Pearl took the cloth, blinking at it a moment before she recognized it as what seemed like the offering of a handkerchief. She didn't dare to blow her nose into it, but she did wipe at her tears to try to lessen them, even as her shoulders continued to shake.
Quietly and through her sobs, trying to be attentive and cooperative, she took the offered seat.
Kaman-Thah and Nasht seemed... strangely kind. Like they'd seen a lot, and little surprised them, but also like they didn't forget that others had feelings and thoughts of their own.
Yellow eyes darted between the pair as their lights changed and shifted, eyes naturally drawn to the movements, and though the communications were brief between the pair, her concentration on them eased her sobs and lessened her tears. When Nasht turned to her and spoke, she paid close attention and even sat straighter, hands gripping the black cloth tight as she sniffed, trying to get rid of the clogged nose without being too noisy.
Her presence, he said, was clouded. Her head tilted, and then Kaman-Thah continued, and her eyes shot toward him. The resonance in his voice immediately held her gaze wholly on him, and her head lifted as he declared her worthy and allowed to enter.
Their exchanged glance transitioned easily to Poppy's attention shifting to Nasht as he started to speak again. He seemed the more empathetic of the two, so it seemed to her that maybe Kaman-Thah was the more logical being who observed more than interacted, likely to preserve a neutral mindset by remaining distant. It seemed logical, from the standpoint of someone who had to live with a mother like hers.
Movement behind Kaman-Thah caught her eye and she watched lines shift and a dark place appear beyond the new-formed doorway. She shifted in her seat, eyes wide as she tried to take it all in at once, from the movements behind, to Nasht and Kaman-Thah and the news that Simon was nearly to the forest, and even well-wishes and the offer to answer questions. Poppy looked between the pair for a few moments, then wiped her eyes again.
She wanted to remember these two, for sure, and how kind they were as they did their job. She wanted to thank them for it in some way, and for them to know that even if she was a tiny and insignificant thing to them, she liked them and wanted for them to have... if not happiness, then to at least not suffer or go through pains.
It seemed silly, though. Too silly to say. Still, she had to say
something.
"Um..." She kicked her legs slightly, letting her heels tap light against her seat to help her gather her thoughts while her body moved.
"Oi got lots of questions, but ain't got a clue 'ow to ask 'em all, but... fahst fing I wanter say is fenk you fer... fer not bein' as sceh'y as y'looked affirst. Fer bein' kind and offerin' me an 'anky and a seat and questions an' time t'calm down."
The more she blabbered on, the more self-conscious she felt. She'd already talked so much that she felt like her throat should have long closed up.
"As fer questions... uh... vere's one what I really wanna ask, even if it's koinda silly and prolly stupid. Her shoulders lifted as she unconsciously tried to protect her neck, and her cheeks' color deepened.
"Izzere... a way Oi kin visit y'again? Eiver while Oi'm 'ere or back 'ome? Cuz... Oi dunno, spooky assiz is, yer... kinda relaxing to be near?"
A pause.
"Oh, and anovver!" She lifted her head, sitting up straight again as she squinted at Kaman-Thah. She didn't point, though. Pointing was rude. "Kaman-Thah, you was sta'tin' to say somefing, 'des'... loik maybe 'despite' or somefing?" her gaze moved to Nasht, "But Nasht, you koinda innerupted... Is... me taking 'im not goin t'wohk? Izzat what you was goin' t'say?"
Yellow eyes stared, her gaze begging her guess to be wrong.
⋯﴾⛧﴿⋯
The shifts in Hecate's bed gave away her movements, and Seela followed them with her eyes.
Hecate's attitude shifted suddenly after Bear hit the wall, and Elizabeth realized suddenly that she should have come alone as Hecate's subtle scent took a predatory tone. Elizabeth's pupils narrowed, then widened as she tracked movements with scent and sound, aided by Hecate's voice as she spoke.
Bear rose quickly, unphased by the impact as he kept his distance from Eliza and his head low in submission.
So far, she preferred the frightened Hecate over this, but it couldn't be helped at this point. Still, when Hecate noticed something she didn't like, she immediately went for a knife. She demanded no interruptions.
Hecate drew her own blood, by the scent. Seela started toward the collapsed girl, but Elizabeth held up an arm, and the Hunter stopped immediately. With a single motion, Elizabeth ordered Bear behind her, and he complied in a manner unbefitting of a man of his height and build.
"Bear," she ordered quietly, "Prepare to help her once she's done with her magic."
"Yes ma'am," Bear agreed as he began to pull a variety of aid supplies from his pockets, including sterile tools wrapped in plastic, all laid out nicely on a sterile sheet he unfolded onto the floor beside the bed.