Driftwood err Driftwolf?

The world has fallen away around Fern. Her focus has narrowed to each step by the time Artorias finds them. When the big wolf’s voice breaks the strained silence, Fern flinches and tries to turn and face the threat. It takes a moment for her to register that it is Artorias who is rushing to lift Rudy off her back. With Rudy’s injured leg still in her mouth, Fern maneuvers the damaged paw toward the ground to try and limit any further injury to the missing toes. When Artorias calls toward the trees, the exhausted wolf almost weeps with joy at the sight of two more large wolves appearing. Rudy is safe now and that is all that matters.

As Rudy softly whispers to Artorias, Fern moves to help Kane apply bandages to the stump that was once Rudy’s tail. She wants to allow the brothers a moment together, to give and receive comfort from each other’s presence. As Romulus, slowly circles them, Fern allows her tense muscles slightly as she offers Kane her help. Kane and Fern work swiftly, binding the still bleeding stump as Rudy tries to relay his message to his worried brother. The sad plea from Rudy for Fern and Kane to stop bandaging him has the gray girl frowning sadly toward Kane. Tears well in her exhausted eyes as they continue to work.

Thankfully, Rudy finally passes out as the two wolves finish with his tail. Pointing Kane toward the deep gashes on Rudy’s neck, Fern moves to stand in front of Artorias. Fatigue makes her limbs feel heavy and movements slow but she knows that Artorias will need a full report. Hopefully the limited information she has will prove useful. Aqua eyes sharpen as she focuses on Artorias and begins, “Reddy, found me wandering some distance away and tried to brain me with her beak a couple of times before I got her message and followed her to Rudyard. I found him downstream where he had managed to crawl out the water and rest. He was bleeding heavily from his tail, neck, and missing toes.”

Pausing a moment, Fern tries to organize her slowly drifting thoughts. Everything seems so much harder to do as the tiredness keeps building. Furrowing her brow in concentration, she continues, “He asked me to help and said that he ‘refuses to die, but it hurts’. Then Rudyard became concerned with my safety and tried to tell me to leave him and go get you. Said to tell you 'Oxx is around'.” Fern has been trying to deliver the report with a detached formality but when she tells Artorias the last part, her eyes soften and sadness fills them. How could Rudy be worried about her when he was in such horrible pain and bleeding to death?

With a shake of her head, the emotions fall away and the detached reporting continues, “I could not leave him alone so I sent Reddy to find you while I tried to bring him closer to the castle.” With the report finished, Fern allows her eyes to wander over to the prone figure of Rudy. Softly, she whispers, “He knew you would come. Rudy told me you always come to find him.” Sad smile spreads across her lips as Fern looks over Rudy with pride and apprehension. She allows herself to wonder if this will change the cocky, sweet wolf she has recently grown attached to.

Stepping back, Fern allows Artorias and his wolves to take full control of the care of Rudy now that the report is complete. She stands at attention, waiting to be told when they need her assistance. Mind wanders while she waits, drifting away on the currents of memory as her worn-out brain no longer has anything to focus on. Fern remembers a time like this, where blood had hung heavy in the air and she watched helplessly. For now, she is too tired to allow the emotions to overwhelm her but she knows they will come sneaking into her dreams soon enough.


"Speech"