The Wildwood Tunnel Vision

The plan she'd formed was something she'd heard about but didn't know of it would work. She was trying to hide the worry she felt that they might not be able to get her home. That she'd have to stay there until she could walk again. That also came with worries about what would happen if she didn't get her paws taken care of? Would she survive. She shouldn't have sent Eros off to find that branch. Her Anxiety about the whole situation was growing in the moments that she wasn't giving directions.

She could see him through the trees struggling with the first branch he'd pick. His tumble did take her mind of her worries for a moment. "You alright?" Sje called through the trees to him. She then watched him have more success with the second tree and sooner was coming toward her. He carried the branch in his mouth and when he reached her he tried to speak. She shook her head, "I didn't understand your question," she told him. It had been clear he'd tried to ask her something but she hadn't been able to make out the words.

(This post was last modified: Mar 20, 2022, 09:48 PM by Sharlee.)

His Aunt made it clear she hadn't comprehend his muddled words, and so rather than continue to try and communicate he focused on the task at hand. Moving with something as large as oneself and inflexible in shape was difficult, and his movements were awkward but with determination Eros was able to line the long branch up alongside Sharlee's flank. It certainly looked big enough to him.

"Does this work?" he then asked again, breathing a little heavily now from exertion and adrenaline that his pampered young body was not yet accustomed to.

He circled around to her other side, gears churning within his head to try and figure out how they were going to get from A to B. Eros was clearly uncertain of the next step, despite his efforts.

"Do I need to like... roll you?"

Sharlee hadn't understood what her nephew had said when he returned. When she asked him to clarify she didn't get an answer. Instead she watched as he maneuvered the branch he'd brought to line up against her side. She looked it over and smiled it looked like it would work for what they needed. She just hoped that this idea of hers worked out for them.

She looked up at him still smiling when he spoke, "Yes, Eros it will do just fine." She took note of the way he was breathing which brought a small frown to her maw. ,"Maybe you should rest a few moments?" She suggested.

Her mind was considering their options as she noticed her nephew's movements as he came around to her other side. Then he spoke again causing her attention to shift. First him then the branch and back to him.

"I think maybe I should try crawling onto it. That might be okay and not put pressure on my paws."

Eros didn't really want to rest, and shifted his paws indecisively as he considered the suggestion. If it had been that difficult to move the branch itself, he did have to wonder how hard it was going to be for him to drag his aunt back on it all by himself. Still, what were their options? She needed help sooner rather than later.

He moved forward, ready to help her however she requested as she transferred herself onto the makeshift sled. Worry was still coating his features, but so was determination. This would be alright, she would be alright; she had to be...

Sharlee thought it was best for Eros to rest a few minutes after his struggle with the tree branch. He would need his strength of he was going to pull her all the way back to the backwater by himself. That only meant she would have to figure out how to get herself onto the branch by herself. She was pretty sure that she could do it but her mind was made up.

"I'm going to try and get on here by myself. You just wait until I'm on here fully and then we can head back."

After she spoke Sharlee started to move her front legs doing her best to not touch the snow with her injured paws. She mostly used her elbows to pull herself. Her back feet pushed her body forward to help get her where she needed to be. Once she was in the best position she rolled onto her side so that her body would he laying in the middle of the branch.

"Okay Eros, I think I'm ready. Are you ready?"

While it didn't look particularly easy or painless, Eros was impressed with how well his aunt was able to perch herself atop the bough. It made him feel just a touch better, like this wasn't the end of her or something nearly just as awful. When she was fully prepared, he wrapped his jaws around the end of the branch and began to pull. It took a moment, and quite a bit of effort, to get started. However the young Valle learned that if he kept up the momentum, the feat was manageable. It took time and an immense amount of energy, but eventually he was able to get Sharlee home and to his moms who could tend to her wounds.

There was some pain in her paws as she positioned herself on the branch her nephew had gotten. It had also taken quite a bit of effort to get on there just right so that it would be as easy as it could be for Eros. Sharlee did feel badly for her nephew that he had to do this by himself but unfortunately it was either him or leave her there and hope for the best. Once she was settled in Eros got the branch moving in the direction of home. It was slow going but they finally reached the medical den. Finally Clover woukd be able to get the healing process started so that Sharlee could get back to her duties. "Thank you so much for being there and helping me Eros," she told her nephew.

Fade