Exiting the hot cooking surface and entering the burning chemical reaction

She obviously did not trust him fully, but just enough that she allowed him to get a better look at the wound. He wasn’t sure how she had done it, but it was sprained. She mentioned joint pain too, and he wondered if she suffered from some kind of arthritis. Rhyme knew his mother did much of the same, but he shoved the thoughts of her from his mind. It still hurt to be reminded she had turned her back on him.

He focused on his work, crushing his comfrey into a topical slave he carefully parted the short fur around her ankle so he might get coat the skin beneath. Rhyme was hardly in a hurry for her answer as he was careful to focus on making her feel better. A task made difficult by her close proximity, she was the ultimate test of his personal resolve. ”If you're willing to wait a bit the swelling in my joints should go down."

Waiting, alone, in the mountain with not another soul for miles did not sound like the kind of situation he should be putting himself in. Of course he wouldn’t have to babysit her, she was a fully grown woman. He could bring one raven and have another remain with her while he made search for any plants that might help her inflammation.

”I would be willing,” Rhyme muttered as he finished applying the salve. ”I might even be able to find something to speed along the process.” He didn’t want to make too many promises. ”Can I help you into some shelter?” His movements were slow as he retreated from her personal space. The sun was heavy on them, but a short distance away was a copse of shade trees.