Blood from Stone [AU]

[Jassinth]

It's good (or bad) that Carver is looking at the ceiling as he misses Jass's flinch at the remark about 'problems.' "Ah, yes. Did... did you have anything in mind particularly? The city is so large, I cannot imagine we could do even a tiny fraction of it justice in anything less than a decade!"

[Carver Amell]

"You'd be surprised," he laughs. "Let's see, we can see the Shiny Cat, and I can show you the temples, and there's this whole museum dedicated to adventurers, and there's a menagerie you'd like..."

[Jassinth]

Jass lets Carver ramble for a few minutes, describing various places or people he wants to show his friend before an offhand remark sparks a thought. "Oh! Before I forget, I have some messages to pass on to you. Shadis wanted me to say hello," after a fashion, "and a warning that if you've lost any ground with your connection to your primal self, he'll be sure to remind you, sharply, next time he catches your scent."

[Carver Amell]

"Ah, heh," he chuckles, nervously. "Cool, that's... I'm glad he's looking out for me."

[Jassinth]

Jass snickers. "That's one way to put it," he teases. "Dag and Conner say hey as well," he continues, referring to two of the other trainees that they had hung out with at the Oak. Dag is older than them and Conner younger, but close enough that socialization with them wasn't too awkward. He grins a little. "I have another spice mix from Dag he wants your opinion on. And Maeve and Dau wanted to pass on their regards as well," he finishes, looking a little puzzled. Not sure why for Daughter. Maeve he met but I didn't realize he'd so much as seen Daughter...

[Carver Amell]

The silence stretches into long seconds, minutes. As Jass glances over, Carver's breaths are coming fast and shallow, almost so shallow it looks like he's not breathing. His body is tense, as if he's a deer a heartbeat from fleeing into the underbrush. 

[Jassinth]

Jass's eyes widen and he swings his feet around off the bed. "Carver?" he asks cautiously, half ready to bolt for Carver's sister, whom he knows is a healer.

[Carver Amell]

Carver swallows, trying to get a grip on his fear. Focus. Breathe. Breathe, Carver Hawke Tethras! That seems to help; he takes a few medium breaths, hands clenching into tight fists.


"What," he croaks, voice tight. "What did Dau say?"

[Jassinth]

"Umm. Dau just said... uh... 'give my greeting and wish wells to your friend, child of Malcolm and Leandra," Jass says carefully, trying very hard to get the wording as accurate as he can. "Then he said something about being careful about exploring the land of metal and worked stone but to learn and thrive, then vanished."

[Carver Amell]

Carver takes a few moments more to breathe, heart thudding loudly in his chest. He didn't say anything. It's fine. Jass doesn't know. He doesn't...

"I need to take a walk," he croaks, rolling off the bed and onto his feet.

[Jassinth]

"It is nearing midnight," Jass points out with concern. Near the door, Hunter lifts his head as he wakes up at the sounds of the bed creaking and feet touching the floor.

[Carver Amell]

"I'll be fine," he says ,but he slows. If I go out, I'll trip the alarm, wake up Dad. I don't want Dad to know about this, not about Dau. "Don't... don't mention Dau to anyone else."

[Jassinth]

"...very well," Jass says with obvious reluctance. "But... What... how do you even know... I had never seen Dau before that moment and I live at the Oak."

[Carver Amell]

"It's not important," he blurts, then stops himself, taking a deep breath. "It's... I don't... I don't like to think about it."

[Jassinth]

A slow nod. "Then... perhaps a new topic?" Jass offers.