Lys: Catastrophe

Aithne came outside to find that Cu had treed, not a cat, as she suspected, but a young man, with a rather large bundle of what she guessed to be sausages, from the way Cu was acting. He was desperately trying to hold the bundle clear of the dog, who had apparently not yet jumped. Cu could leap over Aithne while she was standing upright.

"Cu! Leave the poor man alone!" But the dog, completely focused on his toy, ignored her. "CU! DOWN!"

To his credit, the dog did crouch, almost sitting, but it was only a moment before he was back up again. By this point she was on her way to grab his collar, though she wasn't sure if she'd be strong enough to hold him down. "Get up on the wall!" she yelled to the man, hoping to give them both time. He managed to do so- just. Cu was looking to spring. She knew the signs. She had almost reached him... Too late! All in an instant, the dog sprang, the sausages toppled, and the man, thrown off balance on the low wall, windmilled to no avail. Before anything could be done, she watched him tumble backwards to land off-center on the wall of the well, and tumble down inside.

She stood a moment, blinking with disbelief, then ran to the edge and looked down. "Are you okay?" she called down, praying she'd get an answer. It was quiet... Then there were sounds of splashing and spluttering and she started breathing again. "I'll get help! Just hold on!" She knew there was no way she'd be able to pull him out herself.

She cast about for someone strong enough, wondering where to go, and decided the safest bet was to run towards the paddock- there was always someone strong to be found there...

"Help! Help!"

Someone was running up the path to meet her. "CATHAIR!"

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Cathair had almost gained the villa-yard when he heard a sound that struck dread in his heart- Aithne screaming for help. He ran as fast as he could, nearly running into her. "What is it? What's wrong? Who's-"

Aithne was babbling. "A man- down the well- Cu jumped- sausages..." He got enough of it to realize she wasn't in imminent danger and that there was some trouble at the well. Running to it, he found Aithne's huge dog chewing ecstatically through a canvas bag, and heard all manner of curses coming from the well. Letting loose one of his own, he grabbed the dipping bucket- attached to a thick rope- and lowered it down. "Can you grab on?" he yelled down.

"Just drop it down here, already!" Cathair did so, and soon he was hauling the man up while Aithne did her best to drag Cu away from the bundle. The young man came back over the side, soaking wet, and none too happy. Aithne, doing all she could to keep Cu in a sitting position, apologized profusely. "I'm so, so sorry! I don't know what got into him... He's usually so well-behaved..." The man waved her off. "Just keep him away from me from now on, okay?" Picking up the remains of his pack, he walked on, soaking wet and squishing in his boots.

Cathair looked at Aithne and she blushed deep red, shying away, as usual ashamed of something that wasn't her fault. He walked over to her and helped her up, taking a firm hold of Cu's collar as he did so.

"Nice day, isn't it?"