He'd been freaking trampled. Caught off guard completely. His focus had been completely on the injured yearling deer. He hadn't expected a moose to come out of left field. The giant beast had scooped him up on its wide rack and sent him flying through the air. The big man had landed in a bush with a loud thump. In pure, adrenaline driven shock, he tucked tail and ran. There was no battling a moose on your own. They were vicious things.

It wasn't until later when he speed to rest that he realized he was injured. Of course he would be bruised and sore from his first flying experience. When he landed in the bush, one of the branches had snapped, the sharp point stabbing through the fold of skin just behind his front, left shoulder. There was both an entrance and an exit wound. Blood soaked the fur of his side and stomach. Asa frowned. Now that the adrenaline had faded, he was feeling the pain of the wound. Just great.

Padding along slowly, the silver and onyx man just happened to stumble upon a set of pools that were heated from underground lava tunes, no doubt. Dippng a toe into one, he tested the temperature before, satisfied with the warmth, he submerged his big body. The wound burned, but he imagined it might be a good thing. Cleaning the wound, maybe? The warmth would soothe his bruised for for sure. With a sigh, Asa rested his blocky skull on the edge of the pool. He would be slow for a few days because of today's events. Maybe it was time to join a pack. Or to at least find someone else to keep around. It was a lot to think about.

I wanted to seek, but I got distracted

Pleased with her gathering Lúta looked for a place she could settle in to craft and naturally her thoughts went back to the Hot Springs where she'd met Rhythm. She had had a wonderful time and she wondered if the older woman might be there again. Shifting her course she headed toward the spring, her deer hide bundle swinging from her jaws as she traveled.

The late afternoon sun was warm and so far the sky was clear though on the horizon she could see bands of white clouds gathering in the south. She hoped it wouldn't be a storm. Parting through the brush Lúta arrived at the Hot Springs to find a wolf already there. However, it wasn't Rhythm. It was a strange man she hadn't seen before and she quickly noticed the blood in the water. She set her bundle down.

"Hello there, do you need any help? I'm a healer-in-training." She still had much to learn but she had at least some basic knowledge that could help him.

Head resting upon the edge of the spring, Asa had begun to doze off. Some of the other pools were a little bubbly, and so he didn't hear the sound of approaching paws. When the woman's voice sounded, the silver and slate man's eyes drifted open, their orange depths blinking away the sleep. Asa lifted his head and cleared his throat, gaze going to the woman. She asked if he needed help and the brute grinned sheepishly. "I could use a bit of help, sure." Planting his paws on the side of the pool, the long-legged man pulled himself free. Water trailed from his bruised body in rivulets. Turning so that she might see the puncture in the loose skin behind his elbow, Asa gave a noise of amusement. "I was attacked by a moose, but it was a bush that bit me." His deep voice purred. "I would appreciate anything that you could do, lady." A term of endearment. A term of respect. He used it on all the women.

I wanted to seek, but I got distracted

The man accepted her offer and pulled himself out of the water while she opened her bundle to see what she had. Being a loner that lacked a pack she couldn't carry all she needed with her. From previous herb hunting she knew there was very little that grew around here that could be used for such a wound. The man stated that he'd been attacked by a moose. She nodded sympathetically. "They can be rather brutish creatures. I think I have some items that can help." She pulled out yarrow to help with the bleeding, chamomile to help delay infection and then lavender to help with the pain. Lavender certainly wasn't the strongest pain reliever but it was all she had so it would have to do.

"My name is Lúta by the way. Are you from Abaven out of curiosity?" She hadn't thought to catch his scent and with the herbs at her feet they were all she could smell. She bent her head and began working the three herbs into a paste which she could then apply to his wounds.

I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

Natha stirred from her resting place in a nearby tree. She'd been dealing with a sinus headache and had decided that sleeping over the Hot Springs with the warm steam floating up to her would be a good option. Of course there was the risk that she could fall off into the hot water but she'd slept in many a tree and wasn't particularly concerned. She was still sleeping off her battle with the grizzly bear in the weeping woods and she was so tired that it took awhile for her to realize she was hearing voice. Natha yawned and peered down at the pair of wolves. She recognized the blue wolf but not the one soaking in the water. She thought about saying hello but found herself yawning instead. Maybe she'd just take another quick cat nap and see if they were still there when she woke up.

I wanted to seek, but I got distracted

Lúta was engrossed in what she was doing and quite unaware of the cat in the tree above her. She focused on working the herbs into a paste, doing what she could to make sure they were evenly distributed. One she was done she moved toward the man and began applying the paste to his wounds. It would take a bit to dry but it was thick enough that it adhered to the fur and help slow the bleeding as well as hopefully ease the man's pain.

Pleased with herself she put her items away and turned back to the man. "That should do it. You'll want to leave it in place for awhile and be careful not to wash it off. I'd best continue my journey, but I wish you well."