Do what you must.

She didn't know why it irritated her so much. Ignis said he'd be there, but those words caused her a bit more pain emotionally than anything physical. I will! Eden spoke defiantly in her mind I will do what I must for them... She sighed, circling her makeshift nest and settling down. The moon hung over the sky, but it was obscured by the cavern's high walls. She needed sleep, to be healthy... Or rather, continue to be healthy. She hadn't gone back to Ignis' den ever since they 'fought'. It was a lot of denial and hurt feelings, but it was enough of a knife in her heart.

Eden began to drift back to sleep when she heard a voice. Hyper-alert from the growing pups, her head shot up. Peering through the foggy mist of her tired eyes, she spots a red shape. "Ignis?" The scent was strong, so she assumed it was him and not her mind playing tricks on her. He seemed to be doubled over in pain. She bit back a sigh and rose, being a healer and the instinct to help was stronger than her weariness "what's wrong?" she asked as she neared, concern flickering in her green depths.

"Speech"
0/3 - treat patient

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He hadn't gotten treated for his wounds yet. How long had it been? A day? A few? Honestly, he had no damn clue! The pain of his head throbbing and pounding with something he'd never felt before made it hard for him to think clearly let alone make sense of anything, and the wounds from his fights at the raid throbbed, too. They weren't bleeding anymore now that they were caked with obsidian sand and ash. His wounds had been irritating him, growing inflamed and almost hot to the touch. He didn't feel well, and it got to the point where even his companions were concerned, but every time they tried to get help, he ordered them to stop or to leave him alone. He hadn't been to his den in the cavern since his fight with Eden, but he couldn't take the pain anymore and didn't want any of the pack members to see him so vulnerable right now. Knowing there was a near limitless supply of alcohol within the Plunder's boundaries, he had ordered the wolverine to get him a bottle or two, to which the smaller creature had obliged. Now, Ignis stumbled into the caverns, not completely inebriated, but just enough to dull his senses, but for some reason...not the pain. His vision blurred, but he didn't know if it was from the alcohol or the pressing pain in his head. It felt like something was trying to splice his skull open! And the last time he had growing pains was years ago! So what the hell was going on? Paws sloshed in the water as it lapped at the entrance. It wasn't likely to hit high tide until later, but he felt just about ready to lie down in it to soothe his wounds. But apparently, he couldn't even manage that! So instead, he made it halfway through the cavern before he doubled over, teeth clamped together and body shivering from the amount of pain he felt. He barely registered Eden's voice, drowned out by the blood roaring in his ears and the racing of his heart. "Ignis""Blödhgarm"

Art by Naiterion

Was he drunk?

She sniffed, smelling the strong odour of alcohol on his breath and fur. She frowned, but knew it wasn't her place to scold him. He was a grown ass man. "Ignis?" she prompted, wondering why he was here. It seemed he didn't know where he was. Eden neared him again, inching closer until she pushed against the man. She was barely up to his shoulder, so she more or less curled under his chin and held him there "what's wrong?" she said, slightly louder this time. Hoping the touch therapy would at least help.

She didn't see the horns. She didn't see anything but the wounds he carried against the dull light. God, he was so stubborn! She had to treat him else they'd get infected. Gently pressing against him, she recoiled and left him there to get her supplies. "Hang on, I'll clean you up" she spoke for the sake of speaking now, busy going through her meager supplies of herbs and plants. Marigold, cobwebs for wounds... Horsetail to bind open ones. Uhhh, what else? Lavender, perhaps.

"Speech"
1/3 - treat patient

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He heard...something. Words? Or his own thoughts? His name was said, but blurred vision found...darkness. He felt something touching him. Pressing against his chest and it caused him to almost slouch over, forelimbs struggled to keep himself up and whatever it was that was helping to keep him up was appreciated. His body swayed back and forth, and if he were to stand, the likelihood of him toppling over was probably high. His own feet threatened to slip out from under him, even. His tongue felt heavy as he tried to answer whatever he was being asked, "I'm...It's...not right" He mumbled as his head continued to pound like a jackhammer against concrete. When Eden slipped away from him, he slipped to the ground. His forelimbs folded under him and the bottom of his jaws smacked the ground, so he supposed he was lucky that the cavern had plenty of sand or was would've likely bitten off his own tongue! He mumbled some more, but it was too incoherent to make any sense of. "Ignis""Blödhgarm"

Art by Naiterion

Ignis was a mess.

Dirt had gotten into his wounds from the raid. From what she knew, he had fought many foes in the process. Cuts, bruises, wounds... She could pluck them out from her position near. She frowned as she neared, dragging her satchel of herbs next to her, and began to work. "Shh" she reached out, placing a paw pad against his cheek "it's okay" She attempted to soothe her patient - and the father of her unborn children - in one fell swoop "I'll make sure the pain goes away."

He seemed to be mentally in pain too. Was it a headache? She looked closer if allowed, seeing bumps against his skull. Strange. They were protruding a bit from either side, one each. Was this... a mutation? Was it the effects of the Long Dark, manifesting at last? Sparrow had told her some were affected by it, and Ignis had been around. She returned to her stock of herbs, pulled out ginger, and returned to him. She began to crush the ginger into an oily paste, which she applied to his skull.

"This will ease your head pain" Eden began, frowning as she began to prepare the other herbs.

"Speech"
2/3 - treat patient

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He groaned in pain as his headache felt like it was splitting his skull open. His other wounds throbbed. His body felt hot. He could hear someone talking, and for a minute his muddled brain thought it might be Blödhgarm and he felt a moment of panic well up inside of him. He was about to lurch away when he felt something against his cheek, and he slowly started to calm down. "I'll make sure the pain goes away." Ear twitched to try and catch the words, but he still barely registered. All he wanted was for the pain to go away. The physical, mental, and emotional. His heart had turned to stone years ago, and he hated living with that fact but he refused to let himself get hurt that way again. He let out a big breath from his nose, sending sand and dust spraying before him as his body shuddered. The alcohol had done little to help with his pain. All it had done was temporarily hide it behind a veil of false security. Hoping it would help him forget. Hoping it would help him not feel. But it wasn't working. Maybe he needed something stronger... He flinched slightly when Eden applied her ginger paste to his skull. He didn't know why he had such a splitting headache, but he imagined it was maybe from his wounds getting infected since he had refused treatment. "This will ease your head pain" He closed his eyes for a moment, head tilting to the side in the direction that the small she-wolf worked. "Nothing will...make this pain go'way..." He murmured as he struggled to open his eyes again. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

"I'm sorry."

He spoke of pain, of this pain... And she could only assume it wasn't the raid wounds or the mutation coming in. Eden had come to terms with the fact she'd never be able to help him, not truly. Something had broken in Ignis long, long ago. She didn't know what, but it hurt him enough to want to hurt others now. She had turned briefly to him to try and express sorrow, but all she felt was sympathetic pulls in her soul.

He was too hurt to really have a conversation with. She crushed the marigold and bark other herbs to try and make a poultice. But she realized she'd have to clean his wounds first. Eden turned to find moss, dipping it in clean water before approaching the large wolf again. She hesitated once, her paws hovering over his massive frame as if asking permission. "I'm going to clean your wounds. They may bleed when the dirt is gone, but that's normal."

"Speech"
3/3 - treat patient

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"Talk" Walk He groaned as he flopped to his side. His crimson gaze fluttered open as he tried to concentrate on what was happening. What Eden was doing. Her scent. Her presence. Her touch. The power she held over him right now that he was in such a vulnerable state. She didn't know it yet, but she had some strange effect on him that he couldn't really place. Despite all his stupidity and rage and carelessness - which was just part of a much longer list - She was still there for him. Still trying to heal his hurt. Still trying to help his pain. She deserved better. He knew this. And yet, a part of him refused to let her go. Didn't want to. Be it for his own selfish reasons or another, he couldn't fathom letting her leave. Call it some insane need to control something in his life or maybe he just...didn't want to be alone anymore or what have you, but in the short weeks, since he had claimed her he had grown rather...attached. There was no way he could let her go now, could he? He didn't know why. It just...seemed wrong to not have her around after all of this. Maybe it was because he was sick and tired of being alone. And if forcing someone to be around him was the only option, then it was what he'd do. " 'S fine...you're doing...a great job.." He blinked, squinting at her for a bit before he returned to his normal, not drunk look.

"Do you..."

Eden paused briefly, squinting at him squinting at her "Know?" A slight pause again before she places a dainty and gentle paw onto the center of his skull "you have horns growing in, Ignis." Sparrow said many folks had adverse effects of the Big Dark, the terrible season or two that had plagued them. She tried not to let it shock him, as it had shocked her a bit, but the Pirate King said Ignis had just vanished from his pack. His kids. He had suffered like the others had during the Dark.

"That's what is causing your headaches" Eden told him kindly "it will be a season or so before they're here, and you may get more. If that happens, come see me. I can help with the migraines but..." I don't know what else to do for you she remained silent about that "well, you get hurt a lot too. I worry" She let it slip before remembering herself, a creeping blush against her cheeks "b-but you did the raid for Habari. It isn't like you could refuse."

He wasn't worthless like her.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children