Grizzly Hollow The Doctor is In

After several long, tiring hours of walking, they had made it. Jynx, once a pack wolf, now turned loner again, was exhausted to say the least. All three of her good legs were aching, her stomach was growling, and her twisted ankle throbbed persistently. At least she would get the help she needed now, and if she were lucky, a meal too. She had stuck to the slow hobble that she had set when she first begun this journey, pausing more and more frequently the further she traveled. Only once or twice, did she rely on Rook, allowing to support part of her weight for only brief periods of time. And then, she was back to moving on her own again. The borders they arrived at were familiar, but certainly not the ones of what had been Cut Rock River. These she noted, were set a little further out from where the heart of the famous river lay. But the scent of cedar was still the same, the smell of these new borders, starkly different.

Standing just out of reach behind Rook, she delicately planted her hind end down, shifting to her right side, so she wouldn't put any weight on her left haunch. With her slightly unkempt fur which still was stained with traces of dried dirt from her fall, and her thinned frame, the normally well groomed russet woman was in less than presentable shape. There was no turning back now...she had no choice but to allow these medics to tend to her, so that her leg would heal. So that she could resume the normal life she had before; that of a robust, active young she wolf. Keeping her lips sealed, she behaved like a proper guest and allowed her escort to the right he was entitled to. Summoning the medics with a call. As she gazed ahead patiently into the shadows of the mighty forest, her suspicions were almost confirmed. Either this was indeed the Grizzly Hollow pack that Rook Lyall had intended to create, or some other band of wolves came along to claim this stretch of land as their own. Separated from the Hearthwood wolves, she wasn't thrilled to be here, but she also wasn't exactly in a position to leave either. She'd remain patient and keep her mouth shut until she formed a solid opinion of her own.

The sky was darkening quick but Rook had no doubt that the pack at his command wouldn't have trouble traversing the terrain they had come to know and protect. He had initially called out with a soft bark into the gathering night and now he and Wacipi patiently waited for either Veho or Titan to appear. Once or twice, he cast his gaze back to his companion, wanting to be sure that she was comfortable. When it seemed as though the herb-collecting duo were out of range, Rook fought with himself for a moment as how to summon them. He couldn't just call out for Veho (which is what he wanted to do at this very moment), call for Titan (which might've given the impression that he favored the Thorben more than Veho), or flat out call for help (he didn't want to call the rest of the pack's attention).

Again, he left the woman's side, ducking his head in places here and there as he searched past the tree trunks. In the end, his wits got the best of him; he let out a generic howl, his soft, typically pedantic tone of voice emphasized with the masculine 'O' sound of their species' call. It announced that he had returned home and that anyone who was nearby who could help him is requested to come to the borders. Here, he figured it was appropriate, he supposed, to call for both @Veho and @Titan. If both came by, that was fine; if only one or the other came, that was fine too.

It wasn't Borden, he was quick to further mention, but Grizzly Hollow did have a guest who required their attention...

Titan was surprised by the call. He had been under the impression that they were still not allowed to be howling their heads off to find each other because of the whole alias and enemy packs might be listening thing. He huffed silently wondering what was wrong then turned to head towards the howl. Only a couple feet into a lope Titan then stops quick trying to figure out if he should bring anything with him or not. Without knowing how badly someone was either sick or injured, Titan then doubled back and grabbed some goldenrod and ergot, his most go to herbs to use, and then began loping back towards the howl.

Winding through thick cedars and soft ferns, Titan slipped over and through the shadows blending in quite well to his surroundings. The scars on his front legs lay very visibly against his black fur as the dark Thorben decreased the distance between himself and the caller. A woodpecker fluttered overhead disturbing the canopy with its shrill call while the wolf ran beneath it.

I wonder why the healers are needed. Will I be able to help much? the questions ran through that silver tipped back crown sitting just beneath Titan's two large ebony ears. He knew Veho was probably more experienced than he at actively practicing the healing arts, but Titan wouldn't get anyway sitting back and doing nothing. He would help when he could, or ask if he could help out the other healer when Veho arrived. Veho might have gotten there before me though.. Then I'll look stupid with these herbs. the childish concern didn't slow the large males steps as he followed a familiar trail.

Upon arriving at the scene Titan slowed his pace to a walk before finally stopping before a very pretty female and Rook. Titan's tail immediately began to wag just before his head lowered to dip downwards in order to greet Rook. Then his eyes went to the she wolf. The males nose already working to scent at the air for easy to find health problems that Rook or the stranger lady could be having. No scent of blood tarnished the air, allowing Titan to relax a bit then drop his pile of mixed herbs. "T-T'um... Gawain at your service Gaheris, my lady." He finally greeted the she wolf wondering if Rook meant to accept her into the pack or not. He couldn't see any other reason to bring a woman who smelled as a loner into their fold.

He noted then the woman's lifted leg. At first the absurd thought of her peeing there in front of them crossed his mind but was shot down by his logical side a second later. Her leg is injured... Ergot won't help at all here. He sniffed at the air then looked squarely at her leg. A small glance upwards at Rook and the woman showed Titan's interest to help. "May I check your leg miss?" Titan smiled charmingly at her before looking at the sprain form afar. It wouldn't be much different treating her than it had been when he had to treat himself after his leg got chomped by Morganna. Though if that was the case he might need to grab a different herb to use.

The Macieo male had just left Borden’s side to allow the male a nap. Despite the former alpha’s general forgetfulness and state of mind, the medic had found the man to be pleasant company. It was peaceful, for a wolf with patience, and that was one thing Veho had in spades. His first thought, upon hearing the call, was to cringing and make sure Borden hadn’t been woken – finding the man comfortably tucked up in the nest he’d just left, the silvery wolf departed from his current region, pinpointing the source of the call quickly. He moved with great speed, but without panicking, arriving a few moments after @Titan had already greeted their lord king and the injured party.

With a small sigh and a minute sag of the man’s shoulders, he bobbed his head to the dark wolf with a pleasant smile. “Gawain, good to see you,” he murmured softly, shifting closer to the leader’s side. There, the eldest of the group reached forward to offer @Rook the briefest of touches, assuring himself that only the stranger had been injured. “It is good to see you, as well,” Veho murmured, pale eyes dancing before he turned again, this time facing Jynx.

He did not approach the woman, wishing not to crowd her – after all, she was clearly injured. Clearing his throat, he bowed his head. “It is a pleasure to meet you, miss. I am Merlin, a medic in Gaheris’ service,” he rumbled, neatly avoiding the trap Titan had well-nigh fallen into. “While my friend looks at your leg, may I ask what happened to it? The more details you can provide, the better of a job we may do healing you up.”

Her wait was not a terribly long one, it seemed. Too tired to stand and follow after Rook anymore, she let him do his job. Wander off into the lengthening shadows and search for his Medics. Even if by some remote chance that he did not return to her side, the flame coated female would not panic. While he was pre-occupied, with his back turned, she keenly absorbed the layout of the forest. Noting any familiar or prominent landmarks, the slopes of the ground, or any notches in the trees to distinguish one from the other. She had been here before...maybe not in this exact spot, but Jynx was more familiar with the cedarwood forest than these wolves were aware of. Wisely, she hid any flickers or signs of recognition from emerging on her face. She still had the option of playing innocent, and then turning into a vengeful enforcer once she was back up to speed. But, among a fully formed pack of young wolves, that would not be a smart move. It would only be asking for trouble.

As she sat uncomfortably on her hind end, her left leg splayed awkwardly to the side, she felt the skin around her injury begin to itch. A glance down showed that while the flesh was not torn open, that it was scraped and mildly bruised. Her ears fell back, a rumble of displeasure sounding in her chest. Hopefully whoever these medics were, they would be skilled enough to assist her in a rapid recovery as possible. She was a young, active wolf. Not at all the type who would like being tied down to a medical den, nursing her injuries. Soon out of the darkness, an equally dark figure melted into view, the deep blue of his eyes separating his outline from the shadows. She noted the bundle of herbs that he carried, and soon dropped at his paws. She remained silent but pleasant as he introduced himself, again with an alias like Rook had given. "Gaheris mentioned that one of his healers would be happy to assist me." Her lips barely formed a thin smile. "I hope you can be of aid." She said, glancing pointedly back down to her battered leg again. Around the crucial joints of the ankle, the soft tissue was grossly swollen, as if a golf ball had decided to take up residence underneath her skin and fur. And then there were the scrapes and bruising that littered her leg, a tale of the rough tumble she had taken almost a week earlier. "Go ahead...do what you have to do." She said, but with back turned ears, a physical indicator of her uncertainty.

To her surprise and interest, which luckily served well to distract her from the ebony male who was inspecting her leg, another wolf appeared on the scene. In contrast to Titans dark fur, this man wore a coat of grays and silvers. And his eyes were platinum colored too. After he properly addressed both wolves, (in which she noticed he called "Gawain" Titan instead), she met his gaze. Introduced as Merlin, she nodded, but did not bother giving out her own true name or alias yet. "Thank you for coming, Merlin." Remaining perfectly still, yet quite uncomfortable, she sighed at the memory and both Merlin's request to explain what had transpired. "If it will help, then so be it." Her pink tongue slid out to moisten her drying lips. "I was hunting...testing a herd of Mule Deer for weaknesses. Trying to pick out a weakling." Her thoughts drifted back. "The rain storm had appeared so suddenly that I was taken off guard mid hunt...I could barely see a few inches in front of my nose because of the sheets of rain. Naturally I could not properly judge the terrain. Because of my hindered sight, I slipped down a steep embankment and landed rather hard on my left side...my back leg taking most of the brunt." She explained as simply as possible, while still being thorough. Her bright yellow eyes darted from one wolf to the next quickly. They were all males, all strangers...and all quite attractive. Jynx was thankful for her fur. Without it the blush of awkwardness warming her cheeks would be a dead giveaway to how overwhelmed she was starting to feel. Well, it least it was better than being hostile, like she had initially been with Rook.

It was almost as though they had been expecting Rook to return; Titan first appeared with herbs then Veho arrived soon after, eagerly assessing the situation. A dip of Titan's head prompted the Leader to return the gesture. Veho did the same, though he accompanied his greeting with a nudge of his nose to his fur. It was proper and appropriate - hopefully nothing that would raise any eyebrows apart from the grey medic's greeting. "Likewise," he murmured with a wag of his own tail. Rook took a step back as both Macieo and Thorben went to work. The floor and stage was theirs.

"This is, uh, Wacipi," he formally introduced them all. "We've just come from the Rise and meads and the Marsh." And, that was that... All that Rook could do was watch and listen. Gawain inspected Wacipi's limb as Merlin went ahead and gathered more information, which the patient eagerly provided. If he could be of any assistance, he was there for the time being but, for now, he kept quiet. There was much to observe... from the way Titan had readily brought an assortment of herbs to the manner in which Veho swept over the area like the quiet after a violent storm.

He had spied on them only a couple of times, catching them interact with Borden at the den, only seeing in glimpses the gentle ways in which they cared for his aging father. This was different; and, it cast a light as clear as day upon the trio. This would work, he was determined, taking a seat somewhere off to the side to allow the medics and their new pack member some room. After this there would be no room to doubt either of them and, in a moment much to soon, he was absolutely certain that meeting Titan at the borders of Whisper Caverns and being intercepted at the cascades by Veho had been no mere accident.

Titan grinned as the she wolf gave him permission to more closely inspect her leg. As much as he wanted not to hurt the woman Titan had to prod the swollen area a bit, but of course he would warn her before doing so. "This might hurt for a moment Wacipi." He spoke gently before gently nosing around her leg and checking the tendons. There were scrapes around the warm injured section of her leg, but mostly it was splotched by bruising. Definitely don't need the ergot... He thought while stepping back to look at his herbs. He took the moment to carefully separate them into two piles of ergot and goldenrod then looked back to the lovely lady. "Well there's the obvious scrapes and bruises, but it looks like your leg is sprained. Though I guess you probably already knew that." He glanced back to Veho then to his goldenrod. Titan had figured out the hard way the difference from a sprain and a broken leg when treating himself. He was sure that Wacipi had a sprain here, and there were many other better plants to use than what he had with him. Though Goldenrod was always a good place to start.

"We have to clean up the wound well before putting a poultice of goldenrod on there. That'll help both the sprain and the scrapes. Bruising will go away with time. Arnica would help a lot too, but that's a little hard to work with. Titan leaned forward to start licking her wound gently at first. For bits of dirt that he couldn't get off with gentle licks the dark wolf would have to press a little harder. "Merlin do you uh.....Have you worked with Arnica?....... I haven't tried using that yet....... Too worried about swallowing it......" Titan asked between every few licks along the woman's burning swollen skin. He glanced upwards at Jynx a little shyly before flicking those blue eyes back down to keep an eye on his work. Once in a while he'd look over to Rook or Veho to see what they were doing. Then look back to his herbs laying on the ground to their left. Lastly those sea deep eyes would turn back upon his task as her leg twitched under his tough.

Perhaps a kitchen could suffer from too many cooks, but it appeared that a pack could operate readily with two working medics (in training). In the same space, @Titan and Veho seemed to work with each other, giving space and not competition to make a diagnosis or cure all ills. Once the alpha had moved to the side to allow the others to work, he offered @Rook a warm smile, eyes dancing for perhaps a moment that lingered on too long before he settled his attention back to the patient and her story of personal disaster.

Her pink tongue wet her lips as citrine eyes bounced from one wolf to the next – had she noticed the longing in Veho’s eyes, or was he only sensitive to the mere coincidence? The wolf gave himself a gentle shake before stepping forward, careful to keep out of Titan’s way as the younger male took inventory of the injury. Even from here, the medicine man could see how swollen it looked. “Thank you,” he murmured softly, tail swishing as he bowed his head to Wacipi. “Given your story and Gawain’s observations, I believe he is correct – you probably sprained it when it took the brunt of your fall. If it was broken, I believe you’d be in much worse shape.”

Before he could add to Titan’s suggestion, he found the dark wolf actually licking the other’s wound. Moonlit eyes blinked owlishly, and for the first time in a long time, the eloquent man was caught with a lead tongue. He glanced once at Rook and tipped his head, wondering if perhaps this was common practice before glancing back to the injured party and the younger healer. Clearing his throat, he began, “I have arnica root in the medical cache,” he murmured softly. “However, due to it’s…nature, I’d prefer to use the river to make the appropriate paste. The water may also aid in applying goldenrod…and cleaning the wounds any further? Cold water is also a fine numbing agent, if Wacipi is so inclined.” Dipping his head, he glanced towards the other males. “If you two are able to accompany to the creek by the den, I will go ahead to start the paste, yes?”

Jynx sent Rook a look, confirming that what he had said was true. But she had a little more to add. "I had nowhere else to go anyways, and my makeshift den was quite a long ways off." That was not entirely true. While she could have gone back to Kingsfall, she was not about to chance telling these unknown wolves who now took up residence in the CedarWood Forest of her origins. Her burning yellow eyes shifted back to Gawain and Merlin as they spoke. "Go ahead...I'll be fine." She assured Gawain calmly, watching with upright, yet back turned ears as he nudged her swollen leg. His touch caused a mild pain to shoot up through the limb, but she merely clenched her jaw and went with it, making not a sound.

Attentively she listened as he summarized her injury; a common sprain, which is what she had suspected all along. She would nod every once in a while, absorbing the common medical knowledge he offered her. Jynx was no skilled medic like these two wolves, but she knew the basics. She knew that any sprained leg would need rest and time to heal. That open wounds and sores should be cleaned daily. It was where the medicinal plants came in, that she was puzzled with. She just did not have the time and patience to go sticking her nose in flowers and roots, categorizing them all day. The next thing she knew, this dark wolf was touching her leg again...no, licking it, to try and clear away any dirt or debris. She flinched from the touch, partly out of shock. Forcing herself to hold still, she gazed down at his ebony head coolly. "...Is that really necessary? I know you are trying to be thorough, but I don't think any of the dirt is embedded that deep."

Thankfully Merlin had spoken up again, responding to Gawain's query and reservations about using what was known as Arnica root. It took away from the lingering awkwardness she felt about the entire situation. And when he mentioned submerging her leg in water to reduce the swelling, her interest shifted yet again. "I think that is best...to try and get the swelling down with the cold water first. How far is the river? I should be able to last a little longer." She assured the two medics, the eagerness in her voice expressing that as soon as she could get set up and resting, the better.