callmeemily | What's a cat that's not a cat? (open)

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What's a cat that's not a cat? (open)

She blames Les, really.

Later, she might admit it, but right now? Right now Raleigh's doing something really weird.

She's chasing down a cat.

"C'mon," she coaxes, making kissy noises as she peers under the dock, her hand on the weathered wood so she can steady herself. "C'mon, I'm not going to hurt you."

There was something wrong with it - maybe it got into a fight or something, but all Raleigh can think is that Les said sometimes they were people, and it's really stupid and she's being really stupid, but the cat - skinny and brown striped - was hurt and it could be people, although she suspects now that it's hiding under the dock with it's head cocked oddly that it's not.

But now she's committed. "C'mon, sweetheart, we've got to get you to a vet." Even though she didn't know if there was a vet, because she had no pets. She couldn't really get down and crawl under the dock, but she crouched low, reaching out her hand to it even if she looked - and sounded, to anyone walking by - crazy.

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Fabrice is passing by the docks when he catches sight of Emily peering down beneath said docks, speaking in a pleading tone toward what Fabrice assumes is an injured animal of some sort. His own cats are at home for the time being, most likely resting on his bed. As an animal lover, particularly of cats, Fabrice instantly feels an urge to help.

"Hey," he says, making his way over to her. "Emily, right? Is everything alright?"

She's squinting under the dock, and she's worried now that she's not even going to be able to stand up right. "There's a cat under there - I saw him and followed him, I think he's hurt." She looks over her shoulder, her knuckles white from gripping the edge of the dock. "But he's right up in the little bit where the dock meets the sand, and he won't come out. You do stuff with the zoo, right? Do you think you can get him?"

She looks back under the dock, still making kissy-noises at the cat.

"There's a cat?" He asks, instantly concerned because he does have such a soft spot for the creatures. He crouches down next to her, leaning under to catch a better glimpse of the poor thing. He sees it instantly, huddled in the corner, shivering a bit, though he can't distinguish any sort of injury.

"I can at least try," he tells her with a determined nod. "Okay, this part...might get a little strange," he warns her, his hands beginning to glow with magic. He casts his hands out in front of him, the light falling upon the cat who sees it and instantly starts following it, heading towards Fabrice.

"Good kitty," he tells it, his voice soft and gentle.

She's watching the cat - she's been trying to get him to come out for the better part of half an hour, but Fabrice just comes up, and...

Magic.

More magic.

"Does everyone but me have magic?" The words just sort of pop out of her mouth, and she frowns as she stares at the cat creeping closer - he looks like he's been in a fight, a deep scratch over his right eye making his face a total mess. "Poor baby," she murmurs, and she doesn't reach for it yet because she doesn't want to spook him.

Fabrice winces at the question, feeling guilty for using magic in front of someone he barely knows. He thought everyone knew he was a witch already, but apparently not.

"I specialize in animal magic," he assures her, as the light draws the cat ever closer. He makes sure to interweave comfort and relaxing charms, to help ease the cat's clearly apparent fear and intimidation. All the while, he continues to coo at it, drawing in a breath at the sight of its injuries.

When it gets close enough, Fabrice leans over and encourages Emily to reach for the poor creature.

"It should be safe to grab him now," he says.

She's just feeling a little weird about it - whatever he specializes in isn't the point, it's that she's the only person she knows the magical status of that's actually got no powers. None, nada. She tentatively reaches out for the cat, gentle fingers smoothing over his good ear, and she moves to pick him up.

She cradles him to her, sucking in a breath at the injury. "Don't suppose you can do anything for his face, can you? Poor buddy." She's slowly petting his side, trying to keep him calm because she didn't know how long the spell would work.

Fabrice can sense her awkwardness with magic, but says nothing, not wanting to further enhance said awkwardness. He watches her hold the cat, cradle it to her like a child; there is a kindness to her touch that makes Fabrice glad for her to have been the one to discover the cat.

"I can," he tells her, observing the cat, its injuries, and the way it holds itself in Emily's arms. "Luckily, I'm coming from work, so I have some of my supplies on me."

He shrugs off his worn bookbag, the one he always takes with him to and from work, filled with his magical supplements; the medicines he leaves at the zoo. Digging through the contents, Fabrice finds what he seeks at last, pulling out a bottle filled with a bruise-colored liquid.

"Do you mind if I do it with magic?" He asks her, wanting her to be okay with what he's about to do.

She barely knows anything about it, to be truthful; magic is something that's from fairy stories, the sort of thing that doesn't actually exist. It's the kind of thing that makes her overwhelmed. She's not confused, exactly, but just.... stuck. She's mentally stuck about it.

So Raleigh's just let the weird magic thing wash over her like a wave. Magic exists. Monsters exist. It's a simple thing to just let it all go, to act like it's all normal because right now that's all she can really do.

Frowning, Raleigh cradles the animal who she can feel trembling in her arms. "Whatever," she says immediately when he checks on using magic. "I mean, whatever works. I don't really have the money for the vet or where it actually is - I was going to take him in and then just... ask nicely, so this is better." This was, hopefully, at least a definitive thing.

Fabrice is relieved when she agrees, knowing now how relatively new she appears to be to magic. He still has to take a breath to calm his own nerves, not wanting to spook her or the cat, nor mess up the incantation to go along with the potion in his hands.

"It won't hurt him, but just make sure to hold him, alright?" He asks, his voice low as he mutters first another relaxing spell, to help calm the trembles running through the poor creature.

That done, he uncorks the bottle and pours the substance on his fingers, murmuring a spell to ward against infection and fight off any that might have already taken place. He presses his hand against the cat's injury, trying to keep himself steady as he pours himself into the healing spell.

He pulls back once he finishes, watches as lines of bright, golden light flicker around the cat before evaporating, along with its injuries.

"There, that should take care of ah," he winces as yet another flash of purple and silver overcomes him, causing him to stumble as he grasps at his now aching head.

This? This is weirder than boxes of pastries that were suddenly turned to ashes. She watches it all go down with wide eyes, the light just sort of enveloping the cat and just like that he's better, the mess of the old wound somehow gone. She's staring too much that before he just sort of stops talking, and Raleigh just moves. Cat's set free, and she's moved the two steps to him, her hand on his arm. "Hey- Hey, c'mon, sit down, okay?" She moves to guide him to sit on the sand, her brows furrowed in concern.

"Are you okay? Did it... hurt you?" She didn't understand how any of it worked - just that obviously this? This wasn't great, although the cat's fine and Fabrice probably saved the vision in it's eye because it probably would have gotten infected.

Edited 2014-06-20 15:53 (UTC)

Fabrice winces as she guides him to the sand, his head suddenly like an anchor cast out into the sea, the world fading into blurs as he settles into the sand and tries to forget the vision, the same damn one that's been haunting him for weeks now.

"No, it wasn't...it wasn't the spell," he explains, glancing about briefly for the cat. "How is the cat? Is he well?"

He doesn't know how to explain what happened; only that this vision, from the night of his attack, seems determined to follow him forever.

"The cat's fine, he went to go be a cat - what do you mean, it's not the spell? Are you okay?" She's trying to catch his gaze, to make sure that he looks clear and calm and he's alright, at least. That he's not so out of it he can't focus or anything.

"Can I help? Do you need water - or food, or something?

"It's...a bit complicated," Fabrice explains, holding his head in his hands, his aching head hurting sharply enough that he can't concentrate on the words for a spell to relieve the pain. "I'll be fine in a few minutes, really."

He feels guilty that the vision had interrupted his work with her; he hates that his past seems determined to interrupt his current life in general.

"You don't have to tell me, it's okay." She decideds it is, just as she decides she's not moving a muscle. She sits down right there in front of him, and she's rubbing his back - not trying to be overly friendly, but it's just a sort of... motherly gesture that comes from somewhere without her planning on it.

"I'm glad you came by. He needed you." She means the cat - and he clearly had needed him.

"I was attacked, awhile ago," he decides to tell her as she sits beside him, offering the comforting gesture of rubbing his back, which helps distract him from the headache. "I don't remember it, but I'm starting to, and it comes in flashes. It's frustrating," he says, taking in a deep breath.

"I'm always happy to help in whatever way I can," he tells her.

She's concerned when he says he was attacked - it makes her think of Joel and Spencer, and she frowns. ".... Well, maybe your body thinks that you're ready to remember it now?" She's trying to sound positive. "If there's anything that I can do..." She trails off. "I mean, I will," is pretty much what she's trying to say. "Okay? I promise." She barely knows him, but she's not going to just leave him here, or something.

"I think it is something like that yes," he agrees, looking out to the beach and ocean before them. "I think, too, it was a...magical attack." He doesn't know her well, but he feels comfortable enough to confide in her. Her presence beside him is reassuring enough to make him feel less helpless in the aftermath of his vision. "I'll let you know," he assures her with a small smile.

"Are you... okay? I mean- If it was magic. Do you need help?" She isn't the one to give it, but she'd certainly try. Pretty much, she knows that at this point... all she can do is try.

So she will. "I don't know any magic, but I might know some people who do?"

"I'll be okay, I think," he tells her, though he doesn't believe his own words. Truthfully, he doesn't know if he's okay, or if he can be okay while he still doesn't know the truth of what happened to him. But he doesn't remember, so all he can do is move on with his life.

"But thank you for the kind offer," he says, offering her a small smile.

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