When We Collide

"Uh huh, and just how far did you fly before you got here?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow as she glanced back at the Vincent. "It was several hours just to walk from the forest to here, and I dare you to try and leave the city if that wing of yours is broken. The priests will probably end up dragging you all the way back here to keep an eye on you, or send a message ahead to whatever village you're from."

Leah led him down the winding streets that had been built into the side of the mountains, bridges allowing them to cross gaps that the average human might have found a tad frightening. "Anyway, the temple isn't too much farther. If it helps any, I hear that Lucan's a pretty clean roommate. Well, for a young man anyway."

"Especially since they don't have beds." Leah commented as she finally led him to where Hope's priests tended to congregate. There were already a few people there being seen to, those who were ill or injured. One of the priests had only just finished treating a vampire when they approached and the man greeted them with a smile.

"Ah, Leah, what can I do for you?" The woman in question immediately jerked a thumb in Alexan's direction. "This guy hurt his wing. Think you could take a look?"

The elderly man nodded and gestured for the Vincent follow him into the rather humble-looking temple.

Once the priest had guided them inside and out of the way of the others he wasted no time in getting to work while Leah took a seat off to the side. Meanwhile the priest moved behind Alexan and started to gently probe as his wing, gently feeling for breaks or fractures. "On a scale of one to ten, how much does it hurt?"

The man chuckled at the boy's estimate. "Yes, I'd say that's an eight. Stay here."

The healer left for just a few moments but he soon returned with a very large roll of bandages. "I'm sorry, my boy, but this will not be pleasant." As he took up his spot again he handed off the bandages to Leah who had gotten up to aid him before he set to work on the wing again.

First he set to work resetting the bone and made sure that it was aligned to the best of his abilities, probably the least pleasant part considering how he had to force the bone back into place. After that particular hill, however, it became a bit easier as the man folded the wing into a natural position. "Alright, we're almost done." He assured the young man in a quiet tone, one probably used more often for children than near adults. If Alexan objected then he didn't notice as he got Leah to hold one end of the bandage in place while he started to wind the the rest of the roll around the wing and partially around his patient's torso. It would keep the wing pinned and still, something none of his patients with such injuries were terribly fond of, but it was said that this treatment went back to the first lives of the pantheon.

So it was with a proud smile that the man finally tied off the end of the bandage. "There we go. Now, the texts say that the bandage should stay in place for six weeks with no flying attempts. Come back once every other week so we can make sure you heal well.'

"Good." The man replied with a smile, seemingly oblivious to Lex's dislike of the situation. "And be sure that you eat enough. If you don't then I'll know." If there was a warning in the tone then it wasn't explicit, but the healer led Lex to the door of the temple where Leah was waiting.

"All done then?" She asked the pair when Lex was brought over and smiled when the healer nodded. "Good. Lucan should have his place ready for you by now so I'll take you over there."

And so the journey across the chasms and up lifts began once more. Lucan's home was actually in the upper levels of the city, not as a sign of any sort of status and not high enough to be uncomfortable, but more because the boy had an obvious love for heights and flight. It was on one such trip on a lift up to the upper levels that Leah turned to Lex. "So, do you have any questions before we get there?"

Leah watched him think as if she was trying to see just what thoughts were running through his head. There was no actual way that she could see his thoughts, but it was easy to see the gears moving in his head. If he actually did have questions he didn't say them, only one about getting a letter back to his hometown to which Leah nodded.

"Sure. There's some flyers going out in the morning, so if any are going that way we can have them drop it off for you." The lift ground to a halt then and Leah led him off then up the street. "It's just up this way." She called back to him, her head turned just slightly to look at the sunset that shone across the foothills below the mountain. From this high it was a beautiful sight and it was not a height that many species could handle easily. Sure, the more permanent residents could adjust to the thin air and the altitude, but many first-time visitors were prone to altitude sickness at these heights if they weren't flyers.

The houses that lined the street looked like they'd been carved out of the side of the mountain, and Leah eventually stopped at one in particular where the light of a fire was flickering through the windows. "Here we are. Try and play nice, okay?" She cast him a little grin as she knocked on the wooden door, something that was soon met by a call for them to come inside.

When Leah opened the door it was clear that Lucan had been hard at work. A cot was already laid out in the main room, a little small for his guest but it was likely all Lucan had to spare. There were also four skinned rabbits tied to a spit in the fireplace, something that was clearly serving as part of tonight's dinner.

Lucan looked up from where he was standing as the pair entered, a knife in one hand while the other pinned down a partially cut carrot. "Hey," the Skyborn greeted in turn and looked back down at his food while Leah sat back in one of the chairs near the fire where she clearly made herself at home.

Sure, Lucan did not exactly like most Vincents, but if one was going to be staying in his home for six weeks then he was at least going to play the part of the civil host (as long as he could). "Sounds like you had fun with the healers. Did they give you the speech about making sure to eat?" He asked almost absentmindedly as he focused on cutting the carrot in front of him.