* WILD / EMBERS

“I know, I just I prepared, trained.. and one split second..” Luckily, the exhaustion within what was left of his humanity until time was up suppressed most of the dejected, humiliating feelings. And Emma’s following promise gave him a renewed determined, motivation. “He will. I’ll find him.” Jonathan stated with the best, affirmed nod he could currently muster, his fingers brushing over the top of her hand in his, listening as she explained his condition. Although the mention of her father had his eyes widening slightly, that Mr. Sawyer would see him this way, quickly attempting to glance around, shift upright some again. “Not the way I intended to continue to bond..” He mused with a slight hint of a grin. “I couldn’t even tell you the last time I’d been in the hospital. — Is that what made you want to get into the medical field? Your father?” Continuing to speak about her would no doubt be the ideal distraction. 

"It’s all it takes sometimes. Jonathan, it could’ve happened to anyone. You couldn't have seen it happening -- they planned this deliberately so we’d be taken by surprise.” she hated seeing him like this, wishing that there was something she could do to try and ease the pain, the exhaustion. A brief smile tugged at her lips at his reaction to the mention of her father, her hand moving to his shoulder as he moved again, shaking her head. “Move again, I’ll hurt you.” she threatened lightly, though she didn’t have any intention of following through on the threat. “He won’t think any less of you if you stay put.... plus he knows how to respect his elders,” she replied, trying to lighten the tone just a little. At his question, she nodded a couple of times, a small smile on her lips. “Yeah, my brother too, we’d have to take turns going to work with him. I thought it was so amazing watching him help people and save lives. He was the attending resident when I was brought into the hospital actually when my parents died.”

@emsawycr

Doctors and Paramedics worked two very different sides of the patient caring process but Maria felt it important to try and meet as many people as she could being new to the establishment, it was good manners if little else. With her rounds complete she fell back on an old habit of exploring as much of the hospital as she could, but now she introduced herself to people along the way. This would be a permanent place for her now, people could know who and what she was. 

Turning a corner she came across a young looking woman who by way of her dress she recognised as an EMT. Looking at her with a smile on her face Maria spoke, “Good afternoon, I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure,” she pulled a hand from her lab-coat and held it out, “Maria, I’ve only been here a few days and I’m trying to meet as many people as I can.” she explained with a small nod.

She had spent a fair bit of time in the hospital in the time that she’d live in Hollow Grove when she’d been a nurse, a student, even as a patient given lots of recent events. She was familiar with every inch of the hospital, and every person in it. Well, most people it seemed as she heard a voice and glanced up from the stacks of transfer paperwork that she was in the process of checking through, the morning transfers of people she’d shifted too and from the hospital. She hadn’t recognised the woman, and why was followed up by the explanation and she extended her hand in response, “Emma. Crazy timing you got.”

The true meaning of the question was a bit lost on her. She glanced over at the woman for a moment, over the rim of her cup and gave a simple shrug. “It’s unpleasant and bitter even with all the cream and sugar I have to add to it.” She blinked, uncertain why she’d posed the question in the first place, though this sort of thing always seemed to cause confusion with Johanna. “It’s my opinion,” she said simply, as if it made sense to answer in such a way. 

"Oh, girl no, you’re just drinking the wrong coffee.” she replied with a grin, “I sometimes add vanilla, it makes it taste far nicer.” she explained as took a sip of her own coffee. “I mean, I respect your opinion, as wrong as I think it is. I just,... there’s more than one type of coffee out there.”

Emma Sawyer. Joslyn had learned a lot about the young woman her son seemed so swept up on. She’d known her to be someone of importance but she hadn’t given any time to find out anything about her until she’d learned about what Emma Sawyer had done on the night of the full moon. She’d tried to save Madge and suddenly the Original was curious about the other woman in her son’s life. Her death dealers hadn’t disappointed her with the information they’d provided her and now Joslyn found herself even more curious about the little wolf. Watching as she sparred, Joslyn took in her form, taking note. “Not bad, maybe try to avoid the long hard punches, they pack a good punch but they’re slow and practically telegraphed an experienced fighter will see them coming a mile away, you’re small and fast use that to your advantage,” Joslyn commented.

The voice wasn’t one that was immediately familiar to the wolf, so when she glanced up at the sound of advice the recognition was immediately one of surprise...and guilt. Since the night of the Blood Moon, she had replayed the moment that she and Jonathan had come across Madge and the moment that Madge had died over and over. It had plagued her sleep and her waking moments, and despite everything, she couldn’t bring herself to face the Blackwells. She wouldn’t have known what to say to any of them, what could be said? She couldn’t save Madge, and she’d failed. She nodded her thanks to the woman’s advice, “Thanks--” she replied softly, and she indicated to the man she’d been sparring with to take a break. “Uhm, you’re Joslyn, aren’t you? Blackwell..”

Mina was a bit shaken up after the Clave attack that she didn’t want to move out of her house at all. But she had to since she was actually supposed to move this week, decided to get out of the house. She went into the gym, hoping to distract herself before she heard someone hitting something else. She saw Emma swinging at someone and decided to watch. “That’s a powerful swing,” she said after she saw it. “Mind if I try it?”

She looked up when she heard the familiar voice, having not seen Mina since the Blood Moon. She was glad that the woman seemed to be okay, at least. “Against me or him?” she asked, indicating her head at her opponent. 

Training had been centralized part of routine growing up, so sheltered from the outside world she didn’t learn till far later in life that it was a normal thing for a child to be learning basic combat skills at the age of seven. When she’d left the pack Dara had been essential in helping her continue that training and she’d found it was the easiest way to blow off steam. While she wasn’t normally an angry person, Alex carried the stress of her life around in a way that was insanely unhealthy if not regulated so she was happy to have a sparring partner today. “Exhale on every punch, it will help you relax which will help you punch harder,” Alex instructed. “You’re getting pretty good at this.”

Emma was glad she had the chance to try and learn new moves, things that could help her and Alex had been instrumental in that. She trusted the other woman, had done for a long time, and doing this together had been something that she was finding more valuable. At Alex’s comment, she dropped her gaze, wishing she’d been able to use the skills that she’d had at Blood Moon. “Thanks, I just wish that I had some of this the other night.”

Had it been in the aftermath of anything but tragedy, anything but what the Blood Moon had been – despite the fact that she hadn’t even been in the midst of it – Allison would have, at some point, asked herself what she was doing there. She’d never been the type of person to work out, and least of all so with the goal of learning how to defend herself or others; but like many others in Hollow Grove, being reminded of what it feels like to be human put the fear of vulnerability into her. It had seemed like as good an idea as any to join Emma when the opportunity presented itself. Her aching shoulders and stinging palms begged to differ, though. “Just, um– Just a sec,” Allison said with a breathless laugh, wiping a sheen of sweat off her forehead. “You’re really good at this… how long have you been training?”

She felt a little guilty, and she knew she’d been going a little harder than usual, pushing herself beyond limits to try and improve herself. She couldn’t be that vulnerable again, it was too hard to deal with the idea that they could all be that vulnerable, and she didn’t want to fail like she had again. “I’m not that good,” she replied quietly, “Just since I turned so... about a year.”

Lindy had given up her jog on the treadmill and moved to the weight area when she caught sight of Emma in a pretty intense spar with another wolf. She was unrelenting in her need to keep on top and when she looked like she’d call it, she simply asked for more. It looked like the other wolf had had enough and he bowed out, leaving Emma on the mat. 

Lindy made her way over and stood at the edge of the mat, giving a small wave to Emma. “Hey, stranger. Planning on joining MMA sometime soon or just working out a lot of aggression on poor unsuspecting people?”

Emma glanced up at the voice and offered a smile automatically in reaction, and she turned her back as the other wolf called for a time out. She grabbed her water bottle, taking a long drink before she answered, “Little of both.” she admitted, “... just, it hit me how much I know fuck all about fighting without my magic. Or wolf powers. I’ve always had something.”

It had taken the night of the ball for Wyatt to realize he should probably have kept up with the training his alpha had started in their pack. He had the moves but his body still resisted from the years of not moving in those ways. So he’d started up again and standing in front of Emma he could tell she was working through much more than a fight in her mind. He dodge her swing and tapped her rather hard in the side, showing her exposed area from her movements. When she demanded they go again, Wyatt didn’t hold back, coming at her with unrelenting moves that demanding she only focus on blocking. His palm connected with her chest hard and he stopped his assault to check on her. “You good?”

She hadn’t expected the blow to her chest, and it winded her for a brief moment, causing the brunette’s returning move to not even register in her mind, her hand falling by her side. When she heard Wyatt’s voice she nodded a little, “Yeah fine. Not as breakable as I look, remember?” she reminded him with a small shrug.

Matteo barely registered the woman’s words because he was too distracted by the dog, forgetting entirely about his mission to recruit new clientele in favor of crouching down to greet the animal instead.

“Hey buddy.” He beamed, holding his hand out to the dog and letting her sniff it before he tried to pet her. “What’s their name?” He asked, looking up at the woman who held the leash.

She smiled a little at the other’s distraction, it was something she could relate to given that she was known for interrupting multiple conversations to pet a dog. They were better than any conversation, anyway, she had often theorised. “This is Ruby.” she replied with a smile, as Ruby sniffed the man’s hand cautiously, before dipping her head beneath it so he could pet her. “She’s pretty friendly.”

Laura walked through the area, eager to see what this place had to offer. She paused for a moment when she recognized Emma. She watched the girl swing at her opponent and smiled at how confident she seemed. Laura called out to her, hoping she wasn’t being a distraction. “Emma!” She called out. “I didn’t know you were working out here.” She stepped closer to where she was standing. “Are you learning to fight?” She asked, slightly surprised. 

As she heard the familiar voice she glanced up with a smile, turning her back to the man she’d been sparring with. “Uh, yeah trying to.” she admitted, removing one of her gloves to grab her water bottle. “What are you doing here?”

“You sure? It still feels terrible when I nearly run over the poor people.” Teo spoke as the girl still kept on running. At least they had avoided each other by mere inches, and, after everything that had gone down, this place really did not need any more casualties or injuries. “Sorry, either way. Working out shouldn’t really be such a health hazard.”

“I mean, you’re like a tree you should watch out.” she replied with a brief smile before she shrugged a little, ‘Honestly, I’d bounce back if I’d have been hurt... but it’s not the working out that’s a hazard it’s definitely you for sure.” she teased lightly, trying to find some form of normalcy in her conversations.

Fighting. It was therapeutic. It was relaxing. It was a distraction. Apparently a welcome one to most of the people of the city. She and some of her workers had been fighting on and off since the attack. It was her turn now, she was in the ring with Emma. She held her hands back up giving the girl the cushions she could use to attack. She was mostly helping Emma by getting the girl to focus on throwing her fists correctly and with power. “Not getting tired yet?” she asked her eyebrow raising. 

She shook her head a little, glad of a respite from the chaos and for a place to go to. Where she could let out some steam. She’d tried to at Purgatory, but that had gone wrong when she’d lost control and bitten Noah of all people. Whilst she’d been thankful it had just been an original, and not fatal to him, it had been awkward given it was Jonathan’s uncle. “No, not tired. I can stop though, if you want.”

“Hey Em!” Thomas called out to the woman, despite the fact she was clearly busy. Jogging towards her. “You still got that bike of yours?” Asking this casually as he dug his hands into his jeans pocket and stood off to the side, as if to politely spectate her training session while asking stupid questions. “Because it’d be a shame if you got rid of her.” 

"Hmm?” her head whipped towards the sound of her name, just as her opponent's fist swung to her jaw. “Oof--fuck.” she muttered as her jaw jolted and she tugged the glove off her hand to press it to her jaw. Glad at that moment werewolf healing was firmly in place, she nodded to her opponent that she was fine and watched as he took his leave. She finally returned her confused gaze back to Thomas’s, “Wait, what did you say? Oh the bike, yeah I still have the bike. Why?”

The park was perhaps beyond the scope of his research area, but Chou enjoyed keeping tabs on the micro-ecosystems within it, as much as distraction for himself as a concern for the place. He’d been examining what looked like a bees nest in the making with some enjoyment when he heard a dull thud and looked over to see a young woman practicing a punch, he took in the strike itself, her posture and other factors, turning away from the forming nest to walk over. “If I might,” his soft, even tone carrying over, “Should you make a few subtle changes to your posture and movements you’d likely see an improvement in your striking power.”  

She glanced up as she heard the voice, a small smile briefly tugging at her lips as she registered at the suggestion, nodding her thanks. “You fight?” she asked curiously, it hadn’t occurred to her that the witch would be familiar with this kind of thing.

Amber had taken a few self defense classes while living in New York but that had been years earlier. She shouldn’t have stopped to watch while the woman sparred, but found herself drawn in. Although she stayed to the side, keeping her mouth shut, she was tempted to say something. Not to bombard the woman with questions, but to see about learning more. “If your opponent gets tired, i’d be happy to step in.” she finally said, taking a step closer.

Emma glanced up when she heard the new voice, nodding a little as her opponent stepped away with a claim of needing water. She wasn’t done by far, she needed to get better, to prepare, and she wanted to practice until she was exhausted. “By all means, have at it.”