The Forgotten Zodiac

((It's okay. I sended you a picture of something I got for my birthday. Fluffy deer plushie~))

"Werr...uh...is just a bit busy, really," Welk said, stroking his fingers through her hair again. "He doesn't seem too different to me. Then again, I was dead for four months. I probably missed a lot of stuff." He smiled, however, bending his head to plant a delicate kiss against Isslia's forehead, exhaling his warm breath over her skin. She was reminded of the smell of faint smoke and flames, crackling merrily over a hearth.

((Yay~ I would have sent you something, but SOMEONE isn't giving me any stamps. -glares pointedly at mother-))

"I dunno. I heard rumors that he had lost his marbles after you died." Isslia said quietly.

"Only half-true." Ophile smiled a bit as he entered the room. "I've been informed that Zex escaped. He may come back to attack us, so I suggest we be on our guard." Isslia instinctively tucked herself closer to Welk, as she would at any mention of danger. "As for Werr, he's...scared."

"About?"

"Well, the poison in his system. It could attack him at any time. He's afraid it might lead him to do foolish things, or--" Ophile cut himself short, his ears flicking. "Did anyone else hear that?"

"Hear what?" Isslia blinked.

"I'm not sure. Oh, nevermind. What were we talking about?" He scratched himself behind the ear, shaking his head a bit.

((XD It's okay. You have me an awesome picture.))

"Stuff," Welk said, nuzzling his nose and mouth against Isslia's fluffy ear, grinning the entire while. He purred deep in his thoat, his long tail flickling wildly around behind him. He kept taking hold of the pendant around his neck, however, and his gaze constantly roved toward the door; the half-cat was never at-ease when Werr wasn't there.

((o3o It IS pretty cute...))

Isslia closed her eyes and enjoyed Welk's tight embrace, feeling nothing but safety within his arms. Ophile groomed himself much like a cat would, much to Welk's amusement. But when Welk next glanced at the door, though, someone was there. Not Werr, Airlia. She looked slightly out of breath and pale, and said quickly, "I...I found Werr collapsed in the hallway," She panted. "He's gone into cardi-something...cardi-car arrest, you're the closest healer there is, Lexi! You've gotta help restart his heart before there's any lasting damage!" She tugged at the girl's arms, her wings flapping desperately behind her.

((That 'have' was meant to be 'gave'. I'm tired. XD))

Lexi gaped at Airlia for a moment before looking to Cynyr. They exchanged a silent, desperate look, then Cynyr lunged for the door and Lexi darted forward, making it onto his back in seconds. As soon as her hands clutched thick handfuls of his fur, the panther disappeared, taking the girl with him.

Welk couldn't disappear like that, but he might as well have, with how fast he was out of the room, Isslia at his side in her dog form.

Werr was indeed on the floor in a nearby hallway, in a cold sweat and apparently struggling to breathe. He was unconscious, and judging from a quick feel for his vitals, his heart was pounding extremely erratically. Airlia made it to him just behind Cynyr and Lexi. "Here, here, Lexi, put your hands over his heart! Cynyr, I need you to hold him down, if he goes into shock, we'll need him still so Lexi can keep working," Airlia ordered.

"You...you know how this works, right, Lexi? You have to focus all of your healing into one sudden burst, really quickly. Otherwise, it won't jolt his heart into a normal rhythm again." Airlia said quickly. "There's no time for practice, and no time to go back and get Seria. You can do this, Lexi, just...quickly."

Lexi nodded, looking truly frightened. She quickly placed her hands over her boyfriend's chest, panic clear on her delicate features. She struggled to get her powers going at first; she was an endurance healer, not a power one, like Seria. But once the turquoise light sputtered to life, she managed to slowly force it into a single sharp burst, which crackled down into Werr's chest like a bolt of blue lightening.

Cynyr had gently laid his thick-set body down next to Werr's side, wind bonds pinning the boy in place. A moment later, Welk skidded around the corner, literally crashing into the wall before straightening himself out.

Werr's eyes shot open, but he didn't seem to get better. If anything...he stopped breathing altogether. Airlia quickly felt for a pulse. "Do it again, do it again!" She said desperately. "His heart stopped, you put too much into it. It's okay, it's okay, just do it again!"

When Luna did, Werr thrashed and convulsed, but soon relaxed and fell limp again. Airlia checked his pulse for a solid minute before determining that he was okay. "It's okay...he's stable again. But...he'll be exhausted when he wakes up, and he'll need a lot of rest. We should get him to the divine healers, they'll be able to watch over his recovery."

Lexi had tears pouring down her cheeks, and she threw Airlia a desperate look, saying "Wh-what happened to him?! Is it...th-the poison again?" She didn't wait for an answer, instead bending down and kissing Werr's forehead softly. She held his hand tightly, never wanting to let go.

Welk screeched to a halt next to them, panting and staring down in shock at his beloved friend as Cynyr released the bonds, taking human form and picking him up. He turned and headed off for the Divine Healers, his expression set.

Welk trotted by his side, Isslia mirroring him by his side.

"I...I think it was the poison. But...it could just be stress or something. I dunno. I need to talk to him, actually," Airlia was holding something that she obviously didn't want Lexi to see. She hurried off before anyone could ask, following Cynyr to the healers' room.

"Will he be alright?" Ophile questioned.

"He should be. His vitals have stabilized for now, so..." Airlia murmured.

Poor Lexi looked so forlorn and sad as Airlia and Ophile hurried off. She was left completely alone, her thoughts running rampant in her head. She had nothing to do but follow meekly after them, concern etched into her features. She felt her need for comfort rising, but did not know how to address it without her friends around. She could draw, she knew, but she hadn't felt purpose in her drawings for a while now. Ever since she and Werr had hit that bumpy patch in their relationship. True, it was fixed now, but the fact remained that she still felt lost in more ways than one.

"A severe heart attack is no joke," Obelisk said quietly from behind, matching Lexi's stride as she walked. "But he'll survive. Veros doesn't want him dead. If he did, then Werr would be dead. It's...supposedly a good thing, but..." He sighed quietly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm very sorry all this is happening. You...must be torn..."

She didn't answer for a long moment, simply walking along the hall, her head dipped. Then the tears started and wouldn't stop, and she leaned miserably against Obelisk, giving tiny, heartfelt sobs. She clung to Obelisk, her shoulders slumped, her deep brown eyes pressed closed tightly. Even as Obelisk held her, he could see the light flush in her cheeks and feel the slightly raised temperature of her body. She wasn't extremely sick, but had a light fever nonetheless, most likely brought on by stress and worry.

Obelisk hugged her gently and carried her to the room Werr was now in. It was quiet and small, and Werr was set up facing the window. There was an IV drip attached to his arm, and he was still very much unconscious. "Here we are," Obelisk said softly, setting her down next to Werr's bed. Welk and Isslia were curled up together at Werr's feet, and Cynyr was hovering nearby. "Are you quite alright, Lexi?" Isslia asked quietly. "You smell sick..."

"I'm fine," Lexi said quietly, moving over to Werr's bed and curling up at his side without pause. She nestled down against him, resting her head against her boyfriend's shoulder and tucking her arms between them, closing her eyes tightly. She cried quietly for a long moment, her sobs so soft that not even any of the halves' sensitive hearing could pick it up.

Isslia watched her quietly, knowing when someone was trying to hide their tears. She had seen it plenty of times before.

Hours passed. The silver moon of Tartarus was rising by the time Werr stirred. He slowly opened his eyes, not at all surprised to feel a familiar warmth at his feet, and a weight on his arm at his side. He sat bolt upright with a gasp of alarm as he remembered. He had suddenly felt dizzy and had passed out. He thought he had died for sure. That the poison had worked its way into his heart, and he was a goner. But he was okay. Alive, at least.

Werr slumped back into bed, staring at the ceiling and letting out a heavy sigh of relief.

Lexi and Isslia were solidly asleep, and as far as Werr could tell by the dark form slumped in the corner, Cynyr was too. But a pair of bright red eyes opened at the foot of his bed, and he knew Welk had sensed him wake.

"Are you okay?"

Welk sounded concerned, as usual, but somehow more dulled tonight. The crimson eyes closed and Werr felt the bed shift discreetly as the large lion stood, slowly and carefully feeling his way closer. Werr knew it was hard for the lion to be so cautious with each step; he was obviously trying hard to not disrupt Isslia or Lexi.

Werr smiled a little. "I feel better. I just know all of the sudden I fell over...I couldn't move. I felt so weak...and then Airlia came by and found me, and...that was the last I saw. Her flying away..." He put his hands on the sides of Welk's face. "I was scared. But I felt okay not long after that. I feel like I've been asleep for days, though...how long has it been?"

"Not nearly as long as I was gone for," Welk purred, the vibrating sensation flowing from his throat to Werr's arms. "It's only been a few hours." He sat down very gently, settling his hindquarters on the covers and sitting quietly, closing his brightly-glowing eyes down to slits as Werr held his furry muzzle. "Lexi was really worried. I think she cried." He turned his gaze down at the pale, skinny girl laying limply at Werr's side, her fingers still clutching his shirt tightly.

Werr sighed with relief. "Only a few hours. That's good...of course, Lexi cried. Lexi cries about a lot. Especially recently. I...haven't been kind to her. Since you died, I...grew cold. Lexi never cries without good reason..." He ran his fingers through her hair, closing his eyes. "I'm a terrible boyfriend..."

"You merely lost what made you happy. And failed to see what could make you happy again." Obeslik muttered.

"Yeah..." Werr sighed heavily, then pushed himself upright. "H-hey, we're...in Amnairus, aren't we?"

"Have been for a few days now."

"...where's my father?"