un: absterge | video

[downswing]

( Two men and a xenomorph walk into a tavern —

...alternatively, stumble down a woodland road, breath staggered, seemingly drained — if not by the weight of the enormous forest creature they carry, bled and bound to a makeshift pallet of decayed logs, then by the constant, jittery effort to evade the strikes of its tail.

The Doctor drags the animal’s wooden bed by long, loosely woven strips of ripped cloth. Lan Wangji holds the pendant with one hand and his own cutting strings that fetter the beast with the other.

For their trouble, the creature’s tail lovingly smacks the Doctor on his flank, then thwaps Lan Wangji’s temple, on the swing back. It growls its thanks after, before settling into a... disturbing... purr... that seems to indicate the time to nap is nigh.

The Doctor, then: ) It's settling down a bit already! Just needed a proper looking after, really, like anything.

( Well said, Doctor. For your effort, have a nice, friendly, sleepy tail smack on the back. So Wangji doesn’t feel jealous, the snoring beast peers over his shoulder, drenching it in a sea of... drool. He sighs. )

We bear one of the Beastmaster’s creatures. Feral, wounded. Enemy of the Huntress in the woods.

( Who should have been long culled, but don’t let Lan Wangji’s long-suffering expression convince you of that. The enemy or their enemy, so on. )

It requires... healing to resume duties. We number those who know the care of animals?

( ooc: ...sorry, cave buddies, just going to park Fido in the back real quick! Any veterinarians in the house? )

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[rehandle]

[ Oh, another resident of the menagerie? ]

I do, if you don't mind another houseguest.

[ 'House' is generous, but he ought to be generous if he's imposing. ]

[matermali]

[ She minds. Does this mean that all of a sudden a fourth is going to have to bear witness to her abilities? It may be better just to see if he can handle it himself. Vanessa knows enough about him, and not because of anything that may or may not have occurred in Alem.

Is this breaking some kind of girl code? Sorry Wanda, she didn't invite him. ]

Not at all.

[ An Emmy, an Oscar, and a Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Award. ]

How could I be anything other than charmed and intrigued by the prospect of witnessing you conduct your work?

[rehandle]

[ A beat. There's Something happening here, a disturbance in the force...

But he can let it go. Never one to look an ego boost in the mouth. ]

Well, alright then. Looking like it'll be quite a party.

[matermali]

Perhaps after the poor beast has recovered.

[ A perfect time for jokes. ]

How do you plan to proceed?

[rehandle]

[ Badum tsh. He'll honour the joke by letting it go, though there's perhaps a trace of a smirk lingering in his first few words as he speaks. ]

I'm on containment. If there's an unused area of the cave with adequate space, I can set up a ward to separate it from the rest of the living quarters.

[matermali]

[ The hint of a tease in her voice fades, and there is the edge.

What history they have between them was borne of false pretense, and though he may have learned that she may have had a supernatural way about her whenever she assisted his business, she feels reluctant to let him into her 'home' and the personal details of what she is capable of. ]

Containment? Is that necessary? We— have ways of keeping it calm.

[rehandle]

[ Ah. There's a shift, and Stephen sobers just as quickly. ]

If you're ill at ease with it, you can take it up with Lan Wangji - he asked, and it's not my issue to force. Though I do think it's a sensible request given you'll be keeping a wild animal [ this is the most generous description he can muster ] in the same place that you sleep while it's injured and vulnerable.

[matermali]

[ Locking up a vampire boy in the basement for interrogation is one thing, but this is a wild beast who likely doesn't know any better. They wish for it to continue trusting them, after all. ]

I had little plans for sleep, but I still would not endanger the others for the sake of my own curiosities. If there is a way to better keep the matter under control, then I ought to be the last to interfere.

I only hope this space does not begin to fill to the brim with a well-meaning crowd.

[ Just because she gets lonely doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate solitude. ]

[rehandle]

I'm sure people won't begrudge you respect for your space.

[ He says, as a man who knows full well that people will, absolutely, flock to a spectacle with little care for the privacy of the people involved. ]

If you can set aside a decent sized corner for the creature, I'll do my best not to make it feel too enclosed.