Earl
Joshua was stiff. He felt like he hadn't moved for years. He always did lately. He'd recently started going on walks around the campus grounds as often as he could, trying to combat this, but a thought kept tugging at him. As he walks, he drums the gloved fingers of his let hand against his chest, producing a muffled wooden rhythm. His lignification had been worsening. He knew that. The spread of it alone was an indicator. But the stiffness, that made it seem like maybe it was more than skin deep. And that was concerning. He'd heard things from the people who did this to him, small bits of rumour about past subjects succumbing totally to it. Was that happening to *Him?*

His thoughts are interrupted by something just as horrifying to him. His destination, a tree that he had been taking care of for quite some time now, was split nearly in two. A thunderstorm passed through the area recently, and lightning must've struck it. He completely forgets about his health concerns, and runs over to it, nearly in tears. How can he fix this?
*Can* He fix it?
Heather
Vizhkir was walking through the woods humming to himself. He often found himself outside, it helped him gather his thoughts and keep his head above water so to speak. He was in the midst of culture shock, and interacting with predominantly westerners only furthered it. New ideas, lines of thought and entire concepts he had never heard of or had been demonized were almost constant. Just when he thought he understood one thing, something new or different came along and derailed his progress. He pulled in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. This place was strange, these people were even stranger. 

His legs worked on their own as his mind was too occupied to tell them where to go. He longed for the sky, the clear and blue yonder. He wanted to feel the wind through his hair, the feeling of a current stroking his wings as it propelled him forward. But unfortunately, he could only fly at night. People didn't take to kindly to large Russians flying in Swedish airspace. His feet came to a stand still, and it took his eyes a few moments to relay to his brain. There was a tree split in half. That tree in particular was always well kept, it had always looked healthy. And here it was split in two. And next to it was a disheartened guy? He couldn't really tell from his distance. He moved closer, dead branches and gravel crunching lightly under his boots as he came closer to observe. Through limited interactions with others he found it best to let them make the first move, but this time he cleared his throat, "Are you okay?" He asked, speaking slowly.
Earl
Joshua almost doesn't hear the strange voice. Tentatively, he takes off one of his gloves and reaches out, firmly gripping a branch of the downed portion. The instantaneous rush of senses from the dying wood, the agony, the fear, all the pain this tree is feeling, they overwelm him as if this is his own body. He cries out, collapsing onto his butt facing the tree.

"No." He says, finally, barely more than a whisper. Then, louder, "No, I don't think I am." He slowy stands up, wincing as he does, and faces the new arrival, no shame in the tears rolling down his face. "I don't even know where to start fixing this."
Heather
Vizhkir's face flashed concern and confusion. He wasn't going to question the man's tears, that didn't seem wise at this time. Instead he looked at he tree, walking over to it before gently taking some of the weight off the branches. "Maybe you can bind the halves together? It doesn't feel to heavy, I'm sure I can pick it up. I am no botanist, so I don't know if it will work" He offered. He really had no idea, he was just willing to help.

He offered the strange tree man a smile, though he wasn't sure if it gave the other person comfort.
Earl
Hope flashes across his face. "That might help. If we can get it bound, then she might live, at least long enough to do something more substantial," He says, putting his glove back on. "This tree's been through a lot already. She's hurting, bad."
Joshua walks over to the base of the tree and inspects the split, prodding the wood with his regloved hand, which thankfully doesn't allow a connection. "The split isn't as bad as it could be. If we're careful, maybe we can reattach it. She'd have to help some though, or we'll shred most of this exposed grain." He looks back at Vizhkir to see if he understands.
Heather
Vizhkir nodded, "I didn't know trees grew barley" He said after hearing about the grain. "I'll let you handle the uh. Technical stuff, I'll do the heavy lifting" 

He sqauted down next to the fallen half of the tree, slinging one of his arms under it and the other over. He took a deep breath in, then out, then in, then out. He felt strength he didn't have before surge to the surface. He felt his muscles roughly spasm under his skin, causing a bit of discomfort that he didn't dare show. "Tell me when"
Earl
Joshua nods solemnly. He takes off his gloves, revealing his left hand to be made of dark, polished wood. He takes a deep breath before putting his hands against the trunk of the tree. He sharply inhales in pain, but doesn't recoil this time. After a moment of silence with his eyes closed, he says "Now." As he does he begins pouring energy into the tree, helping her to lift the fallen bough. With a sharp creak and several loud *Pops,* Vizhkir finds that the weight begins to lessen.
"Just help her pull it into place." Joshua says through gritted teeth. He's never put this much energy into a plant before. A faint ripping sound comes from over his shoulder, but he doesn't notice the sprouts growing out of his back and left arm, shredding his jacket and shirt in the process.
Heather
Dragovich's legs snapped up, pushing the tree up wards as he walked the trunk forward, 100% giving himself a splinter in the process. Hand over hand, step by step the broken half of the tree rose steadily. It hurt, and Vizhkir knew he would have some nasty cramps later but he didn't let it deter him. 

Finally, he had the whole trunk up. He wrapped his arms around the tree and held tight, "If you're going to tie it off now would be a great time" He grunted through his clenched jaw. He felt that immense strength leave, leaving him with his natural strength. He leaned into the tree, pressing his whole body into it while he waited on the other guy to work his magic
Earl
As the trunk is raised into place, the wood pulls itself together, slowly filling the breach.
*That will take weeks, bare minimum.* Joshua thinks to himself. Lacking a better option, he quickly takes his belt off with one hand, wrapping it around the healing trunk as high as he can reach. He pulls it tight, then places his hands back against the bark, on either side of the split. 
"I think you can let go now. Get clear quick in case I'm wrong though." He grunts, clearly straining. The sprouts growing through the torn torn fabric of his clothes get thicker, growing from blades of grass to thin green branches, complete with tiny budding leaves.
Heather
Vizhkir nodded, letting his wings pop out to propel himself sideways as soon as he let go. He felt the two powerful appendages spring out from his back before they spread open, casting long shadows. 

He released his grip, peddling backwards as he wings beat, thrusting him sideways. He was outside of the fall zone but prepared to go back in if it came down on the guy with a forest on his back.
Earl
Joshua spends a few minutes silently conferring with the tree, still, aside from the heaving of his back as he pants. Through this connection, not only is he pouring himself into the tree, the tree gives a little bit of herself back.

The sensations are fuzzy, like a distant memory, but they're distinct enough that Joshua can discern basic emotions: pain, fear, but beneath that, warmth, love, and gratitude. Not just for him, but for the strange hands that helped him. A few images flash across his mind, a fire, a blade, scorched wood, and Joshua placing his hands against her, always there to help her heal.

Throughout all of this, fresh wood fills the wound, followed by a thin green layer of bark.

He backs away finally, once more teary-eyed. Without turning his back on the scarred tree, he steps over to where Vizhkir stands
.
He speaks, exhaustion tainting his voice, "I'll have to find something stronger to support that much weight." He pauses, swaying a bit, "But for now, the belt should hold things together while the new growth hardens. I really appreciate your help. And so does she."
Heather
Vizhkir sighed in relief. His body ached all over, and he knew it wouldn't be too long now before he needed to go lay down. The Russian listened to the other boy's words, nodding along. 

"You are alright, no?" He asked, looking at Joshua. In reality Vizhkir was in no better shape, using his strength like that always sapped him. He was in good shape, better than most. But tapping into his draconic strength sucked the life out of him. 

His wings spread slightly, sending a bit of warmth through him as the black appendages soaked up the sun. After a few moments enjoying that warmth Vizhkir stuck out his hand, "I am Vizhkir Dragovich. Nice to meet you"
Earl
Joshua looks at Vizlhir, "Yeah I'm fine, just a-" He cuts himself off, having finally noticed the growth across his back and arm.
"Well, that's new," Joshua states, before cracking up, the pressure having gotten to him, "It almost looks like a shrub grew on my back."
He spends a moment poking one of the stems with his finger before he gets back on track, "Sorry, I'm Joshua. Joshua Hawthorne." He shakes the offered hand.
Heather
"Is shrub growth normal?" Vizhkir asked Joshua, after withdrawaling his hand. He peered curiously the other boy's back. He hadn't met the person yet, to his knowlage at least. He figured he'd remember someone like this. 

"So the tree. It will be alright?" He asked looking back at it. He took another step towards it to look at the new growth on the tree.
Earl
"This is the first time it's happened," Joshua says, in response to the first question, "But I guess it makes some sense, all things considered." He then raises his left hand so that the polished wooden texture of his palm catches the light of the moon. With his shirt mostly tattered, its evident that the affected area stretches up his arm and across most of his torso.

He thinks for a moment on the second question, his head foggy from exertion "I can't say for sure. Like I said, the tree's taken a lot of bad hits over the last couple years. She even had a hole burned nearly all the way through once. That took months of attention to heal, but at the time it was the biggest task I'd ever tried. Either way, I'll probably be spending my afternoons out here for a while."