Poison Path All for You

<blockquote> At his words, more a demand than a request, she rolled her eyes. She had been leading him there whether he liked it or not. Altering her course more purposefully she headed to the outskirts of the rockslide that formed their dens. The closer they got the stronger the smell of almost death and pine became. The stench was mingled with that of herbs, leaves and the precious few reserves she had managed to gather. <i>Come on Sticky, still be breathing...</i> she thought to herself, unintentionally using Ava's nickname for their patient as she lowered her head to enter the roomy den.

The ragged rise and fall of his chest still indicated there was life within him but the small split of his lids revealing fever clouded eyes did not. Some days, she had to wonder if there was any wolf left in there at all. Occasionally, a hoarse mutter of illegible words would leave his mouth and it would almost seem as if he were trying to get somewhere, but he simply didn’t have the strength. The little she could force him to eat was only enough to stop him from deteriorating further. His bones still stuck out at awkward angles and although they had managed to halt the infection from spreading further, there was little improvement in the healing of his wounds. Was it even kind to try and save him?

She pushed the thought down as she moved to stand over the boy almost protectively and turned to face the entrance of the den. She wouldn’t have her patient murdered. If he was her son, she would want someone to try all they could, so that was what she would do now. She was a strong believer in Karma, and only good could come from this, she hoped. She waited with bated breath for Rhysis to explode. Surely her stance would only further incite his rage, but she wasn’t taking any chances. <i>They</i> had worked far too hard to let him die now.</blockquote>

Mk, PPing Naira away so we can wrap it up. <3

<blockquote>Slowly, surely a scent which he would never have noticed if he had not been looking for it, touched his wet nose. It was masked, beneath the flowers and medicinal stenches that escaped the den. Now he tasted it on his tongue, the scent of something just not right; sickness. A lot of it.
Naira didn’t hesitate in making her way over to the entrance, standing guard which was almost laughable. He need only push the pregnant woman away and he’d slip in. Of course he didn’t, but he thought about it. <b>”I will not enter the den. I promise.”</b> he said as he stepped up to her, meeting her gaze squarely. He was a man of his word, hopefully she knew that. He didn’t like and he could keep most promises. This would be one of them.

As his female took a step aside, though hardly enough for him to step him, he pushed his nose into the darkness as his grey gaze explored the contents of the den. There. Upon the floor, a sickly, very thin and very smelly wolf lay. His breaths were short, some fast, some so slow it looked as if he had given up the fight until another small rise of his chest told him otherwise. With a narrowed gaze, he tested the scent again. It was familiar, very faint, but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this wolf.

Kinis.

As soon as his eyes met the face, despite how dirty and <i>sticky</i> it was, he recognised the wolf he had met just days after venturing into the lands of lore. If memory served him right… Kinis was a Creek wolf and better then that, a founding member and brother to the leader. What luck! A bargaining chip, a hostage… such possibilities he would have for the wolf. He was suddenly thankful that his female had found him and chosen to care for him; for once her good nature had done something that pleased him.
Of course, he didn’t let any of that on. His expression was still sour, angry, masking the sudden joy he felt at recognising their prisoner and what caring for him could offer them. He couldn’t let anyone, not even Naira, know what he planned for the sick creature.

Slowly but surely, he pulled his head back from the den and looked to his female. He didn’t say anything about what he had seen or who the wolf was. <b>”Home. Now.”</b> he said as he ushered her through the thickets and trees to their own den.

<i>end.</i>
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