[010]

[forestpride]

[This is your friendly neighborhood junior wolf god. Things in the forest have been very strange and stressful recently - first Moro becoming a human, then going off to fight Yuber, and now some strange creatures that San can't see, changing the feel of the forest and, from what she can gather, terrorizing the village. Though she was never

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[one_green_eye]

[making the rounds between patients brings Ginko to make several shortcuts through the forest-- moving at a good pace, box slung over his shoulders.

And he follows the River, as well.]

[forestpride]

[there's a good chance, then, that she is heading in the opposite direction from him (that is, toward him) and will run right into him if not warned to stop]

[one_green_eye]

[already sharp senses are doubled with attention to his surroundings, these days]

O-oi. San.

[forestpride]

[stops cold, lifting her head a little]

Ginko. ...There is a mushi in my eyes.

[one_green_eye]

[he lifts his hands, but pauses before touching her]

...can I look, San?

[forestpride]

That is why I followed the light to find you.

[she even pushes her mask off her face for him. Under it she's got a stolen piece of dark cloth tied on as a blindfold - the shadowed eyes in the mask didn't do nearly enough to keep the light out. She was wearing it so no one else would know she was blinded.]

[one_green_eye]

[a quiet grunt as response.

He reaches gently to remove the blindfold, saying in a low tone-] There mushi breed in the darkness, San. I know it hurts, but by hiding from the light you'll make it worse. Just keep your eyelids close for now.... and you should sit, too.

[he takes a seat himself, and slips off his box to open it. Fortunately, in anticipation of more cases he has the medicine prepared in a white packet. He pulls it and a few other implements from their drawers.]

[forestpride]

[her hands move to cover her eyes when he pulls off the blindfold. She has to force them back down again, because even the filtered light under the trees burns. It's hard to trust a human you can't see, even one who has proven to be more than he appears. She sits down anyway, shifting and growling quietly - not a threat - at the sounds he makes playing with that box]

[one_green_eye]

[he nods. Quietly-] Good.

[the sound of water pouring into a vessel as he heats it with the help of Eferin. A quieter sound as he soaks a folded bit of cloth in it. Finally, he'll move to place it in her hand-]

Here. Press this over your eyelids.

[the subtle smells, at least, will all be natural]

[forestpride]

[she actually fumbles a little, before holding the wet cloth over her eyes and visibly relaxing, a combination of the familiar smells and the pain going away in the darkness]

What is it?

[one_green_eye]

Medicine to dispel the mushi.

It should be enough on its own, from the look of things. But you should rest with it over your eyes for a while, somewhere with a little bit of light.

[a pause] Do you and your mother have a place you call home, here?

[forestpride]

A cave. [where it's dark. Wonderfully dark, she only came out because...well, she's not entirely sure why.]

How will I know when they are gone?

[one_green_eye]

When you can look into the light again.

[he considers this]

Would you let me help you there, then? Or to your mother? It's best if you're lying down for a while. [and he gets the feeling that lying in the middle of the forest near human paths isn't your idea of safe]

[forestpride]

[No, that isn't safe at all.]

Mother is guarding your light path. She will not want to guard me also.

[one_green_eye]

Mm. [he nods]

Actually... she has all this land under her influence. But perhaps it will take more of her as it is not the job she was born to do.

[forestpride]

[if she could she would narrow her eyes at you. Why did you ask her to do it, then?]

...I am no forest guardian if I can't see, Ginko.