Day 056: Headkru
Summary: Pontus and Khesu recovering from head wounds in Tondc's Healing House and get visitors after the first assault on the Mountain.
Date: Day Month Year
Related: Assault on the Mountain (Skaikru) Pt.1, Assault on the Mountain (Skaikru) Pt.2, Assault on the Mountain (Trikru) Pt.1, Assault on the Mountain (Trikru) Pt.2
Galle Kai Khesu Pontus Starling Wren 


Healing House — Tondc, Trikru

The healing house of Tondc exists in a low structure with a rooftop balcony that had once been a walk-out basement of some old Earth building. It is accessed through a series of stairs down, and through a very wide door that might have, at one time, been made of sliding glass. Instead, is a pair of rolling doors that tuck alongside the inner wall, and are often left open to keep the room ventilated. Lights burn in this room throughout the day and night, providing a warm and comfortable glow. The high, narrow windows offer some light during the day, but are more there to be open to keep the air moving.

The room is well-organized, and divided with movable metal and wood walls into smaller spaces where needed. There is a large section of the room dedicated to sickbeds, where healers can easily circulate and tend to the ill and wounded. Other smaller rooms are meant for quarantine, or quieter places for the grievously injured or ill. At the back of the room, kept behind another series of dividers, is the healer stores of herbs and poultices, as well as bandaging and other tools.

Day 56

Pontus was, for once, flat on his back and doing a stellar imitation of Britt in recent months with his head wrapped and looking like… well someone lit his ass up with a heavy caliber weapon. How he has the luck of the Irish and failed to get terminally injured is anyone's guess. Maybe Death owes him money. His hand hung in Starlings as she did all the talking (He having his jaw bound) and watched as Rain kept elaborating on all of Starling's updates about the past couple weeks. OH the hand motions. World be warned if that child got ahold of hand puppets.

Kai is not among those convalescing at the Healing House. Compared to those who are, she's relatively lightly injured. Relatively. But she has to come by the Healing House none the less to check on her injured people, wearing the shirt Starling gave her, which lamentably now has two holes that it shouldn't have in it. One on the left side of her chest up near the collarbone where only a few weeks ago she took a Reaper axe, and near her hip on the same side. She's not wearing her armor, for once, as she drifts among the beds in search of her people. Got to check on the not-so-walking wounded, after all. It's inevitable that she spots Starling, and Pontus, making her way over to the pair to drawl at the wounded man,"You know, you're not supposed to block bullets with your face. I have it on good authority."

Pontus gave Starling's hand a squeeze as she got up to find water. She'd asked and that was the response she got. Rain, enthusiastically got the Second a chair. The kid had her heroes and Kai was her student. She was proud of this, AND that Kai was doing the job she wanted to do next spring wanted as close to the story as she could, if not to try to over-prove she didn't want to be 'a kid' anymore.

A chuckle came from the patchwork man's dry throat and he murmured through his broken and stitched back together jaw (yes, , more Trikru with bullets to the head. Oh joy) "Y' should talk, Kai." His eyes, the one completely bloodshot out, looked over her with a faint smile on the good side of his face. "Wren?" Yup. few words as possible.

Kai reaches to give Rain's shoulder a squeeze of gratitude, settling carefully into the provided seat as she grunts,"Hey, I said the face, specifically." with a dry smirk,"He's okay, little worse off than me but he'll live. I spoke with Britt, checked on you guys after we got back to the temporary camp, but you were.. occupied, and I was knackered." there's a small grimace from her,"You lot came out of it worse than we did, and the fog team worse than you. Granted, the hundred had barricaded themselves in the visitors quarters and were already prepared to make a stand against the Maunon before we even arrived. So by time we left level five we had more than tripled our original force."

Pontus arched an eyebrow Hey that was good news! He reached out and squeezes Kai's knee in approval and took a slow, deep breath. There was a minute nod and he admitted, "Khes and I… decided… we had things to do." Okay so they could have died but ya know, found it disagreeable like stubborn old vets do. " Erson…" He paused and reached over with a hand making a hacking motion just below shoulder. Someone lost an arm. Puzzle man didn't envy that. "Alive."

"Good, because you know.. I kind of prefer you both alive." Kai grunts for Pontus, then nods her head, expression darkening,"I know, I saw him. He's still alive, or was, when I spoke to Britt. They were too close to the acid fog bomb when it went off." she grimaces,"And I heard about the children, too, though we did not see them. They murdered five of the hundred, between when we rescued Lip and when we went back. Britt mentioned you found them drilling one of them." there's that shake of her head again,"But. Now the gonakru of the Coalition will see to it that the Mountain is never a threat again.. so at least those that died, will be the last the Mountain claims."

Pontus manages a half-grin and winked to Kai. He had no plans to go anywhere. Not yet. He was too stubborn to die. The smile faded into a look of concern as much as his face would be able to emote right now in its present condition of 'reassembled'. His jaw being effectively wired shut made sentences short fro him. At the children he nodded and said simply, "Was there. I killed the doctor." He wasn't gloating, but he wasn't at all sorry. He looked to Kai and said for once, "Sorry… your people…" It was a broken phrasing, but they were Kai's people and he respected her enough to give the condolence. His hand and a finger went up and he pointed to the three ladies gathered, "Le' Wren know… Gotta speak t'um?"

"One of them." Kai corrects quietly with a glance towards Rain,"We found one, they questioned him. He was.. unrepentant." she purses her lips, then shrugs,"I knew, we had to be quick, that there was the possibility that they would start trying to kill them.. but the hundred? They are strong. They might just be kids, but they understand that if you want to live, you have to fight. They weren't going to be taking any more of them without a fight." there's a nod from her though,"He was resting, last I checked, but I'll have him come by. He took one to the chest and another to the arm." there's a pause there, like there's something she was going to add to that, but doesn't,"I know Starling probably already has you covered, but if there's something you need you know I'm happy to help, too."

Pontus furrowed his brow. He was not down with Wren being full of more holes. He asked Kai with a mumble though gritted teeth, "<In Trigedasleng> He miss the old holes so much he got new ones?" He took a deep breath that stung his lungs and at the question and good humor he gestured vaguely to the side of his face where his jaw was blow out an "Ehhh…?" ya know. New jaw? That'd be swell apparently. Hey at least he was keeping a humor about it. At least Kai knew how he got like this. There was a smile though looking at them that wasn't on his face but reached his eyes with mirth. He mumbled, "Those soldiers? SO surprised when we threw 'splsives back. Think… we c'fused em"

Starling returns with water and tsks softly as Pontus has clearly been talking to much, as Kai is sitting there, she places the cups down and the bowl of water and steps up to the younger second and simply wraps her up in a hug. She doesn't care if Kai wants it or not, she is going to hug her very carefully and then kiss her cheek before pulling back and settling once more. "Good to see you made it Kai, now stop letting him talk.." She winks at the woman before she looks back to Pontus, "Hush.." She then moves to gently help him sit up abit and sip at the water.

"<In Trigedasleng> Competing with mine." Kai jokes with a lopsided grin,"Well you know, I'm sure there was a few spares laying about the Mountain, but I didn't pick up any.. sorry." but his mumble is met with the dip of her head,"They ambushed us just after the airlock, put a bullet in the head of the guy Alpha sent to run the team. Threw a flash-bang but weren't expecting to get one back.." and then there's a hug, and the grey-eyed girl simply freezes like a deer in the headlights before awkwardly petting Starling's arms, effectively mentally derailed temporarily. Of course she realized who it had to be, but still there's the few slow blinks as her brain endeavors to get back into gear as the redhead settles. Finally she settles for offering her a tight smile,"Sorry.. she's right, you shouldn't be talking. Britt told me at least in the broad strokes what happened, and I heard some more from Richael, the Skaigirl who was with you guys. For us.. we got ambushed just inside the place. Flashbangs, everyone was half-blind and deaf. The skai opened up with their rifles, and we fired arrows at them, but I couldn't hit shit, so we rushed them.. that's when I got shot." she touches the hole near her shoulder and then the one down near her side,"While the rifles pinned them down we rushed them and took them down before moving up to level five where they were holding the Skaikru. Who had electrified the damned doors and basically made it into a trap." from the way she utters it, she's proud of them for this,"We armed them, as best we could, and moved on. They had another go at killing us on the way to level three, and failed, but it all took so long that you guys had already passed through before we got there."

Pontus pointed a finger and murmured something to the effect of 'she started it' to Starling following her with hi eyes. Rain grinned and covered her mouth. The little girl and the broken Scout looked to Kai and hung on every word. Man she took right after him didn't she. It was Rain that provided soundtrack to his inner dialogue asking "<In Trigedasleng> Then what? What's a flas bang do?" Pontus made his fingers simulate and explosion and then winced like he couldn't see. Rain nodded and declared, "I want one." He snerked and followed the rest of the sit-rep. He murmured "<In Trigedasleng> Sorry. Scouts don't like drag our ass." He wasn't sorry.

Kai's still spotty, she understands more Trig than she speaks, certainly it takes her a moment to find the words for Rain,"<In Trigedasleng> Light. Very light. Loud." which is a minimal explanation, but well, the best she can manage. There's a laugh at Rain's request, switching to Gonasleng to spread her hands,"I don't have any. That's Skai-stuff, anyways." there's a shake of her head,"Of course they don't. Skaikru are still loud and full of complaints, though." she shrugs her shoulders, it's true, she knows,"Some of them asked.. the next day.. why I was dressed… funny, and why I spoke the language. Some of them are not comfortable with it, but most of them were better than the one's at Alpha, for all that the Maunon had told them that they rescued them from us. That they had fought off the Trikru to rescue them to that place. Before they started murdering them for their bone marrow. Because of the radiation problem. Which apparently wasn't even necessary, just that the Maunon are a bunch of greedy, monstrous fucks." not like this is news to any Trikru.

Khesu is lying where ever they have put him. He has not regained consciousness since last night but his heart keeps beating if weakly, and he keeps on breathing. Sev had worked on cleaning the worst of his wounds and removed bullet fragments from his chest and at some point Galle had taken over his care from there. Khesu hasn't stirred since he fell and was probably lifted and put into a wagon early this morning for travel to Tondc, completely unaware.

Kai was probably one of the people who drove that wagon, the other being Wren, and there was no doubt drinking going on, because well, drinking. She's relatively uninjured compared to well, everyone else just about, so she didn't bunk at the Healing House overnight, but is now sitting near Pontus' bed with Starling and Rain. Khesu's unconscious nearby.

Wren has traded in his armor for something a bit lighter. He moves inside wearing a loose-fitting old button-up shirt, leaving the front undone, at least to give air to the pair of bandages that grace his chest and his shoulder. He's also nursing a vague hangover. Because one one of the wagons was a bunch of drunken singing, on both his and Kai's part. It was a good fight, you celebrate that kind of thing. With mead. At least two bottles worth. And now the big guy owes one of the healers that came to help to bottles. He's good for it. But he has gotten a bath in, looking no longer bloody and dirty. But he came here to check up on family. By that he means Pontus, since he figured his injuries didn't require taking up a bed here. Much Silver's chagrin, likely.

Rain got up and bolted for the door deftly like she do and stopped a couple feet shy of Wren looking up up up at him giving him a frown. From the mouth of babes she proclaims, "<In Trigedasleng> Wren, Silver just finished healing you. You need to stop bleeding." It was enough to make Pontus snicker and just wince in supreme discomfort at the involuntary response and just tried not to laugh. A hand pointed that way. That had said it all «That one there is definitely mine». He murmured, "<In Trigedasleng> Got'be Wren."

Kai casts a look over at Khesu's unconscious form before her gaze shifts to the doorway, smirking vaguely at what she can catch of Wren getting told off,"<In Trigedasleng> Yes." she acknowledges for Pontus, settling back in her seat more comfortably to cross her legs at the ankle and her hands across her stomach carefully,"I will be grateful when all of you are well enough to be out of here. We've spent too much time at the Healing House, lately. It would be good to have a while to simply heal."

Starling has not to long ago shocked and made Kai speechless by giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek. That means she is now sitting back near Pontus her hand on his arm but when Rain goes rushing off, she turns her face and then her eyes brighten when she sees Wren. Another squeeze to Pontus's hand and she is up and moving after the child, before she throws herself into Wren's arms, carefully but her brother gets a very big hug.

"<In Trigedasleng> And I will, little one, as soon as there are no more bad people left to kill. And I'm in trouble with Silver. Kai and I made a couple of jokes. Perhaps not the best move when she was the one with the needle in her hand." Wren chuckles, squatting down to Rain's eye-level to pull his adoptive little sister sister into a hug. "<In Trigedasleng> But I'm happy to see you too, little one." And then Starling is all out tackling him, returning the hug, his sister getting a smooch atop of the head. "<In Trigedasleng> Sorry, brother. I'm not kissing you. But, I see you yet still live. I would expect nothing less."

There are voices. There has been a steady stream of voices. It seems like voices he knows. Voices of people he cares about, not nightmares. Finally. Khesu cracks open his one good if gritty right eye. There seems to be a ceiling above him. Not stars, not a camp by the river. Is he in the Mountain? He tries to swallow but finds his throat dry. With the left side of his face so swollen that his left eye can't be seen at all for the damage done to his head at his brow and up, Khesu very slightly turns his head to the right to try and see where he is and whom he can hear speaking. He lays on his back with his armour removed and his chest, arm, and his head bandaged.

There's movement at Khesu's cot, and Kai reaches over to find a good spot of Pontus to squeeze with the explanation of,"<In Trigedasleng> Khesu's awake." rising to her feet to remark to Wren,"Entirely worth it.. for me at least. I'm going to check on Khesu." and elects to step over to Benning and Gideon's uncle to utter,"<In Trigedasleng> You're in Tondc." because oh how does she know that confusion upon waking up in a place you weren't expecting. Leaving her seat for her First, she elects to squat down, carefully, so that she might be visible.

Starling turns those blue on blue eyes up to Wren, she watches him for a small moment and then smiles with a soft chuckle. "<In Trigedasleng> Making Silver upset is never I good thing. But now that everyone is home, we need to have another dinner, I must learn more about her.." This is said thoughtfully as she slowly starts to pull him over to the seat she was using near Pontus, next to Kai. A soft whisper is passed to Rain as the little girl is being useful and then her eyes flicker towards Pontus and over to Khesu as he's not to far away after all.

Pontus cracked a faint half-grin on the side of his face that was more working glancing to Khesu at Kai's alert to him. He shook his head minutely. Rain was just happy to see her family make it back. She grinned wider at the kiss to the top of the head. "<In Trigedasleng> Kai said she was gonna find be a flashbang of my own!" Pontus coughed and dropped an arm down alongside the cot and fished up a pinecone. With an easy, effortless lob bapped her in teh back of the head with it at range. The protest came when it tangled in her hair and made her spin around and around backwards trying to reach it to untangle herself. Yeah no Skaitech in this family. After she untangled sne sighed and said "Yes tar" And fetched the water. Pontus, on the other hand, waved Wren over.

"<In Trigedasleng> Silver threatens and threatens well, but she tolerates both me and Kai with such things." Wren grins, nodding at Starling. "<In Trigedasleng> We do. I have more than a couple people to talk to. I have for news for you and Pontus as well." he offers being led over to the latter. "<In Trigedasleng> You going to sit around in bed all day, brother? Come now, you should be used to this by now." Kai gets a nod. "You need to practice your singing, Second." he muses.

Khesu tries to focus on the figure that comes to squat down by where he lays. Having just regained consciousness, he's pretty groggy yet. A slow breath before Khesu rumbles faintly, "<In Trigedasleng> Kai, mochef." No trying to sit up, no major moving around. He's probably not drugged but he's not terribly coherent right off either. With his one good eye he tries to see who else is immediately near to him - he knows those voices, so Khesu turns his head carefully.

"<In Trigedasleng> I did not!" Kai protests towards Rain, waiting until she brings water to go,"No flashbangs." it takes much of her divided concentration to try and follow the conversation when she hears her name, grunting at Wren,"I don't normally sing." pause,"Or get drunk. So. And then trying to translate it over was twice as hard, too." she dips her head for the girl and offers to Khesu,"<In Trigedasleng> Water. When you're ready. Pontus is here. Wren. Starling. Rain. I have seen Rinnan and Britt, Sev, Erson." she switches back to Gonasleng,"Not all survived, but we did what was necessary to do."

Starling has gotten her worry and checking out the others, out of her system while they all slept, her family is here, she can breath and with that the smile she greeting Wren with remains. But he has her curious about his comment, and it causes her to settle down on another stool near Pontus's bed and her hand reaches out to touch his arm again without thinking about it. When she hears Khesu's voice, those blue eyes flicker towards him and she smiles softly, "<In Trigedasleng> You are my second armor refitting, so better heal up fast.." Her eyes then flicker to Wren. "<In Trigedasleng> You are my first, I"m to the point I need to start forming it to you.." Whatever she is talking about.

Galle kom Trikru has been seeing to the wounded with a kind of frank, no-nonsense approach that could be argued as poor bedside manner, but is really just the brusque business of a woman who has too many patients, and not enough time in the day. The Healing House is currently trying to support both wounded from the Mountain and every day catastrophes and injuries, so Galle is seeing to a maker who fell off a neighboring roof and did something rather awful to his knee. She is feeling around the leg, noting the feel of the bone. She instructs Silver to feel the same, and tell her what is wrong. They agree it is a dislocation, and Silver is instructed to prepare a splint and use tough canvas to create a cast.

She leaves her soon-to-be Second to deal with the knee, and moves down the line. Khesu is next. She moves to kneel beside his bed opposite of Kai, and she fixes him with those blue eyes, almost glaring at him as if he is in trouble for ending up back in her care again. "<In Trigedasleng> I do not like what I see, Khesu kom Trikru." Which by her tone, must certainly be his fault. Though there is the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of her lips, because she's not a total cold fish.

Pontus wasn't much for conversation but seemed very curious in what Wren had to say. There was a faint snerk when Wren effectively told him to move his ass. Could he walk around? Suuuure. Could he do it without his blood pressure make if feel like his head was being torn in half? It was a bit premature. He waited to see if Wren had a follow up for that and just gave Starling's hand a squeeze. He wasn't going to get far talking across the room with half a face working.

"<In Trigedasleng> Armor refitting?" Wren blinks at Starling. "<In Trigedasleng> Well, not going to say no, the set I have is already starting to look a little worse for wear. Tell you later when there's less people around. Don't worry, it's a good thing." he tells Pontus, taking note of how crowded it is in here. There's a look over at Silver, but he let's her work, mostly because her boss is with her. "<In Trigedasleng> How are you feeling? Or is it one of those 'you look how you feel' kind of things?"

"Pontus?" Does his closest friend live? Khesu wants to see him but can't from his position. Aye, he starts to try to lever himself up so he can try to see better. Having his left eye useless is really cutting down his ability to see - and he finds he is yet too weak to push himself up. So for now he must give it up. Despite his neck wound he can raise his head a little to drink water, especially if Kai helps him. A few rough breathes and he lays his head back down to rest, then tries to look at Starling. She's here somewhere. And then Galle is settling close by. Khesu tries to turn his head to see her and smiles very faintly, his baritone rough and barely audible. "<In Trigedasleng> I like what I see… Gal-lei kom Trikru." Surely she's used to being flattered by the male folk after all these years, widow or no.

Khesu looses his humor and adds, "<In Trigedasleng> I was wrong about guns." Galle will know what he's talking about.

"Ornery as ever." Kai assures Khesu, assisting the warrior to sit up for a sip of water with a glance back towards Wren and the others. But then there's.. Galle, and of course the Second isn't about to get in the healers way, dipping her head respectfully as she settles back.

Starling wrinkles her brow at Wren, it is known just how curious she can be, but she nods slowly at her brother and oddly enough keeps her mouth shut. Then he is asking about the armor and she nods slowly, "<In Trigedasleng> I've been working on a more protective is slightly heavier armor. It's been hit and miss but with everything happening I seem to have finally gotten a good idea of what I want to do. It will be the first totally tailored to the warrior as well. It is time for me to make my mark. Or so I have been told.." She smirks at that but shrugs and squeezes Pontus's fingers when Wren goes on to ask questions and make Pontus talk.

Pontus grunted and mumbled, "Mm' here." He tried to clear his throat and sit up just a bit. Flat hurt. His natural instinct was to fight the things that hurt him but one couldn't stab gravity. He squint at look at Wren and, while he talked through broken jaw and teeth and face, mumbled slowly because forming words hurt like hell. He stopped trying when he was so tired he almost cried, and he did that enough last night being hashed back together. He sighed and honestly wished he knew how to write with any expediency. He squeezed Starling's hand and gestured with said fingers to Wren.

Pontus looked like he clearly and entirely felt as bad as it looked. Again. But now with fewer pieces and less snow.

Galle narrows her eyes a bit at Khesu at his flirtation. She flicks his ear as expected, though it is a gentle chiding instead of an actual forceful one. She starts to look him over, gently holding his chin and jaw again to look at, yet another, bullet wound to his head. "<In Trigedasleng> Khesu, why must it be the head? You do realize that your head carries your brains… though perhaps you have more skull than brains." She does start to take out her supplies, preparing to see to the wounds with the care and precision of a well-versed Healer. She looks up at Kai. "<In Trigedasleng> You have been seen to, little bird?" She starts at Khesu's head, warning him on the sting with a quick word, and then begins to smear the brown, gooey substance across the wound.

"<In Trigedasleng> Ah. I didn't know you were working on that, Star." Wren replies, listening to the project she seems to of thrown herself into. "<In Trigedasleng> I suppose if that makes me you test subject, that'll be task I'll gladly take on. Measure me whenever you want to. Probably for the best, I could certainly use new armor at this point. Bullets didn't help the matter any." He looks at Pontus' gesture with his hand, giving a look between them. From him to Starling. "<In Trigedasleng> Is there something I should know? Or something he's trying to tell me?"

Aye, Khesu can hear Pontus over there. Thank the Flame. Galle's flicking of his ear would make him laugh, but under the circumstances … no. He turns his ruined face back to her and tries to smile a little though. Really, he's not up for anything more. The last time she did this it was a sword cut to his brow. This time it's a great deal uglier than that and most likely he's lost the use of his left eye, though only time will tell. A lot of blood, small bits of bone and other matter make his dark hair thick and nasty where the bullet exited at an angle through the side of his skull right behind his temple - just barely missing major blood vessels. Still it is obvious that he has bled a lot. Sev had cleaned and bandaged him last night but the left side of his face and head are so swollen and nasty, it's gruesome work.

Little. Bird. It's quite possibly the only time those words have been used to reference Kai, but she understands well enough to nod for Galle,"<In Trigedasleng> Well enough." for the moment she rises to her feet stiff and slow, leaving the water behind in case he needs more but getting out of Galle's way to return to Wren's vicinity,"I was telling Pontus somewhat about our teams efforts. Wanted to come and check on everyone. Especially these two." there's a gesture for Pontus and Khesu,"Bullet's are nasty work."

Starling tilts her head to the side and can't help a little smile,but her eyes are worried when Pontus tries to sit up, she finally sight softly and holds him down with a hand on the good shoulder, "<In Trigedasleng> Stop that, you promised.." She points out to him softly before she glances towards Wren. "<In Trigedasleng> He fighting it ever moment, but his jaw took a bullet I was told, so talking is a very bad thing, holes in the chest, hence moving to quickly. But he should be fine.." She wrinkles her brow. "I've not seen many others, I checked on Khesu and I was told you were well.." She narrows her eyes at her brother, "But could not find you here.." Like he should have been where she could get to him or something.

BUT Then Wren bluntly asks something and Starling narrows her eyes first at Pontus and then at Wren, she sighs, but the smile lingers on her lips as she says softly, "<In Trigedasleng> Pontus has asked to build me a house…." She seems about to leave it at that but then she adds, "<In Trigedasleng> And I told him only if he shared it with me.." Yep… that.

"<In Trigedasleng> Didn't want to use a bed here when I didn't require to stay here. I've been at home. Because apparently I can deal with mother's wrath then the rest of you combined." Wren remarks with a little humored grin. "<In Trigedasleng> Silver stitched me up, I'll be fine so long as I don't fuss with them. And…oh. I didn't know what happened to Pontus. He really should not try catching bullets with his face. Doesn't end well. But a lesser man would've died." But the rest sorta makes him come to a halt, looking between the pair of them. "<In Trigedasleng> A home….I see." Seems to all click together. "<In Trigedasleng> I wasn't aware that things were like that. Well, who am I to get between love, even if it's a little…odd that my sister is marrying my adopted brother. Have you told mother?"

Pontus rubbed a hand to a small spot above his eyebrow; that space the size of a quarter which was where his head did't hurt. Those slate grey eyes looked to Wren and this….was gonna hurt. He mumbled, teeth togehter, "was 16, Wren." He tried to consider how to tell him when things changed and said "Post…war." Sure blaaaame the Azgaeda for everything. On the note of telling Peake there was a small shake of his head and he pointed at Wren and held up one finger. He wanted to tell him first. hen tehn pointed to the rest of himself indicating 'in case she opts to kill me'.

"Congratulations." this from Kai to Starling, the Second resting her undamaged right hand on the other womans shoulder and dipping her head to her, for all that she doesn't lower her voice to pretend like the others wont be able to hear her anyways.

Starling tilts her head head to the side as she looks at Wren, but her fingers never leave Pontus's and she reaches for Wren's, laying on his arm or taking his hand if he let's her. "<In Trigedasleng> Things have been crazy the last few months. Once I was old enough to see things, I saw Pontus, but he had duty and honor and strength and I left things alone. But then.. Lark was killed and..I needed to start living my life, we talked and things have moved from there. So don't think he was doing anything behind your back with your sister. And I think mom knew before we did, but no, you are the first to know.." And well Kai, Kheus and Galle, but still!

At Kai's touch on her shoulder, she looks up and smiles softly to the second. "Thank you.." They all need a little happiness after the mountain after all.

Ugh, Galle's attention to his head wound is painful. Khesu tries not to grimace or wince, but the swollen flesh is incredibly tender and messy. Sev did a good job of cleaning up what he could in the dark but there are advantages to having better light. His breathing is his only real indication of pain, the uneven rising and falling of his chest and the occasional tightening of his jaw muscles or twitch of his hands or foot. But no, he's trying not to move. Galle has hold of his beard anyway and there's few better handles upon a man if you aren't being indecent. No crying out, no sound lest she has to dig something out and then, maybe a couple of somebody's better come hold him down if she has to do that.

Pontus arched an eyebrow at Starling's moment of talking and it caused the Puzzle Man to arch an eyebrow. Huh. Apparently some of that he did not know. He had thig he could say and by stark contrast wanted to but he was in no condition to do so. Oh the irony. Kai got a look and a grunted thanks. His rolled back a bit still trying to fight to sit up a bit and losing. The digging around in Khesu's meat, his most of him, got a sympathetic wtinge of the eye. He was still smarting from where Sev went spelunking for shrapnel. He sighed and muttered something to Wren. It was entirely incoherent. Yeah speaking with a patched hole in your face was not something he should be doing. As if one could convince Scouts of anything.

"<In Trigedasleng> Shut up, Pontus." Wren says in good humor. "<In Trigedasleng> Don't need your face falling off. I understand." When he looks back at Starling, he uses a hand to cup her cheek. "<In Trigedasleng> You two are so alike." he says at first. "<In Trigedasleng> I couldn't save Lark." For some reason, it makes him look at Kai for a moment before looking back at his sister. "<In Trigedasleng> But I never wanted anything more than you both to be happy. I can only imagine what Oriole will think. But you're own woman, I can't be the glowering older brother forever. I have more than enough confidence that Pontus will keep you safe. Just…don't be afraid to drop by when you do finally move into your own home." There's a laugh. "<In Trigedasleng> Yes well…mother seems to know everything before it happens. And she'll never say it, but she'll miss having the two of you around to pester."

When brothers are.. well like that, that is when sisters cry, and tiny tears run down Starling's face even if she is smiling. She very carefully moves and hugs her brother again, tight with a little sighs. She misses her twin daily, and has never gotten to talk about it, but Wren's words settle something in her and she gives one more hug before pulling back. "<In Trigedasleng> I don't see us being far, for there is no worry about it. We are family Wren, and family sticks together, it just might be nice to have walls that are ours again.." she chuckles softly, wiping at the tears on her cheeks, "<In Trigedasleng> Well she would not have raised us this well if she wasn't Mom.." She winks and then grows a little more serious. "<In Trigedasleng> I love you Big Brother and you better never forget that.."

Pontus actually coughed to keep from laughing. it wasn't working and his eyes watered in amusement. Wren just told him to shut up? He was never living that down. That yappy son of a….wonderful and terrifying woman just told him to shut it. It was that antagonism that's held their friendship together the last 25 years. There was a gesture suggesting like it'd be right next door. Like who moves away. He mumbled, "Not Polis, Wren." he sighed and glanced to Khesu with that look of <I am never living this down>. Finally he looked back to Wren with a small nod. He didn't have to ask per say, but he respected Wren enough to tell him first because integrity was huge with him toa fault. And then Rain came in with a frog in one hand and water in the other to hand to Galle. She informed, "<In Trigedasleng> I got more water. The frog only fell in once but I got him out." The 5 second rule survives the apocalypse.

Kai slips off for the now, to make room for other visitors, and the healers, and well, crowds of wounded people. She's content to slink off and let people chatter so she might sneak in some rest of her own.

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