[Amber; Backdated to Thursday, Aug. 20]

[hairsay]

(Backdated to Thursday, Aug. 20; two weeks ago just after the hollow-backed woman removed the other tree)

[Jolene happens to be indoors when the strange eclipse turns the canopy and the world underneath it a strange purplish hue, but then even if she'd been outside, she probably would not have known what to make of it. Her last few days have consisted of an agony of itching and dry, fruitless coughs, and though she'd spent the first couple of days feeling well enough to try to pursue quest riddles, by this point she's given up. Her hairsays, little psychic leeches residing in the back of her mind, have been delighting in undoing all of the good work of the golden lifestream, exacerbating self-doubt and a sense of failure. It's been leaving her feeling low.]

I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to be doing here. Too dumb to smart my way for why the rest of you ff... people are here, too sick to haul ass on building anything, even if I have to use rocks and sticks to fucking do it.

[She's still terrible at censoring herself, but she's still trying.]

What am I being punished for?! What do you all know that I don't?! What am I doing wrong?

Comments

[alley_kit]

[Kit looks concerned. This lady doesn't look very good; she must've caught that bug that's been going around.]

Being sick isn't a punishment. It's not fun, but it's just something that happens.

[pause]

Do you need anything? I mean, I'm not a healer, but if you need any food or anything there...

[hairsay]

[Jo has seen this particular adventurer here and there around the tree, but overwhelmed as she has been by the various children (whether or not they are in fact children she is still feeling up for debate!) she hasn't approached Kit that often.

That makes the offer all the more surprising.

Jo hadn't really been expecting anyone to answer her, feeling a little too miserable to think objectively about what she's been saying, but she wipes her face with her arm a few times and then frowns into the amber.]

If you're not sick, better off not coming anywhere near... but... thanks, I mean...

[A coughing fit interrupts her for a moment.]

I mean you don't know me, you don't have to do anything for me.

[alley_kit]

Well, I know I don't have to. But I like to help people when I can.

And if I was sick myself then I couldn't very well take care of someone else, could I?

[Pause. That cough didn't sound too good.]

I should at least bring you some water. You really don't sound good...

[hairsay]

That... that'd be nice. [Jo isn't going to hold out against the kindness of people, and she has no real experience with telling kids off for what she thinks are relatively stupid risks like catching a sickness. Anyways, this one doesn't even look human, entirely. Can wing-itch transfer between people not the same species?]

What's your name?

[alley_kit]

[Kit nods, taking the amber with her as she goes to find a container to carry water in.]

My name's Wily-Kit. But you can just call me Kit. What's your name?