Qanik

in defense of the innocent

It had been a mistake to be caught out so far from home.

She still wasn't quite sure what had possessed her to travel all the way to the orchard with a storm brewing. To check to see if her new Valhallan acquaintance was there? Stupid of her to have gone, stupid to have worried to begin with. Incredibly stupid to have thought he might be there when any wolf with any sense would have been holed up somewhere safe. Valhalla had territory on the mainland; he was more more likely to be safely there, while here she was wandering around in a hurricane like an idiot.

The Orchard hadn't been bad. Still storming, but not bad. This place, however, was another story entirely. She should have stopped and went to ground an hour ago, but again, stupidly, she had pushed onward in the hopes of reaching home.

Now she was traveling along at a steady clip, head down against the raging wind. Above her branches were whipped around by it like a terrier shaking a rat. Rain lashed down on her, slicking her thin fur down even more. It was wet, it was miserable, and...

CRACK

Above her, the wind had finally succeeded in ripping a branch from one of the trees. A big, heavy thing, it would have been able to withstand the wind had not insects been boring into it's base. Coincidence snapped it from the tree just as Qanik was passing under it. The white wolf, with her head down, could not see the doom hurtling toward her. The crack of breaking wood sounded no different than the thunder cracking far above it, a sound not designed to warn her of danger.
The thick branch struck lengthwise, her shoulders and back taking a good amount of the blow, but the end of the log hit squarely in the back of her head with too much force. There wasn't even a yelp as Qanik crumpled beneath the log. Her forward momentum had her hitting the ground with breathtaking force, but by that time she was already out like a light. Unconscious, which was good because damn that's going to hurt.

Ouch.






speech.

cowardice is the only sin

REGRETS COLLECT LIKE OLD FRIENDS here to relive your darkest moments The storm had been strong and fast in its arrival on Nephilim Island, and so Flamesong had followed the mass of Valhalla and swam mainland before the worst of it hit. He was now bracing his way through the barren hills trying to find...who knew what, really. His senses had led him here on a whim, and he felt like an absolute git for being so exposed in these elements. In his defense, he had brought a small bundle of herbs which he had wrapped in moss and bound tightly around his right forelimb. It was dark. Extremely dark and he was only making his way forward by scent and feel. He assumed he was almost out of the Barren Hills when the sky flashed white, and he was nearly blinded by it. In that quick flash of light, Flamesong was able to see a figure standing beneath tree, just before a large branch broke free and crashed down upon them. His fiery eyes opened wide and he found himself bolting towards the figure in what he would call a calm panic. His muscles tensed and pushed him forward with gusto, reaching the crumpled figure in brief moments. It was still drk, and hard to make out exactly what he was looking at, but his mind seemed to be playing a trick on him. He knew this girl. Peony? A pang of sorrow clutched at his heart, grief clawing its way back into his system. A soft whine escaped his jaws and he was brought back to the murder scene of his wife and the rest of his pack. Then another flash of lightning broke ahead and he was brought back to reality. Peony was dead. Had been dead for years. This was not Peony. But he knew her....Qanik? She was breathing. Panic replaced all grief and Flamesong shoved himself against the branch covering his friend. He was very careful not to rattle her too much in his attempts to free her. His healing instincts told him that if she had broken anything, she was in danger of getting worse if rattled too much. In one final heave, the branch rolled away from her and into the hellstorm. She still had not woken. Remembering the herbs he had brought, he bit through the bindings and began covering her smaller wounds with his small stash of medicinals. He examined her quickly and thoroughly and decided that she was not in danger of any broken limbs, miraculously. But the storm was raging, and he could feel stronger winds pulling at him and knew that he and Qanik needed to leave, fast. His mind raced and led him to grab the woman's scruff. He pulled her only two steps and then wedged himself beneath her, gently lying her body lengthwise along his own back so that her limbs hung limply over his sides. His muscles struggled with the extra weight but his adrenaline led him pushing onward. After what seemed like an hour, Flamesong found his way into a cave that was nestled into the side of a hill that seemed far enough away from the worst of the storms. He lie his friend gently down on the floor of the cave and shook out his pelt. It was cold, wet, and impossible to survive outside of the cave. He would have to keep watch. Fiery eyes aimed towards the cave mouth, Flamesong settled himself with his pelt pressed against his companion for warmth, hoping she would find the strength to waken soon. it's always darkest before the dawn[FLAMESONG ETHEREO]

Qanik was unaware of the passing of time as Flamesong worked to save her. For her it was simply a heartbeat of time between the storm, the branch falling, and then becoming aware - firstly - of the fact that the rain seemed to have stopped, and - secondly - that she was in terrible pain. She came awake with a start and a whine as even that small movement caused a flare of pain through her skull. There was naught but darkness, a fact that greatly alarmed her. She was a wolf, with the superior nightsight of a wolf, yet she could not make out a simple shape in this darkness. She shivered, cold and wet, surrounded by what felt like cold dirt, the only warmth was the heat that radiated from the body next to her. She turned her head slightly, but had to stop cringing from the pain. "Flamesong?" she whimpered. "What... what happened? What are you doing here?" Speech

REGRETS COLLECT LIKE OLD FRIENDS here to relive your darkest moments It had been an hour. A very long hour, by Flamesong's point of view. He had been worrying over the cold, the rain, and the harsh head wound that seemed to keep his companion in a coma. She had what looked to be some very tender flesh around her ribcage and spine, and a growing lump at the top of her skull. She was seriously banged up. He hoped that the girl had not suffered a concussion. The man was not skilled as a healer and knew that the nearest medic was miles away. He blinked fiery eyes out into the howling night sky and let a sigh escape from his jaws. Her breathing was no longer labored and the bleeding from her minor injuries had stopped. She was doing well considering the trauma her body had just gone through. Now the storm just needed to let up. The sound of a whimper had Flamesong turning away quickly from the cave mouth to check on his friend. She lifted her head slightly and was rewarded with the worried reaction of the silver man rushing to her side. "Don't worry your head, Qanik. Just lie down. I found you beneath a tree branch and you were unconscious. You've suffered a serious head trauma. I'm still uncertain of just how bad it may be. We need a healer..." His eyes squinted as he pressed his muzzle against the girl's shoulder, breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm just so glad you're awake. I was worried you wouldn't.." Briefly, his mind wandered back to the crippled image of her beneath the tree branch. He shuddered, and inwardly blamed the cold for his reaction. Right now, their only option was to stay warm and alive. From what he could tell the storm would be at least another day. He and Qanik would just have to accept that they would be each others only company for a while, especially if she remained in such weak state. it's always darkest before the dawn[FLAMESONG ETHEREO]

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

"Oh..." Qanik's voice was a breathy shadow of her usual husky tenor, but however thready it may be it was still there. "Did you bring me to a cave, then? Is that why it's so dark?" The tension in her body showed that she already knew the answer to that - the air was too fresh, too damp from rain, and the thunder too close for them to be too far underground for sight. She didn't know much about healing, but it stood to reason that a bad blow to the head could damage her sight. And in this storm, a healer would be a long time coming...

She swallowed, hard, and tried to concentrate instead on the warm body next to her. Flamesong - he hadn't needed to save her. She wasn't part of his pack, and one pleasant conversation didn't mean he even considered her a friend. The storm had been a bad one. It would have been a terrible risk for him to carry her here, by himself, even for a short distance and she had no idea how far this cave was from where she'd been injured. He certainly didn't need to stay with her the whole time. So why?

To take her mind off her concerns - and his, were he to be worried over her at all - she spoke again. "Did your pack all return safely to the mainland for the storm?" Bringing up his pack was a pointed reminder to herself - Flamesong was Valhallan, not Tortugan, and she needed to remember that. Even though he'd inexplicably rescued her. Even though she actually liked him. But the reminder only served to bring her right back to where she started... Why had he saved her?

A sigh huffed out, scattering dust unseen before her. Better to wonder about that than to worry about the darkness.



speech.

cowardice is the only sin

REGRETS COLLECT LIKE OLD FRIENDS here to relive your darkest moments His silver eyebrows furrowed in worry for the alabaster dame. She couldn't see the lightning? The white flashes that dominated the sky above? Perhaps her concussion had messed with her senses, and dulled her vision. Oh it was much worse than he had thought. She would need quite some time to recover if she were to ever see again. She shouldn't even strain herself. "Yes, we are in a cave. Why don't you just keep your eyes closed until the rain lets up? We can still talk, just try not to fall asleep okay? Just for me?"He pressed closer to her now and lapped at a dried wound on her shoulder. Luckily, her wounds were not infected and were shallow enough not to scar. He breathed a sigh of relief and lay his head back down onto his paws. She would be alright. But her eyes? He had no clue... At her mention of his pack, Flamesong stiffened. Shouldn't he be back helping the injured of Valhalla? No....he had done his duty there. Now he was needed here, with Qanik. "They are safe. I ensured that many of the members were safe and away from the island, but others chose their own way."Silver head still resting on his paws, Flamesong turned his muzzle to eye the she-wolf. "I felt pulled here, I suppose. Seems like someone in Skypack really wanted me to find you again. Glad I did too. That storm is just...deadly." it's always darkest before the dawn[FLAMESONG ETHEREO]

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

"All right." Keep her eyes closed? Her eyes may as well already be closed for all she could tell. But he was right, the strain as she subconsciously tried to see might well be a problem. She obediently closed them, leaving her head resting on her paws. She immediately felt that much heavier, as though closing her eyes was the trigger for the drowsiness to descend like a blanket over her. Remembering what he'd said about not falling asleep, she immediately seized on his words to try to keep her attention on being awake.

"I'm glad they're safe," she rasped. "If I'd been smart I would have stayed up north when the storm began. If I'd known it would be this bad down here..." She shrugged, honestly not sure if she could say she'd not have gone anyway. She turned her aching head slightly, just enough to press it against his. Her tongue darted out to trace his cheek, just a little, before she put her head back down. "I... I'm glad you came," she confessed. "If anyone had to rescue me from my own foolishness, I'm glad it was you." In the immediate aftermath of nearly dying, with the dizziness and drowsiness creeping in, it really didn't seem to matter much anymore that he wasn't a pack member. He was a friend... maybe more than that, but certainly a friend, no matter where he called home.

speech.

cowardice is the only sin

REGRETS COLLECT LIKE OLD FRIENDS here to relive your darkest moments He could not control the widening of his eyes when the girl darted her tongue out to lightly graze his cheek. He knew that the girl was in a daze, but that did not explain why the silver man enjoyed the brief affection that she showed him. His mind raced and he found himself wondering if it was something she had been holding back in her sobriety. Nonetheless, Flamesong knew that no matter what her intentions may be, he must not allow his feelings to cloud his judgement with the woman. She was a friend. And a Tortugan. Reverting back to his healing instincts, Flamesong reached into his small pack and pulled out a small plant with a flowering bud. He pushed the herb towards Qanik until his nose touched her own. "Eat these, dear. It's mint. It should take away some of your head pain and give you enough energy to stay awake." Amber eyes looked to the girl with concern and something else that confused him. He cared for her. And what had she been doing traveling so far from home in this storm? He wanted to ask her, to push his questions on her in hopes of result that would send him away, but he knew the answer would only be the same as his own. She was traveling to see him, just as he was traveling to see her. Could it be destiny? No, those things are for pups. He knew better than that. It was simply happening and he did not wish to stop it. With that thought in mind, he allowed his exterior to soften for the pale woman who lie helplessly before him. "Foolish is an exaggeration. And seeing you...seemed to be more that you were rescuing me from myself more than anything."His salmon tongue darted out as well, to lightly graze the muzzle of the girl. it's always darkest before the dawn[FLAMESONG ETHEREO]

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

Flamesong asked her to eat something, and as she felt the plant nudge her nose she smiled gratefully at him, and swiped her tongue out to gather the plant up. The plant tasted cold, somehow, as she chewed it, in an unaccountable way reminding her of the chill of her northern home. The taste made her strangely homesick, wondering if she'd ever see, actually see, her beautiful packlands again, and she wondered idly if Flamesong had a magic herb that would fix the sight she was becoming more and more convinced was gone.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm the fear that was fluttering in her chest like a trapped bird. Flamesong's words proved a welcome distraction, and she cocked her head just a little, quizzically, just as his tongue grazed her muzzle. She stilled, her heart feeling like it skipped a beat. Had he..? "I-if you mean that I convinced you to get yourself out of the storm, I am glad," she replied with as much humor as she could muster through her surprise. "The last thing I would want would be for you to catch a cold or worse out in that."

She leaned against him, shyly maneuvering as best she could without sight so that her head rested on his legs, tucked up against him, her tail draped over his. She found herself worried that he'd reject her hesitant snuggling, that the lick had been imagined, a product of her head injury, that he'd be the one to suddenly see sense and recall that she was Tortugan, not Valhallan...



speech.

cowardice is the only sin