[B] The Memories Sank Out of Sight (Weep x Once Forgotten) [End]

[LOLLI qAq]

The doe felt weird. Like worms moving in her stomach. The doe was distantly aware of other times this body had felt that way, but they escaped her like water moving through river reeds.

The doe felt weird. Wrong.
Why was this body doing this? She wasn't alive.

Must be worms.

Tears streamed down the doe's face as her body froze in place. She was unsure of where to go next.

The doe felt weird.

[member=12]Ruriska[/member]

[Ruriska]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Once Forgotten was a very busy legendary who, when not running about the swamp blessing kin, was caring for his family of very adult and yet somehow mostly incompetent children whom he loved very much, and could be thus forgiven for eagerly arriving at the pale Acha does location with a hundred different things on his mind and declaring, ‘CONGRATULATIONS!’ before he got a good look at her face.

When he did notice that she was crying, which was terrible, his  ‘congratulations’ died down into an awkward  ‘eee’ noise that meant ‘oh no what have I done?’.

“Are-are you unwell? Are you hurt? What ails you? May I assist?” He asked, recovering quickly thanks to his ‘Dad Reflexes’.

[member=89]LOLLI qAq[/member]

[LOLLI qAq]

The doe looked up at the stranger and was appalled to realize he was talking to her? That didn't seem correct. They never spoke to the doe.

Her mouth opened. Closed.

Was he looking at the doe?

She craned her neck to look behind her.
They never spoke to the doe.

She started to openly weep.

"My insides feel wrong."

[member=12]Ruriska[/member]

[Ruriska]

“Ah,” he said, the single syllable not at all expressing his current state of discomfort.

But he forged on because he was a problem solver and a father and seeing a pregnant doe cry was something he could not abide.

“Did you eat something bad?” He ventured, tender and solemn. “You should try eating some mint. Don’t worry, such things pass in time.”

[member=89]LOLLI qAq[/member]

[LOLLI qAq]

"No." The pitch of the end of the reply went upwards into a high keen. "I don't know?" Why was he still talking to the doe.

The doe stared at her hooves and started to wail harder. Racking sobs that shook her to the core.
This carried on for some time before wet eyes looked back up at the legendary before her.

"Can I help you?"

The doe sniffled, shifted uncomfortably, and started to softly cry again.

"Are you dead too?"

[member=12]Ruriska[/member]

[Ruriska]

“Whenever my kids have a sore stomach, I make them a little mint soup and that helps them out straight away. Or you could just be a bit backed up, I’ve heard that happens sometimes to pregnant does,” Once Forgotten rambled, forging on despite the increase of wailing and sobbing. “Or - or...”

He eventually lapsed into an uncomfortable silence that was punctuated only by her soft crying.

Was she actually dying? Did she have some sort of disease that would soon rob her of her life and she was weeping for the children she would never get to know? Tears welled up in his own eyes, threatening to spill.

“No,” he said sadly. “You can’t help me. But I can help you. I will give you a gift, for yourself and your unborn children. That they be blessed and flourish, to know happiness in the swamp and know no sadness so great as your own.” A tear slipped free. His voice cracked. “And I promise. I promise I will watch over them.”

[member=89]LOLLI qAq[/member]

[LOLLI qAq]

The doe's eyes went wide. No, that was incorrect. "Ghosts don't have children."

The doe didn't explain further, but did start her crying over again. A constant wail fractured only by occasional hiccups or sobs.

Maybe, hopefully, the children blessed would have more of a memory of this encounter. They'd grow and flourish under the gaze of their new guardian.

As it was now the doe continued her wailing until looking at the kiokote that had been with her literally this whole time. A confused smile spread across her face.

"Hello. My stomach feels weird."

[member=12]Ruriska[/member]

[Ruriska]

Oh, he thought, another tear escaping, it’s in her brain too. A terrible wasting sickness in her belly and mind. She hardly knew who she even was. The tragedy of it rocked him to his core. When he went home later, he planned on hugging his family close, to cherish what he had.

“Yes,” he said gently. “Indeed it does. But everything will be alright. It will pass.” He nodded at her, trying to control his own tears. "I'll make sure."

[member=89]LOLLI qAq[/member]