Noticeably Sick

Owl’s Creek - the Outskirts of Sheridan, Wyoming

As Lydia maintained her watchful vigil by the dimly flickering fire, Finlay lay on the slightly raised and drier ground beside the creek's overflow control tunnel. He had changed into the dry clothes she had provided, though they hung loosely on his frame. The exhaustion from their harrowing escape weighed heavily on him, his body longing for rest.

However, it was not the weariness alone that troubled Finlay's appearance. His form exhibited a strange and unsettling pattern of spasms. Randomly, his body would twitch and shudder as if it were caught in a never-ending struggle. Each spasm was accompanied by a rapid transformation, causing his physical features to shift and distort, only to revert swiftly back to the form of Lydia.

This involuntary display of shape-shifting was a clear sign that something was amiss within him. His body seemed to be at odds with itself, unable to settle into a stable state. It was as if his innate ability to change forms was in conflict with some external force, leaving him trapped in this unfamiliar guise. It was draining his immune system, energy and bodily resources swifter than would be normal.

Hypothermia had taken its toll on him as well. His skin appeared pale, and his lips had a bluish tinge. His limbs occasionally trembled from the lingering cold, and he wrapped himself tightly in the dry clothes in a futile attempt to preserve warmth. The sensation of dehydration had parched his throat, and his lips were cracked and dry.