Death and Tide

[VisAnastasis]

Tide sighed with relief with that, even if unconscious. Under his hands, Death could feel the heart beating wildly and erratically, as it was Tide's weakest part, and needed longest to recover. But with it and with the easing of the pain, colour returned to Tide's face, from which mask was carried off a couple of meters further. After a couple of minutes with the healing, he smiled a little and opened his eyes slowly as he regained consciousness - but as soon as he focused his eyes and recognized Death, they filled with tears, and Spirit realized why when creature spoke up.
" Did... Did I... hurt you? " he whispered with a hoarse voice, rasped as if with screaming - Death didn't see it until now, but first thing Tide sow, besides how pale and weak his companion was, that there were bruises on the side of his face where he fell from impact of the last fall and that it was bleeding a little.

[Mirach]

"Probably not you," Death smiled weakly. "Are you alright?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I am sorry. It was too much for my heart... I end up having a heart attack and lose consciousness sometimes when it gets particularly bad. It doesn't happen often, but it happens sometimes... " he whispered regretfully while he was blinking away traces of blood and trying to get a better look at Death that was lying beside him, as wording that he *probably* wasn't the one that hurt him didn't really seem to calm him, as it still left it as a possibility.

[Mirach]

Death was hurting too much from the old woulds to feel the surface scratches, so he was not sure himself where and when he got them. He sighed. "I think the worst is over now... If you can get up, we should find Cernunnos."

[VisAnastasis]

" Y-yes. Let me just pass through layers. I am too bloody. " he said, and he straightened up, carefully, but with slowly returning strength. He rolled to the side and took his mask, and then he focused, and he slipped through the layers and back, appearing standing before him, a little frail, but much better than before, when he was more dead than alive. He knelt beside Death, slowly steadying himself. He was still needing a moment to return to clearer thinking and expressing himself, so the following sentence came with little clumsy arguments.
 
" We, we, I forgot our supplies in the other fort. Sorry. It's too dirty with blood for you to walk, you, you could trip... " he blushed, knowing fool well it was obvious that wasn't the reason why he asked. " You can become a snake if you'd like. I won't swallow you, I promise. I can carry you under my shirt until we find Cernunnos and some food for you... "

[Mirach]

"Yes, better not scare Cernunnos with this look..." Death murmured, and changed his form again, turning to a snake.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide took him into his arms, appearing rather tense and worried. He slowly put him under his shirt and supported him from below, and he looked around, and began running - not to the distant presence deeper below right now, though, but following the vague path he remembered to lead to Cernunnos's kitchen.

[Mirach]

Death leaned at him closely, seeking shielding from the remnants of miasma that even much dilluted, irritated his soul.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide reflexively didn't lean his presence against Death's as he wasn't doing it ever since Death refused his hug, subconsciously not wanting to offend him with such willful act even if it was absurd thought in the current situation. He rushed, though, with the haste of someone very worried. When he got to the kitchen, everything was turned around and tossed over by the bloodstream. He seemed lost before he began searching some jars and pots on the floor for something frantically with one hand while using the other to keep supporting Death.

[Mirach]

"What are you looking for?" Death asked with concern.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide didn't get to answer right away, as he breathed out with relief as if he got what he sought for. Death couldn't see it right away, as Tide got up, and seemed to search for a clean bowl. He had to lick one off from blood in absence of visible clean water he could use for that, and then he poured something on it, and he carefully put it from underneath the tunic, to bring it to Death's face - it was a scent familiar to Spirit, as it was a scent of same nutrient honey Emil fed him with.
" When I gave him a piece of cake, he offered the honeycomb in return. That's how I knew there's still some of it around here, " he said shortly, offering him bowl that was full of honey and honeycombs, even if it itself not of considerable size. " I am sorry, I wished there was more... But the jar broke, and this is only bit that isn't bloody... I can't give you other food until we wash it well... "

[Mirach]

"Thank you, that's alright," Death said. "I can eat on the way, we shoudl find Cernunnos and see if he is alright."

[VisAnastasis]

" I think he's probably upset... This was... stressful for him, probably, " he said bitting his lip, looking around at the horrible mess he has made, and things he's broke. " Maybe he'll be oozing miasma in distress. Would you like to go or stay? " he whispered. " I could leave you here and light the fire, and wrap you in my cloak... Maybe it'll be better for you... Unless you wish to go with me... "

[Mirach]

"If you leave me your cloak, it really might be better if I stay here," Death agreed.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide nodded fervently as if relieved with that.  He looked around and found a chair that wasn't broken and put it beside the fireplace. He lit the fire, as, despite the warming he could do, the fire had a special different kind of spiritual influence that was helpful against miasma. He took few logs and he lit the fire, and Death could notice his hands very trembling as he did so. He cleaned the blood from the chair with a bit of water from an unbroken jug, and then, he took off his cloak slowly with one hand and laid it on the chair, before he took out Death from his shirt. He laid little creature on it and wrapped the cloak around it lightly, warming it as he did so, and in the end, he laid his little plate in front of him. His acts were gentle, but his hands were shaking a little bit, and he seemed troubled as if suppressing tears, clearly looking worried and not used to not wearing his mask that he left aside when they entered the room, not hiding the emotion.

[Mirach]

Death curled on he cloak tiredly and licked the honey. "Are you alrght?" he asked then.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's lip trembled a little.
" Who cares about how I am? You're the one that's not okay.  " he stuttered, instinctively concealing his burnt hand. " You went in before I cleared miasma. You carried me in. " he gulped. " I just... I want to say that I am sorry, and... Thank you. " he looked down, adding hoarsely. " I wouldn't have been able to come in on my own... "

[Mirach]

"It was like running into fire..." Death murmured, too tired to lie. "But it was still just a moment. I can't imagine living in it... That's why you should go and find Cernunnos."

[VisAnastasis]

" I know... But that's exactly why it may take a while. He may have lived in one of nine hells, but that's why he was attached to all those things... Things I made a mess out of." He whispered sadly, gazing around at everything either turned or broken, and adding quietly." That's why I want to make sure you have conditions to wait. Fire should burn for at least an hour, and I will be keeping my cloak warm to keep you comfortable. I wished I could give you more food, but fruits are bloody and I have no water right now to clean it with. I could use my saliva, but people generally dislike that... " He looked sad as he added." And I don't have anything else to give you... "

[Mirach]

"Then just cover me with the cloak up to the neck," Death said. "And don't worry fir things that can't be changed."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide didn't reply. He seemed troubled still, just knowing he can't delay going after Cernunnos, being worried about him too. So he obeyed Death's request, and he gently tucked him in the cloak up to the neck, so he was as covered as he could be, feeling a little saddened that in their rush, they forgot his scarf too.

[Mirach]

"I'll be fine here..." Death muttered tiredly and licked the honey again.

[VisAnastasis]

" Being fine is not the same as being alright. If you believe saying you are fine will convince me of that, I'll let you believe so. I don't have strength to argue. " Tide shook his head quietly." I would tell you to call me if you need help... But I can't pretend I believe you actually will. " He murmured, and turned to leave.

[Mirach]

Death was a bit confused by that attitude, but he just let Tide go, too tired to discuss it either.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide let his mask on the table there, as he probably preferred dealing with Cernunnos face to face. He left the room, and while Death could occasionally after that hear howls and voices of struggle that mixed with howls of the wind outside, Tide did not come back for quite a while.