13280/A Quiet Friday Night

A Quiet Friday Night
Date of Scene:	15 May 2021
Location:	1407 Greymalkin Lane - Breakstone
Synopsis:	Hank comes to check up on Zhao and Vitali. Shannon shows up with food, and conversation is had.
Cast of Characters:	Vitali Svyatoslav, Xiang Zhao, Beast, Nightingale

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Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
It's been a week since Xiang Zhao had found him. Since Xiang Zhao had saved him. Vitali had needed saving, not from any great and terrible foe, but from something simpler... from himself. He had wanted to lose the pain he had been feeling, and the only way he knew of being able to do that was to let one of the animals he could become take over. In between sleeping -- which is something that he's done a lot of over the past week -- the Siberian has had a lot of time to think about things. And to try to come to terms with his part in them. He's sitting on the bed where he's been staying for the past week's worth of time. He has his feet tucked beneath him in cross legged fashion, and his hands resting lightly in his lap.

Vitali is normally a patient sort of person, but considering that he's spent the past week doing little more than being confined to a bed, his patience is waning a bit. His dark gaze turns towards the bag hanging on the IV stand, and he wrinkles his nose slightly before looking briefly to the needle in his arm. He exhales a breath and then shifts his weight, leaning his back against the railing of the headboard of the bed. He's not used to being cooped up inside for such long periods of time. He's unbraided his hair, and slipped the elastic around the wrist of his right hand, and he idly pulls his fingers through the lengths of his hair.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Indeed. It's been a week, now. And though Zhao had slept for the most part for the first five days, he's acoutally most of the way back to normal, now. For the moment, he sits in almost a mirror position to Vitali, with his legs crossed beneath him to be sitting cross-legged. The backs of his hands rest on his knees and he appears to be relaxed. His eyes are closed. He's been sitting this way for some time now and the currents of his power can be seen floating about him, physically manifested as wisps of irridescent white that glows ever so slightly. An effect that can be seen easily in the relative dimness within the cabin.

"Leave it," he says, voice very soft. Though his eyes are closed and there's no way he could have seen the glance toward the IV, he knows Vitali well enough to know what that exhaled breath was. A sigh of impatience. "Until the Yisheng says it is time." The fact that Yisheng has is capitilized is obvious from the slight emphasis on the word. Zhao's eyes don't open. The magic doesn't settle, but continues swirling about him in gentle motions, patterns almost.

Translation: Yisheng - Doctor or medic.

Beast has posed:
Speaking of the Yisheng... The cabin that they are at, is right at the very edge of the Westchester estates, close enough that eyes can be kept. But also far enough that privacy for those unfamiliar, could be afforded. The sound of a dirtbike can be heard a little ways off and then, there is silence.

The knock on the door comes shortly after this, with a range of greetings, in multiple languages, including russian and chinese, but also mongolian (Broken) and tamil. Just to cover bases. Then: "Oh, to hell with it. I really do hope you can at least understand english, until I've figured out what language works best..." The door cracks open, a blue face pops in, slitted eyes glancing about the interior and the whispy light display. Hank has a satchel over one shoulder and a stethoscope hanging about his neck, along with what looks to be a traditional chinese medicine kit.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
There had been moments and minutes, even, of spending time watching Zhao in the process of his meditations. Of watching those currents of power as they flow around the Chinaman. When people's magic has an effect like that then he can see it, though when it doesn't then he has no means of knowing that it's there and being used. He shifts his weight slightly, an attempt to be more comfortable, one of his eyebrows quirking up a touch at the simple words spoken, and then he gives a small nod. "Da, have left it. Have not touched. Needle still in arm," Vitali says softly. He respects medicine, even if it's of a different form than what he's used to. And he'd been told that it's medicine and to leave the needle. And so, he's done that, though it was admittedly easier when he was more tired and had spent more time sleeping.

Soraya shifts her stance as soon as the sound of a dirt bike reaches her ears. Her wings ruffle a little bit, and she stands up with a bit more attention, tilting her head to one side and listening. Vitali's dark gaze turns towards the eagle, his brow furrowing slightly, and he tilts his head slightly to one side. The voice is unfamiliar, and most of the languages are as well, though the Russian brings him to raise an eyebrow slightly. He blinks with a moment's worth of surprise at the unexpected face that appears in the partially opened door. "Vy mozhete voyti," Vitali says, tilting his head a touch to one side. 'You can come in', in Russian. His native language. "Can understand English. Speak less well. English broken," he offers.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao doesn't react to the sound of the dirt bike. By this point, he's familiar enough with vehicles to know what the sound of an engine is, but not so familiar that he can identify vehicles by the sounds of their engines. The knock doesn't bring his eyes open either. That doesn't occur until the door opens. He's sitting such that he can see the door. "English is fine," he says. As he blinks at the figure that appears in the door, the wisps of magic fade and disappear from around him, his concentration quite broken by the sight of.. "Oh. Another ghost. I have not seen many off the mountain." His voice is calm, his expression and body language calm, as though seeing a furry blue humanoid is a fairly regular occurance in his life.

With one more blink, Zhao turns his eyes to look at Vitali and the IV still in the man's arm, though he couldn't say what it is himself. Before this, he'd never seen such things. "Good." For his part, he seems to understand the Russian not at all. But the Chinese, on the other hand, is replied to with, "Ni hao." Zhao's dark eyes turn back to their guest. Benefactor? "Please, come in. I am Xiang Zhao. He is Vitali Svyatoslav." His long, black hair is mostly loose, with only the top and sides pulled back and secured in a twist with an elegantly curved white hair stick.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy's keen faculties of observation make note of the varying reactions to language. "Thank you," closing the door behind him, the reaction from Xiang causes a loft of eyebrows from Beast. "Well, I've been called a good many things before in my time, but Ghost is a new one on me. I suspect though, that you don't mean ectoplasmic echos of the living." And by the attire of the sino half of the sino-slavic partnership, he makes further observations. "Doctor Henry McCoy, Hank if that's easier," slinging the satchel down, he unfastens its clasp and adjusts the stethoscope. "I'm just here to check up on the two of you. Exposure and stress can do quite a lot of bad things to a body."

Eyes track to the eagle and stay there for a short while. She is quite the majestic creature and there is a measure of respect afforded instinctually. Looking back, he asks the next logical question as he approaches. "How are you feeling? I trust recovery is finding you, Xiang Zhao -- the walks are getting a little further afield each day." Vitali is gestured to, though. He was the worse off for complications. "May I listen to your lungsounds?"

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
There's a quirked up eyebrow as he looks over to Zhao, and he tilts his head a touch to one side. "Ghost?" he asks with a flicker of curiosity to his voice. He doesn't think of ghosts in the same way that Zhao does, it seems. For his part, clothing wise, he wears a pair of jeans and a dark green turtleneck, the latter of which has the sleeves pushed up almost to the elbows. He no longer has the paleness of when he was first brought here, and there's even some healthy looking colour to his features now. The exhausted look is gone, as he's caught up on his sleep in the past week.

Vitali turns his gaze to Zhao, and he gives a small nod. "Da. Am having respect for medicine. Is different... things," he says softly, lifting one of his hands to gesture slightly towards the IV bag and such. He ducks his chin slightly at the introduction that Zhao provides for him, and then he gives a small nod, his gaze turning back to the blue-furred fellow. He tilts his head a bit to one side, and then he gives a small nod. "Is easier, da. Is good for meeting, Hank," he says in a soft tone. "Will not argue to be checked," he adds. He seems willing, at least.

Soraya's feathers slick down a bit as she's noticed and studied, and she clicks her beak before tilting her head to eye the doctor. She remains thus for a moment before seeming to relax, and there is perhaps a sense of something unspoken passing between Vitali and the raptor in that moment. Her feathers fluff a bit as she makes a soft sound. She stands around a foot and a half tall, perhaps a touch more. "Eagle is Soraya," Vitali offers, giving a nod towards her. "Soraya not harm," he adds. The Siberian is quiet a moment, considering the questions before he gives a small nod, and he lifts a hand to gather his hair up before pulling it forward over one of his shoulders. "Am better. Da, can listen," he affirms, a small smile finding the corners of his lips. He shifts a bit, moving forward and away from the headboard railing of the bed, to make it easier.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Ecto.. what?" Zhao goes quiet for a moment. "Echoes of the living. Spirits. No. Not a spirit. A ghost is... like a demon, but not evil. One other than a normal person." Of course, by that definition, Zhao himself would also be considered a ghost. Maybe he does consider himself such. His body language and posture still entirely relaxed, Zhao looks curiously at the thing being adjusted. The stethescope. He looks at it like he's never seen one before. He nods toward it. "What is that for?" His clothing is unusual, to say the least. It's robes of a type monks might wear, but.. flowyer. And silk. Reminiscent of a more ancient time in China's history.

The question asked of them is given due consideration before being answered. "I am.. better. My injury is almost well." He glances down at his chest and torso, and then back to the doctor. "These injuries as well." This might give the impression that the claw and fang wounds had not been his only injures. He'd been meditating for at least a portion of the last two days. More this day than the previous. He hadn't slept today, but had been meditating a good portion of it, but for pausing to go for a couple of walks, and eating. His color is also much improved, and though he remains pale, that seems to be more or less his natural complexion.

Zhao nods to Vitali. "Xiang Zhao as well, has respect for medicine." He does not usually speak of himself in the third person. It's part of his native language, though, and how he would speak that particular sentence in his native tongue. "How I call you is your preference. I am good with either, Doctor." For now, it seems he's going to stick with the Doctor's title. Hank seems a little.. familiar. For the moment, he remains where he is, but he is not sitting in the center of the bed but closer to the edge. So when, if, it comes time to being Zhao's turn, he's within easy enough reach.

Beast has posed:
"This? It's a diaphragm and bell device, that allows me to here very fine crackle sounds and very deep liquid sounds, much clearer." Beast smiles at Vitali, listening six times to upper, middle and lower lungs on both sides, as well as heart rhythm -- no crackles is good. Heart sounds seem good. No sepsis and potential endocarditis here! He moves on, to gently but firmly palpate the hip that was injured, making sure to move the knee in a few slightly unnatural abductions, to make sure there's no stiffening, also. Then? He leans back, seemingly pleased and reaches up for the drip, closing the line. "Would you like to hear?" He asks this of Zhao, removing the earpieces and offering them to the fellow. "The sound of a magnified human heart is a magical sound..." at least to his ears.

He does however, look to Soraya, nodding that way. "A pleasure, Soraya." And then, apparently satisfied with Vitali's state of health, he kneels to regard the other fellow, reaching for the traditional medicine box. It's opened and several sachets of prepared teas are laid out; one for immune boosting, laced with ginger. Another for the purging of the negative, in the form of black garlic and various tonics, including ground-up seahorse and lastly, one that is a meddly of fragrant petals, for the spiritual. He also holds out a couple of Shiatsu stones. THose are not traditionally chinese, but there are similar practices, of river-polished hot-stones to be placed on chi points.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
As Zhao explains about spirits and ghosts, Vitali listens. It's... different than his own experience with such things. He doesn't seem bothered by the difference, but more curious. His gaze follows Zhao's, to the stethescope, and he lifts one of his shoulders in a bit of a shrug. He's never seen one before either, and so he can't help with what it might be for. "Am not knowing what is," he says, a bit of curiosity to his voice.

When Zhao mentions his own injuries, Vitali ducks his chin a bit and looks down. Sheepish, and no doubt more than a bit guilty about it. He had caused some of those injuries, even if he hadn't been fully himself and aware at the time. Perhaps he hasn't yet forgiven himself for the fact that he'd caused those injuries. It's only when Zhao speaks of his own respect for medicine that he lifts his gaze before giving a small nod. "Medicine important," he says softly, a small smile finding the corners of his lips.

Vitali tilts his head a touch to one side at the explanation of the device, though he doesn't say anything whilst the listening is done. The antibiotics have done their job well, it would seem. The hip is still bruised, but the bruising is less than it was as some of it's healed over the past weak. The swelling that had been in it has eased, and it has much better movement than what it did. One of his eyebrows quirks up when he notices that something is done with the IV, and he gives the doctor a curious look. "Is changing for something else?" he asks, curious.

Vitali moves a bit, to better be able to see the contents of the box when it's opened. His curiosity is definitely piqued by it. He recognizes the herbal mixtures, though isn't sure if they're teas or something else. "Is tea?" he asks, curious.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao looks at the thing that appears almost like a rope in a new light, once it's explained. "I.. would like that, yes. Xiexie," he says. Hearing a magnified heart? That does sound impressive, at the very least. He accepts the earpieces as they're offered toward him, and puts them on as he'd seen the Doctor wear them. He listens with the device, the diaphram and bell device, as long as it's left in his care. But he also looks curiously at the traditional medicine box. While some things look familiar to him, the teas and the like, the others do not, for he's never had cause to use such things. And he's not a Doctor himself.

Vitali may have caused some of Zhao's injuries, but the worst one had been caused by Zhao himself before he ever found Vitali. And that injury is not visible on the outside. A glance and a nod to Vitali. Medicine is important. It's true. He glances to the box again at Vitali's question. He inhales deeply, smelling the fragrances he can from the box. "Shengjiang. Dasuan. Something I am unfamiliar with. And something floral. What are the stones for?"

Translations: Shengjiang - Ginger. Dasuan - Garlic.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy takes the diaphragm of the stethoscope and gently places it on Zhao's own chest, brushing it gently and ooooooooh so slightly against the silk -- Sussuration, crackle, pop! With a grin, he rotates the mechanism at its neck and places the bell-end to the man's chest, to allow him to hear the sound of his own heart, thumping and liquescent. And then, of course, he will leave the asian fellow to explore it on his own. That COULD be fun. And also funny in its own way. Particularly if the surprise of it prompts sharing of the stethoscope with the russian!

To Vitali: "Your chest is free of any crackling sounds, your exhaustion is spent and no infection is to be found. You don't need the IV any more, no more antibiotics, which is a good thing. I have some yoghurt for you to eat and brought a few pills in case of this very thing. They're nothing bad, just a small dose of iron pills and some multivitamins. Make sure you eat well." Which of course might pique Zhao's urge to cook. "...with plenty of fish..." for the iodine and zinc "...and leaf greens..." for the vitamin K and calcium.

To Zhao AND Vitali: "These are Shiatsu stones. The people of Nipon use them to focus the power of fire on core chakras," and thusly relieve a lot of inflamatory reaction of the points of muscle group cluster "and ground the person to the healing of the earth." And the spiritual therein. "Hai. I mean, yes. You smell ginger and garlic. The first will promote your healing and health through the gut, the second will improve your metabolism, the way your systems work in harmony and the third will ease your spirit."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Soraya clicks her beak, and she ruffles her wings a little bit before lightly hopping down from the railing where she had been perched. She hops across the bed towards him, and then she lightly hops up to his knee before clicking her beak. And she tilts her head a bit to one side, eyeing him briefly, then Zhao, and lastly the doctor. She clicks her beak again and makes a soft sound which seems... curious, interestingly.

Vitali tilts his head a touch to one side, his gesture one that echoes the raptor's. "What is shengjiang, dasuan?" he asks, unfamiliar with the words, his brow furrowing a little bit. He doesn't know more than a few words of Chinese, alas, and those are ones that Zhao has taught him. And he watches, as Zhao listens through the stethoscope, curious but quiet.

His dark gaze turns to the doctor, and he gives a small nod at the words. "Is good, infection gone. Knew was sick. Not in right mind for help self," he says softly, his brow furrowing a little bit. "Will take pill medicine, da. Like fish, too. Soraya good at catching," he offers, lifting a hand to lightly stroke the eagle's back. "Zhaoshenka cook well. Like his food. Include vegetables," he adds, looking to Zhao and giving a smile.

"Am not knowing Shiatsu," Vitali says softly, a bit confusedly. And then he blinks when fire is mentioned before he gives a small shake of his head, a flicker of something showing in his dark eyes. "Fire, no. Okay for cooking, little fire. Not good for on self," he says, a bit of concernto his voice and his brow furrowing a bit. There's something about fire that he doesn't like, it seems.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao does like to cook, oh yes. He hasn't yet, whilst they've been in the cabin, but he's not overly familiar with the things that are here to cook with. And he hadn't thought to ask for ingredients he is familiar with! He blinks as the blue furred man puts the stethescope against Zhao's own chest. That leads to curious listenings, and indeed, exploring on his own, his left hand moving the end of the stethescope about. His expression is calm as he asks, "Is there supposed to be a gurgle?" He does indeed then offer the stethescope to the Russian for him to try it.

His lips curl up ever so slightly at the mention of fish. "When I cook any meat with a meal, it tends to be fish or chicken. With rice and greens of various sorts." He looks curiously at the doctor. "Hai is yes?" The scents are nodded to but commented upon no further. "I heal through meditation as well. More quickly."

Soraya's soft sound draws his eyes for a moment, and he inclines his head at her. Then looks to Vitali. "Shengjiang is ginger. Dasuan is garlic." It had been habit to say them in Mandarin rather than English. Zhao shakes his head a little bit. "The stones are heated, I think, then used on chankra points. To help spiritual alignment, if I am understanding correctly. The same thing I use meditation for. Spiritual alignment can help your body heal itself more quickly. There will be no fire to harm you, ah'Tali," he says, a trace of reassurance to be heard in his tone.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy shakes his head a little bit, taking up one of the stones at Vitali's protest. "They are not /on/ fire. They're heated, so that the stone retains that heat and are used to add consistent pressure and penetrating warmth to an injury. Very few instances require using actual fire on an injured person, that is rather counter intuitive to medicine," he does not elaborate though, as cauterization isn't something one should contemplate when one is trying to promote peace of mind. Instead, he wraps the stones in a leather cloth and sets them on the hearth, to gather the heat up.

It's Zhao's words that cause him to look at the man funny. "A gurgle? Well, potentially, if you are listening to your stomach by mistake. May I?" He asks, with a gesture to the stethoscope, so that he might listen to what ZHao has detected.

Nightingale has posed:
     The night before had not seen Shannon return to her dorm for very long at a time, as she was mostly haunting the rec room back at the mansion to keep an eye on news reports following the disastrous trip to Salem Center. By the time she was finally able to make her way down to the cabin by the edge of the lake once more, at least it wasn't empty-handed, as she had time on her hands--and a lot of worry to work through. Inquiries around the mansion had ferreted out Dr. McCoy's location as checking in on the patients in the cabin, so she wings her way down to the lake once more.

     There's a soft whistle at the cabin door as she lands, the call Soraya would be familiar with, akin to a bos'un's whistle, followed by a light knock for the two-legged occupants within. In a weary voice, she calls out, "Vitali? Zhao? Dr. McCoy? Room for one more? It's Shannon." By the smell of things, there is something warm and yeasty like fresh bread, and something lightly salty with hints of the sea. What could she have been up to in the kitchen?

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
It's understandable that Zhao hasn't been cooking -- he's been recovering, after all. Vitali knows how to cook but also hasn't been, for much the same reason -- and because of his IV. The Siberian watches Zhao's explorations with the stethoscope, a flicker of curiosity showing in his dark eyes. He blinks a bit at the question, and then he lifts one of his shoulders in a bit of a shrug. "Am not knowing of gurgles," he says, giving Zhao a sort of puzzled look. As the stethoscope is offered to him, he gives a small nod and quirks a smile as he reaches out to accept it, and carefully so. "Spasibo, Zhaoshenka," he says softly, a bit of colour creeping into his cheeks.

And now it's his turn to explore! He puts the earpieces into his ears and lets Zhao keep the other end against his chest so that he can listen. And he blinks a bit with slightly wide eyes, eyes the end on Zhao's chest, stares at Zhao's chest past it. "Kakiye...?!" 'What', in Russian. He sounds surprised and puzzled and mystified. It's amazing! Then he reaches out towards the end that's against Zhao's chest. He heard the gurgle, and he doesn't understand it, and he wants to hear if he has one! But that will have to wait a moment, it seems. When the doctor requests for the stethoscope, though, he lifts his hands to remove the earpieces from his ears in order to offer them to Hank. He gives a small and respectful nod as he does.

His brow furrows a little bit at the translations that Zhao provides, and he gives a small shake of his head. "Am not sure of... ginger, or garlic," Vitali says, speaking the words carefully since he's unfamiliar with them. "Not knowing if have had or not," he adds. He chews a bit at the inside of his lower lip, considering what Zhao says about the stones, but seeming... uncertain about them. "If... is no fire, maybe," Vitali says softly, giving a small nod. He has a healthy wariness where fire is concerned. "Heat good, sometimes. Easy for be too much," he adds. For himself, at least. Fire and heat can be... tricky.

Soraya hears the whistle when it's given, and she gives a chirp and clicks her beak, turning her head towards the door. "Shannon here," Vitali says, his head tilting a touch to one side. This said before she's called out. He reaches out a hand to lightly stroke the eagle, and there's a flicker of a smile that touches his lips. "Can come in," he says, a bit louder for her to be able to hear past the closed door of the cabin.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Sometimes, fire is used when out on a patrol, when a Doctor cannot be gotten to in time." Xiang Zhao doesn't elaborate. He likely doesn't need to at this point. With the listeny end of the device still in his left hand and pressed to his chest, where it is, it's possible it's his stomach that he's hearing gurgle, but it seems more like an area where he'd be listening to a lung or his heart. Now, he's torn between offering the stethescope listeny end to Vitali, as he had originally, or the Doctor. There's actual hesitation to be seen in his expression as the stethescope is held somewhat equidistant between Vitali and the blue furred fellow.

Shannon's voice, and whistle, at the cabin door are a distraction, but doesn't really ease his hesitation and uncertainty in deciding who to offer the device to. Vitali gets to it first! He nods. "Bu keqi," he replies. He does not make motion toward keeping the end against his chest when Vitali makes like he wants to use it. That is, until that motion is aborted. He keeps the end where it is, while the end you listen from is passed on to the Doctor. "Ginger and garlic are spices. You have had both in things I have cooked for you." He looks expectantly toward the Doctor while Shannon is invited in by Vitali.

Translations: Bu keqi - You are welcome.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy does not so much as glance at the door as Shannon arrives. His focus is on placing the ear pieces of the stethoscope to his ears, listening to the sound he can hear from Xiang's chest. He motions to the drum end of the device and gently takes over the handling of it from the man, moving the end just slightly against the man's chest. Oblique, then down, toward the lowest point of the lung, around the man's ribcage to the side. Listen to a breath, move the drum, listen to a breath, move the drum, no more than a centimeter each time. Gently, he reaches out to tap the side of Zhao's chest gently with the ends of his fingertips, drumming against the rib with it.

All other conversation ignored: "Have you been a little short of breath?" he asks, in a mild tone.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon slips quietly through the doorway, closing it with a light little -click- of the latch. She took one look at the tableau inside, and for the moment, keeps quiet. She's dressed in some light blue jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and some older but still serviceable white sneakers. Her hair's pinned up in a somewhat messy bun on the top of her head, and she is completely devoid of makeup of any kind.

     Beneath her eyes, some shadows linger, a testament to a long, likely sleepless night, and her wings look a tiny bit ragged and ruffled from lack of preening. But still, she smiles at the trio inside, saying nothing to disturb the examination in progress. Instead, she sets down the large canvas shopping bag she is carrying on a nearby chair, checking to make sure the contents within are not jostled about or spilled.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The Siberian has been a bit charmed, in that respect -- at home, when things happened to others, he or another member of his blood family were generally within ease of reach for doing the healing. And when things happened to himself, one of his blood family members had been fetched for the healing. There are benefits to healing running in the family, even if he can't use the ability on himself. Vitali gives a little shake of his head, at Zhao's words about fire. "Am not knowing of use fire instead of doctor," he says, his brow furrowing a little bit.

He tilts his head a little to one side when Zhao explains further about the ginger and garlic, and a smile tugs up the corners of his lips as he gives a nod. "If have had in your cooking, then like," he says. Zhao hasn't made anything that he hasn't liked, thus far. He draws his feet a touch further beneath himself, though is careful to not disturb Soraya in the process.

The doctor's listening of Zhao's chest, the odd gestures and such that are made, serve to draw Vitali's attention to that, though. He tilts his head a little to one side, studying the movements, then the doctor, his brow furrowing a little bit. There's a flicker of concern that comes to his dark eyes, joined with a measure of worry at the question that's asked. His dark gaze turns to Zhao, and he lifts his left hand in order to offer it towards Zhao, his palm facing up. "Zhaoshenka...? Will allow to check, please?" he asks softly. Asking permission. Permission was always implied, in his home. And he looks to neither of the others in the moment of doing so, or after, his attention held fixed upon Zhao.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
With the motion toward the drum end of the device, as well as action of reaching for it, Zhao obligingly releases it for the Doctor to take over. He moves his hands back down where they were, with the backs of his wrists resting upon his knees. This gets his arms neatly out of the way of his ribcage for the blue furred ghost to do as he will. But the drumming on his rib? That elicits a quiet sound. Not quite his standard 'mm'. More what one might expect if they had startled him, and perhaps mild discomfort. That was both unexpected and mildly uncomfortable. Not that his expression changes at all, of course.

Xiang Zhao nods to the question. "I have been." He nods to Shannon, his eyes alighting upon her for a moment. Then his attention shifts back to Henry. Before he speaks, though, there's a flicker of a sidelong glance toward Vitali, but he very carefully doesn't look at the Siberian sqare on. "Earlier in the day I found ah'Tali, I came out of meditation early because I could not concentrate. I.. injured myself in the process. It is healing." That might well explain why he'd slept almost nonstop for five days, though. Healers there are aplenty in his family, but it's not the same kind of healing. It's accelerating what's already there, not magically taking wounds away.

He glances to Vitali now, and nods slowly. "There is a method using fire. Usually you stick a sword into a fire until it is red hot, then press it to the wound. It is.. not something we care for. Wounds sealed such... The bleeding stops, but they can go bad, and cause poison inside." The compliment to his cooking actually brings a touch of color to his cheeks. It's slight, so might be overlooked, but Zhao really is blushing!

"I am fine, ah'Tali. It is healing and will be gone in another week or so. Less, if I meditate and heal faster." He holds up his left hand, palm toward Vitali, but not in a gesture of acceptance. No, this is a more or less universal sign for stop. Fingers up, palm toward whoever or whatever needs to stop. "No. If you check, you will be tempted to heal, and you need to recover your strength more before you heal anyone." This might be a conversation that pops up occasionally. However, that doesn't change the fact that permission has been very much denied. He lowers his hand to rest his wrist on his knee again.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy seems satisfied on listening and at the reply, as this does appear to be resolving itself. He relinquishes listening with the stethoscope though, to hang it around his neck by the ear pieces, looking at the gesture of palms and the extending of hands. "I think this might be slightly above my payscale," murmured mostly to himself, he looks at Shannon for the first time, blinks as he looks over how shabby she is around the edges and finally notes to Xiang. "No heavy exertion for at least another weak. You have a measure of fluid at the base of your lung on that side, but it is resolving as you said..." he stands up, moving to remove the drip from Vitali, as he'd already determined the man needed it no longer, putting a small bandaid over the needle before it's removed with a slide and pressure exerted.

"The invalids are less invalid now. What brings you out here, SHannon? Just checking up on our friends here?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "That, too, Dr. McCoy," Shannon says, with a bit of a wan smile, and a ruffle of her wings. "Brought out some fresh bread, butter, and a good clear broth clam chowder for our friends here. Figured the clams would be healthy and a nice change of pace." Running her fingers through her bangs, she tries to make them look somewhat presentable, only to have an errant wisp come loose from the bunch in her hair bun, and flop down right between her eyes in semi-comical fashion.

     Her eyes go crossed as she tries to first look at the wayward lock of hair, and then lets out a whuff of breath to try and blow it out of the way. "Wish I could say that's all it was, though. I... don't suppose you heard about yesterday, did you? The trip to Salem Center?"

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The Siberian watches Zhao's reactions to the doctors tests very closely. His head tilts faintly to one side. He might not entirely understand the results as the doctor would, but he has different ways of finding out what's wrong. If Zhao accepts the offer of it. Zhao's answer about the shortness of breath is one that troubles him. But Vitali doesn't say anything, at least not in that moment. He can't very well blame Zhao for not having said anything about it -- Vitali hadn't been in much of a condition for doing anything about it, and he stubbornly would have tried anyways, which would have set his own healing back.

"Have not hear of such method. Have seen wounds go bad. Smell very bad. Have fixed, before. Clear poison," Vitali says softly, giving a small nod. His healing is... a bit more. Though he notices the blush that comes to Zhao's cheeks, he doesn't point it out. But he does like it.

Then the Chinaman claims to be fine, and denies the offer that Vitali had extended. There's a sting in that denial, even if one hadn't been intended, and the Siberian gives a very small nod, trying not to take it to heart. "Is fine," he says softly. He accepts the answer, even if he doesn't like it -- it's a part of asking permission, after all. He withdraws his hand, bringing it back to his lap, the fingers of one hand twining with those of the other. Keeping his hands to himself.

His gaze turns away from Zhao, to the doctor and watching the needle be removed from his arm, which is an interesting thing. Soraya clicks her beak at the smell of the bandaid. Vitali gives a small nod to the doctor. "Spasibo," he says softly, his tone respectful, grateful. His dark gaze turns to Shannon when she provides details of the food that she had brought, and he gives a small nod to her. "Spasibo, Shannon," he offers to her as well. "Smell good," he adds, meaning the food.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao watches the Doctor again, now, his expression and eyes, as well as his body language, all equally calm and composed. Serene and unruffled. He nods a single time, eyes closing at the lowest dip of it before opening as he lifts his head again. "I have kept things light and brief." Chances are, whatever the injury he spoke of was, he'd made it that much worse by running to find Vitali as he had. Never the less.. "I will keep doing such. I have been careful to do no more than a calm walk outside." That might be because he really can't do more than that without having difficulties breathing!

He glances to Shannon, curiousity in his expression. "What are clams?" The questions posed about the previous day, and Salem Center, though... "What happened at Salem Center?" Thanks to Shannon, that is one of the areas he is passingly familiar with. His eyes shift to Vitali. And that is precisely why he's not letting the Siberian have a look now. No setting of healing backwards! He does nod about wounds going bad. Yup. "Yes. I can purge the poison, but it takes time to heal the wounds." Despite the sting he knows is there, Zhao does not relent. Vitali's health is a little more important than Zhao getting healed more quickly. And he really is fine if he doesn't overdo it.

Zhao watches the removal of the needle with curiousity as well, though remains silent. "It does smell good. The food. Shannon, if I have a list, would you be willing to bring some things for me to cook with?" Now that he is well enough to be awake a majority of the time, cooking will at least help him pass the time when he's not meditating. Normally, he's a lot more physically active than he can be right now.

Beast has posed:
"I hadn't heard much of anything, no. Out here is radio silence, mostly..." if for no other reason that it all goes a bit staticky around Zhao, but Beast didn't bring a comm here either, only a pager, because of spotty signal. "What happened, Shannon?" taking up the stones from the fire, he unwraps them and moves to Vitali's hip and thigh, placing one at the small of his back where he sits and another on his abdominal Chakra, where it will warm across the area and help promote relaxation of achey muscles with it. Warm, smooth heat!

Nightingale has posed:
     Withdrawing the rather large container of chowder from the canvas bag, Shannon also brings out four bowls, spoons, a butter knife, and plates for the bread. A rather wry smile is offered to Dr. McCoy, and is that a wink? No, surely it must be a trick of the light! "Brought enough for all four of us. Not that -anybody- would forget to eat while they're working..." She finishes with a light cough, that melts into a bit of a chuckle. Glancing over at Zhao, she nods, and smiles lightly. "Yes, of course. Maybe if you're willing, I could learn a bit of your cooking from you? And I could show you some of mine?" Vitali gets a bit of a smile and a bow, even as she bustles about serving out the chowder, bread, and butter for everyone else first, taking her own share last of all. "Pozhaluysta... I think I said that correctly?"

     Her expression when she turns back to Dr. McCoy, though, with his chowder and bread in hand, is more than a little serious. "A group of us went to Salem Center yesterday with miss Munroe for a bit of shopping at a New Age faire. There was a gang of teens there... like us. It didn't go well." She purses her lips, and sighs. "I'm not proud of myself on how I acted, but that's a bit less critical at the moment. Rosie... she threw a large boulder during the fight, and it seriously hurt one of the other teens that was hassling us. We had to call in Josh Foley."

     A deep sigh escapes her, and she shakes her head. "Worst of it is, Rosie's taken off, and nobody's actually seen her since. Jeremy over-extended himself badly and has been resting, and the only real idea I've got where Rosie might be are some news reports that have been cropping up today. While I'm pretty sure miss Munroe passed word on up, figured since you're kind of our mentor, I'd better come talk to you about it."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Soraya sidesteps along Vitali's leg, and then she steps carefully up to his arm. Carefully, because her talons are sharp and his arm is bare. Perhaps there's an additional reason as to why the jacket he has -- when he wears it -- is leather. It gives more protection against the raptor's sharp claws. Vitali's dark gaze turns towards the raptor, and he tilts his head faintly to one side. Soraya stops and clicks her beak, looking aside one way and then the other. She ruffles her feathers a bit, and seems to wait at least a moment before snatching a bit of his hair into her beak. She tugs on it, shimmies her beak down it an inch or so, and then tugs on it again. Vitali slips his hands apart from one another, lifts one of his hands to gently claim the raptor's beak in order to free his hair from it. "Soraya, khvatit, ostanovis'," he says quietly, without any sternness. 'Soraya, enough, stop,' in his native Russian. "Shannon, please be opening door? Soraya want fly, stretch wings," he requests. He wouldn't mind stretching his wings, but that bead's been drained. Soraya hops to his knee, then half hops and half wings her way to the foot end of the bed, her wings partially open. Waiting.

His attention turns to Zhao, at the question of clams. "Sometimes find at river, in home. In summer. In sand. Ride take little while. Worth it, for clams, for fish. Clams have shell. Spit water. Make soup with, at home... with horse milk," he says, giving a small nod. Then he tilts his head faintly to one side, studying the Chinaman. "If breath not to normal when strength all back, will let check then?" he asks, one of his eyebrows quirking just a touch upwards.

Now that he's been disconnected from the IV, he can start to get up and around a bit. He's normally pretty active, but he's not intending to push himself too much. His gaze turns towards the doctor when the fellow heads for the stones that had been on the hearth, and though he'd initially shown wariness about them, he sits still and lets them be placed. And there's a smile that finds the corners of his lips as he gives a nod to Hank. "Spasibo. Is different than thought would be. Is good," he says softly.

Vitali turns his attention to Shannon, and he gives a small nod to her. "Da, pozhaluysta, is good. Mean, you are welcome," Vitali says, a smile easily returning to his features. He accepts the food that he's given, nodding to her. One of his eyebrows quirks up as he listens to the conversation between Shannon and the doctor, and he's quiet as he starts to eat. There are gears within his head that are turning, but whatever thoughts are stirring, he doesn't speak them aloud.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"Radio. What is a radio?" Only things that have programs to run them go funky around Zhao. Sometimes staticky. Sometimes outright dysfunctional. Sometimes like the programs have gone insane. He watches curiously the placement of the two stones on the Siberian. Interesting. The Doctor is not the only one who forgets to eat. There are times Zhao gets distracted by meditation or other things, and .. well. He's the same way. Thus, despite the fact that he isn't 'working', as such, there's a guilty look briefly flashing across his features.

Zhao nods to Shannon. "I would be willing to show you as much as you wish to learn, and I would like to learn some of your cooking too." As the food is dished out, Zhao half bows toward Shannon over the food items being juggled. "Xiexie." He listens quietly at the explanation of what happened at Salem Center. At the end, he glances briefly to Vitali, then back to Shannon. "If we can help.." Of course, Zhao at least is more than willing, and suspects the Siberian is too. After all the help the pair of men had gotten from those here, anything Zhao can do to help in return, he's going to do.

He starts to eat then, slowly but steadily. He watches Soraya's antics in pestering Vitali, a faint smile lifting up the corners of his mouth. He listens about the clams and nods slowly. "Ha," he says, though it sounds more like 'huu'. "Two shells, like this?" He cups his hands together, heels to heels, fingertips touching. At the request, he nods without hesitation. "Hao," he says, voice soft. At that point, yes. He'll let Vitali check.

Beast has posed:
Beast smiles at the thoughtfulness, the bringing of the one extra bowl just in case. "THank you," but as it cools from its container, he frowns as he listens. The interaction between the two other men and their curious relationship one to the other, is a kind of comfort, but troublesome news has a knack of settling in a troublesome manner.

"Was something untoward occuring that prevented her being tracked at the time? You were there with Ororo, weren't you?" there has to be more to this, why a child runs off alone and no adult immediately goes to help. What happened?? For later, no doubt. He stirs his chowder, dunks a slice of bread in it and rapidly eats, whilst listening for the answers.

Nightingale has posed:
     "I wish I had an easy answer for that one," Shannon replies, rubbing her temples. "I saw Gray take off after her to try and bring her back, and miss Munroe was stuck in the middle of damage control. It was a really ugly situation. Please... under the circumstances, I'm not sure just how much any one of us could've done. On our way out of there I did a fly-over of the area, but I couldn't spot Rosie at all." She grimaces, gripping the spoon in her hand hard enough to start to bend the handle. "And I fucking hate myself for it."

     To try and calm herself, Shannon heads for the doorway, opening it so Soraya can go stretch her wings. "Look. I know you and a lot of the other adults have your means and ways of doing things, and I'm pretty darn sure that what -can- be done, -is- being done. But this is a class-mate and teammate we're talking about here, and I feel somewhat responsible for helping out, too." She sighs softly, resting her head against the doorway. "I strongly suspect Rosie's been heading roughly northwards. There's been reports of trees being uprooted, and falling across hiking trails. Condensed storm cell, my ass."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
"Am not knowing radio. Not have thing with name," Vitali says, tilting his head to one side for a brief moment before he shakes his head. The one truck that he spent time in for getting from his village to the harbour didn't have a radio in it. He rests his piece of bread at the side of his bowl, and then lifts his newly freed hand to push his long hair back over his shoulder. There might be a reason that he tends to keep it braided. One of his eyebrows quirks up a little bit as Zhao offers their help, and then he gives a small nod. "Da. If can help, will help," he says softly, adding his voice as well. He'd been thinking it, he might as well say it!

His gaze turns to Zhao, and then he gives a nod. "Da! Two shells, like that. Can open when raw, easier for using cooking to open. Taste good, raw, cooked," Vitali says, quirking a bit of a smile. With the answer given to his offer, he gives a small nod, accepting it. It's a fair thing! With the hearty meal, and more sleep -- since sleep seems to be a thing that he's doing a lot of these past days -- his energy will likely be back to normal within a couple of days. He picks up the piece of bread from the side of his bowl, eating more of it. And listening to more of what's being shared. No doubt considering the options that are available.

When the door is opened by Shannon, Soraya tilts her head to one side and eyes Vitali for a long moment. He merely looks to her, then looks to the open doorway before giving a small nod. There is something there, something unsaid, some conversation of some sort. Soraya clicks her beak, and then she easily launches from the foot of the bed before winging her way out the door and to the great outdoors. Vitali gives a small nod to Shannon, then. "Spasibo. Soraya, me, not used to be inside for so long. Soraya fly often," he says softly.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao isn't familiar with the people in question, at all, so he doesn't really know the kinds of questions that need to be asked. Offering his help in this case will have to suffice. He stops eating long enough to fix Shannon with a look. "That you could not find her is not your fault, Shannon," he says firmly. "Some people.. if they do not wish to be found, it does not matter how much you try. They will not be found." He pauses and then continues, "And if she was taken, if those who took her did not want her seen, you would not have been able to see her then, either. It is not your fault." He glances toward Vitali again, then back to Shannon. "I know ah'Tali can track a person. He has done so with me, before. Would that help?"

He takes another bite as he continues listening, then nods slowly about northward. "If we can find those trees having been uprooted, the trail can be followed." Zhao is not the type of person to sit aside when he can help, even if he's not in the best of shape to do so. He's going to do so anyway. Because it's the right thing to do.

Zhao nods to the Siberian. "I do not know what radio is either. Is it a person? A thing? Food?" He shakes his head and eats a bit of bread with the broth. About the clams, he nods as well. "Some of the lower ponds and lakes have them. It is too cold further up the mountain to find them often." The exchange between eagle and Siberian does not go unmissed by Zhao. "It looks like she is.. I do not know the words. Shao erduo. What is she saying?"

Translations: Shao erduo - Burning your ears.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy hnnnnnms. "Ah, the joys of organized chaos," he presses his lips firmly together, looking at the two men with a critical assessment hovering very plain to see on his fuzzy face. "If you assist, you are to do so only in the capacity that makes the least amount of strain on you. Helping us, only to hinder yourselves is counter productive, if you can do so with minimal stress." He thinks hard about how to explain a radio though. Modern radios for communication are a little different than the old kind, after all, which worked solely and utterly on magnetic coils -- and so he finds the right words in Russian and in Chinese, although that doesn't help much either. Explanation: "SHort range and medium range magnetic coil devices that help sound to travel great distances." - doesn't do credit if you still have no frame of reference!

"The beginning of the devastation would be a good place to start looking. I have the mule, which should work to carry us all. Four is its capacity."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon nods, and hurries to finish her portion of the chowder and bread. "Then let's at least go on a full stomach. I'll pack up the rest to bring with us so we have a little something to keep our energy up." The prospect of actually acting to find her teammate seems to lend a fresh wave of energy to the otherwise somewhat ragged-around-the-edges young woman.

     She bustles about making sure that they have some edibles with them, and pauses, frowning. "Jeremy over-extended himself pretty badly. Last I knew, he was resting in his dorm. Who'll look in on him while we're out looking for Rosie? 'Cause you can bet the minute he gets wind of a search for her, he will move heaven and earth to find her, and I don't want to see him over-extended again. Even if the help would be welcome."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The Siberian isn't familiar with the people in question either. But it doesn't stop him from chiming in to offer his help along with Zhao. He owes these people that much, for all of the help that they've given the pair of them. One of his eyebrows quirks at part of what Zhao says, and he gives a small nod of agreement. Some people have a way of hiding in plain sight. "As Zhaoshenka say, is not your fault," he says, giving a small nod to Shannon. Then he looks back to Zhao, studying him a moment as a smile quirks at the corners of his lips as he gives a nod. "Da, can track. Have good nose," he comments, his dark eyes showing a hint of amusement to them. He does have a good nose, and even better in some of his other forms. Zhao is the only one to have seen all of them, here.

"Soraya can look, see if can find trail," Vitali says softly, giving a small nod. He listens to what Zhao says about the radio, giving a small shrug. "Is not sounding like person, but could be wrong," he says, uncertain. Then he tilts his head a bit to one side. "Shao erduo?" Vitali asks, speaking the words uncertainly. He ducks his chin a little bit, a touch of sheepishness showing. "Was saying she get lazy and spoiled. Have all things brought here, sleep all day, night. Soraya remind of things. Say that 'no' is sometimes better for health than 'yes'. Soraya smart, sometimes smarter than me. Make me tell her no for proving point," he says softly, a bit of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He does, at least, tell the truth -- always that, for Zhao.

His gaze turns to Hank, and he tilts his head faintly to one side. He finishes his piece of bread, and in almost idle fashion, lifts that hand to finger one of the beads that's on the necklace he wears. The only one that hasn't been used. "Way of helping have... risks. Maybe. If looking last for long time. Maybe. Is longest nose... longest smell," he says softly, not elaborating beyond that. "Soraya looking," he adds, giving a small nod. He turns his dark gaze to Zhao. "Am strong enough, Zhaoshenka," he says quietly, giving a small nod. His energy levels might not be entirely full, but at least he's not running on empty, either.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao inclines his head to the Doctor. Never, ever argue with your medical personnel! "Hao," he says, agreeing readily enough to refrain from stressing himself. The explanation of what a radio is... well. Zhao is the opposite of scientifically inclined. Or mechanically inclined, in fact. So he stares. Blankly. For several breaths. "So... it shouts loudly?" He shakes his head and his brow furrows. "It sounds very inconvenient. My talismans sound much easier to use."

He finishes the last bit of his food, and rises to his feet. He takes the time to gather up any empty, unused dishes people are finished with and carries them to the kitchen to rinse them off. Truth is, even if Zhao didn't owe these people for saving Vitali's life as well as his own, he'd still offer to help them.

The answer about the eagle brings a quiet chuckle from Zhao. "Sounds like she won that battle," he says. At least initially! He nods about Vitali being strong enough. "I know you are. For this. If it goes for a long time, I will be there, with you."

Beast has posed:
The assurances from the siberian and the asian receive a nod from Hank, even when the siberakh produces broken english in the explanation. He takes up the keys to the MULE then, rising with a deep breath. "Please do let me know if either of you ends up finding yourself winded or in pain during this excursion... there are things that can allieviate that," with a glance to Shannon, because fatigue toxins are a thing, he nods to the door. "Your eagle has a good mind, Vitali. And one must assume good eyesight. What we miss, she should spot and my nose is quite good also-- though I imagine from what I saw on the night you both came under our care, it is not as good as yours." He nods to Vitali, looking at Zhao a moment with a nod.

"Radio shouts very loudly, but so high that it seems like the voice of a bat... or so low that it is like the song of a whale. It travels further that way and can be picked up by another that has a radio and made less loud again."