doctor doctor

*Laeta* · 12-16-2021, 08:51 PM

Laeta listened quietly, ears perked and ruby eyes soft, as Tika explained what was on her mind. After the silence that passed between the two of them - Lae didn’t mind it, she didn’t want to rush the woman if she wanted to ensure her words came out the way she wanted them to - she heard her speak.

Of course she worried, Tika had said. Everyone worried. Worry was a natural part of life - the anxiety within had an instinctual component, one that kept wolves out of danger that could mean injury, or worse, death. But sometimes, the worry escalated far beyond what it needed to at the moment. Perhaps Tika was struggling with a constant influx of this deeply-ingrained anxiety and did not know how to cope with it, struggling for years. The plague, Tika had mentioned, didn’t help matters. This was depdenent on her need to help protect the pack, and such a widespread illness that threatened to kill its hosts took any semblance of that control away from her. Helplessness was a fickle creature, a cruel one at that. It was cruel because it preyed in even the strongest of warrior, such as Tika herself. Laeta tilted her chin softly in periods as the woman talked, acknowledging her words with a softly knitted brow. She understood the feeling, not in the same way because each wolf was different, but on a base level, she understood. Not being able to protect the pack from such a terrifying, devastating entity such as the ailments of the eternal night was a nightmare in and of itself. Lae craved validation from control, but she had to relinquish it in lieu of her paralysis - a consequences that made her helpless. Though they were two different scenarios, the deepest feelings were not entirely different.

With her own pause to consider Tika’s words, Lae blinked and said, "The plague was devastating, indeed. It’s a terrifying thought, and even moreso terrifying to see your friends and loved ones suffering, and having no way to combat it or make it better. I can see why it was so frustrating to feel that helplessness - that ordeals such as the plague, as well as other tragic events in our lives don’t offer a clear solution defeat it. That uncertainty, and feeling unable to control what’s happening, tends to stir a lot of anxiety." She paused, then continued.

"You put a lot of effort into your duties, and your rank. Focusing on your abilities, as you mention occurs when in a spar or fight, is a great gift to hone. It can be a great distraction from the anxieties you encounter, as well as offering you that control, the ability to determine the outcome of what is put in front of you. However, there will be times when you encounter more situations, more challenges that present themselves that have no solution in sight, and that anxiety and helplessness can come back. Something that might not present itself as clearly as an opponent on the battlefield."

Laeta allowed her words to sink in, just for a bit. She hoped her words would provide some comfort, as well as a bit of advice the woman could take, if it would help. If not, she hoped the conversation they were having would help ease her mind, if only a little. "Perhaps it would help you to envision what you’re worrying about - those emotions of helplessness, for example, as an opponent you’d want to spar. Just imagine it in your head." Lae paused, then added, "When you’re stuck, and you feel there’s nothing that can ease your anxiety, and there seems to be no easy solution in sight, imagine yourself striking back at it - launching yourself back at those worries that try and swallow you whole. By making your thoughts turn into a more tangible form, it can help them appear a bit smaller. And perhaps lend you back that control, even for a while."

Now, she was rambling a bit - or perhaps advising? - but she hoped to help Tika in some way. Lae felt her own helplessness being paralyzed and unable to move around and assist in pack duties. So, in return, perhaps she could help in a more spiritual or emotional sense, by lifting peoples’ spirits. "I hope my words bring you some comfort. I understand that not being able to help when a situation arises, to be able to use your skills, creates a frustrating cycle of heplelssness, and thus, anxiety into it as well. " She could only hope she didn’t ‘mess up’ Tika’s meaning too terribly. If that was the case, they could just dig further and try and find more solutions then. However, Tika’s struggles were a bit more than what could be whisked away with a few words - it just didn’t work like that. But maybe she could help, even just for a little bit.

"Speech"

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