The Forgotten Zodiac

Verdi cried, clinging to her shirt again. "D-don't let him ta-take me..." He whimpered, quickly calming down. "I can't see, Eve...wh-where are we?" Verolen made a mental note to find out what to do about Verdi's sight.

"We're in Oceanica," she said. "Everyone here is a friend. Don't worry,, you're safe now," Eve nodded, petting Verdi's little head.

"Come on in," Thuban said, going inside their little hut. He sat Arachne down on a mat, then motioned for Adhara to hurry over.

Verdi whimpered a little bit regardless, sniffing as he tried to completely calm down, but it was impossible at the moment. He decided to just cling to Eve, the only person he recognized as of yet, and trust what she was saying.

Verolen was quick to slide into the hut, eager to see his dear sister healed and talking again. He doubted they'd be able to bring back her leg, but a living Arachne with no right foot was better than a dead one. Way better.

Eve took Verdi inside, and watched as Bermuda started to make a little nest of furs for him to sleep in. She placed him inside gently, continuing to stroke his head to let him know she was nearby.

"Step back a little," Thuban said, watching as Verolen did as told. "Alright, Adhara, come help me." The two seemed to gather themselves, then began to sing the Gallr of Bliss, working to save Arachne.

Verdi's ears twitched as she pet him. He seemed to be regaining focus, but he was still terribly fussy and rather jumpy whenever anyone else got too close. Verolen watched them sing their song, but turned to Aries and asked something quietly. She left with a short nod, smiling a little.

Arachne shook and trembled horribly as magic - which she was completely unused to - coarsed through her small body. The smaller wounds closed first, then the ones Verolen had covered slowly healed. The knife wound in her back was repaired as well, although it wasn't obvious whether or not the damage to her nerves had been fixed. The burns on her new stump quickly cleared up, new skin growing over the spot smoothly. When all was said and done, Arachne only had faded scars where her wounds used to be. She was still shaking and gasping in pain, though...

Thuban seemed to communicate silently with Adhara, who nodded in response. The melody of their song quickly changed, becoming one closer to the tune of Israel's song that he had sung to Arachne when they were in the lab. This was another lullaby, to help calm Arachne and let her sleep peacefully.

As the tune wore on, everyone in the room was affected by it. Bermuda started to yawn, and Eve began to look glassy-eyed, as well.

Arachne fell asleep not long before the song was over, though she still looked half-dead. Verolen looked the same as Eve after a bit, but Rush slid to the floor after only the first verse. Aries came in with a thick, short stick and handed it to Verolen, but yawned the second she started hearing the song. Verdi was out like a light faster than Rush was.

Israel and Byrne were already asleep, but seemed to settle into an even deeper slumber. The twins finished, and looked around at their guests. "...I suppose it is getting late," Thuban remarked.

"We've had a day," Bermuda commented, sighing as he found abed for himself.

Verolen shook off his tiredness, blinking rapidly and heaving a sigh. He then sat down with the stick Aries had brought him, already starting to transmute it. Within minutes, he had formed a small wooden flute, exactly like the one Verdi had before. He set it down with the moot before plopping down on a bed to sleep.

Thuban thre a blanket over Arachne, while Adhara saw to it that the others were comfortable as well. "Sleep well, everyone," Eltanin said. The selkie siblings them left the room, closing the door and covering the windows to darken it.

Verolen slept close to Arachne, but he slept through her waking up in the middle of the night. She didn't do much. She just sat up and examined her healed body. She couldn't stop feeling the new stump she had. Eventually, she started crying quietly, not wanting to disturb the others but certainly needing to cry.

Thuban, who was keeping watch, heard Arachne's quiet sniffles. He peered into the tent, then went over to her. He didn't say anything, but placed a hand comfortingly on her back.

Arachne whimpered, looking up at Thuban. "I don't have a foot anymore..." She whimpered quietly. "Or an ankle. Or a heel. Or a whole leg. I'm broken, a-and it hurts on the inside..."

"It'll be alright. Adhara and I healed you, and I'm sure your brother will help you," Thuban whispered back. He indicated Verolen's sleeping form beside her. "He'll protect you now, I'm sure of it."

"I...I don't want to be protected..." Arachne said quietly, looking away. "I've been protected for fifty-four years now. I'm tired of being protected, I...I want to be able to protect myself. But...I've never managed it..." She reached out ot Thuban, wanting a hug.

Thuban pulled her into his arms, wanting to comfort her. "It'll be alright," he assured her. "We'll help you, okay? This is a safe place. Hey, maybe I can show you how to use a bow or... or something," he said.

Arachne sniffed weakly, exhausted regardless of the fact that she had just woken up. "I-I...I don't like bows, and Sylas already uses one...he's better with it. Jeminai, his mother, made sure of that...that magic tree gave him the gift of true aim, you see...and he never misses. He's amazing like that..."

"You can learn. What weapon do you like?" he asked, holding her gently.

"Knives...throwing knives..." Arachne sniffed. "I've used a few before, and I'm pretty good at them. I...not as good as the others, probably. I'll never be as good as them..."

"It'll be alright," he said. "Adhara throws knives. She can help you out. It'll all be fine." He rubbed her back absently, then looked out the door. "All right? Shh. I need to go back to my post," he said quietly. "Will you be okay?"