Everyone's a Critic

Cai was berating himself for letting Aoife out of his sight while the litter was out playing in the wooded hillock. Even now he followed her scent like a bloodhound, mentally thumping his head against a proverbial tree. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He nearly stumbled right into the carnage that was a bee hive. Aoife’s scent went straight to it, but he was just a few minutes behind the commotion. The bees were still audibly furious and agitated, and he was forced to circle well around them and pick up the tiny child’s scent once more on the other side.

There were plenty of dead bees in her wake, so she’d put up a fight, but he ultimately found her when a wailing started up a few hundred feet ahead. He picked up his pace to a lope, heart thumping in his ears until he found her finally. Ouch. The girl’s face was swelling visibly, and knowing that she often would swat like a cat in her play fights, he didn’t have to look to know her paws were probably no better. He dove in, huddling and curling his body around the tiny pup, crooning low and gently as he gave her a thorough checking over.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay now, they’re gone. Let’s get you to Paladin, okay love?” The Ancoran healer would know precisely what to do and what salves to put on the stings to bring the swelling and pain down.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think