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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 22, 2008 23:00:20 GMT -5
 A pair of work-worn boots found their way through the cool and shady leaf-littered glade. Done with one job; that was, hunting down the next couple day's supply of meat, properly dressing and then storing them away in the kitchen; Rob was off for his next task at hand. Today may not have been his day for working in the garden and collecting the day's fruits and vegetables, but after all the work Rouge had gone through fixing his cloak he figured it the least he could do to repay her. Besides. It meant he'd get to spend more time with her. Thinking about it as he walked his mind wandered back to that small pebble-sized power stone he had found. While his intent was to give it to the lady of his affection, he found himself in a minor conflict. When? When would he give it to her? He couldn't give it to her now... not when they were about to work. After? Hmm, maybe. He knew Rouge had a fondness for unique stones, a stone as rare and beautiful as this... it had to be the right time. A moment when she could enjoy it the most. A moment when maybe - maybe - if he could figure out the right words... All at once, a sharp burst of air swelled his lungs. "R-Rouge?!" Several yards away in the garden a snowy white bat lay collapsed, a basket of goods she'd obviously been picking dumped across the ground beside her. Instantly Rob sprang to her side, taking her by the shoulders and shaking her gently, all the while calling out with worry. "Rouge?! Rouge! Wake up!" |
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Post by Leda on Aug 22, 2008 23:43:15 GMT -5
 There was no immediate response from the bat in the archer's arms. All things considered, she probably could've passed for dead had one not noticed her shallow breathing. Yet after what probably felt an eternity (but was actually only about 30 seconds), Rouge's eyes slitted open. A second later she blinked, and slowly came to her senses. " ...Rob?" |
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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 23, 2008 6:38:45 GMT -5
" Oh thank goodness," Rob muttered with a relieved exhale. "Are you alright?! What happened?!" |
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Post by Leda on Aug 23, 2008 11:04:09 GMT -5
" I... I don't know," she answered with a puzzled expression. Taking a moment to shakily push herself into a seated position, the bat glanced at her environment, but failed to shed any of her confusion. "All I remember is coming for the vegetables..." |
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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 23, 2008 18:33:08 GMT -5
Rob's mouth twisted in concern. She'd already been showing signs of dizziness earlier that day - now blackouts? He may have only had a rudimentary knowledge of medicine; enough to to get by in first aid; but a PHD certainly wasn't required to understand something was very, very wrong. "Well, not anymore you're not," he said with a shake of his head, "Come on, dove, I'm taking you back to your lodge and you're getting some rest. Do you think you can get up?" |
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Post by Leda on Aug 23, 2008 18:47:19 GMT -5
Rather than directly answer, Rouge tightened her lips and took great care to push herself up further. She seemed to be doing fine through standing on her knees, but progressing from her knees to her feet appeared to be quite the challenge. Maybe I'm just... drowsy, the bat reasoned to herself as she sat back down on her hip -- while doing her best to ignore the sensation that the ground was spinning. " We are in some luck," Rouge finally said after her long silence, her focus now turned on putting the spilled crops back into her basket. "After I left your lodge, I made a stew... There should be enough to feed everybody if no one gorges. I would've liked to add some of this to it just in case."Although..." With a tomato between her delicate palms, the bat turned to her escourt and offered it up for inspection. It didn't appear to have spoiled, but certainly seemed amiss. "Many of the crops have been sub-par lately." |
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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 24, 2008 1:22:54 GMT -5
The failed attempt to stand certainly didn't go unnoticed, which only made Rob frown in even more concern. Rather than press her, though, he hummed slightly and crouched beside to help her in gathering the vegetables up. Even before she had offered the tomato to him he had noticed how... sickly... everything seemed to look. Instead of robust and fresh as you would expect something right off the vine to be, everything seemed to have an... old and wilted look to it, as if it'd been sitting out awhile. Further inspection noted the plants they had from didn't seem to be faring to well either. In fact, nothing in the area did. Odd. "Aye, I, uh.. I can help out with things as far as the kitchen goes," Rob offered as she spoke. As soon as everything had been gathered again, he turned his focus back on Rouge. "You going to be okay?" |
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Post by Leda on Aug 24, 2008 1:39:37 GMT -5
Good question. She still wasn't feeling very stable even just sitting there, which made the idea of standing loathesome. Rouge released a short, resigned sigh. Whether or not she really cared to, she'd have to at least try. The bat leaned her weight onto her arms to take the pressure off her equilibrium, and carefully situated her legs below. Just as before, kneeling didn't seem to be such a problem. Unfortunately, her vertigo worsened with each inch she gained, and before even making it on one foot Rouge lost her balance. All of a sudden the garden soil bucked her off, and the bat ungracefully crumpled onto her right side, colliding with Rob in the process. Though she had come to a stop within a second, Rouge never knew it; she could hardly even tell which way was down. Not again...[rand=622131798190185515537499950220782344568224201372558526322980256] |
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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 24, 2008 1:57:47 GMT -5
"Whoa!" Rob shouted, buckling slightly as her weight fell into his open arms. His voice cracked in his throat. "Rouge! What's--are you--" another crack, his head shaking to catch his bearings. "... Alright this answers my question..." |
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Post by Leda on Aug 24, 2008 2:00:43 GMT -5
"Ah-I'm sorry..." Rouge awkwardly stuttered. She remained surprisingly limp in his arms. "I'm... I just feel so dizzy..." |
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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 24, 2008 2:12:21 GMT -5
Rob's frown returned with a vengeance. Looking between her and the basket she'd spilled for the second time he seemed to resolve something in his mind. Gently shifting her weight to one arm he brought the other under and easily scooped her up. "Alright," he spoke in exhale, "I'm taking you to your lodge and you're getting some rest." |
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Post by Leda on Aug 24, 2008 11:51:40 GMT -5
Having the ground swept away from her feet didn't do much to help her disorientation, but upon the realization that Rob intended to carry her home, Rouge breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped an arm around his neck. "Thank you, Rob. I'm sorry... for the... tr..ouble..." The bat's eyes rolled slightly, and she blinked repeatedly in response. It appeared she was struggling with all her might to even stay conscious. |
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Post by Jamie Lee on Aug 27, 2008 5:11:08 GMT -5
Rob just shook his head. "It's no trouble at all. You just worry about--" he frowned, glancing down at her. Realization that she'd apparently passed out donned and he gave a concerned sigh. "--Getting yourself some rest." That concern never once faltered, seeing her fail to awaken, as he carried her from the garden to the elevators, and from there to the bed in her lodge. |
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