Heartleaf Creek Thrown to the Wolves

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Pain from the blank inch wound left on her body by Ava. Blood loss made her unsteady and the adrenaline that bad pumped throug her system left her unable to think clearly. She could hear freshwater rumbling somewhere in the distance but she couldn’t pinpoint where. Everything was wrong. It felt like the trees were moving and she was standing still. If not for the searing pain that wracked her body with every step, she might have believed it. She knew she must find a place to stop and rest, and seek help. If only she could reach the wound herself, she wouldn’t be so helpless.</font>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Crashing through the underbrush of the forest Tisa miraculously arrived infront of the rushing water. The sound roared in her ears, too loudly. She wanted to climb in and numb the pain, but was that the right thing to do? Should she let it clear out the debris to stave off infection, or clot to stop the blood loss?</font>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Tisa stood dumbfounded by the edge of the water and weighed her options. Her wound was large and she had lost a significant amount of blood but it seemed to be slowing. She knew there was dirt from the saliva of her attacker and her running through the forest. </font>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Deciding it was best to go in and clean it out, Tisa waded into the river. The cold water penetrated her thick fur to the skin and made her wound sting. Tisa cringed and bit back a yelp. Soon enough the water left her numb. As it ran by her, it became tainted faintly red</font>.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Knowing she couldn’t do anything further without a companion, Tisa lifted her muzzle to the sky and howled. </font>

<blockquote> The overwhelming sadness was gone now, and the blood that marred their borders had been washed away with the rains. Wille also had vanished and it was with a heavy heart that the golden cloaked second made his way to heartleaf creek. They had spent an amazing night here before he had left. He had to wonder if she was down here somewhere.

A feminine howl filled the air, accompanied by some sort of illegible desperate message that he could not decipher. His ears shot forward with interest. If she was looking for the creek pack, she was a bit far out to be howling, but still close enough to warrant investigation. As he swiftly moved toward the sound, he came to realise the sound was not from the banks of the creek but within the water itself and he had to wonder at the wound she was sporting and how it had come about. It seemed reasonably fresh, not yet infected.

Should he help a total stranger? </blockquote>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>To Tisa's relief, a stranger soon arrived. He stood on the bank, his tawny coat contrasting against the trees and cloudy sky. Tisa turned painfully to face him full on, whimpering. Her ears lay like wilted flowers on the side of her head, pointed out awkwardly to the side. She looked pitiful. Slowly, head held low between her forelegs, she limped from the water. The liquid pooled on her fir and dripped, mingling with the remains of blood. Her pelt was still stained a pale brownish red.</font>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>As the female stood on the banks she wagged her tail between her legs and made eye contact with the stranger who still kept his distance. His hesitation worried Tisa. Would he turn out to be some bloodthirsty scoundrel? His body language did not yet suggest such a motive. Tisa took hesitant steps forward and more small whimpers escaped her maw.</font>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'><b>"Hello, friend," </b>she greeted, grinning sheepishly.</font>

<blockquote> Her greeting helped him to relax some. She was lucky he had stumbled across her and not someone more... sinister. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for the task at hand his eyes scanned their surrounds. He would help her but he would not take her home. There was something about her sheepish grin that seemed insincere and he wasn’t about to go risking Aeylen’s safety or that of her pups for a chance encounter that seemed to go alright. The abandonment of those who had vanished burned fresh in his mind. It would take a lot more than a friendly demeanour for him to trust any loner again.

Being near a water source, of course willow abounded, he also noticed a lone blackberry bush he had previously dismissed because of its scraggly size, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Now he knew what would need for a quick patch up, his golden eyes fell back to the pale lady before him. <b>”I am Kanosak, from Copper Rock Creek, and you happen to be in luck. I can patch you up but first, tell me what happened? I need to know if what I have access to is sufficient or if there is a risk of something still being lodged in the wound...”</b> He had moved closer to her during his little speech and now sat himself patiently.</blockquote>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>The stranger seemed shy to her. Certainly, he was different than the strangers she had encountered earlier in the day. In any case, this was a relief. Tisa was in no shape for any more fun. Her inner voice was satisfied with the day’s adventures and for a few days it wouldn’t be difficult to act like a normal wolf. She’d force herself to sedate. She’d have too, with the gaping hole in her neck. No malicious plans, no fighting. Just a nice, quiet Tisa.</font>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>The stranger introduced himself, and Tisa’s tail wagged harder in appreciation of him. <b>“I am Tisa. From…nowhere.” </b>She paused, thinking of how to explain her situation. <b>“I was attacked for no reason; I was only looking for company when a deranged wolf decided to take advantage and rip me open.”</b> Tisa looked at him with a somber expression. Not a twitch, not a nervous glance revealed her skewed perception of what had happened. <b> “She bit me,” </b>Tisa wimpered. <b>“Thrashed and thrashed and wouldn’t let go. I had to rip myself away.” </b>The other was sitting now, and Tisa let herself crawl up the bank to seat herself across from him. She did her best to remain submissive and respectful as she gazed and him with eyes brimming with appreciation.</font>

<blockquote> So it was merely a wound from a scuffle. Not to worry. He wandered over to the willow tree and yanked a branch with fresh young shoots, the bitterness was now a familiar taste and he didn’t wince as he once might have. Walking back to her he dropped the branch at her feet and poked around at her wound without actually touching the area itself. It was quite deep. She was doing well to be upright at all and not for the first time, he wished he had some fireweed shoots to prevent infection.

Burying his head in the bush he found some branches that were softer and greener than the rest. Chewing them into a fine pulp he muttered through his full mouth <b>”Shtay Shtul”</b> before working the pulp into a ball on his tongue and pressing it into her open flesh. It would burn and sting and ache, but it was necessary. Quickly darting back before she would have a chance to swing and bite at him he went back to the bush and picked some of the healthier looking early foliage, returning to her to gently push the leaves over the open wound. They would aid with clotting and keep dirt from the wound provided she took it slow and didn’t move about too much.

Nudging at the willow by her feet he kept a cautious eye on the woman. She was bound to be in pain. <b>”This will help with the pain, but I’ll warn you, it tastes worse than shit.”</b></blockquote>