brown hair. It had grown a bit since he'd left and he made a little mental note to get his hair cut again when he could. It was through this little mental note that a muffled scream echoed through Wentworth. He paused, cocking his head to the side as one cinnamon-backed ear twitched forward towards the dying vibrations of the sound. He didnt recognise it as Nayru, and he doubted X'yrin would make a sound like that. Curiosity, and a good dose of concern, washed over him as he stalked forward, green eyes searching the forest.


He almost didn't catch the movement of bright red and white as it streaked through the trees, weaving expertly in and out to avoid being obstructed. He paused himself, glancing back towards the den he would be calling home, at least until something better could be found and then back towards the retreating figure. It was settled before he even really thought about it- the young male shifted his muscles beneath him and set off on two legs, catching the females scent easily. He didnt know the female, of that much he was certain. But there was a certain concern for her that he couldnt ignore. He ghosted forward in time to see her vomit in the river, a soft shudder running down his spine. He emerged from the shadows just in time to watch her curl into a foetal position, her nose touching the water.


"Miss? Miss, I mean you no harm. My name is Saul Stormbringer and I'm a healer..." He spoke soothingly, giving her short snips of information to process before he moved forward. "Can I help you?" He asked softly, shuffling to kneel by her head and pushing her hair swiftly away from her eyes. Perhaps there was something he could do to help her.

He had no idea if the female had heard him- she gave to outward sign that she recognised that there was another person beside her. The darkness that had just a few moments ago been a comfort to him now felt just a little threatening, although he couldn't explain this feeling. His creamy hand connected with her face and now she reacted. She tilted her head, turning her face into the contact and holding her position for a few moments. It tore at his heart to see another like this- that while she had no idea who he was, the comfort taken from the simple gesture of his hand on her face was something that she seemed to revere. For a moment, he allowed his fingers to make soft circles against her cheek, before her face moved once more and dark golden eyes seemed to take in the scene before her.


Her whole demeanor changed so abruptly, and strangely, that Saul glanced behind him to see if the expression on her face matched with the presence of another wolf. He could clearly read the horror and confusion on her face as she stared at him, which in turn made his own face turn confused and puzzled. He'd never met this female- he'd only returned to Ichika today and there wasn't anything he could have done to offend her in this manner. Of course, her next words changed the situation. The slightly glazed look in her eye paired with those words made the young male realise that she wasn't seeing him at all, she was seeing something else entirely. Still, he felt the need to speak.


"I-I'm sorry, you've got it wrong-" He mumbled at the same time as the female yanked her body away from him and plunged her head into the water. He looked at her in shock as she held her head under the water for a good few moments. She emerged with a gasp and Saul leaned back to get a look at her. Her eyes looked bright, but they were no longer glazed with confusion. She ignored him for a while longer before she blurted out an apology. "Oh no, it's okay, it's fine. Are you alright?" He asked, gushing over his word as she leaned down to lap at the water. She looked shaken and Saul didn't want to leave her like this.

The cool night air was clearly not as soothing to the female as it was to him. While he had no obligation to be here, due to the fact that his intrusion on her nightmares had been pure concern for the terrified screams that had echoed through the forest on his way though, Saul felt the need to stay and make sure that she was okay. He didn't know her- she'd joined Ichika after he'd left. But he would get to know her soon enough and now was a good a time as any. Green eyes watched her lap at the water for a moment before she straightened up, her voice lashing out. Saul flinched- not from the tone of her voice, but from the content of her words. She'd lost her mate and nothing he could say would ever bring him, or her, back. He allowed his ears to flicker back against his head, an apologetic posture as opposed to submissive. While Saul was technically beneath her, he'd started out in the prestige ranks and he was still adjusting to being just a Mui.


"I'm sorry to hear that..." He murmured softly, trying to keep the peace. He couldn't have known her problems. She turned properly then, looking at him for a good few moments before her eyes softened and she dropped her gaze. Her eyes fixed on his chest and her ears dipped down, an apologetic pose very similar to the one he'd adopted just moments ago. Her apology quickly followed and Saul dipped his head softly in return. "It's not a problem, miss" He offered back in return before her own words came again. Sympathy welled in his gut as she explained her problem and Saul had to agree that nightmares were never a good thing.


"Have you tried anything medicinal to get rid of them?" He asked, his mind racing to think of anything that might help her. He had a few things in mind, most of which consisted of drugs that would mellow her out and make it easier for her to sleep. She introduced herself properly then and Saul gave her a soft smile. "Well, its nice to meet you Neela, Resident Sailor." He offered in return, a soft smile pulling at his lips. He'd noticed the boat close by, but hadn't assumed it belonged to her. It was an interesting fact though and Saul would have liked a tour of the boat. Still, it would be her initiative and he wasn't going to force it out of her.

He was perceptive enough to notice the small flinch of her body when he mentioned medicinal action that might be taken. His mind shifted quickly away from stronger plants like poppy that would put her in a stupor, thinking more of the calming effects that Chamomile had. Perhaps it would help her relax enough to sleep, or maybe not. He would make her some chamomile tea, and perhaps a mint rub for her chest that would stay on her fur for most of the night. It wouldn't cure her nightmares, but the soothing effects of both plants might just help to relax her mind. He couldn't not help her, that was a certain in his mind. Of course, her words made him pause for a moment. He was certain she'd been about to say "drugs" before her body visible clamped up and she looked skyward, a deep breath drawn in.


"I might be able to help, Neela." He said softly, wishing he'd thought to bring his satchel. Before his departure back in October, he'd taken to wearing it around everywhere, just in case. He'd left most of it behind when he'd left and hadn't reclaimed it from Cerne Rise yet. He would have to go tomorrow to see if his medical supplies were still in tact. Neela interrupted his planning, her soft voice admitting that she was quesy. Ginger would help with that. It was difficult for the male to switch off that part of his brain, the one that was constantly diagnosing and treating patients in his mind. It was always a distraction, especially when the case in hand didnt want to be treated.


"No problem. Up you come" He chuckled softly as he took Neela's outstretched hand. She'd looked so vulnerable for a moment, her arm outstretched for the help of a near stranger. But as Saul hauled her to her feet, he could see how unsteady she was. Without wanting to intrude on her personal space, but also realising that she might not make it unassisted to the ship, Saul supported her back, an arm curved around her waist to make sure she didn't fall. "This way?" He asked, stepping forward a few paces to the right side of the boat, given that she hadn't given him directions on hope to get on the thing. It was certainly a strange way to meet, but Saul found he liked the elder woman enough to stay and help her out.

Saul did not miss the violent twitch if Neela's ear as he allowed his arms to circle around her. He didn't particularly mind the physical contact, but it was clear the red and white female did. Of course, there was very little he could do to rectify the situation. She was too weak to move on her own, Saul was certain she would fall to the floor should he release her. She already seemed in a lot of pain as it was the young male was loathe to do anything that might harm her further. At the same time, he didn't want to freak her out and therefore allowed his arms to remain a firm but unrestrictive pressure around her body. If she wanted to move away, to get away from the confines of his arms, then he wasn't holding on to her tight enough to restrict that wish. Green eyes stayed away from her own, as well as her body, in attempt to give the female some freedom. She had, of course, confessed to nightmares which was more than most did when they were confronted with a stranger who wanted to help them. Saul thought he may have recognised the need for help she had asked for when admitting that she wasn't okay.


It didn't take them long to reach the boat that belonged to the female and her soft thanks was met by a soft dip of his head in return. She really didn't need to thank him- it was his decision to help her out. But protocol and manners dictated the thanking of those who help another and Saul accepted the gratitude without fanfare. There was no need for it and the young male allowed himself to fall into silence as he looked up the side of the boat. He'd never seen a real one before, although he'd caught snippets of information in various books he'd managed to scavenge. His reading and writing abilities were coming along well and while the male was fluent in neither skill, practise and time were the only things he could do to improve this situation. Now that he was back in Ichika, he would spend more time searching out books to read, to expand his knowledge and improve his skill in both of the subjects that he was lacking. Green eyes were a little apprehensive however as he looked up the side of the boat, noting just how tall it was. Was the female he'd rescued up to climbing up the side without falling off? He wasn't sure.


Before he could ask her if she was okay with climbing such a height, the female swung up, grasping hold of the set ladder with confidence. His stomach gave a soft flutter as he thought of the danger she was putting herself in, before the more rational part of his brain kicked in. She owned this boat and therefore knew it inside and out. She wouldn't have swung up, and with such confidence, if she had not possessed this surety that she would not fall. It was difficult to see her moving up the length of the ladder without fretting, but the young male forced himself to slow his breathing and look at what she was doing. She found foot and handholds in the most unlikely of places and while Saul knew there was no way he would be able to replicate her exactly, he had a good idea what she was doing. He moved forward unconsciously as she flopped over the rim of the boat and his sensitive hearing caught the thud as she hit the deck. He listened for a moment, before her slightly slurred words caught and he sighed with relief. She hadn't managed to kill herself in the climb and now she was safely on board. He had no idea what to say to the comments she made, other than to nod softly to himself. She obviously didn't see his nod, but she'd continued on with her words before he thought of something witty to say.


"Yeah sure, I'll be right up." He called up with more confidence than he actually felt. He had no idea what he was doing, but with a deep breath, he jumped up, creamy paws catching the set ladder and clinging on for dear life. His heart pounded in his head with a ferocity that he'd never felt before and the male thought his stomach had jumped up to sit uncomfortably in his throat. With a painful swallow, he raised a shaking hand above his head, stretching out to grasp the first handhold. With a much slower gait to his movements, he began to move upwards. His muscles protested as he began to climb at a faster rate. He didn't think he would ever have enough confidence to race up the side as Neela had done, but there was a certain rhythm that he'd acquired that meant he wasn't as disjointed as he had been before. Green eyes were intent on the next hand hold and he didn't allow himself to look down as see how far he'd come- it would do him no good to see just how far he'd come. He would more than likely lose his balance and plummet into the river, and he had no desire to freeze to death or bash his head in on a rock.


Pushing these thoughts away, the young male looked up and was surprised to see the rim of the boat just above his head. Huffing and puffing, he slid his arm over the edge, grasping the thick beam of wood for more leverage. With a great effort, he pushed himself up and finally over the lid. In much the same manner as the female who'd made the climb in at least half the time, he flopped over and his the deck hard. The air whooshed from his lungs and he knew he'd winded himself. Gasping for air, Saul placed a hand on his stomach, trying to push air into his lungs. The feeling of not being able to breathe was a panicking one, but the young Stormbringer refused to allow himself the liberty of panicking. With shallow, harsh breaths, he began to regain control of his spasmodic muscles, forcing air in and out so that he wouldn't lose consciousness. The whole while he was aware of the female next to him and a flush of shame crept over his body. She hadn't been the most graceful, but at least she hadn't winded herself. Saul allowed himself a glance upwards and his green eyes widened at the sight.


"Beautiful..." He croaked out, unable to spare as many breaths to tell Neela that the night sky they now lay under was very beautiful and that he was glad he'd tried this new experience. He tried a deep breath and found himself unable, so he reverted back to the shallow, harsher breaths that he was just able to manage. An embarressing twist of events, but there was no way he could have forseen the problem when he'd crested the lip of the boat. Green eyes closed for the moment as the pain in his gut increased for the moment before he started breathing again, trying desperately to get rid of the pain that resided there.

He wheezed softly to himself, trying hard to stop the spasming of his diaphragm long enough to get a good breath in. Slowly, the pain was beginning to reside and the male tried another tentative deep breath. It wasn't as deep as he would have liked, but he was slowly beginning to regain control of his breathing once more. A hand on his abdomen, he looked over at Neela as she commented on his less than graceful ascent to the deck of the Meria. A soft snort echoed in his nose as his body shook with noiseless laughter. "Weren't bad? I don't think so. You're just being polite!" He chided before allowing his body to stretch further out beside the red female. It was an easy night and the boat made hardly any movement, although they could both feel the soft roll of the slight current up on the deck. It wasn't altogether unpleasant, especially as he was of a clear mind tonight.


He glanced over in time for the female to strike at her stomach playfully, a hollow thunk coming back before she exclaimed that she'd been working on boats for three years. That was older than Saul was himself and he wondered about the females life before she'd arrived in Ichika. Deciding it was too much to pry in to tonight, he just gave a soft chuckle before adding- "I'll have to work on those tummy muscles." Her reply to his croaked 'beautiful' was an affirmation that he was seeing straight- the sky was alight with stars and off to the side he could just make out the haze of the moon. "Do you do this often?" He asked, wondering how often Neela came out and simply looked at the stars. He remembered star gazing with Noah, so long ago now. It seemed like a whole different world from the one he lay in now.


It was times like these that the crushing weight of loneliness began to take ahold of his lungs and heart and he was desperately grateful for the presence of the female beside him. He didn't know what he would have been like had she not been here to reassure him, silently, that he wasn't as alone as he felt. It seemed she was grateful for his presence in her life as well as she turned to him and in a perfectly conversational tone, thanked him for helping her. "Anytime Neela... anytime." He allowed back, sincerity shining strong in his eyes. He watched as she stood, disappearing for a moment before she came back, two pillows in her hand. "Chilly?" He asked as one of the pillows hit him in the chest. He chuckled before pushing it back beneath his head. It was turning out to be a nice first night home.

The red and white female shuffled her body around, trying to find the right spot that would be the most comfortable. Saul knew that he would soon have to return to the earthen den he now shared with Saluce, X'yrin and Nayru, as well as their respective children. It would be crowded for a while, but Saul had already promised his piebald leader that he would be digging a new home for themselves and their children. Her soft voice washed over him and he smiled softly- despite their rather impromptu meeting, he found that he quite like the female laying across from him. She was older than him, but she seemed to be youthful enough that the age gap didn't appear to be that big. He smiled softly, ears twisting back and forwards.


"Well, I will have to come again and watch the stars with you, its nice."


He said, although he watched as she smiled before yawning. Yawning was infectious and just seconds after she'd drawn in more oxygen, he felt his throat muscles constrict, drawing in more oxygen in a yawn. He laughed softly, rubbing his eyes. Their conversation had come to a natural end and Saul could feel the days worth of travelling catching up on him. He'd been through a lot and he knew that he was going to drop sooner rather than later. As Neela's eyes slid closed, struggling to keep away. With a soft sigh, Saul pushed himself up to a sitting position. An unconscious movement caused him to brush the hair from Neela's face before standing and stretching.


"Sleep tight Neela."


He whispered softly as he pushed the other pillow against her side before moving towards the edge of the boat. It would be a slow climb down, but he took it carefully and within fifteen minutes he jumped down onto the ground once more. Taking a deep breath, he set off towards Wentworth, eager to see his son once more.


-exit saul-