Erani

Erani padded quickly through the edges of Valhalla, nipping off winter growing plants, tail swaying as she thought over the changes. She?d heard from Surreal and Alsander after the War Training Syrinx had called, during which she herself had been treating Cormalin for a nasty cough. He was still feeling under the weather, and sanctioned away in one of her alcoves. She?d deduced that it wasn?t contagious, but it scared her. He was their only beta now. Surreal needed training. Gideon was back, but Azalea, it seemed had thrown herself away to free him. She shook her head. The girl always had been one to act before thinking it through. It answered the question as to where the hell the girl had been. With a flick if her tail, she lowered her head to sniff at the dead stems of a stand of peppermint. They were useless right now, when picked, the nutrition and healing properties sapped out by winter?s breath. They still smelled faintly of their signature cool sting. She moved on, glancing to and fro for any useful plants that still grew. Ah. Willow trees. They ran along the small stream that emptied into the border river. The bark was useful for minor pain, though she was glad that she had other plants that were stronger for pain. She would need them. She stopped, stock still, as she caught the sense of movement nearby. Quietly, she slipped into a balanced stance, ready for whatever, or whoever it was. "Show yourself." Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

These things always just seemed to happen.

A soft breath, the cold seeping into his lungs his heart his mind. The miles spent underfoot were almost worthless, still no direction was clear and it felt like nothing would ever make sense again. A shudder washed over his filthy hide, citrus stained eyes daring to blink as reality started to set into his bones. It still hurt to walk, a funny little limp he wanted to rid himself of. Did other beings have such thoughts, such fickle and reckless emotions. This whole area stank of other wolves, an established pack. such information brought about strange pangs of jealousy, but really he had no one else to blame.

Three days ago he had been a perfectly healthy loner. Umtil he met the cougar. A stray deer carcass, life giving in it's riches. He had barely had time to settle in when the big male came along, his ribs outlined smooth under a tawny hide. He could still taste the cat in his mouth, feel those claws sink into his side. The snow stained crimson, a fight to the death and now he was on the doorstep. He took another fumbling step forward, curious as to who might come along and find him. He always ended up lost, spinning off in the dark to damage the sun. He could feel it beating in his chest, sticky and dirty and used. He needed a rest, needed to crash back down to earth before the end came upon him. Pain washed over in a wall of white, drops of blood trailing like breadcrumbs.

A voice, female's. A sudden stutter in his chest, he was no longer fit for society. He crouched in the shadows of the trees, filled to the rim and overflowing there was nothing he could do now she had caught him. There was only one thing to do. Exposing himself in the dim light, she was the first face he laid eyes upon in months. At least she was pretty, those pools of blue captivating for a moment. Limbs shaking he stood back at a comfortable distance, scarcely able to believe this was happening. It was such a damn shame, she seemed so nice so real. Suddenly he was sad, a frown tugging at inky lips as everything settled all the colors coming into place. Why was it so fucking hard to breath sometimes.

He continued to stare for another minute,un-sticking his tongue from the rooof of his mouth. A strange gurgle came up as at last his jaws parted, vomiting up parts of the alphabet. "I think I need some help." He was starting to get dizzy, dried blood caked to pale fur he had lost a lot from the mauling and now it was catching up. He was ashamed to have to soil the air around her, legs slipping on the cold earth as he took another breath. He was too tired to get up, stretched out on his stomach and trying his best not to throw up.



"We'll wish this never ends"

Erani

The one in the shadows revealed himself. Erani?s ears pricked forward as she recognized him. ?Satchel?? She never forgot names, even from short meetings. But Luna?s Teeth, what had happened to the fellow? He shook, and his pristine fur was caked with blood from wounds. And he seemed slightly confused, as frown pulling at his muzzle as he looked at her. A moment later, he divulged the contents of his stomach. She didn?t wince, nor did she show any signs of disgust. As a healer, she?d seen worse. She stepped forward, as he began to slip to the ground, examining the male?s wounds as she acknowledged his words with a nod. She recognized the wounds now. Claw marks of a cougar. A good sized one. She?d treated this before, back in Ciroc. She took a light sniff of the injuries. The smell of infection that said he?d been injured in the last few days. Erani huffed softly, then looked over to the pile of plants that she?d dropped. Yarrow, which had braved the weather to grow a little longer. Good. She stepped away and picked it up, chewing slowly, letting her saliva pick up the juices as she returned to Satchel, nosing the gash on his side. His breathing suggested broken ribs, and she filed the note away for further reference as she began licking the gash, cleaning it of dirt and debris, until fresh blood met her tongue, and then she let the yarrow steeped saliva coat her tongue and applied it to the wound. She repeated the treatment quietly, then glanced at the plants she?d gathered again. Ah. Alder, for the fever, and further cleaning. It would also stop the bleeding. She picked up another frond of Yarrow and settled it on a patch of clean snow. ?Eat that. It will settle your stomach.? Her voice was firm, but gentle, as she began her ministrations with the Alder bark, which she chewed carefully, not wanting to swallow the emetic juice and add her own stomach contents to the snow. She applied it in the same manner as the yarrow lick, ears cocked to listen to his breathing. She turned again and reared up on a willow, tearing at the bark until she reached the softer inner bark, clawing until there was a bit raised, and then she pulled that away with her teeth. Returning to her patient, she dropped it in front of him. ?This will get the minor pain, but this is as much as I can do here. You?ll have to walk once you feel strong enough. My den is a fair bit in.? She would call Chrysanthe once she got the wolf settled. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Love was the same, for a poor man and a King.

She was being nice to him, a concept he was struggling to grasp as he exposed himself in all the venerable areas. she had such pretty eyes, so light and crisp compared to his. He was almost sad to have to do this to her, ears flung forth as he heard his name. That was his name right? He started to giggle, her tongue tickling as it caressed his wounds. He felt like the Jesus Christ of wolves, filled to the brim with filth and sins and lies.

-i will finish this after my nap-



"We'll wish this never ends"