The Art of Healing

Quote:

mercianne

Walk | Talk | Think

For a heartbreaking moment, her dreams were dashed. Surely there could only be one reason for the sudden seriousness that stole across the black and white wolf's face, the only explanation for her obviously playful spirit to be smothered to near nothing. And then what was to become of her? Would she need to learn to work with others and somehow acquire the skills of the hunt that everyone else had engrained in them since youth? Or grow out of her timidity in order to assist with the warriors in defending their home? She doubted her ability to do either, doubted her skills in either to prove herself worthy of those that she considered friend and pack mate alike. Useless, weak, and burdensome: that was what she would be.

Her deep brown eyes shifted away from Asheni's blue ones for just a moment before the wolf spoke, already sensing a growing certainty within that she would need to find a new lot in life, when the healer answered her in a way most unexpected. Rather than tell her no, she spoke of the challenges that came with the position, encouraging just as much as she was warning. And Mercianne drank it all in. Far too engrossed in what she was being told, she hardly noticed that she met the others eyes without hesitation, her mouth just slightly agape with attention as she took in every word that Asheni said. Challenging. Difficult. Emotional. What she asked was no small thing, and the Lead Healer only wished to make sure that she knew it.

And for the first time Merci felt a twinge of uncertainty. What if, what if danced through her mind, giving voice to worries and thoughts she would have rather left unnoticed even as she knew it was good to question it. Without knowing everything, she would have been walking into it with her eyes closed, oblivious to the trials that would await her in training. At least now she knew more or less what to expect, what she would do, and hopefully with time how to do it. But I can. I know it, wondered an encouraging voice in the back of her mind as she closed her jaws and swallowed slowly, the words of the healer still ringing in her ears.

With her mind already this far made up, it only made sense for her to try. Ears splayed somewhat with nerves, she set her gentle brow into an anxiously stubborn frown and drew in a quick breath. "I think so, yes," she answered, nodding her head slowly twice for added certainty. Her breath felt heavy in her chest, her expectations a physical thing that lurked there. And praying that Asheni might see some worth in her, that she might be given this chance, she hoped for a promising reaction.