[Kyrit]

The door clicked as Nemissa left the room, leaving the Tabaxi to stare down into the tub now filled with water. He said he'd be fine, but as he stood there, alone, Friend could feel his heart rate escalating. It had just been empty, he reminded himself mentally. There couldn't be anything lurking beneath the surface. But what if something happened with the enchantment that removed water and it tried to take him along as well? To most such thoughts would have sounded silly, but not to him. Not even after he boldly dared Razand to test his fear back at the carnival. Dozens of these thoughts flooded his mind as Friend nervously fumbled with the ties of his makeshift garbs, thinking of any possible way this bath could go wrong.

[Kyrit]

As the last clasp came undone and the cloak dropped to the floor Friend took in a deep breath, holding it for a few moments before releasing it in as slow of an exhale as possible. There were far worse things in Barovia than a bath, he knew. He was still standing after they had all been through so much worse. He was still there after daring to stand before a God - even if Razand was only a minor God - and declare that he wasn't going to back down and leave while his friend said she was fine with tear filled eyes.

[Kyrit]

He first sat on the edge of the tub, gently dipping a single padded toe into the warm water. At first his leg instinctively recoiled, his body fighting the decision to face his fear. The second attempt went better, though he paused briefly as the water hit his foot before slowly sliding the rest of his leg into the tub. Already the previously clear water began to take on the slightest hint of a murky hue as it soaked through his fur and found weeks worth of dirt and blood to dissolve. While he'd tried to keep up with hygiene during their travels there was only so much a brush could remove.

[Kyrit]

With the first leg in the second came a bit easier, though Friend couldn't help his lips rolling up in a grimace as it trickled through his toes. Now came the hardest part - building up the resolve to let himself fully submerge. It was one thing to dip his legs in. Long as they were, the water didn't even come up to the knee. That left plenty of room for escape. He stared at the rippling surface some time, hands tightly gripping his thighs just above the knee to steady the shaking that produced the subtle waves to no avail. Realizing he couldn't stop the shaking, he began to consider giving up.

[Kyrit]

He'd made an effort. That was an improvement, right? Shaking his head, the lanky Taxbaxi's torso lurched forward and his arms wrapped tightly around his quivering thighs, burying his face into his knees. Effort wasn't enough. He knew he had to do this and couldn't just keep pushing it off. Focus on everything Eshvyre had taught him about steadying his emotions. Close his eyes, slowly breath in, hold it for a second, slowly breath out - follow the feeling of the air as it comes and goes. Focus solely on that feeling. Then relax one muscle - even if just a finger - at a time. Visualize where he was most comfortable.

[Kyrit]

As the world around him began to fade the edge of the tub and the walls of the room transitioned to sandstone. The ripples around his legs were created not by him but by the schools of fish that darted about picking at toes. Small imaginary tremors vibrated through the ground in his mindscape signaling the presence of a larger form approaching from behind.

"Are you expecting me to shove you in again?" With the words the tremors stopped, large brass claws coming to a rest at the water's edge. The earth shook one last time as her hind quarters settled down, tail falling to the ground curled about the underground oasis.

[Kyrit]

"You know that there are things in life we must overcome on our own. I could shove you in again, yes, but would that actually help?"

Slowly Friend's arms unwrapped from around his legs, his body shifting upright again as he gave a small shake of his head. "I… know." His ears hung low as he spoke, his gaze not breaking from the water. There was a pause, during which he managed to gently kick one foot forward a few inches and bring it back to rest on the floor again. "This still counts as doing it on my own… right?"

[Kyrit]

"I would suppose it depends on how you look at it, my Friend." The weight of her tail shifted slightly, scales now gently pressing against his back. "You could say that by imagining you are where you would be safest you are not truly facing your fears, that you are using a crutch. On the other hand, you know all of this is not real. You know if I were to push you in it would still be the choice you had made, not one that I actually made. You know the oasis we see before us is nothing so grand. It would sadden me if I were really there. Truly."

[Kyrit]

He could almost hear the frown he knew she would make, at least to the best of a dragon's ability to present facial expressions without shape shifting. She really did love the oasis she had tended to for so long. Vadra could go on for hours at a time about how human baths just did not compare. The thought of it was enough to almost drag a smile out of him, his lips tugging back just slightly. Friend couldn't smile though because he did ultimately feel that he was cheating. He wouldn't always have so much time to ease himself into the water.

[Kyrit]

His thoughts were quickly broken up though as Vadra continued to speak. "Tell me, my dear Friend… Do you perhaps suppose this is so hard purely because you are giving yourself so much time to think?" Her words cut through him, a very visible finch as he drew in on himself a bit once more. "You hesitated in saving the child once because there was water between you. But what about today at the carnival?"

[Kyrit]

"It was different," Friend interjected, finally briefly glancing at Vadra out of the corner of his eye. "Pretty sure Razand could only make me see what I fear. Don't think he could actually manifest anything. Not here at least. If I know it's all in my head… that's easier to shake." He didn't want to rely on those thoughts that it was all imaginary though. Ultimately that was just another crutch - a crutch that could break at any moment if Razand was actually able to physically back up his threats.

[Kyrit]

"And yet you are relying on an illusion yourself at this very moment. No matter how you view it though, you have made progress." Her head lowered to butt against his. "You came this far without being shoved in or put under a suggestion. Continue to take your time while you can, that way you can truly back up your words when it comes to it."

With her words, and with them the acceptance that he would eventually be able to truly surpass his fear, Friend closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

[Kyrit]

His feet scooted along the bottom of the perceived oasis as his hands pushed himself forward, away from the ledge. With the support removed from beneath him the Tabaxi's form slid beneath the water's surface, some of the water splashing out from the tub and onto the floor. As the water washed over him Friend's heart pounded, unable to drown out the memories as they flooded him, the feeling of suffocation as his lungs filled with liquid.

[Kyrit]

He'd come a long way since that day though, trained both his body and his mind. Perhaps he was not strong enough to face all their foes just yet, but as Friend's head broke the surface of the water and took a normal breath he could be proud that he had taken a big step for himself.

His eyes opened, greeted by the wooden walls of the home they had all been given. The water was uncomfortable and his body still trembled on occasion, but the hardest part of all had been accomplished. He wouldn't stay in the tub for particularly long, though he managed to give the water enough time to soak into his fur and take with it a heavy amount of grime.

[Kyrit]

Still uncertain of trusting the magic imbued upon the tub, once Friend was ready to call it quits he clambered out with it still full, soggy fur dragging a fair amount of water out and dripping onto the floor below. Only once he was out and confident he was out of reach of the enchantment he activated the rune and watched the water evacuate. He stood there staring at the empty tub, fur still dripping, for some time - making note it was still empty - before hunting down towels to clean up his mess and eventually rejoin the others.

[Wild Pet Found]