Fireweed Rise A Familiar Face

The recent run-in with the three packs had left Nina exhausted. Little Athena had rammed her in her back leg and she was sure she had possibly fractured something. The small wolf was still around Fireweed Rise at the time and she feared that Rhysis might find her. She wouldn't dare follow them, in fears of getting her pretty little head torn off. The female was in desperate need in someone to seek her out and help her. Oh she would kill for Niara to be here to help her now. She wandered of what had happened of the nice female.

The two had seen each other before and helped each other out in the time, she had been one of the first wolf's that Nina had met, and one of the only decent ones. Rhysis had gotten into a pretty rough fight with Ice and she was sure the two packs were now in war. The female was brought out of her thoughts by the slight pulsing of her leg. It felt like her leg was pounding as fast as her heart was out the moment. For the first time since entering Relic Lore the brave female whimpered. Her leg hurt, and more than a fractured leg sound.

Apparently the speed from Athena's impact had done more to her leg than she had thought. Maybe, possibly, if her stance wouldn't have been so tense and aggresive she wouldn't have hurt her leg as badly. The female teeth clunked together harshly as she fought back another whimper. The female, for once, didn't have any herbs with her which happened to be complete irony at the moment.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

<blockquote>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.</blockquote>

Soft pawsteps were behind her and Nina flipped on her side flattening her ears against her head. The wolf smelt of Poison Path, Rhysis was hear to finish her off. The female took a quick sniff before realizing the scent was female. From putting her weight on her paw, a pained yelp escaped the golden brown female's maw. She collapsed before she could change her position and she bit down on her tongue painfully.

A new Poison wolf had arrived and it wouldn't be a shock to her if Rhysis, the bastard, had sent someone else to finish her off. The female tried to get up on shaky legs, if only one of her friends were here. Where were Kashi, or Kanosak? She needed them now more than ever. They were the only ones that could save her, along with Ruiko and possibly Volkan, but they were far away from here, probably back in Creek territory.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

<blockquote>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. <b>"We must stop meeting like this Nina. What have you done to yourself now?"</b> 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.</blockquote>

As though the Gods had answered her pleas a familiar voice spoke. Niara, her friend was finally here. Niara, but she smelt different. Like Rhysis....much like Rhysis. She wouldn't attack Nina though would she? She was a fellow healer, a friend, she wouldn't attack Nina....she hoped.  The calm female looked up at Niara, and the lady's eyes feel upon the larger female's belly before up to her eyes. Either Niara was getting big or she was expecting; Nina figured the last option though, for the female smelt like pregnancy. Instant training flickered in Nina's eyes as she watched Niara, Keep calm, any aggression or sign of distress could make her blow.

The brown female's words reached Nina's ears quickly. The only thing that kept the golden brown beauty from laughing was the pain in her leg. "Got into a nasty scuffle with some pack wolves. This little bitch rammed me in the back leg, Athena was her name." Something was obviously wrong with the female by the way she was talking. No one had ever heard Nina use such foul language, and of she ever DID use that kind of language it would be a shock to whoever heard it come out of her mouth.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

<blockquote> 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. <b>”I know her... a tenacious little beast. You can’t let her size fool you.”</b> She responded with a small smile.<b>”I’ll be back shortly, just hold tight ok?”</b> 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. <b>”Scrub pine, ergot, willow.”</b> 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.</blockquote>

The only thing that came out of the pained wolf's mouth was a small whimper of okay before the Poison wolf was on her way, if anything going to get Rhysis to finish her off. It wouldn't surprise her if she did so, but Niara was her friend, would she really betray her? As the larger wolf left to go find herbs the smaller brown wolf lie in the same position she was found in thinking to herself. Her leaders would definitely kill her after this, much less want her there, but she was healer so she wasn't garunteed any real need to fight, but she figured she might as well ask someone for help, Kanosak or Ruiko perhaps.

Kanosak, hadn't he said something about Niara? Better not say anything at the moment, just in case something happened, she didn't want the other female to go bersurk on her, they were friends in the first place. She kept there, in silence, for who knew how long as she waited for the other wolf's return, anxious. But what soon reassured her was the smell of herbs....the calming, sweet smell of herbs. From what she could detect the other female had brought willow, ergot, and scrub pine she believed, but she couldn't be sure, not quite at all.

Though when the female dropped the herbs at her paws and announced what they were, Nina smiled. Actually smiled at the female who had helped her. It was highly amusing though, how the female knew that Nina healed but announced the herbs none the less. The brown lady spoke quietly, "Thank you, Niara, you are a great friend." Nina licked up the herbs that had been placed in front of her carefully before chewing them into a pulp and swallowing them. Though she wished she could have gotten something to put on her leg for a sort joint she appreciated all that Niara had gotten her. "Now that that has been taken care of, how have you been?" the lady questioed her friend, curiousity taking over her.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

<blockquote> A small smile passed her mouth at the other wolfs question, what had she been up to since their last encounter? <b>”Joined a pack, left a pack, started a pack...”</b> 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.

<b>”How are things at the creek?”</b> 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...</blockquote>

The way her friend answered her brought a slightly dazzed look onto Nina's face. She didn't think of Niara to be one to leave a pack, maybe something had happened to the female. She was obviously pregnant, which could have affected what happened in her pack that she was formally in, but she wasn't going to get into that, best save that for another time, most probably when she wasn't pregnant if they ever met again. When the brown female asked her a question, the other brown lady didn't hesitate with an answer. Niara was her friend, and she was sure that she could count on her friend to keep it quiet.

"It's been alright," Nina spoke quietly her voice probably barely reaching the other female's ears. She made sure to add at the end, "though, some wolves have been disappearing, or not making too many appearances." What the emerald eyed beauty said was true. Willie, from what she heard, the Creek's second, had disappeared without a trace leaving Ruiko in a slightly pissy mood. But Nina stood close to Ruiko and Aeylen, watching their backs to matter what. It was an important role. Mainly with Aeylen's pups on the way.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

I'm ready to wrap it up when you are :)

<blockquote>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.

<b>”We have not had such troubles yet thankfully, but it is very early days...”</b> 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. <b>”If you don’t mind, once you are able to get up I will be on my way. Urgent business and all...”</b> she said with a smile. Trying to keep everyone happy was close to impossible, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t try.</blockquote>