Under Darkness [AU]

[Tethras Clan]

"...right, I need help on this one," Andy mutters before starting back for the camp.

[Carver Amell]

"Wait," he says, in a panicked rush. "Wait, no, hang on, I-- Don't tell anyone."

[Tethras Clan]

"...don't tell anyone you can turn your hand into a claw?" Andy demands. "Are you serious? This seems really important!"

[Carver Amell]

"I-- I don't know what-- this is-- " He takes a few deep, rapid breaths. "What do I do?" he whispers, looking up at Andy with a look of pure fear on his face. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Well... can you... will it back?" Andy suggests. "Control is the first, second and fifth step of learning magic."

[Carver Amell]

He looks down, but it's too late -- his hand is already human again. "I-- how did I do that?"

[Tethras Clan]

"Magic, clearly," Andy says dryly. "Looks primal- druidic maybe? Not my field but..."

[Carver Amell]

"How-- I don't have magic. I barely know the basics of Asteanism, and this is... is Uryll shit or something. Isn't it?"

[Tethras Clan]

Andy shrugs a little. "I mean... Astea is about life and wild animals are alive so... I think you're covered still. But as for the magic thing... clearly you do."

[Carver Amell]

"Something in the food smelled off," he says, numbly. "Maybe we're hallucinating." It's clear how well he believes this. 

[Tethras Clan]

"I didn't smell anything," Andy counters. "It was just rabbit and rice, not much to go wrong there."

[Carver Amell]

"Rabbit could have been sickly or something. It was-- I do a lot of adventuring, you learn to pick up on stuff like that." 

[Tethras Clan]

"Hunter seemed fine with it," Andy counters. "Mabari'd noticed that sort of thing, right?"

[Carver Amell]

"I--"

He glances at Hunter, who is crawling toward them with a soft whine, trying not to spook his master. "Hunter?" 

The dog wags his tail twice, deliberately, trying to be reassuring. When Carver frowns, he rolls onto his back, flashing his belly at him. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Hunter, you okay?" Andy asks softly. "What's wrong?"