what have i lost | 100 posts + injured | that's so defeating

[ophelia.]

[align=center][div style="borderwidth=0px; width: 65%; line-height:120%; text-align: justify;font-family: verdana;"]It took her a moment to catch up to all the movement and noise around her now, struggling as she was to remain as composed as she could. She could feel the blood running through her feathers, dripping down and soaking into the dirt. It itched, burned, ached, and she was so distracted by the unnatural, thick warmth trailing down her wing that she almost didn't hear what was being said to her. Her ears remained perked up despite the overwhelming amount of information prestented for her to process, trying hard to make sure she didn't hear the sounds of an attacker approaching. At least she wasn't alone anymore.

"What's funniest is that she told me I'd die from a b-broken wing. It's a silly thought, isn't it? I'll be... I'll be fine. Just a little off-balance for a b-bit." she assured, trying to keep conversation light, to reassure Leroy that he hadn't offended her. It would take more than that to put her off.

As Delilah offered to carry her, she immediately shook her head, though she regretted the movement almost instantly when sparks of pain shot through her wing. "No, no. I'm... I don't-" I don't want to hurt you. Her gaze flicked to Axle as he approached, then, as he approached just in time for her to not have to finish her thought, and she hesitated at the look in his eyes. He looked... haunted. It wasn't like she hadn't seen him looking at someone strangely before, but this time it seemed different. She couldn't place the emotions there, couldn't think through her own enough to even attempt to understand someone else's, but...

He leaned down to offer his own back, and she only hesitated for a second before nodding. It didn't matter if her dignity said she should just walk herself. He seemed like he needed to help more than she needed to prove something. "Okay... O-Okay." she half-mumbled as she lurched forward. Pain sparked through her, harsh enough to make her shake, as she pulled herself onto his back, but she pushed it down, tried to ignore it.