Ara was feeling unusually bold today. Somehow she'd ended up swimming to an island, one she'd seen a few times in the distance from the shore of lands that bordered her home. She wasn't much of a swimmer, truth be told, and she was glad it'd been a short journey here. The woman shivered as she made her way onto the sandy shoreline, soaked to the core with the frigid ocean water. Perhaps she could've picked a more reasonable season to take this journey. With a big shake, she tried to rid some of the water from her coat. Fiori's lands weren't particularly cold - she remembered venturing to colder places during this season - but it seemed the ocean here hadn't got the memo. Brr! She knew she'd warm up soon enough, so didn't dwell on her current shivering state for too long. As she came to her senses, her gaze drifted over the terrain before her. It was such flat terrain, with no sign of mountain or even hilltop. From one side to the other she could see the horizon at the edge of the ocean, and only straight ahead did it seem like the land had much substance at all. It seemed.. so small here, yet she was certain there was plenty to explore. Ears perking, the smallest hint of a smile touched her lips as she made her way up the beach and to more solid ground. The vegetation here was sparse, though existent enough that she felt she had plenty to explore. Perhaps she'd stay here the day, or even for a few. Lowering her head and snuffing at the soil, she'd push on, happy she'd made it here despite the fact that she was freezing now.

Finally, the beast was down. She had been stupid enough to try leaving the island with her front right, lower leg fractured though the way the waves assaulted her every she tried to move it simply pained her more than she was able to take. Her larger frame wasn't built for swimming, nearly a perfect square in stature the female hardly looked female at all- with the lack of curves and all. She was bulky and swimming with a leg that she had to keep out of use and mind it's positioning was too much of a hindrance to accomplish such a feat. Defeatedly, the beast of the woman crawled back onto shore and collapsed, her limbs stretched out on either side of her frame as her chest and belly hit the soft ground beneath her. She'd landed on one of the many splits in the sand on this island, two different colored sands battled for terrain here- though it seemed fitting that the heterochromic woman would find herself stranded on such an oddity. Orange and green optics were hidden beneath their lids as her heavy skull lowered into the sand, her chest heaving in a heavy pant as she struggled to keep quiet and relax her muscles. The soreness from her fractured limb was keeping her tense and radiating through-out her body. She was a big woman, a fighting woman, and yet really there weren't many injuries she'd ever had to recover from in her history. This was her first fracture, and she hoped like hell that it was her last. When her eyes opened they befell upon the image of another roaming the beach, her face and chest paler in contrast to her darker frame. Ricky narrowed her eyes some though only in an attempt for inspection. She didn't know this woman, though she seemed small on the horizon and Ricky felt confident that she could still fight if she needed to.. but she really didn't want it to come down to that. She kept her head low and even pinned her ears back, a rare look of submission offered to the other in hopes that they'd just pass her by if they were looking for trouble; she was already exhausted and at her limits.

Ara quickly decided that this place was lovely. If only Novel was here to enjoy it with her. She lifted her nose only occasionally from the dirt, investigating the various scents that lingered here. Prey seemed plentiful here, which wasn't a surprise - such a place couldn't support an entire pack, and she couldn't imagine that many wolves chose to live here. It was a risky place to live, in some regards. What if a storm hit? There wasn't much shelter from the elements here. She shivered as a small breeze blew past, rustling her damp fur. Briefly, she caught the scent of another, brought the scent of a stranger. Her posture stiffened instinctively. She was a bit trapped here, she realized suddenly. What if this stranger meant harm? The scent was feminine, which made her relax slightly. She'd always preferred the company of women; they tended to be more gentle, and less intimidating to her. But.. she would soon be proved wrong with her assessment of this one. Ara redirected her course slightly, aiming to move down the beach to figure out the source of the scent. Even if the stranger didn't want company, it didn't hurt to figure out where they were, to stay out of their way. Her pace slowed as she caught sight of her. The woman was.. surprisingly massive, and looked more masculine than she expected. What struck Ara, though, was that she looked.. pained? It was something the healer had learned to pick up from others, even when they tried to hide it. Something about her posture was off to her, and it was difficult to ignore. Frowning, her brows pulled together tightly as she approached slowly. She had no intentions of startling her, and her posture was about as submissive as possible. "Hello?" She called out, her voice gentle and polite and more uncertain than she realized. "Are you alright, miss?" She couldn't help but care for others, and to seek those out that she could possibly help. It gave her a sense of purpose that she hadn't been able to find anywhere else yet.

She was quite blatantly keeping her eyes on the other woman, her bicolored gaze relaxed from any form of aggression as she observed the pale-faced woman with interest. The radiating pain coming from her right forelimb was a constant that had become almost mind-numbing, and it certainly took away from how cold she was having made several attempts at swimming off the island. Her dense fur still held on to the frigid water and when the wind brushed by strong enough to cause a shiver from the stranger, she noticed that she herself was shivering. She felt like a mess. She lowered her head and let out a long sigh as she tried her best to keep herself calm so she could think clearly on what to do if the stranger turned hostile, and beyond that- what she could do to get off this island. Though, the woman in her eyesights seemed just as interested in Ricky as she was in her, causing her ears to perk slightly and just in time to hear the sweet voice that left the other woman's lips. Something told Ricky that this one was good, possibly even kind and hopefully a healer which was undeniably what she needed right now. She was momentarily stunned by this stroke of luck that she laid there staring at the pale-faced woman without any sounds at all coming from her, just a dumb-founded expression linked to her thought of 'could this really be happening?' When she realized she was staring, Ricky cleared her throat and lifted her neck and skull up to she she wasn't ignoring her as quick as possible. Her chest and body remained flat against the sand, her forelimbs shaking as a combination of being cold and being in pain. "Hello," her own voice was a low voice of a weathered warrior, weathered beyond her years though there was a lot of evil in the world for a young woman to experience when left on her own so early on that could mold her into such at only two years old. "Uh-- I am alright." There was a hesitance in her voice as though she herself didn't fully believe that statement. That's what she had told her hunting companion anyway, right before she'd shooed them off. Of course, she didn't understand what a struggle it would be to get off the island at that point. Defeatedly, she lowered her ears and gave in to the idea of possibly seeking help. "Are.. you a healer by chance?" This felt so wrong to her. To admit her weaknesses in front of a stranger, but she didn't want to be stranded any longer than she had to be.. and well, this woman had a kindness in her eyes unlike any that Ricky'd ever seen before. She didn't want to outright exclaim where she was hurting and how bad it was, but perhaps she could test the waters with this stranger first and warm up to her.

Ara was not a naive woman. She knew the sort of wolves that existed in the world - she'd encountered one herself, the man who'd raped Novel, who'd come to threaten their family. She never wished violence on anyone, but she would easily fight him to defend her family if it ever came down to it. The woman was not at all ignorant to the fact that anyone she approached could mean danger to her. It was a possibility, but if someone was hurt, it was a risk she was often willing to take. It was an instinct rooted deep in the very nature of who she was, and she often didn't think twice before approaching someone who might need help. As she drew closer, she noted the woman had eyes of two colors. She was large, with the build of a warrior if she'd ever seen one before. She had always thought that her father was an man of impressive size.. and this one, well, she easily stood a head taller than him. She moved cautiously, though, poised as though ready to flee if necessary as she made her way across the sands. This woman could easily be a threat to her, though truthfully she was inexperienced in fighting and fleeing both and knew she was as easy a target as a child. She was far from stupid though, and her wariness showed as she closed the distance between them carefully. It was more obvious now that she was hurt, in some way. Why would anyone be lying soaking, shivering, in the sand like that? Ara's own coat was a bit damp still, since her first instinct - and the instinct of anyone who was feeling well - was to get somewhere to dry off. The woman spoke, and Ara found herself not at all surprised by the larger woman's voice. It was deeper, stronger, and heavier than her own gentle one. When she explained that she was alright, a frown of worry turned the corners of her lips down. She sure didn't seem alright. But her next question said more than she needed to. Ara nodded, her posture slackening as she finally came within a few feet of Ricochet. Close enough to get a better look at her, but close enough to hightail out of there if she needed. Nothing was wrong on the surface. The woman's eyes seemed clear, if not pained, and she smelled no blood. There was nothing life-threatening going on, not that she could see. No blood, no smell of infection. She tipped her head slightly upward, from its lowered position as she tested the air more deeply. She knew just because it wasn't obvious didn't make it any less serious, though, and her brows pulled together in worry.   "I am a healer," she told her, her voice smaller than she felt. Perhaps she could be of some help here. Her gaze roved over Ricochet's form, searching for answers. "You seem to be in some kind of pain. I- I can maybe try to help you." Her voice held a certainty, in her own abilities, though a slight quiver as she assessed the stranger. "Tell me, please, what might be wrong?" The wariness in her stare seemed more confident now, as her mind shifted too. Rather than worrying about the woman's intentions, she was investigating what might be wrong and prepared to figure out how to help her as soon as she knew more. She was always more comfortable in that mindset, and found her stiff posture growing more relaxed as she waited for a response.

For just a moment, the woman's bicolored gaze disappeared behind tightened lids in her wince, her teeth flashing with a growl lurking in the base of her throat. She quickly quieted herself but her expression remained pained as she slowly opened her eyes and looked back down to the source of the random jolts of discomfort. She let in a big breath before meeting the gaze of the quieter woman and taking notice of her timid yet caring voice and demeanor. Ricky's eyes followed the healer's as she quietly observed her, hanging on an answer as she found herself admiring the courage of the other as Ara came closer to evaluate her. She didn't have time to really condition herself to the situation as it unraveled right in front of her, but she tried her best to remain as neutral and respectful as possible so she didn't startle the woman trying to help her. "It's.. no big deal, just my leg. I think I sprained it." She nearly sounded winded with every word, all in an attempt to hold up under the exhaustion that was finally coming up on her. She lowered her head to the sand, unable to fight both the pain and her desire to rest at the same time. Slowly, her maw even moved away from her injured limb.. as if to make it even safer if Ara wanted to get closer and look at it. She didn't want to beg for help, but there was something about her body posture and submissive change of character that made it quite obvious that she was begging already. "Actually, I might have broke it.." She finally admitted, though not after a snicker split her muzzle and left a bright smile on her darkened facial features. "First broken bone of my life, but I guess I got over-zealous, as usual, trying to jump higher and faster than I'm capable of. I'm sorry but you wouldn't have any way to.. put me together, would you? Make me as good as new just so I can cross this ocean." She looked up to her, though her head remained firmly planted in the sand. She didn't have the desire to lift it. "There's so much I need to do.." her eyes gradually disappeared beneath the steady fall of her heavy lids, until finally she seemed to pass completely out of conscientiousness.

The stranger's sudden, slight hostility was not lost on her. Ara's own posture stiffened, though she didn't retract entirely. She was determined to help, even if the woman before he was reluctant in accepting it. At the very least, maybe she could offer some kind words of advice. She was wary as she watched Ricochet examine her - as though trying to see right through her. Surely she wondered if her intentions were as pure as they seemed. Her tail flicked behind her, a nervous habit as she dropped her gaze until the woman opposite her began speaking again. Her voice seemed weaker now as she explained - a fact that didn't surprise Ara, given the fact that she was in pain. She briefly explained that she'd sprained her leg. She felt a bit of disappointment. Sprains and broken bones were not something she could patch right up, though she had no doubt she could help still. Something like an open wound was far easier to deal with.  "I see," she mumbled softly, as her gaze trailed over her limbs. Knowing what was wrong made it easier to spot which leg was lame. Ara didn't notice much about whether the stranger seemed submissive or not. Her gaze zeroed in on the hurt limb as she gestured to it, taking a few small steps closer. Nothing was visible on the surface - maybe it seemed a bit inflamed and swollen, but it was really hard to tell. Ara's attention seemed to snap away from anything that might intimidate her or cause her to hesitate, now fully on the problem at hand. Her jaw unhinged slightly when she said she'd most likely broken it.  "You.. you swam here in this condition?" Her voice took on a sterner, more motherly edge, her soft voice laced with concern. Slowly she shook her head, though stopped when she realized Ricochet hadn't finished her sentence and seemed to be drifting off from the pain. Stepping back, she tried to think. What could she do to help her? She needed rest, that was certain, and to get off the beach and somewhere more dry and sheltered to warm up. Ara couldn't help her much with that, though would gladly give her support as she moved.. if she was able to carry herself there. A frown touched her lips, mind reeling as she swung her head to the side. Leaving her here seemed unwise, but she wanted to find something to help her.  That might not be easy, since she had no ideas what sort of plants grew here. "Miss?" Ara would ask, gently leaning to press her nose to the woman's left side, as far from her injured limb as possible.  "Let's get you off the beach. Even if you just drag yourself there. You.. you can lean on me if that helps." She was considerably larger than herself, but if it helped, it'd be worth it. Ara moved to stand at Ricochet's good side, pressing her shoulder lightly to the younger woman's, hoping with a bit more nudging she might come back to her senses. Just enough to get her somewhere dry, she thought hopefully.

She was on the cusp of the realms of consciousness and dreamland, though her ears twitched with slight response to the words that broke the barrier and joined her on that cusp. 'Miss? Let's get you off the beach..' Ricky's dual-toned eyes flickered beneath the thin skin of her eyelids, but inside her skull she was looking out across a beautifully constructed beach unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Everything was dark, the sky black without a single star and the sands just illuminated enough by the brightness of the moon to be visible. She scanned the ground beneath her as the swirls seemed to get more intricate and complicated the closer they were to her limbs. Wait. Her limbs? What limbs? Almost in a panic, she looked beneath her as an uncanny feeling sent goosebumps up her spine and made her hackles stand on end- visible in the real world for Ara to see. In Ricky's dreamland she'd soon discover she was without a body, but rather some.. supernatural floating being and when she moved, the sand swirled in her direction. Even if you just drag yourself there.. you- you can lean on me if that helps.' Ricky was confused, floating along in her dreamy island creating artistic shapes and figures in the sands below her though the words seemingly echoed. They called to her, increasing in volume and she couldn't ignore them. They.. they seemed to be coming from above. Her ears twitched, eyes rapidly moved back and forth beneath her lids. Something was calling to her. Ricky looked up in the sky on her dreamt-up island, her eyes looking to the moon for answers but what she found was not a moon but the pale face of Ara with piercing, glowing crystal blue eyes. Wisps of color played in the air beneath those eyes and trailed down to her, but with that the dream was over. Ricky opened her eyes wide as she awoke and they immediately found themselves on Ara's piercing blues. She lowered her ears almost in embarrassment before the words that had been spoken came to mind again. She gave a nod, agreeing that she needed to get off the beach and that she would try. Heavy paws moved in the sand, her right forepaw being first to anchor itself with talons outstretched while she situated her hinds. It took some work to get herself upright, but it seemed that Ara was right there to help her even where she was weak. With her injured leg fractured, it put her off balance and she discovered her left shoulder suddenly against Ara's form. She was hesitant but without any other option, and was left forced to lean her weight against the stranger. She looked away as she stood there, thinking back to the dream and the island that she'd seen. In times of trouble, it wasn't rare for her to look to the moon for guidance.. so the fact that she found Ara's face there waiting for her gave her a chilling feeling when she looked upon the woman's visage now. Perhaps it was.. her subconscious telling her it was alright to trust this woman? Her inky lips pulled back into a soft smile, though her eyes didn't dare to look at her just yet. "Thank you." She tried her best to hold as much of her own weight as she could, knowing well enough that she was a heavy beast. She almost felt bad for Ara trying to help her out, but it only seemed to add to Ricky's growing appreciation for the woman's presence. If she hadn't been here, she wasn't sure what could have happened.

It wouldn't have been quite such a difficult task if Ara was certain Ricochet could maintain consciousness. Only briefly would she nudge her, her touch gentle but firm hoping she could rouse her back to the waking world for long enough to get her to safety. She'd seen how quickly the ocean waters could rise, and the formerly dry beach could suddenly be submerged much farther than where they lay now. That wouldn't be an ideal situation at all. She clenched her jaws tightly as she wished for Ricochet to come back to her senses, watching as strong muscles rippled beneath her thick coat. If she was more sensible, she knew helping such a woman was probably not in her best interest. But Ara had never been the selfish type. If she could help someone in need, she would, regardless of what it might cost her in the long run. She was grateful when Ricochet's eyes opened, and she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She still seemed weak, perhaps even on the verge of fainting, but well enough to move. A slight smile touched her lips as she leaned against her. The other woman's weight was considerably larger than her own, but not too great for her to support. Her posture stiffened as they began to walk together, claws aiming to grip into the damp soil for support. It wasn't the easiest thing she'd ever done, but certainly doable. It had to be done, after all. Hearing her thank her made it worth it. Briefly Ara tipped her head to the side, smile growing just slightly. "Anytime," she offered gently, her voice soft to the point of barely being audible. Her words were genuine, too; why would she let her years of studying go to waste when she could help someone in need? It took awhile to clear the sandy shore and reach what Ara would consider solid ground. The tide would not reach her, she was fairly sure. She'd stop where they stood, on a patch of sparse grass and vegetation. A small tree stood nearby, offering the slightest bit of shelter if necessary. Luckily the skies seemed clear enough today, though the sun was on its downward descent toward the horizon. She could only hope the afternoon sun warmed her up enough to dry off her coat. "This should be a fine place to lie, I think?"  Ara asked, questioningly as she eyed her for approval. She would lean against her for support, hoping to aid her as she settled down on the earth here. Her mind reeled as it swung to the side, searching the ground as she sniffed at the air. Something to help her.. anything at all. Finding somewhere dry was a start, but she knew she was in pain and wanted to help her through it. "Oh!" She exclaimed softly, as though remembering something. "My name is Ara, by the way. You should rest here, and try to close your eyes if you can. I'd like to find something to help with the pain and make you more comfortable. I.. I've never been to this place before," she admitted softly. "So it may take me a bit. Do you need anything first?" Her gaze was nothing short of caring as she eyed the beats of a woman, curious and kind, hoping she could find a way to rest for now.

Her ears paid close attention to Ara's words, as close as they could for now. When they finally touched grass, the beast practically fell as she took her weight off Ara and met the ground. She repositioned only briefly, favoring her broken limb before her eyes looked up to Ara while the woman introduced herself. Everything seemed hazy to Ricky in this moment, but she tried her best to not look as though she were going to pass out at any given moment. "My name is Ricochet, Ricky for short. Take your time, I'm sure I will be fine.. just need to rest." She could feel her shivering now, having not been paying attention out on the beach. As she started to become warmer, her muscles would jerk her frame a bit and it was an odd feeling for the strong wolf to accept. Her maw dipped some as she reflected on her own stupidity, she should have asked for help when Dagmaer was still on the island.. not insisted she could take care of this herself. She sighed, her thoughts briefly turning to the dream she'd just had.. it was such a weird dream, but she was thankful for Ara's presence. At some point, Ricky's eyes had closed and she wasn't sure if the woman had left to scavenge the island or not, but briefly Ricky allowed herself to give in to her exhaustion and sleep.

Ara didn't give much thought to what sort of wolves she was treating, when it came to patients. Not that she'd had many that she could actually call patients. She was used to offering herbs to her family, and to packmates; only occasionally did she treat wolves she didn't know well, or at all, in this case. All that mattered was that this woman was in pain, and she thought she could help her, and she intended to do just that. She made sure, by sight alone, that Ricochet seemed somewhat comfortable.. as comfortable as she could be for now, at least. At least she seemed receptive to some help, even offering her name and a few more sentiments before closing her eyes. "I'll be back, then," Ara spoke firmly but gently as she moved away from her, feeling satisfied that she would be alright lying here on her own for awhile. Giving her a final glance, she finally turned from her and headed further inland. Her pace was quick, her head dipping low as she began to sort through the scents of this place. The stench of sea-water was strong, the familiar briny smell she had grown used to after spending some time at the ocean as of late. Nothing about this place was anything she knew well, and she felt completely out of her element here. But herbs were herbs, no matter where you found them, and she knew that some grew in such a wide variety of places. She padded onward, through sparse vegetation, around clusters of trees and bushes. It really was a lovely place, and she would've enjoyed her time here if she hadn't been distracted, but she would much rather help someone than spend time alone. Nostrils flared as she took a step toward a cluster of grasses and flowers. Most were common flowers. Good food for bees, but of no use to wolves, not that she knew at least. Only when she saw a familiar plant, close to the ground, growing in a cluster of nearly a dozen plants. A good sniff of it verified what it was. Perfect! Cannabis was the perfect thing to help Ricky. It would keep her relaxed enough to rest, and hopefully dull the pain. She hadn't ingested it herself, but she knew it had few side-effects and most wolves found great relief from it. Carefully she tugged some of the leaves from the plant, not needing to salvage the roots - the plants wouldn't make it off the island, anyway. She collected a mouthful of them, and noted the plant's location if she ended up needing more. She hadn't been gone for long, but hopefully long enough for Ricky to rest. Hardly an hour had passed when she made it back to the spot where the woman lay. Her pawsteps were quiet, not wanting to disturb her rest. That was what she needed more, now. No amount of medicine could heal her broken limb, only time and rest, though something to dull the pain would doubtlessly help. Gently, and warily, she moved and nudged Ricochet's left shoulder lightly to rouse her from sleep. She took a moment, setting the leaves down gingerly on the earth, before speaking. "These should help," she told her softly. "You can eat as many as you want. They will help relax you, and hopefully dull the pain."  She didn't know if Ricochet would trust her, but she'd be happy to prove the leaves would do no harm to her if it came down to that.