Winter's Round the Corner [AW]

He was home, finally, and he sat in the wide area just outside the cave mouth in the ravine, soaking his sprained paw in the icy-cold pool of spring water at the base of the stone and earth wall. The sounds of the trickling water soothed him as the frigid water around his swollen paw soothed the inflammation.

Soon, he would go in and brew a hot tea, steeping it with willow and cherry bark. He figured that if sleeping got to be difficult he’d steep a very small dose of wild lettuce to take the edge off and let him dream. For now, it didn’t hurt too badly unless he really pressed his weight on it, so the healer didn’t think he’d need to go to those measures.

Finally he rose with a soft groan. Another winter would soon settle upon them all, and he’d be slipping hot rocks into a leather pouch to line his, Baine’s, and Regulus’ alcoves for extra warmth on their aging bones. He wondered absently if Justice would like some for herself and her children. A smile twitched his lips as he padded into the cave up the three steps and gimped down the cave hall to the fire room, where Kayode looked up from the bubbling water he was preparing to drizzle an herb into – Paladin sniffed delicately. Rose petals? “Making a rose infusion?”

The primate nodded as Paladin settled nearby and pulled one of his projects to himself.