Elijah was officially hammered after his drinking contest with Knuckles, it was a feeling he didn't really like but at the same time didn't have the clarity to not like it. He got out of the hot springs all flustered with red cheeks and his robe was slipping on one shoulder but he didn't give it a second thought as he wandered through the streets of Hosenka, a walk in the fresh air under the night sky would do wonders he thought with what little brain cells remained to think, but knowing him he would just get lost in the city and then he wouldn't be able to find his way back to the hotel. At least the picturesque city was beautiful and elegant and even drunken Elijah could appreciate or half appreciate it as his eyes were half closed almost the entire time he was walking.

He passed by one of the city gates that lead outside the walls into the wilderness and for some reason thought it would be a great idea to go for a stroll at the forest in the middle of the night, because definitely nothing bad could happen to him while being drunk and alone. The thought amused his hammered self "Oh nooo, mr murderer don't murder meee~" he whispered somewhat loudly and chuckled mischievously as he fake run towards the plains outside. The fresh air hit him and for a moment he felt the cooling breeze on his face before turning it into a certain hair commercial as the breeze swept his long white hair "Cause you're worth it~" he said and started laughing by himself before venturing further towards the nearby forest. Thankfully for him nothing dangerous lived in the forest this close to the city and all he could hear was sounds from the nocturnal critters. He looked around and the tale of Little Red Riding Hood was what came to mind, time to act, he thought-somewhat. He had been wearing a red cloak that day and since he hadn't had a chance to change clothes stayed with it till now, pulling the hood forwards and covering his head he started to prance around like a drunk deer not noticing that he had company.

WC: 381

"Elijah, is that you?" Eelzad called out, his voice a bit louder than necessary. He saw the familiar figure prancing around and couldn't help but grin.

Eelzad had also had more than a few drinks that evening, so his own steps were not as steady as usual. The cool night air felt refreshing, but the buzz in his head reminded him of the drinks he'd enjoyed earlier. As he wandered through the forest, he couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation—two slightly inebriated mages stumbling upon each other in the middle of the night.

"Fancy meeting you here," he said, catching up to Elijah. "What are the odds, right? Both of us thinking a night stroll in the forest is a great idea." He chuckled, swaying slightly as he walked.

Eelzad put an arm around Elijah's shoulder, offering support but also needing some himself. "Let's stick together, yeah? The forest is more fun with company."

He tried to focus on the path back to the city, but his vision was a bit blurry, and his steps were uneven. "You know, I think we might have had one drink too many," he admitted with a laugh. "But hey, it's been a good night. I might even be up for another contest, being able to hike without throwing up. But that may be a little extreme haha. "

As they walked, Eelzad found himself enjoying the moment despite the circumstances. The cool air, the sounds of the forest, and the shared camaraderie made it feel like an adventure. "So, where exactly are we headed?" he asked, looking around with a confused expression. "I think we might be lost."

Oh shit, they really are lost. Eelzad thought he was retracing his steps, but he was actually following the tracks of another. "These look like wolf tracks, *hiccup*, these aren't my footsteps at all!"

He paused, trying to get his bearings, and then laughed again. "Well, I guess we'll just have to find our way back together. Let's just keep walking this way and see where it takes us."

WC: 361
TWC: 361

The nephilim turned around at the sound of his name, who could be calling for him at this hour in the middle of nowhere, is what his normal thoughts would be but this time instead he didn't have a single one. He squinted his eyes a bit to focus better on the figure as it was dark and his eyesight not the best under these circumstances. "Eelzad, friend!" he exclaimed in pure joy as he rushed towards the man with arms wide open, slowly falling down until he was now next to him. "I didn't imagine this night could get better, what are the odds really." he said with a goofy smile as his lack of balance made him tip towards the left slowly. Before he fell the mage had already put an arm around his shoulder and was preventing him from any unwanted accidents. "Aww, you're so nice~" he said with a content face, being with someone he knew in the forest came as a relief as he had been sobering up little by little, just enough so he doesn't fumble his words.

While walking and chatting Elijah gave a resounding agreement in having too much to drink, telling him all about his drinking contest and how he got wasted thanks to a stranger. Then Eelzad mentioned having a contest for themselves, but who in their right mind proposes a hiking contest while drunk, oh that's right a drunk person. Elijah found it a splendid idea to have a race in the middle of the forest at night while their senses weren't fully working, he just had to find the right moment and place to start.

The nephilim turned his head in horror facing the man as soon as he finished his sentence "I think we might be lost.". Was that how his story ended, drunk and lost in a forest, no that wasn't right, he didn't want that ending for him so he just replied with "I think we're on the road to greatness!" he said full of unexplained confidence as his face turned back to its normal calm state and he believed it, until Eelzad realized they had been following a wolf's footprints.

"Oh wolf!" Elijah clapped softly but repeatedly like a kid that was about to be given candy. "Do they have wolf cubs? I wanna see them up close!" he continued with such excitement in his voice. This was, according to the nephilim, the best time for the race he had planned and now they had a cause. He quickly explained to his partner that they would have to run through the forest and the first to find the wolf or potential wolf den would be the winner. As to what comes after well, he hadn't thought that far but he didn't want a no for an answer to his little game suggestion. "Pleeeeeeaaaase!" he said with his face too close to Eelzad, asking like a little child with eyes wide open and hands in prayer stance.

WC: 514 | 895

Eelzad couldn't help but laugh at Elijah's infectious enthusiasm. Despite the haziness in his mind, the idea of a race through the forest sounded like a fun adventure, even if it was a bit reckless. "Alright, alright," Eelzad said, smiling at Elijah's pleading expression. "Let's do it. A race to find the wolf or the den. But we stick together, no getting too far apart, okay?"

Elijah's eyes lit up with excitement, and Eelzad felt a surge of energy himself. The night had taken an unexpected turn, and he was determined to make the most of it. "Alright, on the count of three," Eelzad said, positioning himself next to Elijah, his arm still around his friend's shoulder for support.

"One... two... three!" With that, they both took off, their laughter echoing through the forest. The cool air and the thrill of the race gave Eelzad a burst of clarity, and he found himself enjoying the moment despite the circumstances.

They stumbled through the underbrush, their footsteps uneven but filled with determination. The wolf tracks led them deeper into the woods, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures surrounded them. Eelzad kept an eye on Elijah, making sure his friend was keeping pace and not getting too far ahead.

"This way!" Eelzad called out, spotting a clearer path through the trees. They navigated around bushes and over fallen logs, their laughter punctuated by occasional stumbles and near falls.

After what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few minutes, they came to a small clearing. The tracks led them to a small cave entrance, and Eelzad slowed down, holding out an arm to stop Elijah. "Wait, I think we found it," he said, panting slightly from the exertion.

They approached the cave cautiously, peering inside. The faint sounds of movement could be heard, and Eelzad felt a mixture of excitement and caution. "Looks like we found the den," he whispered, grinning at Elijah. "I guess we both win."

The realization of what they had just done hit him, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, maybe racing through the forest wasn't the best idea," he admitted, still catching his breath.

Eelzad slowed his pace as he approached the small cave entrance, the sounds of movement inside piquing his curiosity. Eelzad motioned for Elijah to follow him quietly, and they carefully made their way into the cave, their footsteps soft on the forest floor.

Inside, the cave was dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the entrance. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they saw a large wolf lying on its side, clearly weak and struggling. Its breathing was labored, and it looked up at them with tired eyes. Around it, several wolf cubs were pacing anxiously, whimpering softly as they nuzzled their mother.

Eelzad's heart went out to the creatures. The wolf was obviously sick, and the cubs were distressed by their mother's condition. He exchanged a look with Elijah, their earlier excitement giving way to concern and empathy.

"Poor thing," Eelzad whispered, moving closer to the wolf. "It looks like she's not well."

Kneeling beside the wolf, Eelzad extended his hand slowly, allowing the wolf to sniff him and sense his intentions. "Easy now," he murmured, his voice gentle.

WC: 552
TWC: 913

The race had been more fun than what Elijah had anticipated, excluding when he was looking too long at Eelzad and didn't see a branch hanging closer to the ground than usual and ended up getting slapped on the forehead. That hurt however he didn't say a thing and thankfully his hair could hide the bruise, but it did wake him up a bit and his stomach. Making sure the raven haired man wasn't looking at him while running, he stopped and let out about one fourth of what he had to drink earlier and immediately felt a lot better, resuming the race like nothing happened.

Following Eelzad proved to be more difficult than what he imagined, he could not compete with his physique, his tall, muscular, toned physique... he slapped himself on the cheek and back to reality. No, control yourself, he thought as his attention shifted from himself to the man saying that they had probably found the den and that they both won. Well that was boring, two winners when there should have been one, maybe he shouldn't have agreed to follow the same route but then again he had a lot of fun getting here, oh I guess it was worth it, he thought. "Look at us, best runners ever!" he finally exclaimed as he made a number of poses for the non-existent photographic lacrima before bending and touching his knees breathing heavily "What do you mean it wasn't the best idea, it's not like I'm about to faint or anything." he said with a laugh making fun of himself.

For the next part of their adventure they walked into the den with the nephilim following behind Eelzad not showing that he was actually a bit scared of the whole situation. It wasn't the smartest to go into a wolves den at night where no one would find them but then again they were mages so they probably would be ok. What he wasn't ok with was the state that they found the wolf in, or wolfette-that sounded cute to him, he'd use that-and her cubs. Elijah stood speechless as Eelzad was clearly very concerned about them and approached her slowly. Poor thing wasn't in a state to even protect herself but she still growled weakly a couple times before finally giving in to Eelzad's touch. Following his example, the nephilim approached and looked at the cubs "They seem fed for now but she must be starving." he spoke in a pained tone before looking at her body from a distance for any indication of injury, seeing her reddened fur around her behind legs. "There." he said as he pointed at the spot "Probably infected too." he assumed as the situation looked dire.

Without hesitation, Elijah touched his chest, the golden coins summoned Raphael who imparted the required medical knowledge to him before dissipating. "Sadly I'm not experienced enough to have Raphael heal the wolfette, but I can at least help her now." he said decisively and together with Eelzad managed to make a healing poultice, the fortunate thing being that there were healing flowers in the area to begin with. As the wolfette was now resting, Elijah took a liking to the cubs and was now being chased around by them, making any move possible to avoid their playful bites despite how much this was tiring him out and his head and stomach begging him to stop.

Raphael:

WC: 588 | 1483

Eelzad watched with admiration as Elijah tended to the injured wolfette. The bond between mage and animal was evident, and Elijah’s dedication to helping the creatures was heartwarming. Eelzad felt a sense of camaraderie with his friend, knowing they were both here to do good, even in the middle of the night under less-than-ideal circumstances.

"You're doing great, Elijah," Eelzad said, his voice gentle and encouraging. He gathered the necessary herbs and materials to help make the healing poultice, working alongside Elijah to ensure the wolfette received the care she needed. The process was slow and meticulous, but together they managed to apply the poultice to the infected area, easing the wolf's pain and giving her a chance to heal.

As the wolfette rested, Eelzad turned his attention to the cubs. They were playful and full of energy, their spirits lifted despite the situation. Elijah's laughter echoed through the cave as he dodged the cubs' playful nips, and Eelzad couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Looks like you've made some new friends," Eelzad said, chuckling as he watched Elijah interact with the cubs. "It's good to see them happy."

Eelzad glanced back at the resting wolfette, her breathing now more even and relaxed. "She should be alright with some rest and care. We did what we could for now," he said, feeling a sense of relief.

The night had taken an unexpected turn, but Eelzad was glad they had been able to help. He walked over to Elijah, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Let's give them some space and check on them in the morning. We can let the local wildlife rescue know about her situation. They can keep an eye on her and make sure she gets the help she needs."

The cool night air was refreshing, and Eelzad felt a renewed sense of purpose. The wolfette and her cubs needed more help, and he wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet.

"Hey, Elijah," Eelzad said, turning to his friend with a mischievous glint in his eye. "How about we make this night even more interesting?" Eelzad said as he brought out a gourd and took a few swigs of the liquor inside before passing it to his friend.

"The wolfette and her cubs could use some extra food while she heals. How about we have another contest? We'll hike to the west side of the woods and pick berries to stockpile for them. Whoever collects the most berries wins. A little more wine makes it interesting too, it would be fun to see what we are capable of while intoxicated. Plus, it would make for a good tale later on. What do you think? Would you be up for the challenge? We still have quite a bit of night ahead of us, and I can detect evil, there's nothing especially dangerous lurking about right now. "

WC: 495
TWC: 1408

Elijah agreed with the man about letting the mom wolf and her cubs rest peacefully for now, like he said they had done all they could and the nephilim was already exhausted from playing around with the young ones, especially after having a race through the woods. He still had inhibitions on informing the local wildlife rescue however, as he wasn't sure these wolves were even meant to be in this place as they normally live in mountains. On one hand they might just treat them and then take them to their habitat or they might deem them dangerous for coming down from the mountains and instead do something horrible to them. In the end though Elijah just agreed with Eelzad and the general direction of the conversation.

Hearing the word "interesting" and being passed more alcohol really wasn't a combination Elijah would agree to normally, but since this night had been full of intoxicated unexpected twists and turns he decided to go for it. Another race to gather berries for them, he thought, that seemed like a nice idea and he knew it came from the heart but at the same time he wasn't sure berries would be enough to give the wolf back her strength and at the same time some berries can be quite poisonous, they couldn't just go and pick whatever they found and then offer it at the wolf family, they could end up poisoning them.

He took a sip from the gourd the mage had given him after thanking him, the alcohol made his throat burn and he flinched at the feeling, dammit I keep forgetting how much it burns, he thought as his eyes watered a bit. He let Eelzad know about his thoughts on the whole berry picking situation and added "Maybe some meat would be more appropriate, but I don't want to kill another animal for it." he said in a saddened voice, the night was still not over and he knew of some food stores that stayed open till late at night. However, he did not consider that drinking had clouded his better judgment and perception of time. With that in mind he offered a counter proposal "How about a race back to the city to find meat for the wolves." he said despite knowing that it could be tedious for his partner to go back and forth just for that.

WC: 405 | 1888

Eelzad nodded thoughtfully as Elijah expressed his concerns about the berries and the idea of gathering meat instead. He admired Elijah's compassion for the animals and his reluctance to harm another creature. "You're right, Elijah. Meat would be more appropriate for the wolf and her cubs, but I understand not wanting to kill another animal."

Just as they were about to discuss their next steps, a loud, piercing howl echoed through the forest, sending a chill down their spines. The sound was filled with pain and desperation, and Eelzad's eyes widened in alarm.

"That doesn't sound good," he said, his tone serious. "We need to get back to the den, now!"

Without another word, Eelzad took off running back toward the den. The cool night air whipped past them as they sprinted through the forest, their earlier fatigue forgotten in the face of this new threat. Eelzad's heart pounded in his chest, his mind focused on reaching the wolves in time.

As they approached the den, they heard the unmistakable sounds of a struggle. Bursting into the clearing, they saw a large, wild boar attacking the weakened wolfette. The cubs were huddled together, whimpering in fear.

Eelzad didn't hesitate. Channeling his Ripple Magic, he activated his Aqua Sphera Gauntlets, feeling the surge of power flow through him. "Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!" he yelled, his fists glowing with radiant light.

With a powerful leap, Eelzad launched himself at the boar, landing a series of rapid, precise punches. The boar squealed in pain and fury, but Eelzad's blows were relentless. He struck with all his strength, each punch infused with the light and energy of his magic.

The boar staggered back, weakened and disoriented. Eelzad took a deep breath, summoning all his strength for one final strike. With a mighty punch, he sent the boar crashing to the ground, its threat neutralized.

Panting, Eelzad turned to Elijah, a relieved smile on his face. "Well, you didn't have to kill it," he said, glancing at the fallen boar. "But you get to cook it then, Elijah. New contest, find some spices to give this some flavor eh? "

Eelzad handled the butchering. He carefully butchered the boar, taking care to prepare the meat in a way that would be safe and nutritious for the wolves. Eelzad used his knowledge of Ripple Magic to ensure the meat was infused with light energy, making it even more beneficial for the recovering wolfette.

Though, while Eelzad was doing the work, he sobered up quite a bit and said a comment that maybe seemed a bit random, but sincere.

"You're a good friend, Elijah," Eelzad said, his voice filled with warmth. "I'm glad we were here to help." At the very most, Eelzad wanted to show his appreciation towards Elijah's presence. Sometimes you cant brute force your way through every single problem that you face. In addition to that, having a friend that's willing to risk their life is important to Eelzad too.

WC: 500
TWC: 2000/2000

All this running had been too much for his intoxicated brain and stomach thinking now what a bad idea all this actually was but at the same time saving a mother in need didn't feel that bad. Eelzad had been a tremendous help with his physical strength in putting down the boar threat and thanks to that they also got enough meat to feed the little cubs and their mother. Spices, where do I even find them in the middle of the forest, he thought as he looked at the other mage "That's not how spices work, Muscles~" he said and approached him. He watched him as he cut the meat into pieces "And what do you mean cook, they eat it raw, that's literally their thing." he said sending a comical suspicious look at him. He had already infused it with beneficial energy that would have been more than enough for the family to feast well. Once they were cut properly Elijah together with Eelzad used a couple of sticks to pierce the slabs and offer them to the little cubs and their mother. The nephilim's face lit up when he watched them all eat properly and decided with his partner to leave them to enjoy their meal in peace taking their way back home but not before Elijah stumbled on a rock and went down part of the path rolling. He let out a sigh as he got up thankfully unharmed and cursed his idiocy for drinking so much that night. Never again, he thought as the raven haired man helped him and they continued on their way back. The nephilim smiled, it was comforting having found such a good friend.


WC: 287 | 2175