☣Ɯ α я☣ {1x1 with Alpha*}

[koi97]

Michael's frown deepens at the sight of blood dripping from the angels nose. Once the being relax does Michael move, shifting slightly closer. "Did they get the message?" He asks, watching Morag tear apart a leaf of lettuce.

---

"A traitor led an ambush on the main kingdom. Morag and Michael are at the Vikanthe Kingdom. He said they are in the guard barracks and to head there as it's safe," Pantera calls to the flying being. He shifts, adjusting his grip ever so slightly to get more comfortable.

---

Toshiro hums softly, half awake. "In a neighboring kingdom, safe and sound. I found Michael and Morag," he replies, glancing down at the girl that is using his lap as a pillow.

[Alpha*]

Morag levels a look at the prince, "indeed they received the message. They will come here." Is replied, dusting his hands free of imaginary dirt or filth. Otherwise, he doesn't move, even when Michael shifts closer. Why did that hurt? Why the... blood? Wings sink beneath his skin, and he sighs softly. "We will rest." Is said, as if he too would sleep - even though he wants too.

---

Muscles twitch at the pain from a pinched feather- but he doesn't remember how to explain the sensation and ask for help so he does his best to ignore it. "It'll take days." The sun is setting, and his energy is waning. So, now far over the border, he begins a slow decent- after all, he's not in a hurry. It doesn't take long before the shifter is on the ground, head low, exhausted. Muscles tremble lightly from effort.

--

Ammonia is quiet; Was her uncle still here? Would he recognize her without the scent of gifts lingering on her skin? The girl sighs. "My uncle... he lives here. Or he did."

[koi97]

Michael hums. "You should rest. You look very pale," he says, worried for the angel. He vaguely recalls the angel mention that he is growing weaker. This worries the prince.

----

Pantera carefully slides off the shifter once they land. He pats Max's shoulder, staring at the creature in worry. "Please rest. I'll keep watch," he tells Max, setting their bags down. He looks around, hand still resting on the creature's large shoulder. He can feel muscles tremble under his palm. They landed in a small clearing, with thick trees all around them. It's mostly hidden and should last them long enough for Max to regain some strength. "We can start traveling along the ground," he says, turning to back to stare at Max.

---

Toshiro looks at her. "That might help us. However, I believe Michael and Morag are still waiting on word from the royals of this kingdom. Are you hungry?" He replies, staring at the girl in worry. Like always, putting the girl first above anything else. Toshiro finds it hard to understand these new emotions. He has heard of some other worries from his time at Michael's side talk about being in love. Is this what he feels? It sounds right. He hums softly, not really wanting to dwell on it. He will deal with it after this war, but first, he must make sure Ammonia is safe.

[Alpha*]

He... looks.. pale? What does that even mean? Still, the angel nods, he would rest, after a fashion. There is now no way to prolong his life - as he had before with blood- so he just leans his head back against the headboard and shuts his eyes. Memories of past deaths linger in his mind; what is it like? Morag is quiet, "do not worry," is stated after a while, "all will be well."

--

As soon as the Elf is dismounted and the burden of their baggage removed from the whithers of a borrowed form does the creature slip into the form that is closest to his own. And after that occurs he sinks to his knees and wraps his arms around himself with a mumbled sound of protest. "Ashes and dust that was hard." Is said, mainly to himself, "are you alright?" Hes hungry - as taking a less used form (in essence new) and maintaining it is hard, on top of the use he'd put his body through. He feels... stretched. That stare has his heterochromia gaze turned onto the Elf again, "I just need rest. And probably a hot bath - " but barring the ability for that he's certain he'd be super stiff soon, sore to boot. "What do you elves eat anyhow?" Anything to keep the worry off himself.

--

The girl shakes her head, "no.. I'm not hungry Shiro," she cautiously sits up, surprised to see the bruises to be gone, well, all but the darkest ones. But, spotting Morag she offers a soft smile - of course he'd heal her. "But if you are you should eat. " in all honesty she doesn't even remember being hungry! As if loosing her secondary forms had caused her to have a slower metabolism.... but she is cold, and pulls the blanket a little closer to her thin form.

Shadow and boot steps catch her hearing and eyes and the girl ducks her head, hair obscuring her face. The soldier stops at the foot of the bed, laying down a pile, he wears a gentle expression, "Poor girl. Uh -" he clears his throat, "there's a hot pool at the end of the hall, if you all would like. Some of the guys have some clothes they've piled for you and your men. But, um.. I ran home and spoke to Elim, my wife.."

"She looks like my daughter Wendy, her size I mean. " Is said quietly to the dragon boy, "I thought her gown may be too cold, we do have snow. Um. She can have these, they may be a bit large. " He cautiously lays the offerings down and backs up, out of the room.

--

Another guard enters, "if you would like I can show you the way, and in the morning their Magisties Vikanthe will see you. "

[koi97]

Michael nods. He looks up when guards start to move around. He nods to second one, watching as Toshiro moves to inspect the offers for Ammonia. "Thank you," he responds for the group as a while to the guard.

---

Toahiro nods. "Thank you, sir. We appreciate it," he says, pulling stuff forward to pass towards Ammonia. He smiles at the girl as she tries to bundle up. "Here. You should change. It'll help keep you warm," he says.

---

Pantera frowns. "Just stay here please. I actually have enough rations of food left to last another day," he says, grabbing the bags and dragging them closer to grab out some of the packed food. He pulls out all of the protein based food and bread. Max is going need a lot of fuel based foods after the strain he put himself through. Pantera can see how their flight has worn the shift out.

[Alpha*]

The shifter reaches out a hand - fingers slightly longer than they should be, eyes slanted just a bit too much, teeth jagged points, eyes darkening to pools of ink - and takes the pot, filling it with water. "Tea." He explains in a grunt, the grimace not leaving his face. "Soup."

It's a little while before that otherworldly creature looks a little more human (less creepy). Still, his muscles tremble and twitch beneath the clothing that he now wears, and his breath barely shows in the cold air. "It's not usually so bad. "

--

Ammon nods slowly, gathering up the clothing he passes her and standing beside the bed. "Can you... would you come see its safe?" She asks in a small voice, clearly still frightened.

[koi97]

Pantera nods as he begins to make an easy soup for Max to eat. He glances at the creature from time to time. Slowly watching the animalistic features disappear. "It's ok. We weren't really planning on a sudden escape from a kingdom," he responds, labeling some soup into a bowl for the creature. He passes the bowl over.

---

Toshiro nods and swings his legs over the bed so he can stand. He grimaced at his own dirty clothes. He picks up a set of spare clothes the guard left for him, Michael, and Morag. Speaking of Michael. He turns to the prince. "We will be back. We both are going to clean up," he says. Michael looks over and nods. "We will be if you need anything," is the response he gets. Toshiro turns and starts to leave the room, pace slow for Ammonia.

[Alpha*]

The fact is that it had hurt; Changing forms was typically much more mild. An inconvenience or ache at most. But this ripping into another skin took its toll. As it is, he isn't sure he'd walk in the morning, let alone fly. Still slightly too long fingers, with tapered nails, wrap around the bowl of stew - breathing in the heat it offers. Remember Max, heat is life. rings in his head, and his eyes go all sad for a moment before he tips the bowl to sip the broth. "Thank you."

Max eats until he is warm, eats and leans closer to the fire until the twitch of overused, abused, muscles is soothed and his tiredness becomes apparent once again. He'd do it again, he'd throw himself out that window, into thin air, into other forms that he had almost lost the ability to use - if it means saving Pantera. "I'm too tired to sleep, Elf." Is said as sparks float into the suddenly gray sky.

--

The angel watches as the pair rise one at a time, and then as they leave. He sighs, "Michael, "

--

She follows the dragon down the hall, into the cavern- for room wouldn't describe the place adequately- where stone and sand and lanterns and steam cast long shadows, but prove the pair to be alone. So, the girl steps behind the curtain to change.

[koi97]

Pantera looks at Max in worry. "We both should rest," he says, worried about the creature. He can still the toll their escape took on the creature. Pantera grabs a bowl of soup for himself.

---

Michael looks at Morag. "Yes? What is it?" He asks, head tilted ever so slightly as he gazes at the angel.


---

Toshiro wrinkles his nose as he assesses the dirt, grim, blood, and wounds scattered along his body. Oh, how a hot bath sounds wonderful to him right now. Toshiro uses a wet cloth to wipe most of the grim off. After that, he slips on a pair of shorts so he can go soak in the hot pool that the guard had told them about. He hums softly, excited to just soak in hot water.

[Alpha*]

Max is quiet; perhaps the other is right. But he can't sleep with the ache of bones that are *almost * his. He can't sleep when he knows where he landed - and landed only because he couldn't go any further. Can't sleep when he knows it isn't safe. Instead, he cautiously banks the fire until its only embers, despite the chill.

--

"We can't stay here." Is spoken softly, "kind as they are, Samuel will come. These people are innocent. " the angel answers, glad that the two teens aren't in hearing range. "But those two... shouldn't have to fight this war. Only us."

--

Ammon wears the suit given for bathing- as it has a small note. She slips into the water, giving one last violent shiver before succumbing to the heat. "Shiro?" Is whispered in the mostly dark room, after working some unscented soap into her long red hair. "Are you alright?" She carefully rinses the soap out, and then picks up the dish of some other soap that is just as brutal on her hair to wash it too. Apparently these people didn't know that almost straight lye wasn't particularly good for the body, even if you rinse well. But the tingle on her scalp and skin is enough to remind her the goal is to be clean, not pampered. Even though she knows her hands may crack from the residue of using this soap and then the cold. "It's nice of them to let us stay.. " She trails off, "don't you think?"