[2023/08/27 11:18] 'Stray' was not a happy cat. He felt miserable and hadn't been able to keep food or much liquid down and certainly couldn't make his way around without bumping into things. His most reliable mode of transportation on his own seemed to be teleporting - and even then he didn't seem readily able to move without major waves of nausea after the fact. So by and large he remained in one corner of Dinah's room, groaning and whining into his knees as he sat curled against one wall.
[2023/08/27 11:20] Dinah was not feeling too hot herself, having woken up with a cough. Still, it was just a cough. She sighed as she looked towards poor Stray and she approached, dragging one of the blankets from her bed.
"Sweetheart, you should really stay somewhere soft" she chided him gently, draping it over his shoulders. "is this the work of those mushrooms? darling, you look so pale" she shuffled herself down onto the floor beside him, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders.
[2023/08/27 11:25] 'Stray' wriggled beneath the drape of blanket. He was twitching, some of his limbs simply spasming and jerking rather than moving like they were supposed to when he tried to clutch at the thing. He WAS pale... paler than normal. And when she spoke to him he tilted his head vaguely in the direction of her voice. Trying to speak send a lurching rumble through his abdomen and up into his throat and he quickly scrambled to lean his top half out of the window to vomit up black mucus and blood. <BAD. MAD MUSHROOMS. MAD AT BAD MUSHROOMS> came the frantic mental reply, even as the floppy kitty seemed quite content to slowly sip out the window, mostly out of sheer lack of will to unfold from over the sill.
[2023/08/27 11:29] Dinah leaned over, not caring about his nudity for a change, cuddling her arms around him. "oh darling" she pulled him back from the window, worried that he'd melt on out, and she picked herself up to the doorway.
"Hoshi! A bucket, dear, if you could. and a mug of water" she yelled out into the house, stifling back a cough after having raised her voice, returning to snuggle up the blanketed kitty.
"This is why I tell you to be careful about what you're eating, love" she closed her eyes "Let me try to help. I am not an expert healer. but I can try" she wrapped her arms around him, the chilly healing magic coming from her in pulses like an erratic heartbeat.
[2023/08/27 11:37] 'Stray' did not resist being pulled back in but certainly did not help with the effort. He curled right back up under the blanket, quivering a bit as if cold. He did feel rather hot - feverish just like any body might be if they were fighting off an illness. <Smelled interesting... thought would be like. Catnip. Or the treats Mumsie made. Sometimes they had mushrooms... but not like this.> When he peered out from under the blanket at her he squinted a bit - but seemed at least vaguely able to discern that it was Dinah. He whined, leaning into the chilly feeling of healing magic seeping into his skin. <Thank you Dinah~> came the mental reply. He tried to nuzzle her but uncoordinated as his movements were he likely ended up just headbutting the side of her skull.
[2023/08/27 11:40] Dinah received the headbutt with a wince and she pressed her face back towards his. it didn't matter if he smelled of blood and puke and mud. She reached the corner of the blanket, dabbing at his face.
"never, ever eat mushrooms in the wild, love. some of them are dangerous" she reached her hand into the blanket, rubbing his ears. "This..is a different sort of danger, i think. but stay with us. we'll see you well again. I promise." she bundled herself around him. "you are one of us now. we gave you a D name. that means we have to look after you. just...no going on the roof until you're better again."
[2023/08/27 11:49] 'Stray' huffed... which only really turned into another gagging noise. His abdomen and throat were doing that spasm again but there was little left in the poor catto's digestive tract to even puke up. There was, luckily some improvement thanks to Di's magic. He stopped his quivering and the fever seemed to subside. After the dry heaving spell he seemed more able to just... slump against her a bit. Dead weight as he was he didn't so much lean as end up in a puddle of loose-limbed blanket-wrapped cattolad in her lap.
[2023/08/27 11:53] Dinah kept her healing magic flowing, continuing petting his ear. she looked up as her maid knocked the door and peeked in through, and di beckoned her to set the bucket beside her and the catto, with the water mug beside him.
"We should probably try to get you something to eat. or drink. some sort of soup maybe." she mused as she continued to pet "Thank you, hoshi darling." she sent away the maid and reached to bundle the blankets around him better. "here, there we go darling. is that any better? I can't promise it's going to help you forever. i'll have to keep helping. you poor thing" she sighed, gathering him up into her lap and covering her mouth to try and stop another coughing fit.
[2023/08/27 11:56] 'Stray' groped his way toward the bucket and just curled around it, hanging his face down in. "Mmmnothungry," he grumbled, at least able to manage verbal speech this time without hurling. His voice sounded hoarse - but he'd been retching more often than not. The sound of coughing had his ears twitching and he wrinkled up his little very red nose. "Dinah is also sick," he pointed out as if that needed.. pointing out. He tried to purr, but that only ended in one of those about-to-cough-up-a-hairball YACKS that luckily brought up nothing of the sort.
[2023/08/27 11:59] Dinah pressed a kiss to the top of his blanketed head, closing her eyes as she snuggled. This was what she could do to repay him helping her in her sulk, she decided, helping him when he was sick. "you don't have to be hungry, darling. but if you keep being sick, you'll be more sick if you don't eat anything. at least soup you might get something into you" she scritched her fingers into his hair. "it's just a cough, love. I can help you. you're worse than i am." she paused as he got ready to huck up again and she ruffled his hair again. "Try to take a sip of water, darling. even the tiniest one. your poor throat sounds so sore"
[2023/08/27 12:03] 'Stray' wriggled his shoulders back and forth at the sheer idea of putting something in his mouth right now. <But...but...nooooooo more puking...> came the whine, for he had to whine and could not do so aloud to a satisfactory degree. He did listen though, scooting and adjusting until one arm uncurled to find the water. His grubby hand patted and groped around blindly, quite in danger of knocking the water over before he managed to get a grip.
[2023/08/27 12:05] Dinah pressed another little smooch to the top of his head. "even if you don't swallow it, you could rinse your mouth with it, right?" she offered helpfully. "you might not be sick if i'm hugging you too. we can try, right?" she offered hopefully, reaching out to help him grasp the cup, lifting it up with him. "maybe we should move you to the bed." she murmured thoughtfully. "or are you comfy enough here? as long as you stay warm..."
[2023/08/27 12:12] 'Stray' took a sip and did promptly spit it back out into the bucket nearby. THAT, luckily, was closeby enough and large enough that he could more or less feel out where it was located. Another few mouthfuls to clean his mouth out and he finally took the teensiest sip to swallow. "Hrrrnnnhfff. No moving. Don't want to move. Just want sleep," he protested weakly. There was a pause before he rubbed his cheek against whatever part of her was nearest. "...everything is blurry Dinah. See shapes. Colors. But blurry."
[2023/08/27 12:15] Dinah watched him intently as he rinsed his mouth and she cuddled him close, humming quietly in approval as he sipped at it. "Good. good boy" she rubbed his ear, wrapping her arm around his shoulders to pull him n to hug to her chest. "sleeping is fine. it'll probably be good for you to rest." she frowned in worry, "close your eyes, darling. you don't need to keep your eyes open. it's just us, and you're in the house. we'll be safe here, right? the family will protect you" she reached to make sure he was thoroughly burrito'd in the blanket. "...i will have to reach out. find someone who can help you. I can't watch you struggle like this darling. I dont know if there's anything I can do to help you"
[2023/08/27 12:22] 'Stray' nodded and shut his eyes. He was not one for argument at the moment and things hurt and spun much less now that Dinah had healed him. He seemed, at least, to be well enough to properly rest. There was a seemingly permanent furrow in his brow though. His mind was rife with anxiousness about the blurriness of his sight.
[2023/08/27 12:23] Dinah shifted herself enough that she'd be able to slip out from under him, though she did telekinetically yoink one of her pillows to replace herself with. "there, sweetling. you stay comfortable. i'll get on the aethernet and try to find someone that can help" she pressed another kiss to his brow "Call for me if you need me. I wont be going far with this cough. Rest, love"
[2023/08/27 13:12] Willow Lockewood strode through the town, a small sachet glinting around her throat, herbs and crystals contained in a slim rose gold wire working that flashed occasionally as she walked through the mists, skirts swishing. She wasn't tall but carried herself with the quiet confidence of a woman used to being in charge. Slung over one shoulder was a simple leather bag, runes stitched in only slightly darker stitching than the bag itself. Once she reached the door, Willow pulled out a simple calling card that had only her name on it to present to the staff at the door as she waited. "I was requested by the lady of the house," she offered to whoever answered the door, her lips quirking in slight amusement. It had been quite some time since anything had stirred the witch to make a house call. There was no harmful magic on the witch but powerful charms of a very different sort than any of Dinah's magic might ping the wards when she hit the threshhold.
[2023/08/27 13:16] Dinah had been waiting in the library near to the aethernet device when she had been informed that there was a visitor for her by one of the meek little maids they kept around the place. Like Willow, she carried herself with the air of someone used to getting their own way, and after the maid would let the guest in, di emerged from the library, the twin-lamps of Helios the crab's eyes gleaming from her shoulder.
"You requested the lady of the house. that would be me. I hope you are 'Seileach'?" she extended a hand in polite greeting. "I am dinah windgrace. thank you for coming on such short notice."
[2023/08/27 13:17] 'Stray' was a loudly snoring catto lad curled up in the corner of Dinah's room around a metal bucket and an empty mug of water.
[2023/08/27 13:22] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): Despite Dinah's affliction, Willow offered her hand, and the charm at her neck might darken a bit further at it continued to do its work to absorb the ambient concerns. "Willow Lockewood. I am aware of you by reputation. I am replacing my incompetent coven member at the Academy. Dashrix sent enough tetchy letters to make it up the chain but that sort of social chatter can wait. Let me take a look at the most ill member of your household and then work my way up. Can you tell me what sort of exposure caused the malady, if you're aware of it?" Willow flowed quickly from small talk to business with a brusque way that might have been offputting in another situation. "And it's not often I make house calls these days but I'd rather get the information first hand then whatever the 'laboratory' has managed to 'distill' from the spores they're scraping off of students playing hooky. Please feel free to assume I know nothing and tell me what you know."
[2023/08/27 13:27] Kairixian Moonshadow: entered chat range (8.80 m).
[2023/08/27 13:28] Dinah smile quirked a little at the woman's direct nature and she beckoned for her to follow her up the stairs, talking as she walked. Despite the obvious rheumy blindness in her eyes, she seemed to have no trouble seeing her way around.
"Then we are to be colleagues. When i am not so afflicted" she paused to gesture to her eyes with an irritated flick of her hands "then I teach hermetics. I think a lot of my own students are likely grateful for my own absence" she admitted. "With regards to Darius's malady, he seems to have eaten some of the afflicted mushrooms. As well as probable inhalation. He is in a very poor way. I managed to heal him a little, in my own way, and that seems to have taken the bite out of the worst of the symptoms for now, but...well. there is likely a puddle of mucus and vomit outside my bedroom window if you would like to take a sample of that before you return. I can give you some glassware to collect it" she sighed, pausing outside her room with a cough, neatly caught into a
[2023/08/27 13:28] Dinah (dollihead): handkerchief that was once more tucked into her day dress.
"If i am perfectly honest? I know very little about the mushrooms themselves other than the fact they're bloody everywhere right now. I had thought that they were related to this fog, considering the increase in damp climes. but this...this doesn't seem like a regular poisoning. this is foul stuff. I had rather been more fixated on the fog than the mushrooms, since I know so little about them in general"
[2023/08/27 13:30] ᴄᴀᴇʟ (helio5igma): (( oop was in the bathroom feel free to post around me until y'all wake him up ))
[2023/08/27 13:33] Willow Lockewood stepped up the stairs quickly, the heels of her boots clicking softly. "They're not mundane or natural. Magically enhanced if not a magical manifestation entirely," Willow offered in that same matter of fact manner before giving a little shake of her head, "I might take a look at the sputum but I doubt it will tell me anything that the body won't. Witchcraft is my balliwick and we tend to work from the person out. I haven't gone prodding at the mushrooms personally as I have a rather strict rule of knowing what the result is going to be before dabbling with strange magic. Can you tell me how the illness seems to progress? The cough first and then blindness and then the gastrointestinal distress? Or does the upset generally come before blindness?" Despite not pulling out a note book, it was clear that Willow was mentally marking certain facts down as she established a course of illness.
[2023/08/27 13:37] Dinah made a noise of distaste in her throat "well, in which case, whoever has conjured them has just found themselves an enemy. The island has enough troubles right now with the ships grounded right now." she tapped at her door and pushed inside, holding it open for Willow too.
"With myself, thusfar, it is just the cough. It has been getting more irritable but thusfar, just the cough. Though obviously if there is any affect on sight for myself then I would be gratefully already ignorant of that. Then again, I do not eat mushrooms. I think I just inhaled it." she led Willow into the corner with the sickly cat boy, stooping into a crouch beside him.
"I don't know how it began with him. but we can ask him. Darius, darling. I have brought someone to try to help you." she brushed her fingers over the fur of his ears. "she has a few questions. do you feel like you can talk?" the crab on her shoulder rotated to face Willow once more, the claws clicking.
"Are you comfortable with mental communication where
[2023/08/27 13:37] Dinah (dollihead): necessary?"
[2023/08/27 13:39] 'Stray' was out like a light. He did not stir when Dinah approached but his ears did twitch when she touched the, moving vaguely to better listen to the two of them speak. He let out a little grumble of protest and curled the blanket more tightly around himself. If he was awake he certainly wasn't coherent or attentive.
[2023/08/27 13:44] Willow Lockewood stepped over to the small table to set her bag down and open it to unroll a rather odd assortment of tools. Witchcraft was rather different than either of Dinah's focus of study and it seemed to be predominantly small vials of crystals, or dried herbs but there were other more esoteric things in there though the two items that she reached for were easily recognizable to any layman, one hand curved around a goblet old enough for the engravings to be worn smooth and the other reached for a silver blade. "With your permission?" She asked Dinah, waiting for her nod before she began sketching out a working circle, murmuring softly as she walked the familiar pattern around the pair. "I don't mind mental communications but generally people prefer my internal thoughts blunted by chosen words. Make of that what you will."
[2023/08/27 13:48] Dinah sighed a little as he stirred but didn't wake, choosing to remain down on the ground beside him. She nodded though to give Willow her consent to the circle. "just tell me if you need me to move" she agreed, brushing her fingers through the kitty's hair.
"I understand that sentiment. I often communicate mentally, but usually only those who are familiar with me enough to know my particular mannerisms. Will he be any good to you asleep like this? I suppose I ought to be grateful he's getting some rest." she reached around, making sure that his ever-present nudity was covered in the presence of the unfamiliar witch.
"he was in such a poor state when I came up to him. He needed to be carried home. oh.. just as a prewarning? He might become a cat. An actual cat. I suppose technically he already IS, since that is his original form, but he is humanoid quite frequently of late. it's new to him" she explained, returning to petting his hair. "darius, darling. Don't be startled if there is magic around, alright?
[2023/08/27 13:48] Dinah (dollihead): it's fine. i'm here."
[2023/08/27 13:51] 'Stray' curled around the giver of headpats and general comfort-care and huffed. A fluffy white tail flicked from underneath the blanket but he didn't speak; it was far too much effort to do so, it seemed. The snoring stopped at least. Maybe he was at the very least paying attention.
[2023/08/27 13:52] Kairixian Moonshadow: left chat range.
[2023/08/27 13:56] Willow Lockewood just nodded as Dinah warned that shapeshifts might be imminent. There was no chalk sketching or many of the other more complicated gestures but as Willow raised the athame above her head and her foot closed the circle she had walked, the wave of power was palpable as the circle snapped shut, containing the three within. Despite the brusque nature of the witch and her less than warm mannerisms, the power of the circle drawn was one of healing, warmth to draw the moisture from the air that encouraged the fungus to grow and spread. It was the warmth of a hearth well tended and the shelter of a familiar home drawn in magic and in gesture and brought to bear with will and power. "There we go. Now, let me take a proper look, yes? I'm going to touch you. It might not feel comfortable. If you shift, it will take longer to palpate glands and you will likely not enjoy how I check your temperature. Or you might. Who am I to judge?" Willow offered as she set down the tools and reached for Darius, "As for sleeping,
[2023/08/27 13:56] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): its fine. It wouldn't be the first time I had a comatose patient under my hands. They tend to complain less so it balances out."
[2023/08/27 14:01] Dinah hitched a breath at the sensation of the 'trapping' sensation, however gentle and homely it felt. it always felt uneasy, being at the whim of another's magic. Especially that of a stranger. She wrapped her arm over Stray's shoulders, hugging him into her lap.
"you have to stay still now, darling. No jumping away. no teleportation" she said tenderly, returning her hand to rub at his ears. it normally kept him calm enough, so hopefully that would encourage him to sit still long enough for Willow to check him. She nodded, the metal crab's rapt attention on the witch whilst di still faced the blanket purrito in her lap.
"i suppose that much is true. The advantage with hermeticism, I suppose. It all tends to be inanimate objects. that's not to say there is zero complaints, but less" she agreed. "please tell me if you need anything of me. Otherwise I willl sit here like a lump until required. I am somewhat inexperienced in your school, and I wouldn't want to do anything that might interfere"
[2023/08/27 14:03] 'Stray' felt the swell of magic. He was familar with withcraft and the little coil of maybe-branch around his neck was testament to that. He knew what it smelled like, felt like... and it was more comforting to him than any other sort of magic they could have brought. A little hopeful murmur of <Mumsie?> echoed from the cat's mind before it quieted quickly when he realized Willow as not, in fact, the odd old witch that had taken him in and given him boy-shape. It was the talk of glands and palpation that set him a-wriggling in Dinah's lap, his ears flattening and his tail flicking in apprehension. A youthful face pocked out from the blanket, looking one way than the other with unfocused eyes. "Why pulp anything? What glands? Don't poke," he whined, a quiet and weak complaint.
[2023/08/27 14:13] Willow Lockewood despite her warnings, the hands that touched Stray's neck, palpating along his throat were light and careful. "Pal-pate," Willow explained as she worked, "To see if they are swollen and reacting to the infection. It's information and it's a point of contact for my magic to begin to work. All healing is different, you see, and often times the limitations are the amount of power. There's this bad habit of throwing enough power at the body telling it to 'do' and 'fix' without more clear instruction. And the magic will. Your body remembers the way its supposed to be, well and whole and strong unless a malaise has gone soul deep, past where the body remembers itself. We're not there yet, and that's a good thing. But you can get ever so much more out of power if you have it backed by knowledge. So we find where the infection is lurking, in the lining of your lungs and in the lining of your stomach. Nasty little thing it is, too. Now when you have both knowledge and power, very little is outside the realm of
[2023/08/27 14:13] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): what can be mended, yes?" Willow's tone had taken on a slightly lecture-y tone, not scolding but rather she was clearly used to explaining to younger witches what she was doing. Her fingertips touched Stray's throat, finding the pulse point to check that before the timbre of her touch changed. "The magic might tickle at first. Let's see what I can do to have you feeling better, hm?" She gave a slight nod, her expression quietly confident towards DInah to show that she felt capable of doing more than had been done.
[2023/08/27 14:13] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): *so far.
[2023/08/27 14:15] Dinah made a comforting sound in her throat at the mental connection and she smiled sadly, shaking her head. "No, love. Not mumsie. Just someone who knows magic like her" she said tenderly, returning to petting his hair.
"it's alright. I wont let her do anything horrid to you, you trust that, don't you? Only what she needs to do to help you get better" she promised. With Willow clearly capable, and despite her bluntness being gentle with the precious kitty cargo, she settled herself to do her best to keep him calm.
"it's alright, love. Let her work. she'll help. Like mumsie would. be patient, please? " she murmured, rubbing at those flattened ears. "you know i'd not let someone hurt you."
[2023/08/27 14:22] 'Stray' was fully pouty-faced when Willow came in and palpated. He did have some swollen lymph nodes! And he was sweaty, as if he'd HAD a fever and a high one that had very recently broken. His chest rose and fell quickly, much faster than your standard respiratory rate and a wee bit more shallow. There was a bit of a wheeze - remnant gunk in his throat from the black mucus. Verbally, he was quiet after Willow's lecture about Witchcraft. He just nodded a little until he got the picture that it impeded her medical inspections. <Do trust,> he answered Dinah though the voice echoed for anyone nearby that wasn't barring themselves from the telepathic communication.
[2023/08/27 14:29] Willow Lockewood sighed slightly, more of an exhalation that seemed to be in preparation and then her fingers crooked slightly as she drew her hands back. The tips of her fingers glowed slightly, "Now, this will feel disgusting, I'm afraid, but it will help. The infected tissue is all largely sloughing off internally. I'm going to pull it out. There has been some permanent damage, I fear, things that might multiple sessions to put to right and significant effort but we'll see what's left after we get rid of this, yes?" With that as warning, Willow pulled, her magic finding all the tissue that the spores had begun to root in and excised just that alone to begin pulling it out of his system. Between her hands, the ball of tissue and fungal matter gathered in a nasty little ball as she drew it from the poor afflicted kitty, slow and steady, and finer than even the best surgeon could have cut.
[2023/08/27 14:32] Dinah bowed her head and pressed her brow to the top of Strays' head. "thank you. good boy" she hugged him closer, careful that her own movements didn't impede the witch. She frowned at the news that there was 'permanent damage' and her hold tightened on the kitty a little tighter, but she nodded grimly.
"patience, darling, let her work. we'll get you better, don't you worry" she soothed gently. "she can help you better than I could, even if it does feel horrid. we will get you well again. Do as you need, Ms. Lockewood." she said softly
[2023/08/27 14:36] 'Stray' gagged. It felt absolutely disgusting coming up, like the worst emetic experience that ever went out the mouth and nostrils at once and the cat was not a creature used to such things. He flailed and wriggled and kicked his feet - but in the end the gunk was yanked out of him and he was retreating to coil himself up into the blanket with a hoarse, "DONE. DONE. NO MORE." His voice sounded clear, though. There was no wheeze to his breathing, no imminent upchucking from the rapid movement into the corner. Things had healed in the wake of the infected tissue coming away with the spores - at least for the most part. Luckily his eyes were scrunched shut and he was bundled up in blanket so there was no real perception for the catto how bad his eyesight was in the wake of it all.
[2023/08/27 14:41] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): "All done indeed," Willow agreed, leaving the patting and after care to Dinah while she stepped away, her brow knit and focus on the ball of flesh and black ichor between her hands, floating in a miserable little ball that smelled terrible and looked worse. She kept it dancing in the air while one hand grabbed a glass vial, etched with markings for containment from her bag of tricks and with a sharp flick of her wrist, the nastiness vanished with a 'schlorp' into the bottle to be quickly stopped up and then sealed with thick wax. Only when that was done, did Willow's shoulders sag for just a moment, a brief flicker of how much energy that had cost before the redoutable witch was shaking herself off and straightening her shoulders. "Now for you, Ms. Windgrace, if you don't mind? Let's clear the infection out of your household so he doesn't risk reinfection. Yes?"
[2023/08/27 14:44] Dinah tried to restrain the wriggly, kicky catboy with her own feeble strength, though as he huddled into the ball instead of poofing away, she was very glad. she reached a hand in to rub at his shoulder gently.
"there, you already sound better, darling. i'm so proud. thank you" she let him stay retreated into his bundle "Now, no more mushrooms?" she pressed a kiss to the top of the blanket bundle but at the news that it was her own turn, she nodded and stood, brushing her hands down her dress and pushing her hair over her shoulders.
"Whenever you are ready, of course. Fire at will" she nodded, cupping her hands in front of her in case she too chucked up a ball of yuck.
[2023/08/27 14:52] 'Stray' shrank beneath that blanket. Rather than poof altogether he simply... shifted and Dinah found a purring catto curled up in her lap for her own healing process. The fact that he'd been able to shift at all was testament to his recovery, so too was the resounding purr that emanated from his no-longer-fungally-infested throat. <Thank you,> came to Willow's mind with clear gratitude lacing the words, even if he did seem to regard the bottle and the gunk in it with no small amount of disgust.
[2023/08/27 14:55] Willow Lockewood gave Stray a slight nod. Willow shook her hands out once more, wiggling her fingers like she was shaking off the sensation before her cool fingers touched Dinah's throat. At least this was not so far spread. It was easier to find and easier to pull out. Her fingers crooked again, pulling the gunk out with another sharp gesture gathering the infection in between her hands with a grimace of effort this time. The infection fought Willow, harder than she expected and took more energy. This had gone from a slightly interesting quirk to something that Willow considered at least the level of 'concern' with how much effort it took to corral out. Her breath puffed out in a little exhale of relief as the infection began to leave Dinah.
[2023/08/27 14:58] Dinah smiled down towards the catto as he changed, nodding. "there you are" she said fondly, glad for the sound of his purr. At the reaching hands, she lifted her chin to make it easier at the touch to her throat, but instead of gagging, Dinah started coughing. Hacking as if she'd inhaled something that was irritating her throat, she doubled over as she struggled to catch her breath until the thready black fungus, attached to chunks of her respiratory system, was coughed into her open palms, splattering against her pale skin with blackish blood. She remained doubled over for a moment, her breathing ragged though her already healing lungs would be recovered soon enough.
"...t-thank you" she rasped out, swallowing hesitantly. "that was...unpleasant."
[2023/08/27 15:20] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): "To say the least. Reminds me a bit of Manchuria half a century ago but ever so much more persistent," Willow agreed, finally sounding at least a little worn. Reaching for Dinah's hands, she pulled a small vial out to wash away the secretions and neutralize the contaminant. She turned towards the satchel, her brow creased with focus as she went to pull out a few vials from her satchel. "I'll have you toss these in the fire, one on each floor of your home to chase out any lingering sputum from the air. If anyone else develops a cough in your household, isolate them, preferably in an outbuilding rather than the main house until the cough clears or progresses to clear sign of this infection. If the latter, do send word and I will see what I can do to deal with it or hopefully send someone halfway competent in my stead. I would assume pneumatic plague protocols considering it is lodging in respiratory tissues first. It's honestly what it reminds me of, if so much nastier." Her fingernail tinged against glass
[2023/08/27 15:20] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): holding the still throbbing ichor. "I'm going to get this under lock and key. You were correct. It is a significant malaise, difficult to roust and dangerous. I'll see about organizing out of the academy's infirmary to address the threat. If you need to reach me, I shall make certain any letters are expedited through my secretary post haste. Is there anything else I can provide before I take my leave?"
[2023/08/27 15:25] Dinah held her hands out and still so that they could be decontaminated too and she looked down to the blanket that the kitty was in. "...we'd probably best burn that too, just. outside. and my handkerchiefs" she agreed, taking the vials carefully and brushing her thumb across the glass.
"Thank you. you have done us a great service. And if nothing else, it might give you something more of an indication of what the city is dealing with. I don't even think this is the only sickness around at present, either, but this is the most contagious, I think" she nodded her head at the instructions.
"we have an outbuilding. I will make sure that it is prepared for potential guests. If ever my own particular school can be of assistance to you, I will gladly offer it for this assistance" she added, shaking her head if she needed anything else. "I think we have taken enough of your energy for this evening. Will you be alright getting back to where you are staying? Or would you like us to send for someone for you?" she asked in some concern.
[2023/08/27 15:27] 'Stray' meowed pitifully at the notion of burning that blanket. He pawed at the air in its general direction.
[2023/08/27 15:33] Willow Lockewood waved a hand lightly to dismiss that it was a great service. "It is a true puzzle and I am glad to have had a chance to treat a patient suffering from it that we might better untangle it. It has been a while since I've had a good puzzle. I appreciate the offer but it will be a sad day when I am unable to find my way to my lodgings under my own power." She turned to begin packing up her bag once more with the same practiced ease before lifting one hand with the athame once more in it to slice open the circle of power and pop the bubble of her working circle. "It's good to see there is at least one other sensible department head. I should tell you, as I think I would like us to be allies, that I intend to take great advantage of my cousin, Dashrix, being erstwhile engaged to oust his ridiculous puppet from the headmaster position." Willow smiled then, the first time she had since her arrival and it was all teeth and much more anticipation of a win than any warmth to it. "It is ever so important to keep the men on their toes, don't you think. Rest, broths, and avoid mushrooms for the time being, yes?" Willow lifted a hand turning towards the door with a sweep of her skirts, content to let a servant show her back out. Magically, she might be tapped down but her spine was straight and her stride was even more determined than when she'd arrived.
[2023/08/27 15:34] Willow Lockewood (willow.hollysharp): ((LOL you're fine, I was just posting out))
[2023/08/27 15:37] Dinah smirked a bit at the notion of a 'true puzzle' and seh gestured to the windows. "hence my preoccupation with the fog" she agreed, bowing her head at the release of the circle. She chuckled and she shook her head.
"I think 'sensible' is a very high praise, and I shall take it. As far as the headmaster goes, far be it for me to interfere with family business but you shan't have any objections from me if the headmaster is deposed. I try to keep out of academy bureaucracy in general, if i'm honest. As soon as my sight is restored to me, I shall be back to teaching in earnest" she agreed. "No fear on me avoiding mushrooms, I loathe them at the best of times. Please keep me posted if you discover anything of interest about them? Thank you again, Ms. Lockewood. I think it's time I give a certain cat a bath whilst he's still light enough for me to lift him"
[2023/08/27 15:39] 'Stray' lamented the idea of a bath with a low mowwwww and a slow, not-so-sneaky attempt to slink away from Dinah to hide under the bed.