Re: Neha, you've caught a cold.
August 18th
Sunny, 68 F
Mid Morning
FTC's Princess is sick! All welcome!
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She felt absolutely terrible! What had happened to her? Yesterday Neha had been perfectly fine. Her usual self, full of energy and spunk. But when she woke up this morning, in the new den, she just didn't feel right. Her whole body ached, her skin felt too warm. Her eyes and nose too wet, and a persistent tickle in her chest. What was worse, is that she didn't even feel like herself. She was too miserable to play or to explore. Too tired to make any smart comments at her brothers. All she wanted to do was rest, but even that in itself, was proving difficult with how uncomfortable she felt.
Instead of being in the communal den with everyone else, like one would expect her to be, Neha was instead curled under the shade of a large Pine tree. It's needles were a soft bedding material, but offered little comfort. She had pressed her small body as far back as it could go, until her spine was resting solidly against the rough trunk. Despite being so tired, the girl was not asleep. In a most atypical posture, she laid with her head dejectedly between her front legs, ears planted firmly against her head. Eyes which were usually bright, stared blindly ahead, slightly glazed. A few feet off to her side, were the remains of last nights dinner, which she had spewed up into a slimy pile of mush on the ground. Her stomach quivered and rumbled constantly, but she was too nervous to try eating anything. Knowing that her Mom and Dad were probably busy with their adult business, she wouldn't want to bother them now. And she was too proud and stubborn to seek out any of her other pack mates. She was a Princess...she was supposed to be strong! There was no way on earth that she would let them see her like this! Yet as another nauseous wave flooded over her, she could not help but let a keening whine escape her mouth. All she wanted was to get better...to make this awful feeling go away. She was scared, not knowing what was wrong with her.
Momma to the rescue, ignore the other thread if you got a notification for it c:
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Namid Veusain
The weather around her had begun to change, though the rest of nature was still clinging desperately to summer. Fall was just around the corner, and after that was winter. Already they had begun to stockpile their caches, trying to get as much there as possible to prep them for the harshness they were to face. Winters on the mountain were rough, and even though their little cove sheltered them from much of the biting winds that came with being where they were they were still often to be buffeted by the frigid air. However, all of this was out of sight and out of mind as worry clouded her thoughts. She had awoken that morning to find her precious little girl with a fever, her pale body warm with what she thought to be a cold. She’d done her best to keep her comfortable but despite her calls their medics hadn’t shown up. This worried her, for she hadn’t scented nor seen Asphodel on their borders for a little while now. Hemlock, her locked at the hip sibling, was still around but she knew that if the girl left her brother wouldn’t be far behind her. It was because of this that she’d gone out herself to gather some herbs for her daughter after appointing someone to watch her, knowing enough of the art that her own mother and brother had specialized in to know the remedy for a cold. Best to treat it sooner rather than later.
It had been nearly two hours since her departure, for she’d had to travel north into the mountain to harvest the herb she needed which was called skunkbush. Its name was no lie, for it truly did smell terrible though the bark, the thing that she had really been searching for, didn’t smell half as bad. She’d gone as quickly as she could, ignoring the burning of her muscles with only the thought of getting back to her ailing child in her mind. She’d made quick work, and now she slipped into the communal den area huffing and slightly out of breath before making her way over to Neha. “Hey there darling, how are you feeling?” she said, offering her child a comforting nuzzle. She settled down next to her, allowing her body to form to that of the youth in a hope of making her more comfortable. It broke her heart to see her child sick, and worried her to no end for Neha was the first of the trio to actually become so. The bark was laid to the side, forgotten for the moment as she checked in.
Oooh! Momma's back! The Vuesain prince's head jerked up as her scent came in stronger than it had in the previous hours. He knew she had grown-up things to do but he hadn't gotten around to discovering just what it was before she'd left. Cernan was ready to see her again after all that open play-time. Where had she gone? Past the borders maybe? Oh, he'd like to hear about what that trip was like! The boy abandoned what little tracking he'd tried to do, having lost most of the tiny creature's trail by then anyway. He reared onto his back legs; bounding after the scent and back to the new den. Momma would be happy to see him, he just knew it!
Coming upon the scene in little lopes, the youth's pace slowed. She was laying down with Neha, who'd just let out a really sad sound. He remembered that his sister was kinda grumpy that morning, but that's all he thought it was, a mood. A bit of worry crept onto his face. Had she still not gotten better? His mom's voice sounded as her younger son drew near enough to hear it well. She seemed a bit worried too. Another smell met his wet black nose; the smell of Neha's vomit. Instinctively he wrinkled his nose, spying the disgusting pile of mush. Aww gross! He thought as he caught sight of it. Cernan's attention quickly redirected itself though; landing squarely on the uncharacteristically depressed form of his silver sister. She was never this way! Why was she just sitting there instead of playing? Or running?
The strange behavior was beginning to scare him a little. She hadn't acted like this ever before. Though they had surely noticed his presence by now, the child toddled forward to get a better look at her, while still remaining a foot or two away. Her sickness smelled a little icky too, after all. The youngster's eyes fixated on his ailing sibling; head tilting with puzzlement. Then, his childlike curiosity got the better of him and he glanced at his Mom. “Momma, what's wrong with Neha?” He asked slowly; his voice rising in pitch. “Is she gonna be okay?” Surely she wasn't okay – just look at her! Oh but Mom had to make Neha better, she always made them feel better! He stood there with his big ears at attention; studying the princess in case she wanted to give him a clue as to what in the world was going on with her.
After a long and early morning spent patrolling and strengthening the borders, Nathaniel had decided himself worthy a brunch break. He'd swung his course around, delving back into the depths of the Vuesain domain and heading toward the heart of the land. The caches most well kempt were those that neighbored the communal den, offering the freshest morsels. Having just spent the other day hunting, he figured it was appropriate to take from what he'd helped build by now. It was true, Nathaniel was finally becoming more comfortable within the day to day life of this pack. Or perhaps he'd just gotten numb to the feelings that had been gnawing at him since the day he joined.
Regardless, acceptance was growing inside of him, and this allowed him to be more attentive to those around him. While he hadn't bothered himself with the children's presence on his way to the cache, choosing to dig up the recently-deposited carcass of a hare without a word or glance to anyone else, Neha's soft wail managed to snag his attention and pull him in. Carrying his meal betwixt his jaws, he sought after the sound. Quickly, Namid appeared within his vision, the woman seeking her ailing child under the boughs of a pine tree. Cernan was also swiftly upon the scene, and the man considered that perhaps he should simply continue on and leave this be as a family matter.
Since the incident with the swans, however, Nathaniel felt some kind of investment with these two heirs in particular and it was this sentiment that won out, urging him closer. Coming to the edge of the boughs, he deposited the hare at his own paws before crouching down to peer at the mother and her children. His ears caught Cernan's questions, and his nose caught whiff of Neha's vomit coagulated upon the ground. After short observation, he could see that not only did the princess seem to have a nasty cold, but also that her mother had retrieved an appropriate remedy. Truly, there was nothing for him to do, and yet still he remained there, waiting to be needed in some way.
Miserably sprawled out on the grass, beneath the shade of her tree, all Neha could do was hope that someone would come and find her soon. They surely would know how to fix her, to make her better. Then she could get back to the important business of playing, and training in being a proper princess. For now, all she could do was close her eyes, to try and push back the chills and nausea that swept over her little body. The familiar footsteps, scent and soon to be followed by the voice of her Mother snapped her out of her bleary daze. Momma was here! Her savior...her idol! The cream and silver woman always seemed to have the answers to everything, and with her greeting Neha lifted her head weakly, ears refusing to lift. She burrowed her sooty snout into the soft fur of Namid's neck, taking comfort in the closeness. "Mumma..." She murmured, before shaking her head a little. "...Not so good. My tummy feels funny." She complained, but said no more than that. Instead of wailing and bickering endlessly, Neha had bitten the bullet and dealt with her discomfort in silence. Perhaps the early signs of tough streak or high pain tolerance that she would grow into later in life.
Apparently word may have been starting to spread about the first born's condition. Her dearest brother, Cernan, soon made an appearance. He looked confused and worried. Her eyes fell on the youthful face of her brother, and the tip of her tail came to life ever so slightly. Looking at him, Neha vividly remembered the incident with the swan by the lake a few days earlier. Everyone was lucky to escape with minimal injuries, but Neha, in her brashness, blinded by the urge to protect, had likely caught this nasty little bug by coming into contact with that filthy creature. But she regretted none of it. Her brother was safe and that was all that mattered. "I feel funny, Erine..." Was all she managed in a low, most un-spirited voice. Then another arrival, one of whom the dainty girl had also encountered before, on that very same day of the attack. The dark male with sky blue eyes who had shot into the line of fire, bravely slaying she and Cernan's attackers. She felt a spark of gratitude and fondness shoot up through her heart at the sight of Nathaniel. Gathering up the strength to use her sore vocal chords again, she peered up at the male softly and offered a quiet "Thank you, Mister..."
It seemed that she wasn’t the only one to be concerned for the welfare of the young princess. As she laid there with the girl, some others began to trickle out of the woodwork. The first was to be Cernan, the soft-hearted youngest of the small Vuesain family. Her mismatched gaze softened upon seeing his worried expression, a gentle smile curling upon her lips. “Momma, what's wrong with Neha. Is she gonna be okay?” he inquired. A gentle ‘ooh’ whooshed from her lips at this, “Of course, darling, Neha is going to be just fine. She is just feeling a little icky right now. She just needs some more sleep and lots of cuddles and she will be back to normal,” she said, bending her head to give Neha’s ear a gentle nuzzle. Her words weren’t just for Cernan, but rather also for her little girl. She had no doubt that it was scary being sick for the first time, she might even think she was dying. It was Namid’s job to make sure she was comfortable, to comfort her and let her know that everything would be okay.
Next to arrive was one of their newest members, Nathaniel. She hadn’t much of a chance to communicate with the man since his joining, but for him to show up even then made her feel grateful. He had also been on the scene, protecting the very duo before her from an attack from some vicious swans. She didn’t want to even think about what could have happened to them if he hadn’t been there, and if anyone deserved to be in the area at the moment it would likely be him. She offered him a friendly smile, completely relaxed now despite the situation. She felt better being in the same area as Neha, only really being stressed when she’d been away from her. "Is there anything you need, miss Namid?" he inquired, and she paused to think. Her gaze trailed down to the youth, and the heat of her body came to her attention. “Actually, yes. Would you be willing to run down to the lake and soak some moss in the water? I think that it might be able to comfort her better if she had something cool pressed against her,” she said. Her own mother had done somewhat of the same when she was a child with a fever, though she had also had some help from the humans.
Her attention turned wholly onto the oldest Cove child, who had practically buried herself into her mother’s pelt. The approach of Cernan, or Ernie as it seemed her children had started calling the child, had seemed to catch her attention and even in her sickly state a small wag of her tail had been given. She brightened, expression glowing at this. The girl had even gone so far as to thank Nathaniel, for what exactly she didn’t know, but she couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride within her. From the corner of her eye she noticed the bark, bending to move it closer to them. “Neha, dear, mother is going to help you feel better. But, I need you to eat this for me okay? It is going to taste bad, but I will give you some tasty stuff as a treat later for being a good girl.” she promised. Namid was surprisingly truthful with her children, never really lying to them. She wanted them to know what things really were, for hopefully in their future they would be able to see things for what they were as well. It was a foundation she wanted them to grow up on, and hopefully by doing so they would learn to trust her. The lake Queen nudged the medicine toward her daughter, giving her a bump of encouragement with her nose to her cheek.
No sooner had he spoken and had his muddy-colored greenish eyes found Neha again than the little girl piped up in reply. He couldn't bring himself to wag as she was trying to do, but he listened intently. So she felt funny. Funny could mean a lot of things, but to him all it meant was that something was wrong and he knew that already. Folding his oversized ears down, the boy's attention shifted to their mother as she gave a much more satisfying reply. Eyes still wide, he stared at her even after she'd finished. Momma said she was going to be fine, and that was almost enough for him. Momma had never been wrong before, after all. What finally tore his uneasy attention from Namid was the presence of Nathaniel; the dark man that had saved them from those evil birds.
Cernan's head followed the wolf as he settled, wondering just what this adult was going to do about the situation. If he hadn't offered to do anything for Momma, the prince would have been utterly confused. The smooth voice of his mom filled the air next, and she mentioned the moss balls he already had fond memories of. Yeah, that would help! Neha was also visibly brightened by the pack wolf's presence, even going so far as to thank him. A signal went off in the youth's brain. Was he supposed to thank him too? The shy boy's curious eyes traveled back to Nathaniel as he uttered a meager “yeah,” and a nod, still a bit unsure of the situation.
His dam's movement brought the Vuesain prince's eyes to rest on the funny smelling stuff by her feet. Apparently it tasted as bad as it looked. He frowned a little; inspecting it. Would Neha so easily obey and eat the weird stuff? And what kind of a treat was she getting? Inwardly he hoped maybe he would get one too, but the pup kept the thought to himself and instead plopped his back legs down to the ground. If she was gonna eat this thing he wanted to watch.
Nathaniel's ears pressed forward as the miniature lady locked her soft eyes with his and spoke out, offering him thanks. A warm smile crossed over his muzzle as his heart was made all the more softer by her words, even Cernan's uncertain addition gentle upon his ears. Landloper as he was, the man had never truly attached himself to one place or another, much less the wolves that resided within them. Having condemned himself to serving the Vuesain dynasty the rest of his life, however, he thought perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to let the little worms snuggle closer to his heart.
His attention was transferred back onto the queen when she addressed him, doling a task out to him so that he may be useful. Happy with this, rather than having been told there was nothing he could do, Nathaniel nodded to her before throwing a wink to little Neha. "Anything for the princess," he promised, and then he was gone.
Nathaniel's pace was brisk as he directed himself toward the pack's medical cache, a place that he was vaguely familiar with. Never had he snooped around in its stores, but figured his desired item wouldn't be too difficult to sort out from the rest. Having guessed correctly, he was soon gone from the shallow den and on his way to the nearby lakeside.
Nestled comfortably against her mothers side, the Cove princess hoped that somehow, this would make the queasiness and aches in her body go away. This was no fun at all! She shouldn't be laying here under a tree, with two concerned adults crowded around her! She had important things to do. Such as...hunting mice, checking out the lake, and finding pretty pebbles to hoard all for herself! Surely her brothers, especially Cernan, missed their playful tussling sessions.
Namid was quick to reassure her larger brother, stating with utmost confidence, that she was unwell, but would indeed, get better soon. Well, that helped a little. Mother was so smart, she knew everything! So surely this, along with all else she had taught her, had to be true too, right? The next few minutes were but a blur to her, with her LASSITUDE far too strong to keep her mind focused on much for long. But she was at least able to fix her eyes warmly on Nathaniel, and of course, her brother. She noticed the dark savior heading off, at the request of Namid, but only after he humbly expressed his good will. This made the beginnings of a smile want to creep to her lips, but she was simply feeling too rotten to do so.
After he was gone, Namid nudged something she had not noticed before, closer to her. Her bleary eyes focused on the object. It was oddly shaped, brown, rough textured and...horribly smelly! And what's more, her mother wanted her to eat it?! Neha's eyes widened to the size of saucers in disbelief at the proposal, the bridge of her muzzle crinkling in disgust. Then, dubiously, she looked back at the bark she had to consume. She wasn't even sure she would be able to hold it down. Tentatively, she inched her muzzle closer, forcing herself not to breathe in the stench. At the last second, she drew away, a soft gag escaping her mouth. With pleading, hopeful eyes, she looked up at her Mom again. "You promise it'll make me feel better?" Of course it would, her mother had said so. "Humph...okay, but I want to try some fish this time...." She was sick of the standard delivery of rabbits, squirrels and deer meat. She wanted something different. Bracing herself, she reluctantly grasped the bark in between her teeth. As she slid it into her mouth, tongue curling over it, she wretched. But chewed, while trying to ignore the horrible taste. Yet her expression was anything but happy. No child liked taking their medicine, and Miss Neha was no exception. Finally, she swallowed. With a shudder (from her cold) she laid her head back down, nuzzling against her mother's forelimbs.
