"Mm." Noncommittal, vaguely positive.

"Alright here?"

She nods. (She's trying to hide how happy she is; she's really not doing a very good job of it, though.)

Drex nods. "Ll leave you be. Y'need anything get Esca to come find me."

She nods again.

He smiles, nods back, and leaves.

Petting continues.

Eventually, she needs to use the bathroom. She stops petting Monarch and chirps negatively at her.

Monarch huffs, but springs lithely off Denice's lap and over to the other chair, curling up in that.

Esca tilts his head inquisitively.

"Go," she tells him, and carefully attempts to stand. It's far from graceful, but she manages it, moving one leg at a time and holding onto the chair and then the wall for support.

He stays close, not close enough that she's likely to trip over him, but close enough that he could help her catch herself if she falls.

She starts making her way out of the library, leaning on the shelves for support. It works well enough, if she pays attention to what she's doing and moves one limb at a time.

It's kind of exhausting, though. Her hands start shaking at about the halfway point; she makes it a little farther before she stops, clinging to the latest shelf, and whimpers.

Esca gives a quiet whine, and then pads off to drag an wooden chair over to beside Denice, close enough that she can either use it as a crutch, or sit down into it.

She collapses into it with an unpleasant-sounding thud.

He nuzzles her gently, and then steps backwards, pausing, obviously trying to get across 'wait here', even if her moving seems unlikely.

Yeah, she's not going anywhere. She's busy trying to catch her breath.

He bounds away, obviously in a hurry.

A few minutes later he returns, Drex right behind with-

A wheeled walker.

He pauses, looking at Denice. "Want to try this?"

...okay...

Drex spins the walker so that the handles face Denice and then rolls it close to her. "Brakes," he says, tapping the handles. "Helps keep it steady. Got others if this doesn't work out for you."

She peers confusedly at it for a few seconds, and then tries to use it to stand.

She doesn't get the idea of the brakes, but it doesn't matter; she doesn't have the strength to get that far, right now.

Drex hums, frowning thoughtfully. "Here, sit. It'll be awkward, but c'n use it as a wheelchair f'r now. Y'r room?"

She nods.

"Can I touch you to help you?"

She nods again.