"Honestly? I don't know. I've never had many dealings with the werewolf curse, so I can't say one way or the other for sure. Based on my previous experience, as little as it may be, I'd say that chances are good that once the source blood is removed, you shouldn't start changing again, at least not all the way, or for a long time. Now, at some point, the taint may be built back up by your body, and need to be cleansed again, but a simple bleeding at that point could help."
Zane pats Grayell on the shoulder
"As long as you stay active, and just come to me if it get too bad, we should be able to keep you from changing."
Grayell's body became notably less tense. He bounced his head with a nod, then stopped leaning on the window and turned to face Zane with a slight smile.
Thank you Zane. And thank you for listening to me... I don't care to share my past with anyone but was worried. I'll be sure to let you know if there's anything more to worry about.
Grayell headed for the door and then paused.
She chose well you know. I'll have to buy you a round some time. Meanwhile, let's just say we never saw those fragments. I'll trust in you to do what's best. Thanks again Zane.
After Grayell leaves, Zane takes the pouch of fragments and buries it beneath his floorboards. Lying down in bed, he falls asleep almost instantly, almost completely drained from destroying the fragment
Zane arrives back from Big Game and Small Hearts, blood on his clothes, and images of the slain Jericho fresh in his mind. He strips off the bloody clothes and collapses into his bed.
"Such violence and blood-shed... Even with all my magic I couldn't prevent that poor man's fate... And what of those whiter creatures... A threat, but they have to blood for me to drain or use in combat... I have sworn an oath to help those in need, but maybe it is time that I learn the baser art of swordplay in order to compliment my magic?"
Zane puts his hand to his face and rubs his eyes
"I need to inform Councilman Grayell about that skeleton dragging off Jericho's corpse, at the very least. After that, I may as well look for someone who can teach me swordplay while I'm out..."
He then stops talking to himself like a loon and goes to sleep, trying to forget the day's events
Grayell leaned on the wall beside the door with his shoulder, then rolled to his back. The hurried walk to Zane's place had him somewhat more coherent and he groaned as the wounds on his back pressed to the wall. One eye opened and he looked at Marg but grinned.
Some date we're having huh? Nice night for it though...
Zane stands up from the desk, knocking down some papers, but he rushes over and looks at Grayell
"What in god's name happened to him? Never mind, save the story for later."
Zane inspects Grayell's wounds and then leads him to the bed. Once there, he takes out his tools and sets to work. Where he can, he uses his healing magic to stem the blood flow and to heal him as best as he can. Other places where the wounds were too large, he just stops the bleeding, and sows him up by hand. After a bit of time, no more wounds can be found, and Grayell seems to have been stopped up.
"Well there's that. Now how and the blazes did this happen?"
"Werewolves? Why didn't you say something earlier! Did they cut you? Oh never mind, now I have to check just to make sure. How long ago was this?"
Zane goes back to Grayell and makes a small cut in his shoulder. Using his blood magic, he probes Grayell's blood, looking for any MORE taint from the werewolf curse. Not sensing anything beyond his default amount, he seals up the cut and then goes over to Marg.
"I may have to check and see if there's any taint from the curse."
"Be that as it may, I'm not about to just say okay and have the chance of a werewolf infestation taking up in town. It would make me feel a lot better if you would either show me a bleeding wound, or let me make a small one, just to check."
Margrett was silent for a moment. Then she grabbed Zane by his collar and brought him to her face.
I just spent the last half-hour reliving every single god damn thing that had ever, ever happened to me, except with more blood and more guilt. You can trust me. I'm clean.
She let go and leaned back on the wall, folding her arms.
Grayell had been groggy but was coming to, slowly. He sat up on the bed and groaned, his head on fire and his mouth dry. His strength had somewhat returned that to Zane's magic and he snapped a hand to the edge of the bed, pulling himself up.
Wolf's Bane Doc. The only flower I had. She'll be fine. Check her when you stitch her up, she's been through more hell than I have.
That statement was only partially true. Torn to shreds and nearly dead was nothing compared to the visions and pain Margrett had endured, but it was an ongoing torment for Grayell, something that he had dealt with for years. He'd become somewhat numb.
He tried to lift himself off the bed and failed, groaned and did it again. Shaking out the cobwebs he looked at Marg and smiled.
You're a tough little shit, you know that? Get on the bed so Zane can patch you up.