Oak Tree Bend Call of the forgotten

@Vera

It had been so long since his hurting paws had last treaded upon the soil beneath these trees, so long since his tired eyes settled on somewhat familiar borders and the smells were almost a distant memory now. But he was back now and there was someone that was needed to be found. His heart ached at what could have happened to the small wolf that made him came back to this area. The only reason, not for the pack that resided here but for one wolf, who he prayed was still here. Please still be here, please still be your predictable self. Florence begged to himself, desperately hoping that @Vera was still with the Bend wolves and had not run away to try and find him. It was something she would do but at the same time, she would stay in case he came back. Something strong would keep her there, keep her for leaving so he could find her.

Florence always found her, always had and this time was no different. He just wished she could forgive him for not being around for so long. Since their meeting, they had never been apart for more than a few hours at most and even then, they tried to get back together as quickly as possible.

”@Vera,” His voice was ragged and his throat felt sore and dry, from walking and not stopping once he had entered familiar territory. He wanted to know, needed to know that Vera was safe and not crushed by a fallen tree or attacked by foxes or coyotes. It was a dull need that stayed with him the entire time he was lost. She was so small but feisty, very much capable of looking after herself but flashes of how they meet kept winking in and out of his mind and if Florence wasn’t there to protect her, she would most certainly die...

She was his semel ad curo meus ardere and he was her meus militis in nitidus armatus. She was his voice and he was her shield. Her Fero and his Nix Delibo. There was never one without the other. And heaven forbid they ever parted ways again, or whatever reasons.

So swaying slightly from tiredness and his aching muscles, Florence raised his voice and called for the woman he had come back for.

Vera His howl cried at the borders. Come to me, my Nix Delibo. Semel ad curo meus ardere, I’m back.

@Florence

It had been over a month since Florence had disappeared, and very day the diminutive ivory she-wolf searched the borders frantically for a sign from him... a scent trail, a bundle of herbs, anything. But there was nothing. Her panic was through the roof and more, and she spent her time away from all of the pack members, and whenever one was close by she would scurry further away. They wouldn't understand her pain at the loss of her only friend, her best friend. No, there wasn't even a word to describe what her larger companion meant to her. He was everything she could ever want or need, and more.

Once again she set out on her frantic search for Florence by the borders. She never set a foot outside of the territory, for she knew that if she tried to find him she would get lost herself. Florence would always come back to her, he always knew where to find her, and she counted on his sense of direction more than hers to bring them together again. Vera had almost reached the borders when a ragged, tired howl rang out. Her whole body froze. She knew that tone anywhere, and before it was even finished she shot off like a bullet towards the source, her heart thumping wildly as one word repeated itself over and over in her mind. Florence.

The moment she saw his large, dark frame a surge of emotion burned through her body like a wildfire, and she buried herself in his chest without hesitation. "Florence," she said breathlessly, "You're back!" Whines emitted out of her muzzle as she practically glued herself to his fur, never wanting to leave his side again. She would do anything within her power to never separate them ever again. "I missed you," she whispered into his chest, tears of happiness wetting his fur as she rejoiced in being with him once again.

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It did not take long for a small bullet of white fur to came crashing into his chest and Florence knew instantly who it was before she spoke, curling his neck, head and front legs around the small ball of white fur as it curled into him, nearly hiding the smaller wolf from view. Settling onto his haunches, he breathed in her scent as he whispered back to her, his own voice bordering on a whimper as he spoke. The fact she was here now, pressed up against him, made his skin burn as if she were on fire and he was ice, her tears drenching his ratty fur. There was a cleaning session to be had in the future but right now he didn’t care. The only thing he did care about was right here. Alive and well.

”Yes, I am back and you are safe.” He whispered furiously, ”You’re safe and sound, my Nix Delibo. I could not ask for more.” How could he explain to her that he had become lost after following the scent of something he could not place and had to take shelter from a sudden storm that had wiped all traces of himself away so he could not follow it back? It did not matter now, either way. He was back and Vera was here and nothing was going to tear them apart again. ”I’m sorry. I am so sorry” The large dark wolf nearly sobbed, burying his face into her fur as tears of his own dripped onto her fur. ”I left you alone without warning and I was afraid for you. That without me, you would be, that you would be...” Here, his voice cracked beyond being able to speak further. Even though he had known she must have still been with the pack, that she was safe, the fear that something horrible would happen to her still clung to his heart and mind. It was their first meeting all over again in his nightmares but worse. Much worse. He never made it in time, her white fur covered in red and her chest not moving. He never understood why such fears clung to him like they did but they just did. Logically, he knew she was safe but his mind kept telling him she wasn’t safe without him.

But she was here, curled into his chest crying because he was back. She was safe.

@Florence

Vera felt her fear and anguish drain away with every passing second that she knew Florence was safe, though he wasn't in top condition. She could see the dirt caking his fur, and the tiredness in his eyes, but that would go away later when he was well-fed and slept for a change. For now all she wanted to do was snuggle up to him, breathing in his scent that she had grown to know anywhere, and which could calm her down from anything and know that he was safe from harm. She had been so worried that he had gotten hurt and was lying in a ditch and there was no one around to help him. That was her worst fear, not knowing if he was somewhere out there alone and dying. She couldn't bear to think what she'd do if he never came back to her.

The diminutive ivory she-wolf heard the cracking in her larger companion's voice when he spoke. She made soft crooning murmurs to help calm him down, knowing that he was also afraid that she had gotten hurt. But they were both fine, now that they knew the other was safe. "I'm perfectly fine, Meus militis in nitidus armatus. I was only worried that you had hurt yourself and couldn't find help." She slowly pulled back from his embrace, though everything inside of her was telling her to hold more tightly onto him. Her caramel brown eyes searched over his body for any wounds or scratches, but beneath his scraggly fur she couldn't see anything. "Are you hurt?" She questioned softly, rubbing her head against his chest.

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Florence shook his head, wincing slightly as his sore muscles protested the movement now he was resting and not constantly moving. ”Only my muscles, my Nix, they are sore from travel and my throat is parched and my stomach hungers for food.” He admitted to her, letting her pull away from his embrace so she could check him over. There were small scratches from thorns that managed to escape his notice when they happened yet as he shifted, he slowly realised that his right back ankle was swollen and sore. When and how had that happened? The healer thought to himself, racking his mind trying to remember how it had come to be injured and how he had not noticed it before.

Maybe in his intent of reuniting with Vera, he had not noticed the pain but how could he miss tripping over something or however his ankle becoming injured? Licking his lips, Florence glances over to Vera. ”It seems somewhere along the way, my ankle has become twisted. I cannot remember how I did it but I do not think it wise that I should move any further without help.” It was then he remembered where they were and hesitated. Should they call for someone of the pack to help him? After all, Vera was too small to help him move, with no insult to her actual size but it would be difficult for her to help. Yet Florence had been gone for a long month and he was not sure of the reception his return would receive, outside of Vera. But surely they would understand? He had become lost and having not known the land very well, tried to get back as quickly as he could.

”Vera? Could you do something for me?” He asked her with a quiet voice. ”The pack...have they been saying anything about my absence?” They must have noticed how close the two of them were and most likely wondered where Florence was all this time, with only Vera wandering around on her own.

@Florence

The diminutive ivory she-wolf noticed Florence's wince as he shook his head, and felt a pang of pain in her heart. It hurt her to see her larger companion in any kind of pain, even if it was miniscule (hah, she is a pain AND she's miniscule... I'm sorry >.>). Vera dared to ask him where he had gone, but she pushed the nagging question away to focus on the task at hand. She had hunted small game here and there, but all of her caught prey was buried far away near the den where she had been sleeping since he had left. "I have some smaller prey buried near my den, but it is quite far away," she said with a soft yaff.

A look of horror crossed Vera's face when her larger companion spoke of a twisted ankle, and she once again felt panic rising up within her. Her Florence was hurt, her Florence. Grim determination filled her as she pushed the panic away. She would do whatever it took to help her dear Fero regain his full strength and health. Although she was too small to help him move, she could find herbs to ease the swelling and pain until he could manage to get to her den where she would make sure no more harm came to him. He would need food and lots of rest, yes, but she wasn't exactly sure which herbs could be used.

Her thoughts were disturbed when Florence spoke again in a quiet voice. She gazed up at him with her worried caramel brown eyes, brows furrowing and a small frown emerging on her face. "Well, I haven't really interacted with them much after you left, but the few times I was near them I didn't hear of them saying anything about you. But I'm not sure they'd accept you willingly back into the pack." Her tail drooped slightly when she realized that without the pack's help it would take much longer for her larger companion to heal, and they would also have to move farther away from the pack territory lest they be attacked with claws and teeth. However, at that moment Vera was not worrying about the pack, all she needed to do was find an herb that would help with his ankle. "Fero, what herb is used to ease swelling and pain?" she questioned softly.

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”It is fine Vera.” He attempted to reassure her. ”Perhaps if we talked to the leaders and explained what happened, they would understand.” At least, he hoped they would. Florence was in no condition to get into any kind of fight, with his weakened state and Vera would certainly try to defend him, if such an occurrence happened. He’d rather not let that happen, he shuddered. The large male was brought of of his musings quickly when Vera asked what herbs would be best for his ankle.

”White fir bark or scrub pine bark would be the best, for an ankle, though Scrub Pine is preferable.” Florence racked his brain for the names of any other herbs he could think of but they were the only two he could immediately think of. At least, for this situation. ”But I do not know where to find Scrub Pine Bark, so white fir bark will have to do.” The bark of the White Fir and Scrub Pine had similar remedial powers but Florence found that Scrub Pine Bark was always the better when it came to sore joints and the like. However, where the trees grew, Florence had no idea. They could be a few hours find away or weeks of travel and he wasn't prepared for Vera to be gone that long if it were the case. He wanted her close until he healed fully.

Sighing heavily, Florence knew the trouble he had caused for his folly of following that unknown scent. He should have simply given up on it, once it had been established he would never find the source. But his curiosity had been ensnared and for whatever reason, he had followed it right up until the skies above and opened up and poured down on him, leaving him unable to find his way back because he had paid close attention to his surroundings and his scent had been washed away. It had taken him weeks of wandering to find any semblance of familiarity and now he was back, they would most likely have to move so not to incur the wrath of a pack who might think he abandoned them. ”Where would we go?” He mused softly out loud, eyes dropping to his paws. ”Where should we go, if we can’t go back to the pack?” To the mountain Florence had glimpsed once or twice in his lost wanderings? See what was over it, once he was healed and they could move more quickly? He knew they would move at some point, away from this pack but never did he think it’d be because of him.

@Florence

Vera doubted her larger companion's words, but she lightly bit down on her tongue to hold back her response. It wasn't likely the leaders of a pack would welcome a wolf back after said wolf had mysteriously wandered off without a warning or promise to return. There was also the chance that a scuffle or fight would break out, and Florence was in no condition to fight, which made her only that much more protective of him. If a wolf even glanced his way she would chase them away without hesitation. No one would come near him while she was on guard.

The diminutive ivory she-wolf nodded when her larger companion spoke of using white fir bark. She had some of that in her den after she carried all of the herbs her and Florence had collected, mainly for when he came back, but also to protect them from scavenging animals. It was her way of keeping him close to her, even though he was far away. But now that they were together once more, she could relinquish her fretting over the herbs and focus on healing her larger companion back to full health.

“I’m thinking we should head over the mountain, get as far away from here as possible. I doubt the pack would look for us any further than the base of the mountain. Who knows, maybe there’s a pack on the other side with wolves that I can actually deal with.” Vera tried a sly smile, but it came out more like a grim frown. It was her attempt to lighten the mood. With a lick to the underside of his chin, the diminutive ivory she-wolf bounded away to her herb supply, where she searched for the white fir bark. She would have also brought an herb to help with the pain, but she hadn’t been able to find any nearby, and so he would have to do without for the meantime. Arriving back to Florence, who hadn’t moved from where she had left him, and set down the white fir bark. There was only enough for a few mouthfuls. “There wasn’t much left in stock, this is all that I could find, but I’m sure we’ll be able to find more,” she said softly, a hopeful glint in her eye as she looked up at Florence, a tight smile on her face.

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Florence couldn’t stop the chuckle that found it’s way from his chest. It rumbled lowly in his throat and petered out to a small smile. ”Well, know that I will always be with you and stand by your side.” He told her fondly, allowing the smaller wolf to lick his chin before she darted off, Florence watching her go with the smile still in place. But when she was out of sight, it slowly fell off. This time, their leaving was his fault and just as he thought they found a pack they could be in for a while. Normally, they left before most wolves didn’t like Vera and her way of not following orders of others. Wolves typically liked Florence, even if it was just because he was a healer and mended their wounds.

When Vera came back with the bark, she said there hadn’t been much in stock and Florence knew she wouldn’t have gone looking without him. It was their thing that they always did together, never apart. Like always. Chewing on the bark, Florence glanced over to her and saw the tight smile on her face. ”Vera...” He murmured quietly, shifting as he felt the bark take action. His ankle was feeling slightly better, even if it wasn’t a pain relief like some herbs.”Once my ankle’s healed enough, we’ll move over the mountain and find a pack to stay in. But until then, I want you to promise me something.” Florence felt she wasn’t going to like the idea but it had to be done.

(This post was last modified: Oct 12, 2014, 06:42 AM by Florence.)

@Florence

The diminutive ivory she-wolf watched Florence with a careful eye as he chewed the bark, making sure that he ate all of it. While he was under her guard she would make sure everything was perfect, and nothing less. She would defend her larger companion with her life, if that’s what it took to keep him alive and healthy, and she knew he’d do the same for her. They were like two sides of the same coin, and at times, the same side. They looked out for the other, kept the other safe, did anything for the other, and that would never change.

Vera’s roundish ears pricked at the sound of her name falling from Florence’s lips, and she looked up into his orange gaze curiously. It wasn’t often that he spoke so softly and seriously, and before he spoke again she had a feeling that she wouldn’t particularly like what he was going to say. “Yes, Florence?” She responded in a quiet tone, settling down on her haunches, her eyes not leaving his. The diminutive ivory she-wolf nodded at his spoken words at going over the mountain to find a pack, she had been thinking of doing that too. It would be the only way to get away from Oak Tree Bend, far enough that they wouldn’t be bothered by the pack wolves. However, her ears twitched backwards when he mentioned her needing to promise something. She would do anything for him, promising him something was easy to do, but it also depended on what it was. No, even if she didn’t like it, she would still promise him, whatever it was. “Anything,” she said confidently.

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