She was at it again and knew she would be in trouble if she was found to be missing but surely by now they were used to her coming and going as she needed? Picking her way across the heights was becoming increasingly easy, and yet difficult at the same time with her increasing obviously pregnant state. She wanted them to hurry up and be born already but at the same time, she wished her pack would grow stronger quicker. There were unwelcome visitors nosing at their borders and it put her on edge.

She finally made it to the fireweed rise, she wouldn't be going much further than here today, she was after stems, of all things to help draw puss from wounds and prevent them from healing over too quickly. If it was going to be anywhere it would be here. If not, well the regular kind should work just as well.

The pained whimper was unexpected and the tawny wolfs curiosity was piqued. The voice sounded mildly familiar, but she couldn't place the scent... beyond the fact it was simply another Creek wolf. She moved forward cautiously, still unsure of exactly where she sat in the eyes of the Creek wolves that seemed to be after her mates head.

Moving amongst the fireweed like a ghost, a more pained yelp sounded ahead of her causing her brows to draw tighter together. Something was definitely wrong here. She picked up her pace wishing she had something on her to help the stranger with the pain. There was little nearby to offer assistance but she would travel if she had to once she knew what was wrong. They weren't far from the heights and Naira had begun to put little caches of healing herbs here and there, on Dire Mountain and Riddle Heights. They would be of little interest to most.

Finally breaking free of the wall of flowers her eyes laid on the injured brown lady. Now she could get a decent sniff of her confusion painted clear on her face, the girl seemed almost fearful. "We must stop meeting like this Nina. What have you done to yourself now?" she questioned quietly as she cautiously moved closer to the other wolf. Creatures in pain we very rarely rational and in her pregnant state the first sign of a threat would put her into attack mode. Threats had to be neutralised.

She failed to maintain a chuckle at the mention of her second. So that was what they had been up to... She didn’t have anything on her at the moment, but she had a cache not far from here, more so she could send the others to fetch the herbs she needed without having to find the plants themselves and risk bringing back something dangerous. ”I know her... a tenacious little beast. You can’t let her size fool you.” She responded with a small smile.”I’ll be back shortly, just hold tight ok?” she said gently before racing off. It felt wonderful to run, she would have to enjoy it while it lasted. While she doubted the white wolf attacked the brown girl unprovoked, she just couldn’t leave the girl injured. She had to at least be able to make it home, to the Creek wolves from the smell of it.

She had taken Ava up the mountain to look for scrub pine sap, they had no shortage of the trees but she had since discovered the sap was far more plentiful lower down the mountain. It was the only thing she could think of for a potentially broken leg. Poking her nose into the small hollow she was using to store her small collection she nosed about until the sticky gum came in contact with her nose. There were some pods of Ergot and willow leaves stuck to the sap, but it wouldn’t hurt her to have some of that too. The blood thinning properties of the willow would counteract the restricting properties of the ergot and it was enough to ease any headaches and other aches and pains she may be suffering as no doubt, the stress would make her tense.

Finally returning to the smaller wolf with the sap ball carried between her jaws but careful not to allow any to touch her tongue she dropped the small mixed parcel at her paws. ”Scrub pine, ergot, willow.” she explained with a small smile before stepping back to allow the girl some room to take her medicine. It would take a while for the plants to take effect anyway and she wanted to stay nearby until she knew the girl was well enough to get home.

A small smile passed her mouth at the other wolfs question, what had she been up to since their last encounter? ”Joined a pack, left a pack, started a pack...” she responded casually. There was a lot that happened in between, but she wasn’t about to go into detail right at the moment, the poor woman might be close to lucid after all she had taken quite a hit. Her stomach had begun to swell, now showing that she was indeed carrying Rhysis’ offspring, although unless she announced it, the brown girl would be clueless to the father unless she remembered his scent, which clung to her fur like a cloak that she wore proudly.

”How are things at the creek?” she questioned in turn, secretly hoping for some word on her brother but at the same time, masking her inner turmoil serenely. She missed him dearly, had come to these lands to seek him out... but last she heard he was happy, and she didn’t want to go embarrassing him in front of his pack when she undoubtedly began to speak of childhood stories, no doubt, embarrassing ones. She waited patiently for an answer and wondered how long the lady would hang about if she knew the truth of it all... That Athena was her second, Rhysis her mate. It seemed so much harder to keep friends outside of her own pack these days...

It seemed to be a common theme, wolves vanishing without a trace and her thoughts returned to her childhood when a sickness had taken a neighboring pack. They had simply vanished one day and turned up dead weeks later. No sign as to what had killed them beyond the sickening rancid stench of danger. Her grandmother had warned them to stay away from the human and their flocks of short fluffy white deer.

”We have not had such troubles yet thankfully, but it is very early days...” she responded with a small smile. With the exception of Jedd, a wolf hardly worth mentioning, she had only met him once really, although one should not take joining a pack so lightly. It seemed the pain relief from the sap may have been sinking in. There was no visible external wound for her to place a poultice on so there was little more she could offer the smaller lady in front of her. Still not comfortable enough to sit. She should not linger here long.

Something was telling her she was needed at home and she would need to loop around the scents she had been seeking and find a way to beat them home. ”If you don’t mind, once you are able to get up I will be on my way. Urgent business and all...” she said with a smile. Trying to keep everyone happy was close to impossible, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t try.