Into the Ocean

Lydia skirted along the coast line, pausing to adjust her pack. Herb gathering during winter was definitely limited and so she'd taken this excursion more as a scouting trip than one meant to add to her stores. Lydia took mental note of various landmarks and dips that might make for good herb hunting come spring. Hopefully that would be soon. She knew the winter was half over but she'd already had enough of it this year.

A pained yelp caught her attention. Lydia jerked her head toward the shore where the sound seemed to have come from. "Hello?" she called out. Carefully, she picked her way down to the shore and as she scanned the rocky swatch she immediately noticed the brilliant colors of a pup's coat. Her heart started to race. The pup was laying down and didn't seem to be well at all. Where had he come from?

She raced over to the pup, a young boy and gently seized his scruff to pull him farther out of the water. "Hello, little boy? Can you here me?" Where were his parents? She gently shuffled off her pack and pulled out a small swath of buffalo pelt. She'd been planning to line her den with it later but instead she draped it over the boy and moved to position herself over him, to offer the warmth of her body. Goodness he was cold! Her sapphire eyes search high and low, expecting the boys parents to show up at any minute even though she had a sinking feeling that he was all alone.

"Talk"