something... happened here

*Tenshi*

Night had fallen on the first day of the festival. Everything appeared to have gone fine. Everyone was having a good time and they had all gone to bed after late-night bonfires and storytelling. When she had awoken the next morning, the tinge of metallic copper in the air made her get to her paws. Glancing around to ensure that all of her packmates were still in the near vicinity, Tenshi rushed away without a word. The smell of blood, though growing fainter, could be that of a wolf and she needed to ensure they were still alive.

Rushing through the pines, the mountainous woman skidded to a halt near the edge of the territory. Tracks went in every direction from multiple different types of animals. Some even appeared to have been drug away into the farther northern regions. Bewildered, Tenshi took a step back with widened eyes. What had caused all of this terror? Blood was everywhere and the smell of death covered every inch. Attempting to hold her breath as best as possible, the woman looked around to see if anyone was still alive. Lowering her face toward the ground, she began to sniff out each body.

Most were lifeless. Not a single breath left to be had. Except for one creature laying off to the side. It was a snowshoe hare, a rather large one for its size, and on the brink of death. A large wound was gashed across its side as it lay there. Shallow breaths and a dim eye told Tenshi it would not have much longer. While it would not normally make sense to save the rabbit's life, she decided that saving someone would be better than none. Grabbing a paw full of snow, she packed it onto the hare's wound to help staunch the flow of blood and alleviate the pain. Its screaming guttural sounds of pain rang through the forest and her ears forced themselves back against her crown. Attempting to calm it with motherly shushes of her voice, the hare's red eyes would peer up at her through its whimpers.

"Help! I need medical supplies for stitches!" Tenshi's accented voice rang out tersely as she glanced around to see if there was even anyone close enough to hear her request. If she didn't get someone to go grab supplies, the rabbit would be good as dead. She waited as long as she could before frantically looking around her surroundings. Coming to terms with the fact that she would need to save the hare with whatever she had in her proximity, Tenshi wished she had thought to bring her medical bag on the journey up here. Hoping there was something to use to help this poor animal out, she clenched her teeth together in a grimace. Not that it made any sense to save the hare when it could be her next meal, she had already vowed to help it. Nearby, just within reach, she noticed a slim piece of bark that had been shaved off a tree in the turmoil that had ensued. Reaching out with her large paw to pull it closer to her, she pressed it on top of the snowpack that she was already holding there.

Careful not to crush the poor thing beneath her strength, she watched as the blood began to slowly stop flowing. Whether it had already been too much would take time to tell, but she hoped she had intervened soon enough. Slowly counting the seconds, her steel blue gaze continued to look around the clearing. Something had to be of use here to help keep the bark on the open wound... Feeling rather desperate, her gaze landed on the fallen form of another animal. Her stomach clenched at the thought but if she was going to save this animal, it would be her only choice. "Don't move," she whispered as she left its side quickly so she could skin a strip of fur off of the dead nearby.

Rushing back with the strip between her teeth, she carefully slipped it under the hare's ribcage and tied it around so that the piece of bark was snug. With just enough room so that it could continue to breathe while also no longer bleeding, Tenshi leaned back on her haunches. Releasing a sigh as her eyes fluttered close for a moment, her ears perked when the hare squeaked weakly. Looking at the poor thing, once pure white, now stained a violent pink, Tenshi frowned. While the circle of life was nothing to judge in their world, she also didn't believe in senselessly killing for fun. Her eyes would look around once more, feeling defeated that she couldn't help anyone else, but at least the hare would live to see another day. Standing to leave, Tenshi took one last look at the hare with a tender smile before departing back to ensure her packmates were safe.

word count: 821

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something... happened here

solo summer 18 seasonal

Tenshi