Mud Full of Miracles | Cora & Misty
@soundslikeshessingin continued from discord, post history beneath the cut
Cora blinked at the question, carefully wrapping her fingers around the flower, the tips of her fingers brushing against the soft skin of Misty's hand as she took it. "Oh, no. I don't really know much about flowers. Haven't spent much time around them," she explained quietly.
Gardening was not a hobby the Hales had ever partook in. Many of the older wolves were interested in more practical ways to spend their time, and playing with plants always seemed rather frivolous. When Cora joined her father’s pack in Chile, their mindset was much the same. A few of the women planted fruits and vegetables, something that was necessary as their pack’s home was so far away from the nearest human town.
Cora, though, had always been more interested in hunting with the men, rather than digging in the dirt with the women, and while the pack tended to stick to more traditional gender roles, they never forced anybody to stick to them, and allowed the young woman to join the men in hunting.
She had seen plenty of wildflowers on the mountainsides and cliff faces as she’d explored the pack’s territory, but she didn’t know the names of any of them, nor had she ever even thought of picking a favorite. She never realized having a favorite flower was even a thing some people had. She didn’t want to push away the kindness of the pretty young witch that had saved her life, though, and found herself a little worried what the blonde might think about that statement.
“This one, though, is very pretty. A lot prettier than the flowers I’m used to seeing. We don’t have anything like this in Chile,” she said with a smile, twirling the flower in her fingers. “Well. At least not that I’ve seen, anyway.”
Groaning quietly, Cora forced her eyes open, the world around her slowly coming into focus. She blinked repeatedly, her eyes scanning the sunlight-speckled wooden walls, the unfamiliar scent of water and rot assaulting her nose, intermingled with a soft scent of flowers. Inhaling deeply, she shifted, trying to sit up as she fought to orient herself, completely confused by where she was. "Derek?"
Misty and Derek had been taking "shifts," watching over his sister and waiting for her to wake up. Derek never slept well. Poor things. She was just thinking he was probably asleep finally when the girl next to her started to stir. As though a cloud had finally been broken by a clear sky, the witch felt awake and excited and concerned at once as she rushed over to the mud bed. "Easy there," she crooned to the girl, her warm, slender hands holding her patient's face and brushing dried mud off of her skin. There was much more flush color to it now, and Misty smiled. "He's just fallen asleep."
Cora fought back the sense of panic and urge to attack that swelled in her chest, the warm hands on her face putting her at ease. She took a shakey breath, slowly lowering herself back into the bed. "Where?" she croaked, her throat dry and raw. "Where is he? Where am I?" she asked, panic fluttering in her chest despite the assurance that Derek was close. She was lost and confused and she definitely didn't like the feeling.
Misty eased the healing young woman back down onto the bed, and then she turned to get a glass of water from the table next to it. It was room temperature now -- she should refresh it again -- but she brought it to the girl's lips anyway. "Drink. You need water." She brushed mud-caked hair away from the woman's pretty face with her fingertips. "He's just over there," she said, pointing across the scant space between the two beds to the neighboring one. She was trying to speak in hushed whispers, but she could see he was already stirring. "He hasn't had much sleep since he brought you here."
Still a little lost and confused, Cora gulped at the water, the liquid quickly wetting her parched throat. Making out Derek's shape in the dimly lit room, seperating his scent from the surroundings, Cora felt herself finally relax completely. "O-okay," she said quietly, lifting a hand and looking at the mud caking her skin. "What is this? What's going on?" She was alive, that was definitely good, but her confusion didn't lessen any at her relief for not being dead.
"Hang on," Misty said, setting the glass down and fetching the bowl with the rag she had been using... The water inside was dirty, so she dumped it out an open window and refilled it from the bare spigot. Then she returned to the young woman's side, soaking the rag inside and then wringing it out. "Sorry 'bout that," she murmured as she started washing mud away from her patient's face. "The magic's in the swamp, y'see. Had to cover ya pretty good to get rid o' whatever got you."
"O-oh." Cora wasn't sure that explained much, but her head had finally stopped hurting, so she wasn't going to argue too much. "Okay, well. Thanks," she said quietly, not wanting to risk waking Derek, not if he'd finally started sleeping. "And you're... a witch, I take it?" she asked, her eyes scanning over the blonde woman currently cleaning the mud from her skin. She owed this woman her life, it seemed, and she didn't even know her name, or where they even were.
"Mm-hmm," Misty hummed, smiling as she cleaned the woman's face. Now that some life had returned to her skin, it was like she was scratching the coal and ore off of a diamond. She rinsed the rag and kept gently scrubbing the mud away until the werewolf's face was clean. "That's better," she declared, still trying to remain quiet. "Now get some rest. You've got more healin' to do."
Cora chuckled softly. "Easier said than done," she said, voice still a little strained. She knew the witch was right, though. She could still feel herself needing to heal plenty, the prospect of sleep pulling at her. "At least tell me your name, first?" she asked, bringing a hand up to brush against Misty's shoulder.
Misty's lips fell open a little, and then they broke into a bright smile. "I'm Misty," she said, a little incredulous that the girl had the mind to ask. She lifted her hand back up to the werewolf's forehead and brushed away her hair. "I'll be here when you're up."
"Okay," Cora agreed, finding herself too tired to argue. "Thank you." Dark brown eyes fluttered closed, her head turning a little to rest against the warm hand of the witch, letting out a soft sigh as she let the comfort of sleep pull her back into darkness, knowing it'd still take plenty of time for her head to finish healing. She still wasn't sure what was going on, but Derek was close, and she felt safe, and that was all that really mattered to her.
When Cora's eyes fluttered open again, it felt like only seconds had passed, but the already dimly-lit room had been plunged into darkness, the subtle light from the moon filtering through the gaps in the walls. "Derek?" She called out softly again, instinctively searching for her brother, her Alpha.
Derek was nearly beside her before she could say his name, reaching out to find her hand. They weren't normally physically affectionate, but he had been so scared. "Cora," he breathed quietly. "I'm here."
Cora smiled softly, squeezing his hand back. "Hi," she said with a tired laugh, relief washing over her at the sound and scent of her brother. "Where the hell are we? Doesn't smell like... anything I know."
Derek breathed deeply, trying to focus on her scent like he had a hundred times, to make sure she was okay. "We're in New Orleans. Well, in the Bayou. There's a witch here who cured you."
"Misty," Cora breathed, smiling softly. "I woke up earlier, I met her," she explained, knowing Derek would be curious. "You saved me."
Derek shook his head, looking down at their hands. "I put you in danger. Misty saved you."
Cora shook her head, mimicking her brother's gesture. "I put myself in danger. You brought me here. I'd be dead if you hadn't of brought me here and it'd have been my own fault," she said, clinging to his hand.
Derek sighed, knowing that they wouldn't ever reach an agreement on the subject. It was in their blood, that Hale stubbornness. "How do you feel?" he asked instead.
"Hungry," Cora said flatly, assuming that would be enough information for Derek to know she was feeling at least a little better. She definitely didn't feel like death anymore, at least. "How long have I been out?"
Derek chuckled softly. That was a good sign. There was a hum and a shuffling behind them, and he turned to make sure Misty slept on before he spoke again. "Three days," he answered softly.
"Wow." It was longer than she thought, but at the same time... not as long as she'd feared. But she was safe now, she was healed, thanks to her brother. "Thank you," she added after a moment, knowing it was unnecessary, but feeling the urge to say it. Hales weren't exactly an affectionate bunch, but Derek had saved her life, and that deserved a thanks.
Derek shook his head. "Don't thank me," he said softly. "Thank Misty." He looked over his shoulder at the sleeping witch. "She's... eccentric. Very eccentric. But..." She actually kind of reminded Derek of Scott when he thought about it. The way she just instinctively helped people who needed it, even complete strangers. "She's good." He didn't mean skilled -- though she was -- he meant... morally. Misty was good.
"Yeah, yeah, I got that feeling," Cora said with a soft chuckle. "We're lucky you found her." She'd never felt weaker, she'd thought she was done for, but thanks to Derek, she was okay. "She's got soft hands," she added quietly, taking a breath and laying back against the bed.
Derek was about to explain how he had found the witch, but that quiet comment had him closing his mouth and tilting his head at his sister. A small smile formed on his lips, and there was a hint of that urge older brothers always felt to tease their little sisters, deep in his gut where he thought he had lost such playful spirits. "Get some sleep," he said instead, patting her hand with his other one.
"You sleep, too," Cora told him, trying to sound firm despite how tired she was. "I'm okay now. So... no excuse, okay?" she told him, forcing tired eyes to look up at her brother. He didn't need to worry about her anymore, she was alive and healthy, so he could sleep, too. Needed to sleep just as much as she did.
Derek chuckled quietly and hummed something vaguely affirmative before he let go of her hand and let her rest.
Cora struggled to stay awake, wanting to hear the change in Derek's breath that indicated he had fallen asleep, but exhaustion tugged at her, quickly pulling her back into darkness. When she woke again, the sun had risen once more. No longer desperate for her brother's attention, she didn't immediately call out to him, instead she sat up, finally looking around the cabin, taking in her surroundings in the early morning light.
"No, I'm--" "Derek, do you mean to reject my hospitality in my own home?" "...Well, n--" "Then I insist you get yourself in bed and take a nap while I head to town for breakfast." "But--" Misty gave Derek a look that stopped him, and he closed his mouth. He wanted to keep arguing, but well, he was tired, and it was her home... He sighed and looked over at the bed the blonde had left empty. Then his eyes caught Cora sitting up, and his eyebrows raised a little like he was trying to seem awake. "Good morning." Misty followed his gaze and smiled brightly at her other guest. "Good morning, sleeping beauty. I was starting to think you'd need a kiss to wake you up."
Cora flashed Misty a tired smile, running a hand through her dark hair. Something about the mention of a kiss from the blonde made her heart flutter in a way she definitely wasn't used to. "Yeah, guess I slept a bit late," she said quietly, pinning Derek with a look. "Why are you awake? I thought I told you to sleep," she said firmly.
Misty returned her scornful look to Derek as well, her skirts sweeping around the small table in the room as she collected her basket and change purse and whatnot around the small cabin. "He slept alright -- on the floor." "There was nowhere else to--" "You should have woken me up for my turn!" Misty insisted. Derek just sighed, concluding again that he wouldn't win. "To bed with you." Derek looked between the girls and stood, finally climbing into the vacant bed. He was so large by comparison to its normal occupant that the picture was almost comical.
"Good," Cora said with a nod, glad to see Derek settling down in the bed. Taking a breath, she pushed herself up off the bed, wobbling a little as she stood for the first time in days.
Misty frowned, stepping forward quickly to put a hand on Cora's shoulder. "Whoa, now, where do you think yer goin'?"
Cora took a deep breath as Misty steadied her, not pulling away from the gentle grip. "Just need to stretch, that's all," she said quietly. "Been stuck in bed too long."
Misty made a small "hmph" sound and seemed to debate it with pursed lips for a second before she held her hooked arm out. "Alright. Come on then, I'll show you around."
Cora smiled as Misty gave in. Anything with Derek always ended in a fight, they were both too stubborn to compromise. "Thanks," she said quietly, placing her hand in the crook of Misty's arm.
Misty gave her a knowing half-smile as she led the werewolf out of the tiny cabin to reveal that the whole place was surrounded by a tiny forest of bright and varying plants climbing all over each other for sunlight. "If you're anything like your brother, you'd've done it anyway, so may as well be with a chaperone."
Cora laughed softly, ducking her head for a moment. "Yeah, yeah, I'm a lot like Derek," she said honestly, lifting her head again to scan their surroundings, smiling as the warmth of the sunlight bathed her. "It's beautiful out here."
Misty beamed, looking around them. "It's my garden. I'm pretty good at that part of this whole witchcraft thing." She slowly, almost tenderly, led Cora on.
"This was all done with magic?" she asked quietly, her eyes running over the various flowering bushes. "I'd say in general you're pretty good at this whole witchcraft thing."
Misty bit her lip shyly and giggled a little, gleeful at the rare compliment. "I like the plants the best," she confessed with a wide smile at the werewolf.
Cora smiled softly, enjoying the happiness rolling off of Misty. "Oh? What's your favorite plant?" she asked with a smile, moving to brush her fingers over the petal of a flower.
Misty's green eyes widened as though Cora had just asked her to pick a favorite child, looking over her shoulder as though they might hear her. "Between you 'n me," she murmured, "mums." She grinned as though she'd just shared a secret.
"Mums," Cora repeated, her eyes scanning the flowers. "Those... those are the really big fluffy ones, right?" she asked, not entirely familair with most flowers.
Misty pulled her over, remembering after a moment to be gentler, and bent down to lift a large fern leaf to show Cora a bed of multi-colored round flowers. She was beaming proudly.
http://www.anawalls.com/images/flowers/chrysanthemums-flowers-bouquet-different-bright-beautiful.jpg
Cora winced slightly as she was pulled along behind the pretty blonde, but didn't fight it. "Yeah, those," Cora said with a nod, glad her mental image was... mostly right. "They're pretty. I didn't realize they came in so many colors."
Misty gave her an excited, if slightly shy, smile, reaching out to stroke some of the petals softly. She plucked a little yellow one with a darker orange center and brought it closer to give to Cora, carefully keeping her eyes on the flower. "Do you have a favorite?"
