9: [action | accidental audio]

[steadfastest]

[Today the Malnosso have seen fit to dump off a shivering person into the woods behind the grocery store. Xander is semi-conscious, bruised, and only clad in a pair of New Feather trousers. The journal might pick up a faint moaning sound, and maybe mumbling

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[ action ]

[slaying]

[ at least it's somewhere closeish to the public eye and -- sometimes -- buffy takes a shortcut through the woods. but she doesn't usually come across a tied up xander.

but once she sees him she is immediately on her knees and tugging at the restraints. ] Xander...

[steadfastest]

[Buffy, you just get a groan of sort-of recognition because the boy is not feeling this whole "consciousness thing." At least he seems unaffected by the experiment.]

[slaying]

[ she aims to get the most of his skin off the cold snow -- propping him into a sitting position after dumping her mittens. she needs her fingers to free his hands. ]

[steadfastest]

Mmmmmmph. No.

[slaying]

[ she brushes snow from the side of his face. ] Well, I could always leave you to the clutches of hypothermia and man-eating wolves. [ but she understands -- he's not amongst the world of the waking yet. so her sarcasm is gentle and affectionate, undercut with careful worry. ]

[steadfastest]

Hypowolves. [NOW he is trying to sit up on his own, which is hard because he is shivering so much.]

[slaying]

[ she unzips her tiny woman jacket and drapes it over xander's shivering shoulders. ] Exactly. Hypowolves. Let's try and avoid them.

[steadfastest]

[This jacket, it is not going to do his rep any service, Buffy. And it doesn't so much help as remind Xander that there is in fact skin back there.] Is it Tuesday today? I l-lost track.

[slaying]

Sunday. You've been gone for a while.

[ she'll try and share some body heat. here -- you can even have her mittens! she's working away at the knots on xander's feet. ] Thirteen days.

[steadfastest]

[The mittens look even more ridiculous, but who's keeping score?] Thirteen--

Oh.

[Xander's toes are looking a healthy shade of bluish white, both from the cold and lack of circulation. But once the knots come free, he makes an effort to stretch out and wriggle his feet around.]

[slaying]

[ ridiculous means little in the face of californians in snow, xander. ]

Think you can make it to the store? Out of the cold and then we can arrange something a little less cabana boy for you.

[steadfastest]

H-ha! I thought I was r-rocking this look.

[But now he is making an effort to stand. It's a GOOD effort, but not a successful one.]

I can't feel my feet.

[slaying]

[ and she'll help in whatever ways she can -- keeping him from slipping, trying to bring a little success to the equation. ]

That's because the jerk-ass scientists don't believe in winter footwear, apparently.

[steadfastest]

[Good tries, all, Buffy. Xander finally is able to hobble a bit. This is actually very heroic considering the state of his circulation.]

B-builds character. That's what they told m-me.

[slaying]

Shows how much they know. You've got oodles of character -- already. No space to cram anymore in.

[ and she directs that hobbling towards the shop. ]

[steadfastest]

They didn't let me get a word in edgewise, a-actually.

[Grateful for the steering, Xander sets his sights on the buildings ahead and concentrates on that. It makes it somewhat easier.] World didn't end while I was gone, right?