It was not unheard of for the woman, though sweet and genuine in everything that she said or did, to have a somewhat... stubborn streak. Perhaps stubborn wasn't even quite the right word for such a quality? Maybe it was more along the lines of strong-willed or determined. Though she knew when it was best to walk away from a situation, there in fact being a part of her mind that recognized logic and method, it was often not without some degree of struggle that the young huntress would need to convince herself that she needed to let something go. It was far from the type of letting go that someone might need to do when clinging with desperation to the memories of a significant other that was no longer a part of one's life, or the sort of letting go when it might come to a wrong that had been committed upon a wounded heart struggling with the idea of learning to forgive and move on from what had hurt it. For Ellie, letting go was understand that she was only capable of so much before it was best not to press her luck. When it came to someone or something that was hurt, whether they be animal, human, or supernatural, it was hard to walk away when whomever it was that may be wounded did not want her help. She herself had never truly endured much pain in her life aside from the change, and even looking back on that day, after her eighteenth birthday, her mind seemed to wince away from recalling even a fraction of what it might have felt like. Perhaps that had been the entire reason her new life as a dark hunter had begun with the gift of healing. In truth, Ellie hardly knew why it was that she had been given such a power, one that perhaps most of her kind might grow curious of. She's seen her brother's power at work during those trainings with their father, seen what their father was capable of, and from what she had always seen, the powers of a hunter were more often than not intended for the fields of battle, infamous for harming, or worse. It was, after all, the task that her family's kind were created for. They were fated to safeguard the delicate balance in this world. So, why then, was it that she was different? How was it, that her own gifts were unlike her family's? These were the questions that have often flitted across her mind from time to time, and yet never would she find an answer to them now.

Really, she was thankful for what she could do. To help and heal, it ran deeply through the huntress and right to her very core, resonated from the deepest parts of her heart and soul. Gods knew that she would never be capable of hurting another living thing. She could hardly even damage a plant or flower without there being the slightest touch of remorse over eyes of early morning frost. One might think the young woman crazy, how she so enjoyed talking to the plants that grew so happily within her own townhouse, the gentle crooning of Ellie often filling those four walls as she would water and preen them. Her mother would always tell her that they had feelings, too. Some would think such a concept to be nonsensical and childish, and Ellie understood that they could not feel anger or jealousy, that they were not capable of loving. But, she did know that they could feel. It was practically effortless for the honey-blonde to see when they were happy, how they would bloom and flourish under her care as she was careful when watering them and ensuring they were given all the sun and shade they would need to thrive. Sometimes, with a sweet smile upon blush-colored lips, she would like to think that on some days they would be even more vibrant on those sunny spring afternoons, as if rejoicing in the season of new life and beauty as winter's cold hand no longer gripped so tightly on this part of the world. And, just as she could see when they were doing so well, it was easy for her to notice when they were not well. They drooped and withered, losing their color as they cried silently out to her for help, for a remedy. Even though her powers certainly were not helpful to those beloved plants and flowers of hers, she knew more than enough from her mother on how to perk them up when they seemed to be struggling. Like her mother, the young huntress was just as gifted in the arts of healing plant life as she was those various beings with heartbeats. Admittedly, there have been very few instances where she has needed her gift to help a human or supernatural, having gotten a fair amount of practice from wounded creatures that seemed to find their way to her one way or another. So tender and nurturing was the young woman towards nature, one might think she should have been fae rather than hunter, and she would hardly protest to such an idea. But, that was not who she was, and that was okay.

And so, as she peers around the tree at the injured were, despite his warning growls, Ellie cannot move away and simply leave him there to fend for himself. That has never been something she was capable of. However, that air of defensiveness seems to shift almost immediately when those keen senses of his detected the embarrassment that rippled through her, the flush to her freckled and fair-skinned cheeks doing the opposite of helping her to hide the sudden rush of shyness from seeing the man hardly clothed. Thank goodness he has boxers on! If not for those... well, truthfully, she didn't even wish to think about what her eyes might have accidentally seen. It wasn't as though she did not know what she would find there, but she most certainly did not desire to see those more masculine features, the young huntress entirely and wholly innocent in this aspect of life. She's never shared a bed with a man before, lost in a moment of passion that she's only ever read of through those many novels and books her eyes of early morning frost caressed those beautifully placed words etched with the pages in a way so profound that she could practically see those scenes playing out within her mind. Heck, she hasn't even been held in the arms of a man, so the sheer thought of having come across a were entirely stripped of his clothing was bordering on terrifying for the honey-blonde. She grows ever shyer beneath that coy expression overwhelming his features as he regards her, a sensation so very unusual for Ellie to feel at all simply for her normally confident and outgoing nature. Although, the bashfulness was rather warranted given the... circumstances of their meeting. While others might not have given their name so readily to a nearly naked stranger in the depths of the forest skirting the furthest side of the park, Ellie doesn't have a reason to hide it from the were who looks young much like herself. Even wounded, the huntress was certain if he would have wished to harm her, he would have done so by now. Instead, he seems to contemplate her family name for a moment before his young, masculine voice reaches for the honey-blonde in the form of a peculiar compliment - at least, she thinks it was meant to be one - only to be followed by his devilish grin and a single wink cast her way. Why is he winking? Is he flirting? Yes, this was all very new to her, and so she decides to focus on his own name he seems to give in return."Thank you. It's, um, nice to meet you, Marcelo", she says softly in response to the were, her mind still trying to wrap around the unexpected situation she's found herself in.

His next words have the young woman practically freezing in her steps, glacier blue eyes widening in surprise and heart coming so frightfully close to leaping from her chest. Freckled cheeks now surely a brilliant rosy hue, she reflexively reaches for braided hair out of habit as she is quick to avert her gaze from him. Goodness gracious! Who says something like that on the first meeting?! She tries to reason that he is just very forward compared to what she was used to, and yet still her voice is a soft and flustered murmur that he seems to almost take some sort of wicked delight in as he raises a single brow, that single word of question having her still scrambling inwardly to collect herself like a school girl whose dropped her classwork on the floor after running into a cute guy."Well, umm... I mean... I wouldn't know what I, er, would like...", she stammers sheepishly. That made it sound even worse! She clears her throat softly, attempting a steadying breath and failing."I didn't mean it like that! I mean, well, not like how you probably think I meant it... I just, um, haven't... well, you know...", she says then, her voice fading off. Yes, it was about as obvious as an elephant in a ballroom. There may as well be a giant neon sign over the young woman, flashing in bright lights the word "virgin". Why would I even say that!? Well, she hadn't exactly said it... but she doubted that he would miss what her words had implied. Maybe she was just misunderstanding something. Maybe she had just imagined the way his earthen eyes had glimmered mischievously when he'd made the remark about not biting. It could have just been an honest misinterpretation... right? Probably not. She was almost entirely certain he'd meant it the way she'd understood it, but finally she is able to gain some shred of composure as she forces herself to focus on the task at hand and nothing more, despite the pounding of her heart. He's just... being playful, distracting himself. Determined to convince herself of it was simply his way of trying to block out the pain, she tries to settle the wild fluster still shaking her usually bright and outgoing disposition. Settling onto the forest floor beside him, it is then that Marcelo leans towards her with that slimy grin upon his lips, dark eyes glittering as he practically whispers to her, tenor words sending an involuntary wave of bashfulness over the huntress all over again. Her reply is a soft clearing of her throat again as she looks to shoulder, focusing so intently on the wound there.

Wasting little time, finally managing to regain most of herself from the all too new... interaction between Marcelo and herself, the honey-blonde calls upon her affinity and works carefully to repair the wound. Dislodging the bullet and closing his wound takes more from her than she was used to, that lightheadedness strong and having the forest around her spinning when at last she's finished. Regarding her work for a moment with a weak yet soft smile of satisfaction, she shifts her own slender body so that she, too can use the tree to rest against. His own eyes find hers of icy blue once again, gleaming with humor as he asks after the scar it would leave, and for the first time since noticing his lack of clothing, the young woman laughs. It is soft and melodic, and for now she can feel the fluster falling from her."I don't see how a scar from a silver bullet wouldn't be manly", she replies then, her own voice tired still and yet there is a playfulness there as well. Maybe he really had been flirting just to cope with the pain he'd been in. She does not expect for the mischief to drop from his features when she asks how he felt, Ellie rather sure he could sense her own weakness from using her healing to help him, earthen eyes practically burning into the huntress as she meets his gaze with a soft smile of relief."Good", she replies, thankful that he was alright. She hadn't been entirely sure how her gift affected those subjected to it, if they underwent the same symptoms of nausea or fatigue as the young woman did. And yet, this hardly seems to be the case, and every part of her is grateful for this knowledge which was now hers. At least she knew that she wouldn't have to worry about those she helped, fret over how they might feel during and after the healing. She would still need to test it on others to be sure, wondering if perhaps it affected each individual subject differently, but she knows in this moment that she would not be calling on her affinity again tonight if she could help it. Truthfully, the honey-blonde wasn't even sure she would be able to call upon her affinity twice in one day, never having needed to test such limits before. Perhaps she should think about becoming a nurse or doctor instead of a school teacher... But, deep in her heart, Ellie knew that while she would have loved to help the sick or injured, still it was not the dream she was chasing.

The silence lingering between Ellie and Marcelo is brief, though not uncomfortable, when she watches the young man shift so that he is kneeling on his knees and coming face to face with her. She was content with their nearness... until he began to lean in towards her. For reasons not entirely understood, her heart begins to beat faster once more within her breast. Glacier blues search earthen brown, as though she might be able to see exactly what it was he wasn't saying just then. He continues to draw ever closer, now practically over her with a hand on each side of her against the tree, a devilish smile accompanied by the return of that mischievous gleam she thought had vanished. He was so close... like, close enough that they could kiss! Her heart is racing wildly within her chest now, icy blues wide again as her body forces away the lightheadedness. His words are low, almost cryptic and she feels warmth rushing into her lightly freckled cheeks again."What... er, would that be?", she whispers, so softly that she wonders for a moment if he could hear it. Of course, he could! He was were, after all. Then, suddenly, he pulls away, standing over her now, and she only just realizes that she'd been holding her breath that entire time, far too flustered to have done so as he'd been so frightfully close to her. Relief washes over her then, the huntress so very thankful for the space between them once more. A simple "thank you" really would have been enough for the young woman, instead of him having her almost convinced he was going to kiss her to show his gratitude! Taking his offered hand, she rises to a stand as well, brushing her clothes free of debris before looking back to Marcelo, glacier eyes widening in surprise at. A party? Lazarus would surely have a fit if she went to one... And yet, those dark eyes fall to hers of icy blue, and there is something there within them that beckons her, tempts her in a way that was hardly how she was."Do you trust me?"... Now, the answer here should have been no, and yet, with a heart such as Ellie's, she cannot help but give this to him, no matter how foolish some might think her to be. She offers him a sweet smile, the shyness still lingering and yet faded as she nods."I trust you", she says then, hardly knowing what it was that would come next.

Life was about living, and she certainly couldn't do that if she didn't take chances... right? She had with Vhal, after all. And so, she would with Marcelo. Besides, it wasn't like she couldn't send a quick text to her brother and let him know that she'd run into Lani or Abby...