13117/Meeting with a Coyote

From United Heroes MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Meeting with a Coyote
Date of Scene: 25 April 2021
Location: Somewhere in a Wooded Area
Synopsis: Mercy finds a trap in the woods, the hard way. Xiang Zhao comes to investigate and provides rescue services.
Cast of Characters: Mercy Thompson, Xiang Zhao, Buffy Summers




Mercy Thompson has posed:
It's a mixed sort of forest that happens to be in this part of the woods. There are may conifer trees that are in bloom currently, and the slight breeze that whispers through them often sends up little clouds of it into the air. The hardwood trees are budding as well, their pollens releasing into the air as well. New leaves and new growth for both varieties of trees have already begun. Other things have started to grow as well. Mercy promised that she would keep an eye out for interesting plants, and so... that's her intent, this late evening.

She'd eaten some crackers and cheese for a snack, and then she'd headed out the back of her garage. After standing for a few minutes in the evening's air, she'd shifted to her coyote form and then shaken herself off before truly starting to run. And she'd come across this swath of woods that she'd been in before, though it's been a long time since that last time. She would run a short distance and then stop to lower her nose and whuffle at the variety of scents, and then she'd be off again. She hadn't found anything particularly interesting as of yet, but that didn't dissuade her from staying her, from continuing to look.

It was as she was darting through a patch of underbrush that she heard it. A muffled snick of a click. The realization of what it was came to her too late. She tried to pull her paw out quicker than the trap snicked closed, but the metal teeth of it bit into her flesh, drawing blood and a sharp yelp from her. Ow! She tumbled to the ground and wriggled, whimpering.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao has never been around many of the types of plants to be found here. He's from a much different area, with a much different climate. And as much as things are blooming... Well. One would think he'd be allergic to at least some of them. But no, that hasn't proven to be the case, thus far.

The entire reason he's out in the woods today is to hunt. He's out a little earlier than normal, but he's already marked out a small clearing for this evening's night hunt. He hasn't started putting up his talismans yet, no. Instead, Xiang sits, cross-legged, eyes closed and arms resting on his knees, palms upturned. In the dim light beneath the trees where he sits, the almost pearl glow of the silvery wisps of magic that curl around him can be seen easily and clearly.

His head tilts as he feels... something interesting. Something different, and yet familiar at the same time. Then he hears a sharp yelp. Zhao opens his eyes and rises to his feet in a smooth motion. He turns toward where he thought he heard that pained sound, and starts walking that way. His steps are utterly silent in the forest, and he slips from one bit of cover to the next as he moves toward.. whatever it is. He's not against eating meat, but... he is againt making animals suffer to get that meat. He suspects it might be a trap. Something that will only be confirmed if he finds the creature so trapped.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Perhaps she'd caught a whiff of him in her passage through the forest, and perhaps not. In these moments, it's hard to tell. The coyote wriggles and squirms, her right front paw caught in the teeth of the trap. The trap itself is old. It's likely been here for a number of months and all traces of human scent washed away from it. It's how she ended up missing the smell of it, even with her keen nose.

Turning and laying on her belly, breathing heavily for a moment, Mercy considered the situation that she was in. It wasn't a good one. And it hurt like hell. Her ears wobbled, listening to the evening sounds, and her tongue flicked out to lick her nose. Lifting her nose, she whuffs the air a bit, and her nose turns in the direction of that clearing. Magic...? She tilts her head a bit to one side, distracted for a moment. Then she gives a little whimper and lowers her nose before licking at her leg near where the teeth of the trap have bitten in. The teeth of the trap have, at least, missed the bone. She tries using her nose and her other front leg to pry the trap apart, but it seems unwilling to budge at all for her. In this form, she's only about fifty pounds.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao had been sitting there for perhaps an hour. Of course, he'd never been under any illusions that he was alone in the forest. There are always animals, at the very least. And creatures masquerading as animals or humans at the worst. Him, his nose isn't as keen as the coyote's, but it is far keener than the average human one might meet. He follows what little sounds the trapped animal is making and...

Comes upon a ... tu lang? He blinks. And comes closer to the poor trapped creature. "Kelian de dongxi. Wo hui bang ni. Buyao dong. Ni hui hen anquan de." Though the words aren't English and may not be understandable... well. His voice is gentle, and soothing. He approaches closer. The fan he habitually holds had been sitting on his lap when he rose to his feet. It now gets tucked under the outer robe, under his sash, next to the other one and the flute. He doesn't appeaer to be armed. He does approach cautiously, and moves to crouch beside the wounded tu lang.

Translation: Poor thing. I will help you. Be still. You will be safe.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Indeed, the forest is always alive. Birds, insects, creatures running and scurrying along the forest floor. It is a populated place, even if not with very many people. Mercy fits in well enough to the forest, given her coyote nature, and her human one as well. When she harvests things from the forest, she's always careful to not take too much from anything. To be responsible about it.

And then the Chinaman steps out from amongst the trees, and the coyote perks her ears up towards him. Listening. She gives a soft yip of sound, and then... perhaps oddly... she goes quiet. She tilts her head to one side, watching him as she listens to what he says. Not English! One of her ears flicks and she listens closer. Mandarin? She doesn't know a lot of that one! But she recognizes a few words, here and there, in what he says. She licks her nose, and she stays settled on her belly. His voice is pleasing to her ears, and she stretches her nose a little bit towards him, snuffling a little bit at his scent. There's no sign of violence or impending violence from her, she just seems to be... waiting.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao fits in less well. But he does somewhat blend in this evening. He's dressed in a deep green outer robe, with a paler green inner robe and shirts. Upon the outer robe is embroidery in a deeper green yet, in the shapes of leaves. The whole quite handily breaks up his outline in the forest. Even though the leaves aren't of a sort seen much in this particular forest. Slender, heart shaped arrows, almost.

Xiang Zhao keeps his voice calm and soothing as he murmurs in Mandarin at the tu lang. "Wo xiwang wo zhidao ni de yingwen danci shi shenme." He shakes his head and makes a tsking sound. "Na hao ba. Yexu yihou wo hui xuexi. Yexu wo hui wen Shannon huo Willow."

As the tu lang lies on its belly and stays still, Zhao studies the predicament it is in. "Hmm..." That sound seems to be rather universal. With slow movements, he closes the fan and lays it on the forest floor beside him. Then he reaches out and carefully eases the trap open, using both hands. He holds it, waiting for the tu lang to dart away, as such wild creatures would tend to do.

Translation1: I wish I knew what the english word for you is.
Translation2: Oh well. Perhaps I will learn it later. Maybe I will ask Shannon or Willow.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
The man is a pretty man, in his robes and all. If she's going to be stuck in a trap then she might as well be grateful for the scenery she has to look at! Her head tilts in the other direction, her ears staying perked up whilst she listens to him. She doesn't understand all of the words, and there's a mental note made that learning Mandarin might not be a bad idea. She doesn't behave like a normal coyote would. She holds still, and she waits, and she watches him.

She lifts her nose, her ears perking up a bit more at the name of 'Willow', and she gives a soft yip. That one, she recognizes! She knows Willow. Mercy definitely doesn't act like a normal coyote, especially since there's a light thwap of her tail against the ground. As he works with the trap to try to get it open, she extends her nose a little closer to his hands, sniffing a little bit. And once he has it open, she gives a painful whimper as she eases her leg from the teeth of the trap and then withdraws it. She doesn't run, though. Nope, not Mercy!

Mercy lets her curiosity get the better of her. Despite the fact that her arm hurts and is bleeding and is probably broken. In the blink of an eye, the coyote is no longer a coyote. The coyote has become a slender but fit looking woman, her brown hair braided in pigtails and brown eyes, wearing a pair of blue jeans with one of the knees frayed, a pair of steel-toed boots and a grey t-shirt. "Xiexie ni," Mercy says softly, gratefully. There's an underlying current of pain to her voice. "I think that's right. I only know about half a dozen words of Mandarin," she adds.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao might not appriate being called a pretty man. Even though he really is. His face is a bit angular, but in a way that could be construed as pleasant, at the very least. Zhao doesn't seem to be too terribly surprised that the tu lang doesn't behave as a normal, wild one would. He can see from her aura that this one is not a normal one.

At that yip, he looks from the trap and to the animal itself. "Willow? Huo Shannon?" He's not entirely where in the sentence the tu lang is yipping at. Once the leg is free of the trap, he releases it. It closes with a sharp metallic snap!

Xiang Zhao sits back on his heels. He shows very little reaction outside of curiosity at her change from tu lang to human.

As she speaks in English, he nods once. "Xiexie ni, shi." Pause. "Yes. That is correct," he clarifies. "I can speak English. I can help, but only a little with magic, and normal means. I can.. speed how fast your body mends itself, but only by double. If it is broken, that will not help. If you know how to care for it, I can follow instruction." He is not terribly medically inclined. He looks to the sky, searching for an eagle he's expecting. But he doesn't see the eagle so looks back to the woman. "What were you, before? I do not know the word in English. Only tu lang, in Mandarin."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Much as he can see that she's not a normal coyote, she can see that he's not what she would consider to be a 'vanilla human'. He has magic in him, she can see that much. What the magic is and what it does, she has no way of knowing. Unlike a wild coyote, she's quite calm and apparently at ease with having a person near to her. Most coyotes would be panicking or trying to attack, but not her.

There was a slight jump when the trap snapped closed, as the sound startled her, but she didn't seem concerned about it beyond that. It was no longer on her, and that was the important part of things, to her way of thinking.

"Ah, well... at least I remembered that right," Mercy says, a bit of a smile tugging her lips. "Oh! Good, I was hoping that you could. Speak English, that is," she clarifies, ducking her chin slightly. She lifts her uninjured hand, pushing some loose strands of hair from her face. "Well... my body doesn't have a faster healing than a regular person's. It might be broken. It's probably broken. Or at least, that would be pretty much my luck in things," she comments. "I know a few things about tending wounds. There's some plants that grow around here that are good for it, and then it would just need to be wrapped up. I was a coyote, before," she explains, pausing a moment. "I'm Mercy Thompson."

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Oh he is definitely not a 'vanilla' human. Oh no, that he is not. Homo magi, is the term, though he knows it not. He seems to be calmer than most humans as well, but that is likely a temperament and training thing, rather than anything more fundamental. "Mm." He goes quiet for a moment, considering things. "I can use my magic, but.. it will only make you heal at double the speed that is normal for you. And only lasts for about a quarter of a day. Do you know any who can heal? I know of two, but I know not where they are."

Xiang Zhao nods at her knowing plants and tending wounds. "Plants and wrapping I can do, if you tell me what to do with the plants. I am unfamiliar with many of the plants here." He lifts his hands and cups them before him, the fan he'd taken up at some point held with the bulk of the thing downward. He bows to Mercy after her introduction, then straightens. "I am Xiang Zhao." He pauses, tasting the word in his head. "Key ooh tee?"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
It's not a term that Mercy is familiar with either, the term of homo magi. She simply thinks of him as being a person with magic. She seems to have a knack for coming across non vanilla humans. But then, she was raised by werewolves. "Well... double the speed is a bit better than just regular, since it would mean the bleeding part of the wound would heal faster. I think...? At least, that makes sense to me. I have a neighbour who can fix it up properly, and I'll head there after I go home... he's a doctor, I just need something that'll do until then," she says, glancing briefly towards her arm. It's not healing, exactly, but it would mean that the wound would be properly treated.

Shifting her position a bit, she takes a moment to look around towards the plants, and she reaches out to pluck a stem from one of them before offering it to him. "This one," she says, giving a small nod. It's a variety of wild yarrow. "Even just pulling the leaves from the stem and bruising them up before putting them on will help with the bleeding and with getting the wound to heal," she says, a small smile coming to her features. And she blushes a bit, when he bows to her. "I can teach you about the plants, if you like. I harvest them fairly regularly, and sometimes trade or give them to a local shop," she explains. "It's a pleasure to meet you. What would you prefer that I call you?" she asks, curious. One of her eyebrows quirks up. "That's pretty close. More 'kai' than 'key', though," she adds with a smile.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Like calls to like. It's a simple thing, really. Magic or abilities calls to those who have similar. Xiang Zhao does nod agreement at the bleeding part being over faster. "This is true," he agrees. "That is good, since my magic does not last the full time it would be needed." Properly treated is a definite bonus! A very definite bonus.

Zhao watches the plant she plucks a stem from, and accepts it when it's offered to him. He looks it over and lifts it to his nose to smell it. His nose wrinkles at the scent. "It has a very bright scent," he says. "Makes my nose itch." He does as instructed and pulls the leaves from the stem, bruising them up.

Once he's done, Zhao looks to her, and nods. "I would like that, thank you," he says. "I do not know a lot about them. You can call me Xiang or Zhao, as you prefer." He considers the word adivce offered as he puts the bruised leaves on. "Like this?" Of the bruised leaves. Then, "Kai oh tee?" Three very distinct syllables, that.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
"It takes about four weeks for a broken arm to heal, depending on how bad the break is. This one doesn't feel horrible, at least... well, I mean, there aren't bones sticking out, so it isn't as bad as it could be," Mercy says, quirking a smile. "I won't turn aside whatever help you're willing to give. I'm grateful that you happened by. It's bloody awkward to open these things in any form when one hand is trapped," she adds, wiggling the fingers of the hand of her injured arm to indicate it.

"Mmhmm, that's one of the ways to know it's the right one. Some plants look pretty similar. Sometimes, they'd make it into a paste with other herbs to put it on a wound to help with the healing of it, but it works pretty well on its own. It makes a lot of people's nose itch, though usually even more when it's in flower," she explains, a smile easily coming to her features. She adjusts her position a bit, tucking her legs beneath her in cross-legged fashion.

She watches what he does, and gives a nod. "Mmhmm, exactly like that," she affirms. "I don't know everything about the plants, but... I'll teach you what I know then." Then she tilts her head to one side. A gesture remniscent of the coyote she'd been not that long ago. "If you don't mind the question... what's brought you out here this evening? I mean... I'm not complaining, I just don't normally come across folks here. And if you don't know the plants here, then that would mean you're from somewhere else," she says, a lilt of curiosity to the words. "That's it, exactly! Coyote. I'll have to be more careful out here, now that I know there are traps. It didn't smell at all," she comments, wrinkling her nose slightly.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao nods. "Mm. It does. I will help as much as I am able," he says. He takes a moment to flip his hair back over his shoulder before rising smoothly to his feet, taking up his fan again as he does so. He steps around behind Mercy and sinks to the ground, sitting cross-legged there. The fan is closed with a soft snick and whisper of silk on silk. "I do not approve of using this sort of traps to hunt. Snare traps are much better for the animals." He considers her words, and then nods. "This makes sense. I think I am glad it is in flower. It would be much worse for my nose then, I think."

He doesn't answer her question for a few breaths, taking the time to properly formulate the response in English. "I am going to hunt. For evil. I am from somewhere else," he agrees. "Tibet. Hm. If you did not smell it, it has probably been left at least since the last good rain. I will cast my magic now. This will only take a few minutes." He closes his eyes and takes a deeper breath, exhaling it slowly. There's a gesture of his hands, a sort of lifting with his palms up, as though gathering something in his hands.

Zhao turns them in a smooth motion and brings them to rest lightly on Mercy's back, just below either shoulder. A few seconds pass, and the magic stirs around him, manifesting visually as a wispy bit of mist that is pearlestcent in color and glows faintly. In the darker woods as dusk gradually shifts toward dark, the glow is faint enough it's just barely visible from more than ten or so feet away.

Buffy Summers has posed:
It's been a quiet night for the Slayer, and as she lurks about the woods in the darkness, she's not expecting to get much action tonight. All the same, she's surprised that her patrol takes her so close to Mercy's garage, an acquaintance who she hasn't seen in quite some time now.

As she lurks, it's hard not to catch the sounds of people nearby talking, and she starts to move nearer, ears peeled. Hopefully these aren't vamps plotting..Evil Things.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
"Thank you, very much, Zhao," Mercy says, giving a small nod to him. And a smile, too. She watches him rise, noting the grace of his movement, and though she's curious, she doesn't ask. Not this time, at least. This time, she's patient and she waits, turning her head to watch him as he steps around to be behind her. This makes her more curious. "From the receiving end of things, I can honestly say that I'm not a big fan of that kind of trap either. Although, I can't really say that I'm a big fan of people hunting coyotes at all, but I'm a bit biased about it. I can't say that I like a snare much better, all things considered," she comments, quirking a smile. "It'll flower sometime around late May or early June. Some varieties flower for longer than others. So long as you don't brush up too close to it or pick it unless you have to then you should manage to avoid picking up the pollen," she adds, giving a small nod.

One of her eyebrows quirks at his answer. Hunting evil. That's... interesting. And slightly vague. But mostly interesting! "I can't argue with hunting evil. And Tibet is significantly farther than what I thought you were going to say," she comments, glancing back over her shoulder and towards him. Then she gives a small nod and looks forward again, her chin lowering slightly. She even manages to stay quiet while he's working his magic. Or at least, she tries very hard to stay quiet for all of it.

It's whilst he's working the magic that she lifts her head a little bit and half closes her eyes. Sniffing a little at the air and listening. She tilts her head slightly to one side. "I think someone else is out here," she says quietly. Then she's quiet a moment more, her nose wiggling a little bit. And she tilts her head to one side at a familiar hint to the scent. "Buffy...?"

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao is silent for the duration of his magic doing its work, while his energy synchs with Mercy's, bringing it to flow in a rhythmic pattern like his does. Bringing her body to heal twice as fast as it normally would. It takes nearly ten minutes before he pulls his hands back. He turns his hands so the palms are down, and pushes down, like he's pushing the magic away. The magic swirling about him fades and disappears as he brings his hands to rest on his knees.

The Chinaman speaks, then, with his eyes still closed. "At least with a snare, you could change back to human and get out of it," he says. "I do not mind hunting, when I feel like eating meat. It is not a frequent thing. I have never eaten coyote, though." There is a nod about the pollen. Zhao only remains where he is for another few minutes, before taking up his fan and rising to his feet again, the motion just as graceful as it had been before. He flips it open with a soft whisper of silk, and it goes to moving, fanning a little bit of air up to his face.

It really isn't that vague. Evil is evil, right? His lips curl up at her comment on Tibet, just visible in the fading light as he steps back around in front of her. He considers her and that wound and the fan closes once again with a snick of sound. He tucks it away, this time, behind his outer robe under the sash that holds the inner one in place. As he does so, another fan as well as a white flute can be seen there.

Zhao crouches down and flips the outer robe out of the way, and grasps the lower portion of the inner robe, a paler blue, with his right hand. He lifts his left hand like he's cupping something, and that wispy mist can be seen gathering there around his hand. He points out two fingers, and draws them along part of that inner robe. The magic follows his intent and gesture, and neatly slices a length of it off. He lets the inner robe fall, keeping ahold of the bit of silk he'd cut loose. "Hold out your hand, so that I can wrap it." He tilts his head and closes his eyes briefly, and nods. "I feel an aura somewhat near. Please, come out," he says in a slightly louder voice. "We mean no harm."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers pauses for only a moment or two in the bushes, hearing a few familiar voices, although magic is something unfamiliar to her. She's always found it curious though. It's only when Mercy calls out her name that Buffy steps out of the bushes, wiping dirt from her face and smirks.

"Mercy! And Xiang. Heh, it's been a while, what y'all up to?" she's not exactly hiding, at least now that she recognizes them. Good thing too, it would have been pretty awkward if she burst out of the bushes, all ready to stake em.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Though Mercy isn't able to see the magic that Zhao is working, she can sense it, and it intrigues her. She doesn't know what it means beyond what he had told her, and she doesn't know how it works, but she does at least have a sense of it. And a sense of when he sort of puts the magic back away, too. "You have interesting magic," Mercy says softly, turning her head to glance back towards him once he's finished. It's different than other magic that she's been around.

"That's true, with the snare. It would be easier to get out of, at least," Mercy agrees, giving a small nod. "When I hunt, it's in coyote form, so... it's kind of fair. Well. Maybe... I mean, I don't always catch what I'm after. Rabbits are tasty and dodgy, besides," she comments, quirking a bit of a smile. Then her smile fades when he mentions not eating coyote, and her brow furrows and she shakes her head. "People don't hunt coyote for the meat. They hunt them for their hide," she explains, her tone clearly disapproving of the practice. She gives another small shake of her head, then lifts her uninjured hand to push some of her hair from her face.

Her gaze turns to him as he steps back in front of her, watching him, though her gaze flicks to the fan when it snicks so neatly closed. And as it's tucked away, she notices the other fan as well as the flute, her curiosity tickled by both things. Evil might be evil, but it can take a number of different forms. But that might well be a conversation for another day.

That gesture of his that moves the outer robe to reveal the inner one has her curiosity sparked again. She tilts her head to one side, watching him, and there's a flicker of that curiosity in her brown eyes. And then she senses his magic again, which has her leaning forward just a touch. She blinks and takes in a breath as though she's about to argue, and then she gives a little shake of her head. "If I'd known you were going to do that then I'd have offered up the lower part of my t-shirt instead. It seems a shame to cut your robe," she says, a bit sheepishly. She does as he asks, though, holding out her hand towards him. Cut is cut, and she doesn't argue beyond that.

As Buffy comes out of the bushes, Mercy looks towards her and offers a bit of a smile. "It's been a while. I was out here looking for some different plants, like I usually do. Except this time, it would seem that I found a trap. The hard way... or the bloody way, whichever. It's not my preferred way of finding traps, but it didn't have any smell left on it," she comments, wrinkling her nose slightly. "What've you been up to?" she asks.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Ni hao, Buffy," says Xiang Zhao, greeting the at least somewhat familiar face. "Night hunting. The only thing I have yet found is Mercy." His lips quirk up eeeever so slightly. "But she is not what I hunt." His attention returns to Mercy. "It is not so common here as it is within my Clan and China.," he agrees, about his magic.

"Mm. Easier to get out of, does not leave wounds, nor broken bones." Zhao has to nod about rabbits. "They are. Both." He nods about coyotes too. "Better to say I have never hunted a coyote for anything. We do not have them in Tibet. Nor in China, I think." At her protest, slight though it is, he shakes his head. "Silk makes a good bandage. It does not stick as do many other fabrics. My robe will not be harmed for losing a bit of itself. The cause is worth the sacrifice."

Once her hand is held out, his full attention goes to it, and ever so gently, and with fingers that have seen at least some practice at this sort of thing, he deftly wraps the wounded hand. "I would recommend seeing a physician. The bones may need to be set, but I do not know."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smirks, wondering if she should tell them what she's really hunting out here but just shrugs. "Gee, that must have hurt, sorry you got caught in a trap, Merc. It's always good to see you though. How you been?"

She smiles and nods to Xiang, "Ni hao Xiang. How're the new living arrangements going? I hear you and Vitali are sharing my old room, hope it's not too cramped?" Buffy arches a curious brow at him as he works. "Ah, so can you heal with magic too?"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
One of her eyebrows quirks up when he mentions that she's the only thing he's found while hunting this evening. A smile teases her lips, and a hint of amusement shows in her brown eyes. "With the way my luck runs, I'm usually just a bit of trouble, not evil," Mercy comments, amusement in her voice. "Though it seems to often be the unexpected variety of trouble," she adds, glancing towards the trap and wrinkling her nose at it.

"They don't, usually, that's true," Mercy says, giving a small nod. Then she tilts her head to one side. "Hmm. I did't know that. Although... that does make sense, given that it's probably pretty different from here. Halfway around the world amounts of different, or somewhere around that, at least," she comments, her tone thoughtful. When he speaks of her being worth the sacrifice of the robe, she ducks her chin and looks down briefly before giving a little nod to him and looking back to him. "Thank you. I'm both glad and grateful that you feel that way," she says in a soft tone.

She doesn't particularly watch him wrap the wound, though she does give a slight flinch once or twice in the process of it. "Mmhmm, I will. I kind of need my hands for a lot of things. The least of which is running when I'm in coyote form. I'll go see my neighbour tonight after I'm back home, he won't mind," she says. Which might mean that he's received similar calls from her before.

Her gaze turns to Buffy, and she gives a nod. "It did. Does. It's always good to see you, too. Other than the trap, I've been pretty good. I've got a new project over at the garage... a camper van," she comments with a smile. "How've you been?" she asks, curious. Her attention shifts back to Zhao when he's targetted with questions, curious about the answers. Curiosity might be one of the things that lures this coyote into trouble.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao certainly isn't out here hunting rabbits. Despite what is currently the topic of hunting. He finishes up wrapping and securing the silken bandage on Mercy's hand. Only then does he turn his eyes to Buffy, a faint smile tugging up the corners of his mouth. "It is fine. Not too cramped. Ah'Tali does not use the bed, so there is room." He shakes his head to the question. "Not heal, as such, but.. convince a body to heal itself faster than is normal. Mine, or others. For wounds that are physical or magical. I can also replenish energy."

There's a slightly larger smile directed at Mercy. "This is true. My hunts tend more toward demons and the occasional ghoul. Mostly demons." He sounds, despite the amusement threaded through the tone, serious. He nods. "Mm. About that. It is very far." The slight smile returns at her thanks. "Bu keqi," he says. "You are welcome." The neighbor is mentioned again, and he nods. "Hao. This is good." Neighbors who are doctors not minding being called upon in the middle of the night is never a bad thing, afterall!

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smiles and nods, "Always good to see familiar faces. I've been okay, a bit tired.." she sniffs a bit as if she's getting a cold. "But hanging in there.Dealing with a few things but glad I have friends to help out. We should catch up..."

She smiles and nods to Xiang, "Good to hear, though sleeping on the floor can't be fun. Maybe you can look for a three bedroom apartment? I think.." she's interrupted as her phone rings and frowns, "Hey I gotta run, see you soon!" and she hurriedly runs off.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Once Zhao has finished with bandaging her hand, Mercy gives him a grateful smile and a small nod. "Thank you again, Xiang. Hopefully someday I'll be in the right place at the right time to be able to pay you back for the favour, for your help," Mercy says, a warm tone to her voice. "I have a garage, that way," she says, lifting her uninjured hand to point in the appropriate direction. "If you're in the area and you need a ride somewhere or whatever, or just want to visit, then come knock. I'm usually there. If not in the garage, then above it," she adds, giving a nod to him.

"Demons and ghouls, huh? Those can be formidable enough. And sometimes a bit too plentiful. Though it's been a while since I've fought either of those things... and hopefully it'll continue to be a while before I have to, since this has to heal," she muses, glancing towards her bandaged hand. "Do you sense them or something or is it more of a random sort of 'oh look, it's evil, kill it' sort of thing?" she asks, curious. Curiosity runs strong in this one.

Mercy tilts her head a bit to one side as she looks over to Buffy. "We should! I should do up a batch of cookies and hot cocoa and bring them by. Maybe brownies, too. Make an evening of it," she says, giving a nod. "If you need my help, let me know, eh? I'm not usually far," she offers. Protectiveness might also be a thing for the coyote. She gives a nod then as Buffy heads off. "Take care, Buffy, and we'll talk soon," she promises.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Shi. But, ah'Tali does not care for the bed, so it is not by necessity that he sleeps on the floor. If I recall, I will ask Willow and ah'Tali if they wish for a larger apartment. They might." He watches as Buffy runs off, then turns his attention mostly back to Mercy. "Bu keqi," he replies to her for the thanks. "A.. guh.. raj..? This is what?" He shakes his head a little bit. "I ride the bus sometimes. I wish I had a good horse. They are much nicer for getting around." And they don't stink like buses.

"Mm. Demons and ghouls. More demons than anything else." Though he doesn't look away from Mercy, Xiang's attention is partially on their surroundings. Listening for sounds, staying aware of any auras he might sense that aren't right. "A little bit of sensing them. Mostly, I summon them to wherever I decide is a good place to fight them. Places away from people, usually. Wild places, or abandoned lots."

There is no commeng on the notion of cookies or cocoa, or brownies, as that comment had not been directed at him.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
"Oh... he doesn't? That seems a bit odd, sort of, but... to each their own. I usually only sleep on the ground either when I'm camping or when I'm in coyote form, but that's just me," Mercy says, a smile quirking at the corners of her lips. She tilts her head a touch to one side, and then she gives a nod. "Mmhmm, a garage. It's a place of business. Well, this one happens to be my place of business. I have a few cars there, and that's where I work on them. Fix them, refinish them, get them running right. I'm a mechanic," she explains.

"The bus isn't too bad until you get to off days and hours in the schedule. Then it's a bit of a pain since the wait is longer between buses. There's a few farms that have horses, but they're mainly for trail riding or what they call English riding rather than riding them around the city," Mercy says, her tone thoughtful. "They're great or getting around, when you have the opportunity to make use of them, though," she adds, giving a small nod.

"What kinds of demons and ghouls are around? If it's not too weird to be asking, that is. And how do you summon them?" she asks, curious. Again. "There aren't any around right now, are there?" she wonders, watching him for a moment before looking out amongst the trees for a moment. "Maybe I'll have to bring you some kind of cookies, now that I know where you stay," she adds, a smile easily coming to her lips. She enjoys baking, and it's always best when it's shared!

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"He is not uncomfortable on the floor, though. He has a large fur he sleeps in. It seems to be quite soft and comfortable." Xiang Zhao listens quietly, but doesn't quite seem to understand. "I do not know what a muh can ick is, either." He takes up his fan, in his left hand, and rises gracefully to his feet. Once he's up, he offers his right hand to Mercy. "If there is no bus, I walk. I have noticed, about horses. Where I am from, horses are the main way to travel, other than walking."

Xiang Zhao shakes his head. "It is not weird to be asking. There are many kinds of demons around. Even ghouls are a type of demon of the water. Those are mostly found in fresh water. I have not been around the ocean much." Which is kind of odd, considering where he happens to be. There's ocean everywhere here.

Zhao closes his eyes for a moment, concentrating on feeling. Then he shakes his head. "I do not feel anything unusual. Just animals." Xiang opens his eyes to look back to Mercy. "I am staying in a room at Willow's apartment. I do enjoy cookies. If you bring cookies, I will cook for you." He glances around at the still thicking darkness. Soon, there will be no light. "I will walk with you to your home, to be sure you arrive safely."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
"Oh, well that's good, that he isn't. Having a fur to be all wrapped up in would be kind of like having a sleeping bag while camping," Mercy muses, her tone thoughtful. "That would be pretty comfortable, I expect," she adds, giving a small nod. She raises an eyebrow then at his comment, her head tilting a little to one side. "A mechanic is someone who does repairs and maintenance on vehicles of different types. In my case, it's cars and trucks and SUV's and the like. Things that are smaller than buses," she explains. She doesn't seem to mind explaining. She lifts her uninjured hand to place it in his offered one, accepting and using his help in getting to her feet. "Thank you, Xiang," she says, giving him a warm smile.

"Horses are likely a lot easier to keep and maintain than what any vehicle would be, where you're from. I wish that horses were more common here," she says, a smile tugging her lips. "Are there ghouls that can live in salt water or just fresh water? Are the demons big?" she asks. The coyote's curiosity may not have bounds to it.

Her nose wiggles a little bit at his pronouncement, and then she gives a nod. "Okay, that's good. I'm not sure that fighting something would really be that great of a plan, unless it was necessary," she says. "I didn't smell anything weird, either," she adds. "Is there a particular kind of cookies that you like or should I surprise you?" she asks, quirking a bit of a smile. "That seems a fair trade, cookies in exchange for being cooked for," she agrees. She takes a moment, looking out amongst the trees and wiggling her nose a little bit. "Thank you, I appreciate that," she says, seeming a bit more at ease. She hadn't been looking forward to walking back by herself, given her injury.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao nods. "Mm. Yes, a bit. Except.. more fluffly." Yes, he got the word wrong. "More padding. More comfortable." That gives the impression that he may have at least touched the fur in question at some point. "Ah. I do not .. what is the word? Drive? I do not know how to control a .. car, or a truck, or an.. ess you vee." That one he doesn't seem terribly certain on. He's certainly learning some new concepts today! "Bu keqi," he replies. Once she is stable and on her feet, he withdraws his hand.

The fan is switched over from his left to his right, and opened with a soft hiss of silk on silk. He starts waving it, wafting a gentle breeze up to his face, which stirs the tendrils of hair that hang free on either side of his face. "Mm. Yes. But also, our magic does not work well with.. What did you call them? Vehicles? Wagons are easier to fix. There are no programs to interfere with." He might only have a passing familiarity, ie none, with programs, but he knows his magic doesn't get along with them.

"Both salt and fresh, I am certain. Some demons are big. Some are not. Some come in animal shapes. Some in human. Some in both. Some in neither." Xiang considers the bit about cookies, and then shakes his head. "I do not know enough cookies to be able to tell you. I know I like chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter cookies. But I do not like peanut butter sandwiches." It's a curious thing.

"Mm. I do not feel at ease leaving you alone when you are injured. If something comes along and attacks you, it will be difficult." He motions with the fan for her to lead the way, as he does not know where she lives.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Fluffly? Mercy manages not to giggle, at least. It's kinda cute! "I think you might mean fluffy. No 'l'. What kind of fur is it?" she asks, curious. Again with the questions! It's possible that she never runs out of them. "Well... if you wanted to learn how to drive, I can teach you. I've got some property around the garage that a car can be driven around and stuff. I should clarify, there... I can teach you how to drive, but I can't issue you a license. That would have to come from the DMV, if you want to drive out on the roads and be all legal about it," Mercy comments, a smile tugging her lips. "SUV's are kind of a cross between a car and a van but able to go off road driving," she offers.

As he opens the fan, Mercy looks to it, taking a moment to admire the silk of it as he starts to wave it. Her gaze lifts to him, and she tilts her head to one side, listening as he speaks. "True, wagons wouldn't have programs, since they're drawn by horses. But not all cars have programs either. Computers. Older cars don't have them. They just run more on the machinery of them... pistons, combustion, belts, and so forth. Maybe that would make a difference?" she suggests, a touch hopefully.

"It rather sounds as though demons come in a wide assortment of shapes and sizes. That must make it challenging. To hunt them, to kill them. Or at least, I'd think so," she says, her brow wrinkling briefly. "So maybe I'll have to bring more than one kind along so that you can sample more of them," she suggests, giving a small nod. "Maybe it's because the peanut butter is more sticky in a sandwich than in peanut butter cookies," she wonders.

"I'm glad for that. I can't say that I feel particularly comfortable with the thought of being left alone while I'm hurt," she says, giving a small nod to him. "This way," she says with a smile, and then she starts to walk in the direction that she had indicated the garage to be earlier.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao turns his head to look at her curiously. "Fluffy, then." He doesn't seem offended at the correction. Quite the opposite. "Polar bear." At the offer of being taught more things, Xiang considers. "I would not say no. I can teach you Mandarin. Or anything else I know that you would like to learn." Of course, he won't impose on her without offering something in return! He nods about the license. That makes sense, afterall. "Ah. I am not sure what the difference is between a car and a van. You will show me?"

He considers the cars with a lack of programs. "That might work. It is only programs my magic affects." Xiang's lips curl up ever so slightly. "They do. And it is not so challenging. If it tries to kill you, it is probably a demon that is beyond redemption. Those that do not cause harm, I do not kill." Which might bring some understanding of whe he hadn't freaked out and considered Mercy a demon.

"I would like to sample more kinds. I have had oatmeal as well. I liked those." He shakes his head. "It is not the sticky. It is.. too sweet, in a sandwich, for a meal. For me to want more than a few bites. A cookie.. is gone in a few bites. It is a good snack." He falls into step just behind Mercy, on her injured side. Little more protection that way for her. The fan, now that it's moving again, hasn't stopped. But the pace of it is leisurely. Slow and calm. Calm, just like Xiang is.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
That definitely gets a raised eyebrow, and her brown eyes widen slightly with a touch of surprise. "A polar bear?" Mercy asks, sounding surprised as well. "Yeah, that would be quite fluffy. And warm. And probably really cozy. How'd he come by a polar bear fur here?" she asks. Mercy has a never-ending supply of questions. Then her attention perks, a spark showing in her eyes. "Ooh, yes please! I only know a few words of Mandarin, so being able to learn the full language would be great. I like trades. And I have a feeling that you know other things that I'd like to learn, too," she says, quirking a smile. "Mmhmm! I'll show you. Vans are more like big boxes on wheels whereas cars are shorter. But I'll show you, too. I have both types sitting in or near the garage or elsewhere on the property," she comments, giving a nod.

"Not all cars have programs. I mean, the general way they work is the same but the ones that don't have the computers in them are easier to fix, generally speaking. And they also happen to be the types of cars that I tend to collect, if you will. We'll test it, if you like... see what works," she says with a smile. She keeps her injured arm raised, her fingers resting atop of the opposite shoulder. "So... is that why you didn't attack me? Because I didn't attack you? I've never really thought of demons as being open to redemption, so that's good to know," she says.

"That's good to know. So maybe I'll make some oatmeal chocolate chip ones, or oatmeal raisin. Or both. Maybe some butterscotch ones with a bit of salt on top. Maybe some sour cream sugar cookies, too," she muses. Then she tilts her head to one side before giving a small nod. "Some of them are sweet. They put molasses or sugar in with the ground peanuts. I don't know why they do, but they do. Cookies are perfect snacks. Baking is a hobby of mine," she admits with a smile. She doesn't seem to be in a rush, but she's not dawdling either. It'll take about twenty minutes to walk the distance back to her garage.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"I do not know." Xiang Zhao turns his head to consider Mercy. "First lesson. Nin wen de wenti tai duole." He pauses, then speaks again. "That means, ask as many questions as you like." His expression reveals absolutely nothing. "And I am happy to teach you. Trades are good, yes. Mm. I can paint. Play guqin and flute. Cook. I know acupoints and meridians. And how to fight." He listens carefully as different vehicle types are explained. "Boxes. So they are like a carriage. We have those. Usually with two wheels."

Xiang nods to her notion. "I do not mind testing if you do not mind repairing potential problems." He pauses. "... or if something gets broken." He nods to the next questino. Set of questions. "In part. You did not try to harm me, even though injured. And your aura is not full of hate or a desire to harm others. Such things taint auras. Such as me can see that. Feel it. I may not be using the right word in English. Demons are like people. Some are good. Some are bad. Most are somewhere between."

For cookies, he listens with fascination at what is being described. "What is raisin?" He seems to not be in a rush either. But that seems to be /him/, rather than the moment. He puts of an air that he is rarely in a rush unless circumstances dictate such.

Translation: You ask way too many questions.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
"Hmm, well, I can't imagine there not being a story in there somewhere. I mean... polar bears aren't exactly common around here," Mercy says, a thoughtful tone to her voice. Not that she knows where Vitali is from, but she presumes, which is often not a safe thing. One of her eyebrows quirks up, and if she were still in coyote form then her ears would be perked towards him. She tilts her head a little to one side. "Nin wen de wenti tai duole?" she repeats, doing her best to say it in the same way that he had but probably not getting it entirely right. "I get curious about a lot of things. So I ask. It's the best way to learn," she says with a smile. "If you like some of the cookies that I make, then I can teach you how to make them, too. If you'd like," she offers, giving a small nod. "They're sort of like a carriage is, only more like a... well... a four wheeled carriage that's got a motor to push it instead of horses pulling it," she says in a thoughtful tone.

"I definitely don't mind repairing any part of them. I know the vehicles pretty much inside out, and I have boxes of parts in the garage. If something breaks, I'll either fix it or repair it and we'll give it another go," Mercy says. She tilts her head a bit to one side. "I didn't understand all of what you said, but I picked up a few words. It was guesswork, on my part, and the tone you used said a lot, too. You didn't look like a hunter or seem like someone that wanted to put an end to me. I'm glad that you were able to sense all of that from me. I think you've got the right word, with auras," she says.

"Raisins are dried up grapes. They're a bit chewy. I also make chocolate cookies with chopped up peanuts in them. There are probably thousands of different kinds of cookies that exist," she explains. "See the lights up ahead there? That's the outside lights of the garage," she adds. They're on a gravel road that seemed to sort of just gradually come into being, and there's some field to either side of the road. Closer to the garage are hulking masses of vehicles.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao nods. "Mm. I am certain there is a story. And Tashenka is not from here." That's not the same name he'd used before, clearly! "Mm." That seems to be for the translation. But he gives no further input on that in the present moment. "I... used to be curious about a lot. I guess I still am. I just.. do not ask as much."

He is silent again, as they walk, until the offer to learn to bake comes. "I know how to bake, but only things that are from where I learned. I would be honored to learn to bake your style of cookies." He looks thoughtful. "Motor. Is.. something that provides.." Zhao pauses, looking for the correct word. "Forward motion," he finally says, that apparently being the only thing that comes to mind. He nods about the vehicle repair. "That is good then. Sometimes, programs really do not like my magic."

He waves that fan as they walk, a little of the breeze going toward Mercy, but the majority on himself. "I am glad as well. It is.. something I was taught, but was not fully able to understand before coming here." The definition of raisins, though, and he wrinkles his nose. "Putaogan. I am not fond of these. Grapes I like. Raisins," he says the word carefully, "I do not care for." He looks where she's describing, the lights and gravel road, the fields. "The fields would make a good place to train."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
Those ears would be perked again if she were in coyote form! It has not escaped her attention that Zhao's roommate has been given multiple names over the course of the conversation! That topic, at least, she manages to restrain her curiosity and keep it tamed. For now. "Oh! I thought he was from here. That's my mistake, I shouldn't have presumed," Mercy says, a bit sheepishly, ducking her chin a little bit. "Where's he from?" she asks, curious. For the umpteenth time.

"What kinds of things are baked where you're from?" she asks, tilting her head a little bit to one side. "We can trade baking knowledge, too. And yeah, a motor is what gives the forward motion. The force. The push. Like horses pull and that's what makes a carriage go forward. But with a car, the motor is what does it," Mercy agrees, giving a nod to him. "A lot of the cars that I have here are old, so they don't have programs. I prefer them, but I can fix the others, too."

Mercy doesn't seem to mind the slight breeze that the fan sends her way. "Sometimes, it takes being in the right place, at the right time, with the right circumstances to make what's been learned make sense," she says, a thoughtful tone to her voice. She notices that wrinkle of the nose, and she gives a soft chuckle before she nods. "No oatmeal raisin -- putaogan -- ones, then. Maybe thumbprint cookies," she offers instead. She takes a moment to look about the fields, and then she gives a nod. "Mmhmm, they're a good place to train. For a variety of different things. Once the grass is mowed, it's good for driving on. It's good for running through martial arts sets on. It's good for setting up targets for shooting practice. It's good for a fair number of things, really," she comments. She glances off towards a house that's a bit distant from the garage, and she gives a nod towards it. "That's where the doctor lives. Where I'm headed to. It was very kind of you to help me, and to make sure that I was safe for the walk back here."

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Siberia." And that seems to be about all that Zhao is willing to divulge of that. More, is not for him to say. Only for Vitali, if the two should ever meet. "Potatos. Meats. Cakes and pies and the like. We do not really have cookies such as are here." The explanation of the motor is nodded to. "This makes sense. I will be grateful for the knowledge, if it works." His lips curl up ever so slightly. "Trading baking knowledge also sounds good."

There is another nod about place, time, and circumstances. It is the truth! "What is a thumbprint cookie?" Xiang pauses and looks to her again. "I enjoy martial arts sets," he admits. "I also enjoy archery, knife throwing, and spear throwing. Amongst other things." He lifts the fan in example, then goes back to fanning himself with it.

Xiang Zhao's eyes follow her nod toward that house. "Ah." He pauses there, as it's indicated that's where Mercy is going. It is quite close, so he turns toward her. The fan is snicked closed, and cupped between his hands. He bows toward her. "It was a pleasure," he says, and straightens. "It is also my duty. To help those who cannot help themselves. To protect those who cannot protect themselves." The fan opens again and starts waving. "I shall return soon. I hope you do not find any other traps the hard way." With that, he turns and makes his way back the way they'd come from. Perhaps he means to continue his night hunt. Perhaps he means to go destroy that trap.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
"That's really far away, too," Mercy says, a thoughtful tone to her voice. Her brow wrinkles briefly, but then her expression clears as she looks to Zhao, studying him for a moment. "That's interesting. I kind of always thought that cookies were kind of universal," she muses, quirking a smile. "I imagine it won't take too long to test if it works. Just get you into the passenger side of one of them while I get in and started it up and then try driving it around a bit. If it goes kaput, then we know to try an older one," she says.

"A thumbprint cookie is a round cookie that has a divet in the middle where a bit of a filling goes. Usually jam or jelly. And it's usually been rolled in nuts or coconut or something along those lines," she explains. Then she tilts her head a bit to one side, a smile tugging her lips. "Well... if we continue to get along well, it seems likely that we can learn a fair bit from each other. I look forward to that."

She stops and turns towards him in turn, a bit of colour coming to her cheeks when he bows to her, and she chin lowers a touch. "It's been a pleasure to have your company. You're a friend, and you're welcome here any time, day or night. For anything," she says, giving a small nod to him. She may have only just met him, but... she does consider him a friend. He helped her when she needed it, and that means he's earned her trust. "If I'm not back here when you return, then I'm still there getting my arm tended to. I don't know how long it's likely to take. He's a bit thorough," Mercy says, quirking a bit of a smile. And it will likely involve scolding. "Thank you for everything that you've done for me, Xiang. I'll do my best to avoid any other traps, and I'll see you again soon." She half bows to him in turn, and after straightening, she turns to head on her way towards the doctor's house.