It seemed as if it had been so long, since she stepped foot back in the willow territory. The young wolfs tired mind and body screamed at her to just lay down upon the mossy mixed snow and earth and sleep. However Narimé was dead set on getting home that night. She did not want any more of her pack mates to worry about her. Back aching, ankle throbbing, the silver wolf padded tiredly towards her home
It wasn't long until a sad but hopeful howl split the air. Silver ears swiveled in the direction of the oh so familiar voice. Elettra.. Narimé picked up her head a little and tried to trot faster, but her limbs felt heavy, and the dizzyness in her head wouldn't go away. She..She's so close though.. the young she wolf tripped forward and lay in the grass watching the world spin. Bouts of dizziness had taken her during her adventures in the cave. Those bouts had been just as bad as the current one, But I have to get home..
Calming herself down and slowly getting back up on four legs Nari closed her eyes and waited for the dizzy spell to wear off. Then she lifted her head and answered Elettra's call with her own. Her call however did not hold sadness. It held the same tone of hope, but also a dash of longing. Narimé wanted to go home. She had wanted to stay by Sloane's warm fur too, but her pack came first. El's pack came first. It was to Elettra the young wolf had to go right now. For the woman needed her for support just as much as Narimé needed her leadess.
"Elettra... Come here.. I'm out but I still need your help!" She called long and low in an alto for the regal alpha. It wasn't a bad thing to call for help when you needed it. Nari wouldn't push herself like she did while scouting for food. All that would come from that was further injury. I have to ask for help when I need it, I can't do everything by myself.. She thought quietly after her howl was finished.
Then she waited. Though she didn't just sit and wait. Narimé slowly padded forward tail and head low as she fought off tiredness.
Instantly, Elettra took to sniffing out the woman, circling and prodding her ribs, spine and limbs with her nose in a somewhat rough manner as she sought out bruised areas or broken bones. Both a medic and both somewhat overprotective of the only youth within their pack. "You alright?" Her words were snappish, demanding for quick answer, yet only due to her absolute worry of the girl.
"Yeah.. Just tired.. I guess." Narimé shrugged then sat down. Right now she felt okay, but the girl knew that at somepoint she would get dizzy again. Idiot Nari.. You gotto tell her about that stuff. Not that you're okay.. Shaking her head the silver wolf closed her eyes and spoke the truth.
"No I'm not all okay.. My head hurts and I get dizzy sometimes. It..well. comes in waves I think.. And...well, my ankle was sprained but I think that's healing on its own." She paused trying to think of what area's that hurt. It was better for her to tell Elettra everything as she was a healer. She would know how to help. "My backs bruised but fine, and I'm really tired, but I think that's normal." She gave her alpha a sheepish grin along with her last few words.
Watching El circle her with a warm smile Narimé enjoyed just having someone trusted close to her. She could almost relax now. No, I can relax back home. I'm not there yet.. Standing back up the she wolf readied herself for a lengthy explanation of what smelly plants she might need to help heal; or perhaps to start padding slowly towards home again.
"Are YOU okay?" her blue gaze flickered a few seconds upon the dark she wolfs frame. She had to have been stressed while Nari was gone. However it seemed as though Elettra was worried about something else too. What was it?
The results were everything that Elettra could have expected - tired, dizzy, a bruised back and sprained ankle both likely from her fall. All of it would easily heal on it's own in time, though already Elettra's mind wondered to what few products she had over the winter that might be of use to speed up the process. Unfortunately, due to winter, fresh flowers and berries were impossible and much left of what she had was roots and stems and the like. "Perhaps it best you rest here for a time and then I can take you to the den and search for something of use to speed up the healing?" She mentions lightly, keeping her placement on the ground before her, so that she would have to go through her should an attempt at pushing herself forth arise. "Better, now that you've returned, but much else has happened, Narime." She lifts, not going into long detail of healing remedies as Narime might have thought. After all, why explain? She was the healer and only had to command to chew and swallow when needed. "I know a nurse log just over there, you should rest." She explains, willing Narime to go with her, for Elettra had no intention of pushing the girl father then she must.
"Yes ma'am..." She huffed a relieved sigh and followed El to the nurse log. Then the silvery wolf lay her body down on the ground. Even though she wasn't in their own territory yet, having Elettra close calmed her nerves and let the young wolf relax. She hoped Elettra wouldn't leave her alone for too long to get herbs.
"What else happened while I was gone?" She wondered if something had happened to one of the other hunters or maybe a guardian was injured while fending off an intruder. There were many things that could go wrong and Nari hoped that everyone was alright back home. The she wolf knew that Guiness, Phineas, and El were all okay but she wasn't sure about Rose, Shade, Skana, Sica, or Kano.
Waiting somewhat patiently Narimé hoped Elettra would tell her what was wrong.
Narimé couldn't believe everything she heard. Reed was really gone? Nari had noticed his usual fish in the caches were missing but she had thought that ice freezing over the water had kept him from catching them. Though his lack of scent in the den should have been a marker telling her that Reed wasn't there for a while. Why did he leave? Did he have a reason to? She was confused about the fisherman. The she wolf had wanted to properly learn to fish from him. Now it looked like she would not be able to even see the red furred wolf again.
Though she was glad that Sica was pulling her weight. She would have to make it up to him later with his favorite meal. Of course I have to figure out what his favorite food is... She turned to the other worrying information at paw.
The news about Koda made her brow furrow further. Though Narimé was sure Elettra could keep the pack running without him. However the problem was what her alpha would do during Spring. She's going to have to find a ...mate.. hmm.. Nari wondered if Elettra could trust some random male that came forth to..well.. do the deed. Or would she simply look for a male strong enough to protect the pups and herself? I hope she can find a male she can trust.. I know Shade can't..or ..well.. he could I guess, but his mate probably wouldn't be happy.. Narimé knew that she would not be happy if Nina had pups with Sloane. But she won't.. He's going to be with me....soon. She still couldn't believe how fast time was passing.
The point is I need to help out as much as I can until then. Especially with all of this stuff happening. Heal up as fast as I can and then...
"The mountains have taken so much from everyone here in the pack. They almost took my life once, they succeeded in taking my fathers life, but Poison Path wolves helped me through those stupid peaks and through my fathers death. " Nari owed quite a bit to those wolves. She sighed as the whirling thoughts and memories bashed around in her head.
"I'll heal up as fast as I can. Then I'll help out a lot more with hunting again. Maybe even help with border patrols some more. I owe you as much as I can give to you. For letting me join you way back when, and for all the times you have helped me. I have to help you as much as I can..." at least until I leave in the spring, and even then I' will still try to help whenever you ask for it. She thought quietly knowing that at some point she had to tell Elettra about her plan for Spring.
The frown which formed over Elettra's lips folded with a smile with what came next, El shaking her head and settling down just outside the nurse log which El had directed Narime to rest within. "Your doing only what any wolf should do for their pack - help it, nurture it and protect it. Your a great worker, Narime and an equally dedicated member. But don't rush yourself into healing. If you go back to work too soon and get hurt again, it will take twice the time to heal once more...." Elettra spoke with caution on Narime's health, though happy she was ready and willing to jump back on the horse so quickly. Often it would seem as though Narime was the most dedicated member to her work then them all. Taking in a deep breath, she would move to sigh, catching the scent of Sloane in the process. Elettra's ears flickered, remembering the closeness they held towards each other the first time she had met Sloane. It was a wonder in El never answered. "So how do you and Sloane know each other?"
Nari partly noticed the frown Elettra carried when speaking of her pa Sibo. She did not realize that so much time had passed since he'd died. Her blue eyes clouded with grief for a moment as she apologized.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner about him. I...for awhile had just wanted to forget and move on I guess.." She shrugged not knowing what else to say abut the topic.
"Thanks." Was all the young woman could answer with a smile. Her eyes changed from depressed dull glaze to sparkling as Elettra praised her. Narimé kept her smile up until El's ears flickered and a questioning gaze settled upon her.
So how do you and Sloane know each other?
The question caught her off guard and Nari had to take a moment to pause and collect her thoughts. Looks like I'm going to have to tell her now..
"Ah.. Well.. I met him before I joined Willow Ridge, and we've been best friends for a long time after.. and well.. just about three weeks ago he asked me if I would honor him in becoming his mate.." Narimé paused realizing just how stupid and ignorant she must have sounded. "I accepted... well, because I had been feeling more than just close to him, andhe said that he had felt the same.. More than friends.." Narimé knew that the best thing to do now was to lower herself. Even if she was allowed to have a mate Nari knew that she should play it safe until Spring.
She awaited Elettra's reaction anxiously. Then spoke up once more. "I also know the rules. I can have a mate but no pups.. besides he's kinda all the way far north for the most part with Nina's pack right now. So I won't see him often.." Though I have no idea why he was still sticking around near Hush meadow. It wasn't that close to his packs territory, and she had thought that Sloane had been heading back to the Thickets.