When it all comes crashing down

One of the greatest points of pride that came from being a pack's main healer was being able to be a source of information to her pack mates and giving them diagnoses and direction when they felt ill. Ironically, the worst part of being a pack's main healer was giving out difficult or unresolvable diagnoses to her pack mates. It was what made Irilyth's job both the greatest and worst parts of her life. She felt accomplished when she watched one of her patients recover and thrive before her eyes, and it crushed her heart when she could deliver nothing but bad news. Thankfully, the good outweighed the bad for the most part. Today, however, would see that change. The healer was in the hospital den stowing away some freshly made tinctures and tonics when a distressed raven came fluttering into the cave, croaking and cawing urgently for her. Though the bird did not speak Lupine, Irilyth recognized Loqui and knew that if something had Avacyn's avian in a tizzy, then something was very wrong.

Irilyth wasted no time grabbing her satchel and stuffing a few herbs and potions inside that she may need—and then paused with her paw over one. A clear, slightly hazy tincture she had thankfully never had to use before. She knew the ingredients within by heart. Tansy, wormwood, pennyroyal, mint... She knew what it would do any why she never used it. Even now, just the idea of bringing it with her made her feel sick, but she couldn't shake the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach that said she might need it now. In the end, Irilyth snatched up the vial and put it in her satchel with the others, then hurried out of the den to follow Loqui up the mountain path. She had become very familiar with the path to the twins' den by now, having tended to Avacyn almost exclusively up here since her pregnancy began to show. It was a short trek, but long enough to let her mind wander with worry. Was Avacyn okay? Were her pups okay?

Arriving at the den, Irilyth was concerned to find it quiet and still. Avacyn was not in the lounge space, nor was she in her workshop. The blonde fae eventually found the Matriarch still huddled up in bed. She had never gotten up this morning. Iri's nannying instincts immediately kicked in and the first thing she did was pick up a hollow bowl from the common area and fill it with cool water from the indoor spring. She returned to the bedroom and set the water down beside Ava, nudging it towards the younger fae. "Drink, my child," she gently urged the wolf she had once helped raise. Lifting a paw to rest on her forehead, Iri was immediately concerned by the flush of fevered warmth she felt under her paw pads. "Tell me what you're feeling, what you're not feeling, anything that feels off." Irilyth shifted her paw from Ava's clammy forehead down to her swollen belly, feeling tenderly around her taut skin to locate the pups while she listened to Avacyn's symptoms.

"Irilyth"