Imprints in Stone [AU]

[GamesMaster]

Don swallows, turning to the woman behind her. "Mriy, check Merrill," he says, indicating the stretcher. Calling out to a pale-furred cat with dark ears across the street, he says, "Tai, get Father. Run!" 

Tai bolts, even as Mriy moves to the stretcher. Don gathers Beth up into his arms, holding her close. "It's okay. It'll be okay. We'll fix this."

[Bethany]

"She's so pale and cold and I don't- I can't- Carver's gone mad and he's- and now Merrill is-" Bethany sobs, pressing herself tightly against Don.

[Tethras Clan]

The mabari watch the catfolk carefully, but allow her to close without issue, even hunching down a little to make it easier. Moving the cloak aside reveals a deathly pale elf with blood slowly oozing from her ears, nose and mouth. And she's not breathing, her skin cool and dry to the touch, though warmer than a corpse. Well, an old corpse. Her eyes are open, the iris too large and filled with tiny flecks of glowing white, though her pupils are the merest pinpricks.

[GamesMaster]

For a moment, Don realizes there are eyes on him from every building, eyes loitering along the street, cats watching his every move as he embraces the skin who doesn't belong here.

To hell with them, he thinks, holding her closer. She has nobody else right now. What good am I if I can't be there for someone who is all alone?

He reaches up, cradling the back of her head with one paw, entangling his fingers in her hair. "Shh. It's okay. We'll fix this. Okay? You're safe now."

[GamesMaster]

When Varric and Garrett get to his place, Garrett a little uncertain but so far steady on his feet, Ari is waiting out front. And worse -- she looks agitated, frightened even, bouncing on the balls of her feet, fidgeting with her sheathed knives. When she sees Varric, she looks relieved, though only a little. "Come quick. It's Beth."

[Varric]

Varric stills a moment. "Garret, go ahead in and take that nap. You've come a long way and need to rest. If you see Helene, have them head to-" Pausing, he looks to Miki. "Where?" he asks in catfolk.

[GamesMaster]

"The Temple. Helene can't come. You can't come but Don gave permission because of Beth." Her tail lashes a little. "Merrill's hurt bad."

[Varric]

Varric takes a slow breath. "Alright. Tell Helene to... dream out for us. They'll understand." Glancing back at the catfolk, he says simply, "met you there." Downing a pair of vials, he vanishes.

[GamesMaster]

When he gets to the temple, the largest dog he's ever seen in his life is laying out front, enjoying the sunshine. He lifts his head, looking right at Varric despite his invisibility, but he doesn't stop Varric as the dwarf enters the building, so it must be alright.

Inside, he's quickly confronted with Don and Beth; the catfolk holds the human girl tightly, murmuring soothing things to her as he rocks back and forth with her, petting her hair. Giving what comfort he can. They're not far from the entrance, just outside a side room that turns out to be full of cots: the sickroom, where they quarantine those who are ill. The center chamber, the place of learning and prayer, is empty for the moment, all attention on the sickroom. 

(Out back, valiantly, Mriy fights two lads who protested, strongly, the bringing of an elf into their temple. She's not sure she likes this either, but she won't let the Keeper's son, their new Light, be spoken to with such disrespect.)

[Varric]

"Beth, what's wrong?" Varric asks urgently, dropping the invisibility with a thought. Or a lack of one, technically.

[Bethany]

"Daddy!" Beth is torn, for a moment, between staying in Don's arms or going to her Dad, but Varric solves that by stepping over to grab her hand. "It's M-Merrill. She- she and Carver, they- he must have yelled at her too and- and I found her and she- her nose and ears and- the bleeding won't stop. And hers eyes, there's stars in them. She won't wake up and- and- and I couldn't heal her!"

[GamesMaster]

Don says quietly, "This all seems to have started with a fight with Carver. I don't know what Merrill's done but..."

[Varric]

Stars and resistant to healing? Fuck. "Don, can... Can you send runners to Wynne, Merrill's teacher and to my place again? This... This sounds like something spirit related. I know they can't come here so... I'd like to hire a wagon, the most stable you have and a driver. I'll pay for the full day," he says quietly. "And for the runners."

[GamesMaster]

Don nods. "Do you want me to send everyone to Father Lelldorin's temple? It's nearby but out of Cattown proper and he's just inside tending to her anyway."

[Varric]

"That should do fine. Is your sister around? Need someone for a potion run, I think." And that sort of gold could be real tempting.