song of the forest ♪ [OLD VERSION]

ꊰ꒐꒦ꏂ

ρ͢σ͢ѵ͢:
ꋬꇙ꒐ꁴꋬ

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I lied. My tongue was stiff, and I couldn't move my jaw because of whatever Daisy'd done to us. "Also, that is not a good word to use on Fai."

"Hrmph." Daisy pulled a ring of ornate keys from his belt and sifted through them, making a loud clanking noise. It was only as this was occurring that I noticed the birds. That was strange, since I was lying on my back and still paralyzed. They were perched among the canopy of lush foliage that occupied the rafters of the porch, and several ruffled their feathers or made disgruntled noises at the sound of the keys.

Don't poop on me, I thought desperately. Please don't crap on Riven either.

Eventually Daisy evidently found the key he was looking for- one with an intricate design on the wrought iron head and the number 13 etched along the side. He unlocked the door and lifted Riven's limp body from the floor by his arm. He was still breathing, but just barely. I couldn't see a glow through any pockets. I didn't know whether to be terrified that he'd dropped it or relieved that it wasn't giving us away. I was surprised Daisy hadn't noticed its intense magic.

I was about to protest his rough handling of my friend when he hauled me up the same way, possibly wrenching my shoulder out of its socket. A yell slipped between my teeth, startling the birds. They flapped around in a flurry of feathers, sending dust and loose fluff through the air. Daisy sneezed as he yanked us both through the heavy wood door. Upon closing it, he flipped so many latches in such a short amount of time that I barely registered it.

"Uh. Daisy?" I muttered through my teeth. "Why, exactly, do you have so many locks?"

"Oh. Uh. Privacy. Don't want the djéif delivery guy barging in uninvited."

Man, I would kill for djéif right now.

I wasn't convinced. "Can you un-paralyze me now?"

"Hrmph. You and your friend can reside in the quisoñé while I get affairs sorted."

That wasn't an answer, Daisy.

Before I could ask him to be gentle this time, he grabbed my injured arm again and slung Riven's unconscious body over his shoulder again. Still breathing. Just stay alive until I can help you. Please.

Daisy dumped us, both still unable to move and flopping like wet spaghetti (I was hungry, okay?)  on a cabin-style queen bed with a dark red comforter on it. Only after he slammed the door shut and I heard a bolt click did I feel my muscles release their death grip. I went through all the motions, something I'd learned to do after I'd wandered into the wrong cave as a kid and got cursed. Head first. Ear wiggle. Check. Blink. Jaw. Neck roll. Shoulders. I got to my hips and let out a growl of frustration. Daisy was probably contacting authorities right now. Though I wasn't sure how we were supposed to be brought before the Fai Widow- the Fai were supposedly gone.

Well. I could at least try to figure out what the actual [FROG!] had happened in Riven's mind. But first, a nice dose of self-inflicted pain. I gripped my shoulder with my other hand and shoved it back the way I'd been taught. It hurt like all Hel but immediately felt better after it set. Then I went about Riven's body. Since his consciousness was in my head at the moment, his body was just a shell, but if I got him back in there, he'd have a serious crick in his neck. I straightened him out as much as I could from my own awkward position. He was still only barely breathing, and unevenly at that.

Oh, you idiot. You stupid, lovable idiot. He was wearing a binder under all his heavy clothes. I knew it needed to come off, like, now, and I also knew I didn't have time to be awkward about it. If I was, I could... accidentally kill off the only person who could help me. And that would be very counterproductive.