[attr="class","witness"]Francie watched the ape before them snort, which had Francie smiling fondly. Fran.... Matthew had called her Fran. That was like, such a step forward for Matthew! And for like, for them!

"Technically he's an ape, because he doesn't have a tail, like monkeys."

Francie spouted the random fact she knew about not rock type pokemon as if she'd read it from a book, before turning to look at Matthew.

"But, don't hold out hope if you don't want. I mean, being a pessimistic realist is very charming."

Teases like that had become more common between the two of them. And with Matt, Francie felt herself being able to make such comments without feeling super awkward.

@matthew

[attr="class","witness"]Francie grinned and tugged Matt along with her toward the oranguru. When they approach, they're led to the small tribe of monkey like pokemon. Francie can remember the activities they have, and are portraying here, from her safari visit. She saw so many chimchars in her visit it had made her head spin.

But seeing them so free in the wild like this was beautiful and it had her smiling fondly, until her eyes fell on another oranguru. Female, and the male they had followed there sat behind her. She was struggling with... something. Francie immediately furrowed her brows.

The oranguru was sweating and feverish, looked very ill. Maybe even poisoned, not that Francie knew.

She turned to Matt and gave a pout.

"What do you think is wrong with her?"

@matthew

[attr="class","witness"]Francie's eager to see Matthew at work. She doesn't speak really, doesn't want to startle anybody. Instead, she picks the rockruff up to chill him out and calm the tribe. If it goes to bit her, she's quick to grab his muzzle until he whines, before letting him go and whispering for him not to bite or she'd do it again. Then she picks up a decent rock, letting him chew on it in her arms like a bone if he stayed.

That's how she trained her puppies not to bite her, after all. 'Chew things, not Francies!' she used to tell them.

"Is she gonna be okay, Matt?"

The nickname might have slipped previously, but there's such a caution and worry in her tone... perhaps it's reflected emotions from the male oranguru, who is stroking his mate's head to tell her it'll be okay.

@matthew - i'm not crying ur crying

[attr="class","witness"]Francie helps as much as she can. She manages to help the others bring food, and she boils water to make fresh clean water for the oranguru that's hurt. The whole while, the male goes with Francie, trusting Matthew with his mate because he knows this man is his best shot at her being healed-- and perhaps he only knows this because of his telepathic connection with Francie.

---

By evening, Francie's exhausted, but not showing it. Her eyes are a bit clouded over, she's watching a fire started by one of the chimchars and nursed by a primeape. Her eyelids are heavy. She'd done great at pretending she wasn't tired, but the oranguru had just passed through the worst of it, so they hoped, and would hopefully recover by morning.

Leaning Francie to feel comfortable enough that she wanted to pass out. But she also didn't want to just leave Matthew in the middle of the oranguru's tribe. Since he felt anxious about it.

"Did you want to head somewhere to make camp?"

Cue a yawn.

@matthew

[attr="class","witness"]With a yawn, Francie's head is nodding in agreement with Matthew's words. She blinks and rubs at her eyes, they're tired and they hurt. But she's not about to ignore Matthew. Nope, she's one hundred percent focused on the words coming out of his mouth.

"Okay, yes, I agree. Sleep now, move later."

Her words are slow to leave her mouth. Habit leads her to reaching for Lyonel's ball. The midnight lycanroc emerges and lays down in his own habit, laying down in the night time to admire the sun while Francie curls up in his fur.

A dangerous sort of look is given to Matthew before he smirks and nods for Matthew to join them. If, in fact, Matthew even gets that impression from the lycanroc's actions.

@matthew

[attr="class","witness"]Francie's half asleep by this point, having no idea what her lycanroc is doing to poor Matthew.

But Lyonel? Wide awake and excited that he can make this guy so shifty. He doesn't bother to continue to be a super ass, instead lifting up and holding Francie who mumbles something before the midnight lycanroc looks to Matthew and nods at Francie as he lays her down.

He's snorting before taking up his spot in front of Francie, for her to snuggle against. Lyonel turns, eyes Matthew, points at the spot he'd left behind Francie, and then snorts.

It's easily translated as, 'snuggle her, motherfucker.'

@matthew

[attr="class","witness"]Francie's not sure what really happened, only that she's snuggling a lycanroc and she's feeling warmth all around her. She does, however, recognize that a smell that's not her lycanroc drifts close. But she's not awake enough to investigate and instead, she's lulled to sleep by comforts.

Lyonel, however, is the one who snickers before laying comfortably and without movement. If he moves and wakes her, she might be angry with him. Or worse, she'll be awake the whole night and it'll be annoyingly awkward the whole night. Better they sleep of the fatigue and decide something in the morning time.

---

By the time the sun is raising, Francie's eyes are peeling open. She doesn't move right away, only laying there within the warmth of two beings... and then it hits her. Two beings? She shifts slowly, rolling onto her other side and ignoring how her back cracks. She assumes what's to meet her is one of her other lycanroc's who'd come out for snuggles but-- nope.

It's a Matthew.

Cue Francie's blush, cause, um, oops... she was now paranoid she'd disturbed his sleep! What if he woke up and saw her?!

She's beat red, her face is scrunched and crimped, and she's not quite sure how to register all of her emotions so there's a small squeak that leaves her.

And damn Lyonel for snicker behind her.

@matthew