(Untitled)

[oneperfecthit]

[Lucas' voice normally has a light, friendly, easygoing tone to it. This time, however, his speech is calm, mature and mournful.]What happened needs t'be atoned for. Th' deaths ain't natural 'n ain't deserved. They ain't right. Ain't judgin' y'none, y'didn't know. I didn't know. But we failed 'em 'n excuses don't solve problems

Comments

[bondedgryphon]

[Zhaneel's only just revived from the stone that encased her for nearly a weeks' time. However, she was made stone in a place that allowed her to witness the destruction of several villagers that she herself had seen turned to stone.

Knowing that they had been flesh and blood a short time earlier, just as she had, but unable to stop those from destroying them had been horrifying and emotionally crushing.

This is the first time she's worked herself up to responding to something over AN.]

I .. I would care to help anyway I can .. They cannot have know, but .. it wassss ... What I ssssaw ..

[She breaks off about there, voice strained as the memory comes back full force. Trapped in stone. Unable to breathe or cry out. Unable to warn or stop it from happening. Lungs and heart frozen.]

They arrrre due prrroperrrr rightsss and burrrrial ..

[oneperfecthit]

[Lucas had seen it happen to the villagers. He'd taken to the forest to hunt the thing down, but with no success. It was another thing to the list of making him feel like an utter failure.

He would have felt worse if he'd seen Zhaneel.]

They're due that at th' very least.

Glad t'hear you're all right.

[bondedgryphon]

[Zhaneel feels horrid enough without making those she calls friend feel badly as well, so she is glad (in a way) that Lucas hadn't seen her. (While on another hand she is certain he would have done anything within his power to keep her stone self safe, had he.)]

Aye, they arrrre ..

[The stretch of silence following the last is almost uncomfortable, but Zhaneel is honestly at a loss. Is she alright?
If she is to be honest with herself, no .. not by a long shot. During the silence she stares at her communicator dumbly, feeling so horridly insufficient.]

Asssss well assss I can be ..

[Read: Not at all.]

You esssscaped unharrrmed?

[Her trilling and hissing just gets worse with strain, but she is hopefully understandable.]

[oneperfecthit]

I got lucky this time. Real lucky. Then again, ain't so lucky. Wound up not helpin' anyone none.

[And he feels like shit for it.]

Y'get some rest, hun. Y'sound like y'need it.

[bondedgryphon]

[Her voice is soft, but firm.]

You ssssshould not fault ssssuch luck, Lucassss .. I would not wisssssh that horrrrrrorrrr on any .. That you esssscaped that crrrrreaturrrre isss a blessssssing none ssssshould begrrrrrudge you.

[The chortle that the last get is strained.]

I do not believe I could rrrrremain sssstationarrrry even if I wissssshed, Lucasss .. but I apprrrreciate yourrr concerrrrn.

[oneperfecthit]

Y'wanna go do somethin' then?

I always gotta do somethin' when 'm restless.

[bondedgryphon]

[After a bit of a pause and much debating with herself, Zhaneel finally nods.]

I think that keeping my mind to otherrrr thingssss would be bessst jussst now. What have you in mind?

[In truth, she was up for anything that didn't involved her standing still.]

[oneperfecthit]

I dunno. Normally gotta go climb a tree or somethin' when I need t'settle down. Woods 're real nice 'round here.

[bondedgryphon]

[She actually chortles in response to this.]

I think it would take little to convince me to join you in the woodssss, Lucasss.

[There is a bit of humor in her tone again. Well done, sir.]

Do you climb many treessss?

[oneperfecthit]

Oh all th' dang time, hun! Whatcha think I've been doin' with m'time?

[He laughs]

Y'wanna meet up there then?

[bondedgryphon]

[Zhaneel chortles again softly and nods to herself.]

I shall meet you directly, then ..

[And with that communication cuts off and she begins making her way to the forest proper to meet Lucas.]