I'm Begging You, I

Harvey put his hands up, palms out, his fingernails still non threatening and human. "You have to calm down, Set," he said urgently, before the snake could lash out again for a second time. He could see the young man's legs darkening, threatening to burst into a serpent and go on a rampage.

"I believe you. She's your mate. You brought her here for help. I'm not an enemy. She's capable, that's why she was away from your sight, even for a moment. I get it, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm trying to help."

Set froze again, then slumped to the floor, his head now in his hands. It was a relief that one person believed him.

Harvey hesitated behind Set, his hands still in the air, until he slowly, gently, put one hand on the snake's shoulder. It was not customary for males to touch other males in comfort, especially solitary ferals, but he was just a boy in the doctor's eyes. And, he was falling apart. Set didn't react when his hand was rested, which was as good of an outcome as he could expect.

"Would she be safe in the city anyway?" Set choked out.

"Yes," Harvey said firmly. "Many of us still remember the Ape King and the Earthquake, and how he was wrong to shun a female who was seen as threatening. We strictly don't allow apes to live in the city because of it. She may have some who won't accept her on a personal level, but trust, she will be okay. We would have to get the Tiger King to accept her; it will be easier if," he mumbled the last bit, taking his hand away from Set's shoulder so he could jump back if needed, "if she takes a spouse from the city as well."

Before Set could react - who wasn't going to anyway, as needing a spouse to watch over her while he hibernated was already an argument he was having with Shuule - Harvey moved to the other side of Shuule's bed, and staring down the snake, put the back of his hand to her forehead, his ears twitching.

"She's very cold. Very cold." The doctor furrowed his brow and ran his hand through his long hair. "I, you need to stay calm while I say this," he continued, eyeing the snake, who nodded, gritting his teeth.

"Her body cannot replace the blood she lost. I think the only reason she's held on this long is because she may have some of the healing abilities of a male, but I don't think it's going to be enough. I had a plan for this, which is why I asked Ukko to return in the morning, but I don't think it can wait." He sighed heavily. "I need Ukko to ask for an energy crystal from the king."

Set frowned more, if it was possible. "Why the eagle?"

Harvey groaned, knowing the snake was not going to like the answer. "Because he's single, and he technically has rights to ask for her spousalship if she lives, because he helped save her. They'll pity him - he's a good man, comparatively speaking."

Set hissed his displeasure. "Why not you."

Harvey's ears pricked up, but he was deflated at the same time. "No, it can't be me. They've given me green crystals before to keep me young. They'll feel they give me too much already - I'm stripeless," pointing to the blue ink on his face, "This is art. They wouldn't believe I had a chance with her," he trailed off, thinking of all the times he had been let down in the past, "and I don't think it's a priority to have me mated anyway. It has to be the eagle - I'm sorry - and I have to go get him now. Will you wait here?"

Set sighed, but without answering or asking, he transformed into his snake, the black serpent with long red pinstripes now having gone entirely silent, wrapping his massive body around the foot of Shuule's bed, head facing the door.

Nodding, Harvey took his robe off, folding it and setting it down in a corner, before turning into his leopard. He was larger than any wild leopard, but being stripeless, he was smaller than most of the males. Padding out the door, he had a quick conversation, that ended in a hissing match, Set assumed correctly about leaving him unattended inside. But, it ended with the guard not entering, and Harvey sprinting down the darkened path, which was mostly empty now save a few beasts returning home from hunting at midnight.

As the City was first built in a tree house village, and was built up around it, the massive tree dwellings where many bachelors lived were scattered all around the center of the city, with more modern stone and wood buildings surrounding them below. Ukko's was no different. Harvey was not exactly sure which tree the Harpy eagle lived in, but what he did not have in battle strength, he made up with excellent tracking abilities, and he quickly picked up the scent of the specific bird he was looking for. It helped that Ukko had decided to walk home in his human form; no doubt to try and talk to women on the way. A young unmated male's free time was entirely claimed by trying to woo a spouse, and as there were very few eagle women in the village - or the world - the birds specifically needed to be human as much as possible around them to communicate. As a trusted member of the Eagle Guard, he also didn't have that much free time within the city, so he had clearly taken the opportunity to gossip around the streets.

Finally, after trotting with his nose to the ground for the better half of an hour, Harvey found the tree where the scent ended.

Looking up, the leopard let out a roar. Almost instantly, the beady eyes of six giant birds peered out of the openings in each of the tree's five levels - and the eyes of several predator beasts looked out their own windows to see what the commotion was.

[Shut up, Harvey, Ariel's trying to SLEEP] hissed a particularly agitated neighboring lion, but Harvey merely flicked an ear in his direction, not letting his eyes waver from the bird's lairs.

After a moment, the gray eagle swooped down from the 4th level of his shared home, landing on human legs as he shifted mid air. Harvey changed as well, unable to communicated together otherwise.

"Is the girl okay?" Asked Ukko, fearful.

"Her name is Shuule, and she is alive," Harvey answered in a hushed tone, "But barely. I need you to do her a favor - if you can secure this, you most likely will be moving out of this tree."

The dark skinned boy's silver eyes brightened at the thought, barging through the word 'barely.' She was alive! And he could possibly be hers!

"Anything!" Ukko exclaimed, answered by another exasperated growl from the lion living in the home under the tree.

Harvey hissed in return, but with one hand on Ukko's back, ushered him down the lane away from his house.

"You need to ask for an energy crystal from the King, and you need to wake him up and ask him now. She does not have until sunrise."