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A good deal of this was very new to her —these submissive niceties— but she figured she was doing something right when she felt his mouth open and envelop hers delicately. It was if in her head, his whole being was encircling her, around her, protecting her. Instantly, she understood that this was what it felt like to belong —to belong here, in a pack. Savoring the moment, she closed her eyes. How delicious it was! And when she opened her eyes, there was Indru with his unwavering, warm gaze. When he withdrew his maw, she smiled deeply at him.


"I can't ever remember feeling so happy while being in such miserable shape!" she declared emphatically. Slowly, she sat up, her smile turning into a pained grimace accompanied by a soft whine. From there, she rocked and teetered on to her right foreleg, awkwardly standing on three legs. The fourth was tucked up against her breast fur, unwilling to touch the ground or commit to her weight. Without a doubt, she was glad that he offered to his services as a fourth leg, support. Now that she was finally standing up, though, she could see that the dark fur at his shoulders had been torn. There were wounds. Horror flooded her, "I think we have this all backwards," she ventured, fifty percent joking, one hundred percent concerned, "I should have asked what happened to you." Half hopping, half rocking, she managed to get over to his side. On a whim, she reached out and smoothed the ragged patch of fur at his shoulders tentatively, hoping she wasn't actually hurting him instead. "I'll try not to be too much of a burden for you." She leaned onto him slowly, unwilling to force too much of her weight on to him all at once. "But yes, Indru, I'm ready." Her smile this time was perhaps a bit tinged with apprehension. This is going to be the longest walk of my life.
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Indru laughed at her eager and excited words as his tail waved behind happily in response. Already with her attitude, she had proven that broken or not she was worthwhile pack member as she already had great spirit while in pain. Her smile dropped and was replaced with a painful grimace and Indru winced along with her, he wasn't not sure how to help and felt that he might do more harm trying. Soon she was on her feet, though on three legs, and she looked back at him he flashed her a smile of encouragement. Oh, it is nothing, he tried to reassure her, nothing to the pain she was in anyway, and when she made a comment about trying to not be a burden he shook his head vehemently, don't be silly. Use me as much as you need too. While he appreciated her concern Indru felt much more worried for her well being, she had asked him for the protection and safety and pack can offer and he was determined to keep his promise and get her home safely.

Ozera then approached closer to him and tried to smooth his ragged and missing fur and though it hurt he knew it was meant in good gesture so he did not allow his face to frown from the pain. Soon she was ready and Indru hesitated as she situated herself against him, feeling her weight lean down one side of his body and causing his wounded skin to stretch, he ignored it and didn't react except from a sharpening of his eyes, and then with her took a step forward to start the long walk home.