The villager was tapping their foot anxiously, awaiting her to say something, but she was quiet. Waiting on the coffee to settle that she'd finally put on, and for the patient to finally look her in the face.
"Wouldn't a gash like this need stitches?"
She shrugged, "How would you know you're not a doctor, are you?"
The villager frowned, "Would you stop being a hard ass? It's bad enough I had to get help from the likes of you."
Regina rolled her eyes, mumbling, "It's my job to help others, you forget."
"What was that?"
Regina narrowed her eyes, and the patient started to wince, "Ouch, why the hell did I get a sudden headache?"
"You probably need rest, you have just experienced a traumatic event, and your body needs to undergo mental healing. The bleeding has gone, but your mind is probably still lingering with adrenaline."
"Why is that? Can't you cure it?"
"Adrenaline isn't something that you cure, it's more like a feeling you get in a sudden rush of danger or excitement."
She turned her attention over to the coffee pot, "Now, sugar is probably not the best thing for that right now, but offering again, would you like a cup of brown energy? It's warm, doesn't necessarily need sugar, and it tastes pretty decent with flavorings."
"If it's not the best thing for me right now, why the hell are you offering it to me?"
"Because I'm going to have some and I wouldn't want you to feel left out before your nap."
The patient blinked back as Regina smiled, walking over to the vial from which she had drawn blood earlier. Carefully, she took the vial out of the water and gave it a little swirl before squinting her eyes at the evidence.
"The blood appears human, but also not; it seems as if the human was cursed or turned into something. I can feel traces of an evil source, of course, for more answers, I would have to wait a bit longer and possibly get a sample from the creature."
She tilted her head as a faded dark color goo faded to the top of the vial, making her raise her brows. "Very peculiar findings indeed." She set the vial down and gravitated toward the coffee pot once more, the clear glass still steaming despite having sat out for a couple of minutes.
"I did a good job of boiling you, if you're still hot." She quickly grabbed two glasses from her cabinet and left one on the table.
"The option still stands, dear friend."
"I'm not your damn friend, witch."
"Maybe not, but as of now, you need me, so our relationship will be the least of your concerns. Now, would you tell me what your name is?"
"Joseph, my Pa told me to stay away from people like you."
"Why? Because I'm a woman?"
"No, because you're a witch."
Regina raises a brow, "Did you form that opinion from your father or the village, because last time I checked, witches have been blessing mere towns with the honor of healing and prosperity."
"Maybe recently, but the only reason those mere towns don't attack witches is because fear is greater than any feeling they might conjure up about your witchcraft. Also, I am two tens and a year now, I can form my own damn opinion."
"You are close to my age, I am two tens in age, you are a year older than me." She sighs, "Yet still you seem to be unwise. I have helped you, but still you seem to have an unnecessary anger toward me." She shakes her head, pulling some sugar out of the cupboard.
From then on, she filled the bottom of her empty cup with sugar and coffee, using her finger to stir before quickly rinsing her hands. A simple sip was enough to make her smile before she turned back to Joseph.
"Joseph."
He sighed, "What is it?"
"Tell me more about this beast you encountered." Regina tilted her head up and narrowed her eyes. "Have you seen it before? Maybe it had been stalking you."
"I'm not sure if it had, I didn't realize until now, one minute I was in the forest hunting and the next I was the one being hunted. Preyed upon by a creature with great teeth and charcoal hair."
"Fur probably, the teeth marks match those of a wolf, like I said, cursed, perhaps, and a human got involved."
"What the hell does that even mean? I've never seen a wolf like that before. It was bigger than any average creature and seemed to blend into its surroundings. I was lucky to only get away with a bite."
Regina took another sip of coffee, "Indeed, strange, especially with the creature blending into its surroundings. It almost seems like it has enhanced intelligence, further proving my point that it must have attached to a human in a way of a parasite."
She glanced back at the tainted vial and put her hands together, "If the wolf was dying, it could have attacked another human and transferred its soul to keep living. Taking over the human brain and using the human's knowledge to continue to feed, but that's just a theory."
"I have no fucking idea what you're talking about, I think I'll take that coffee now." Joseph tried to get up, but felt their head start spinning, their vision blurring, and their stomach churning.
Joseph sat back down and swallowed hard. "Actually, can you get me a cup of coffee? I feel dizzy."
"Probably, side-effects, and sure, I knew you would eventually take one!"
"Well, yeah, might as well with all the non-sense you're spewing, I also like my brown potion with milk and cinnamon," Joseph mumbled as Regina got to work, rolling her eyes.
"Sure, I'm surprised you add additional ingredients to your coffee."
Joseph sniffed, "Black coffee is too bitter for me."
"Same", Regina finished up Joseph's sweet cup with a slight smile, adding a bit of simple sugar before passing it to them.
"Enjoy, and when you're ready, please rest your eyes, you're going to need it."