Holding Out For A Healer [tag: Kiran]

[birdi]

"Oh, shard it."

Inanna was growling before she'd even truly woken up, a flair of sudden and vivid pain digging into her side. Wincing, she drew a hand to right above her hip, and dug her nails in, in an attempt to distract herself. It didn't work, surprise surprise.

Cramps! Inanna wished, fervently, for a second that she'd been born male. It was a thought that visited her every time this special occasion came around. Bleeding a crimson tide again, making friends with the red dragon. But why be coy?

"Shaffit," Inanna hissed as she forced herself out of the warm, cozy comforts of her bed. Standing up didn't do anything for her at all, her muscles tightening in the movement, and further discomforting her.

Aw, no. No no no. She was not dealing with this. Somebody in the girl's half had to have something for this. She'd settle for a sweet.

Ah, but therein lies the rub, don't it? Problem numero uno: it was too dark out yet to wake up, unless you'd been forced to, like Inanna was. She grumbled about the inconvenience for a bit, under her breath, before taking a steadying breath and walking out of her room.

And, cricket noises.

"Heyo, and would you look at that? Nobody."

Making a face at the lack of people in the hallways, Inanna limped over to the commons that tied the two halls together. What, she'd ask the boys if she had to! It wasn't like she was shy. And pain trumped coyness, not that she'd ever been.

"Cramps. Somebody shaffing help me already." Inanna grumbled out, even as she entered the commons and scanned the room, to see who all was there.

[Kiran]

Kira was up unusually early. Mainly because her pink flit, Starfire, was chirping at her and urging her to wake up. She wasn't entirely sure why, but Starfire had a good sense of when she was needed for things. And whatever she was needed for, it seemed to be bothering Starfire a good deal.

The flit darted out of her room and down the hallway, going to whatever had given her the need to head out. Kira followed behind gamely, the rest of her flits staying behind and finishing up their rest. The healer didn't think it was all that important to wake them up. And whatever it was that Starfire wanted was only important to her - and Kira as well - so it didn't make much sense to disturb them.

Entering the common room, the pink chirped at the girl standing there. She was in pain! She was upset because of pain! Thwt wasn't good. Kira could help with the pain, yes she could! Starfire landed n the girls shoulder and began to nuzzle and croon at her, hoping that the girl would understand and take comfort.

Kira raised her eyebrow at the scene, not quite understanding why her flit was snuggling up to a stranger (not that it was necessarily an odd state of affairs, since it was Starfire after all),but why she was making good friends with a girl that didn't seem to be on this side of pleasant if her expression was any indication. "Sorry about Starfire," Kira said quickly, coming up. "She doesn't have any shame. I hope she isn't irritating you too badly." She was going by the expression on the girl's face. It didn't do to bother other candidates. She didn't want to make any enemies.

[birdi]

And all of a sudden, pink.

Inanna stared, bemused, as out of nowhere somebody's pink flit alighted on her shoulder and nuzzled her. Unsure what else to do, she reached up and petted her awkwardly. A slight smile gentled her expression, replacing the cross one momentarily.

When Kira came over, Inanna's features reverted, if not back to grumpiness, then to a more flat expression. "Well at least one of you isn't avoiding me, if only thanks to your 'lizard. Look, now that you're here, could you help me out?"

She waved it off. "Starfire's not bothering me, she's cute."

"I'm not going to bother being coy." Inanna said, "do you know a healer or something? I've got really bad cramps. I think the change in diet from fish to herdbeast has done something awful to my system."

Someone gasped and Innana's head swiveled around. She fixed em with her flattest glare.

"You say anything, kid?" She muttered.

The poor boy shook his head frantically.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought." And back to Kira. "No, but seriously, do you know anyone? Jays, this flitter is adorable." Innana's attention jerked back to Starfire, and she reached out to pet her again.

If anything, the distractedness further expressed that perhaps she was being extra cranky because she was tired and in pain.

[Kiran]

Kira caught the quick smile that had crossed the other Candidate's face at the sight of Starfire. The little thing had a tendency towards that, what with her adoration of people and wanting them to feel good. That was a good sign as well, she thought as she walked over to her, even though the other girl's look wasn't quite as friendly when she caught sight of Kira herself.

An eyebrow raised at the report of needing a Healer. Didn't the girl know to head to the infirmary for that sort of trouble? But ah, well, it was fine. And suggesting that ow would do no good, since the girl seemed to be in a fine temper, sending off another Candidate with a glare. Kira gave her a gentle smile. "That's no problem. I'm an Apprentice Healer, but I know enough to be able to help with this. Come on back to my room. I have something that can help." She motioned down the happy to her room, falling into step beside Innana.

"I'm Kira, by the way. And I'm glad that you like Starfire, she likes to be liked. And doesn't like when people are distressed or angry. She must have sensed your emotions, just led me right to you." The pink crooned again, wrapping herself around Innana's neck like a pink coral necklace. "I can understand the dietary change. I came from inland, and going from herdbeasts to a decent amount of fish was a shock to my system as well."

Kira opened the door to her room, motioning for Innana to be quiet as to avoid waking her roommate. She went over and got a powder that worked as a painkiller, and brought a small satchel of it out to the other candidate in the hallway. "Come on, lets go to the kitchens. This in a glass of water, twice a day for as long as your cramps last, should keep the pain to a minimum or even take it away, but you'll feel a numbness in your midsection. So don't feel alarmed if you still feel strange, even if the pain is gone." She handed it over to the girl with a smile.

[birdi]

It was hard to remain irritable around someone who radiated calm, which was the general impression Inanna was beginning to get of Kira. Despite herself, she found that she was relaxing. Starfire was certainly helpful in that regard as well...

"Thanks," Inanna said, inclining her head.

"M'Inanna," she introduced herself, in return. Smiling slightly again, she gave a nod to Starfire as well, and then the flit wrapped herself around her neck, which--ok, she supposed it was fine, a little more difficult to breathe but whatever, she could deal.

"I can't imagine a diet based mainly on herdbeasts," Inanna chuckled, "like I said, difficult enough as it is just having that kind of hearty meat in the system once or twice during the week."

Inanna obediently went quiet as they went into the room. Kira got something in a satchel, and then she followed her again as they left.

She frowned, squinting at the pouch.

"Is it bitter?" she asked, warily. Lots of healer stuff tended to be. "Could I sweeten it with anything, or would that mess with the effect? Maybe sprinkle it in some food or something so I don't have to taste it..."

Realizing she sounded ungrateful, Inanna remembered her manners at the last second. "I mean, thanks."

Maybe when they got to the kitchens, she could find some fish to feed to Starfire, for being such a nice flit.

[Kiran]

Kira grinned even more brightly as the girl seemed to perk up. "Well, Inanna, it is a touch bitter. But don't worry, you can mix it with some honey and put it on some sweetbread if you don't feel like taking it straight. But you will still need to wash it down with a tall glass of water. This can make you feel a bit dehydrated, and just doing that at the outset will keep that from happening." She watched Starfire a bit, who had taken to nuzzling and crooning into the girl's ear. "It's okay to be dubious about the taste. You aren't the first. And you are much more polite about it than some - they flat-out refused to take it."

With that Kira and Inanna entered the kitchens. At this time of day they were nearly empty, only a few people bustling about. It was easy enough to get a glass and some water for Inanna, and Kira asked about some honey and a sweet roll, which were soon deposited in front of the two. "So where do you come from that you're not used to eating herdbeast at all? And are you a new Candidate? I'm losing track because of all the new faces around here, coming for the hatching."

Kira gave her an apologetic smile, even as Starfire shifted so she was no longer around Inanna's neck but settled firmly in her shoulder. Her other flits popped in, getting the idea of food from Starfire and wanting some for themselves. Kira sighed and asked for some meat for them. Nightwing, her black, had no interest in the others, but Spindrift was intrigued by the newcomer and Starfire's antics. Her green Flirt was simply trying to get Soindrift's attention - she had long ago abandoned Nightwing, since he never rose to the occasion.

[birdi]

Inanna snorted. "Plain foolish of them, what's a bit of bitterness if in the long run it'll soothe the pain?"

What was nice about the kitchens at this time was how few people were around. Especially now when she was feeling so uncomfortable and in slight pain. Taking Kira's advice, she accepted the glass of water and the sweet rolls and honey. "Thank you."

On a small portion of her plate, she began mixing honey and a portion of Kira's medicine together. Spreading that on the sweet roll, Inanna looked at Kira. "We seem like a pretty big group here," she agreed, "I suppose thats'alright, considering. Seems better to have more for the babies to pick from rather than less, you know?"

"Anyway, those that don't Impress cin always try again," she shrugged.

Keeping in mind that Kira had advised her about dehydration, Inanna took a sip of water before continuing. "Anyway, ta actually answer your question," she laughed, "I'm fishfolk, so back at home it was just natural to feed mostly on what we could gather for ourselves. rather then paying good marks for herdbeast. So my diet was kind of unusual, I suppose."

Inanna leaned back as the other flits popped in.

"Oh, you've more of the critters," she said, whistling low under her breath. Though it was faaar from the biggest flock she'd seen, it was certainly the biggest flock she'd yet interacted with, and she was amused by that fact. As soon as one of the cooks came in with the meat Kira requested, Inanna picked up a few choice pieces and handed the largest chunk to Starfire before offering some out to the others, held out in the palm of her hand.

"What are their names?" she asked, curiously.