Dangers of the Mountain

Chrystal hadn’t stuck around, darting off again, hoping she’d find a healer herself who was more… trustworthy. She didn’t hold the same trusting, amiable nature as her wolven friend.

It just so happened; she was in luck.

Paladin padded along the flanks of the mountains in search of plants to bring home. He’s found a decent amount of juniper and many other good herbs, though the climbing was too precarious for some of the things he’d spotted—he contented himself with marking the location in his mind for spring or summer when the snows had melted.

A screech came from above, a sound that didn’t match with the hour. Owls were generally nocturnal, so—the owl-screech turned into his name and he rocked back on his hocks, peering up. “Wha—Chrystal?”

Ime and Kayode returned to his side, and Chrystal quickly had all three bounding after her with the quickly spoken explanation. “These young wolves…”

The owl went ahead, letting the Armadan Warlord know ahead of time that a healer was coming who was friendly, to waylay any instinctive attack he might bring out of a surprise stranger popping around the bend at a run.

Paladin slowed to a brisk trot, quietly glad for the medicines he’d taken prior to leaving for a far-afield herb search.

He hailed the behemoth, nodding to the bear as he passed, “I am Paladin Ancora, Incandescent Courage of Valhalla—or an upper tier member of the Healer’s Circle.”

His eyes dropped to his crumpled packmate, a hiss running through his teeth as he moved to settle beside him. He gave the same rudimentary check-over, listing the injuries he found, then bending to listen intently. No air hissing where it shouldn’t with each breath the young warrior took. And the breaths didn’t sound wet. There was no blood leaking from his throat either when Kayode opened his jaws.

“Lucky young fool… His lungs are intact. But he won’t be stable enough to travel all the way home right now.”

His Gaelic accented words were brisk, though not without compassion.

He eyes those two broken legs with a thoughtful hum. “Those will need a splint.”

The words were less directed at Sirius and more as though he were thinking aloud, but Ime and Kayode began ranging in search of straight saplings.