[ There is no thawing like that of stubbornness, Wangji's cheeks warm under the sheen of pale, faint, little earned triumph. In the labyrinth of greens and trodden grass, he walks at a tentative step to reach the earthly cracks again and milk them of their darks, a thick gush of coagulating residue. It fills his hands, weighs them, bloodies his fingertips black.
When he ferries the liquid beside the creature, he takes the knee again, fluidly assembled as a mass of coils and edges — less practising learned forms than filling the negative space that shrouds the beast. Its wounds appear shallow, at least, vulnerable to traditional cures of herbs and bandage. He expects, if the dragon did not surrender itself to waters now, it could still benefit from iminent recovery.
The experiment is a daring thing, half risk and half madness. He spreads the syrupy treacle, fingers soft and quick, cautious not to linger where he suspects bones and joint might meet or fall out of alignment. Horses loathe such intimacy after wounding, he remembers. Rabbits would attempt, but come too small to flee it.
And dragons kill. ]
It prevails upon sickness?
[ Not all plagues suffer the same cure, however generously provided. Wangji's own calluses seem to dim and wilt, and yet he does not presume the dragon's hurts withdraw likewise. ]
no subject
When he ferries the liquid beside the creature, he takes the knee again, fluidly assembled as a mass of coils and edges — less practising learned forms than filling the negative space that shrouds the beast. Its wounds appear shallow, at least, vulnerable to traditional cures of herbs and bandage. He expects, if the dragon did not surrender itself to waters now, it could still benefit from iminent recovery.
The experiment is a daring thing, half risk and half madness. He spreads the syrupy treacle, fingers soft and quick, cautious not to linger where he suspects bones and joint might meet or fall out of alignment. Horses loathe such intimacy after wounding, he remembers. Rabbits would attempt, but come too small to flee it.
And dragons kill. ]
It prevails upon sickness?
[ Not all plagues suffer the same cure, however generously provided. Wangji's own calluses seem to dim and wilt, and yet he does not presume the dragon's hurts withdraw likewise. ]