Drooping Willows Life Alert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52RHVQ9Ybqo

Skana was no old dog to spend her golden years before her master's fire... Even though there wasn't an actual hearth to speak of, nor was she a dog. But she wasn't the type to lounge about the den when there was always something to be done. A routine patrol in mind, she headed out towards the fringes of the territory with her usual long legged strides. It hurt her to do so, but both pride and fear kept her from limping. Too aloof to be seen for the broken thing she was, and worried that once that facade was shattered she might be an easy target for predators, both wolf and beast. Even her position in the pack could be at stake if they saw that Skana's solid exterior wasn't quite all that it seemed.

She felt it first. The subtlest of shifts as she placed her ruined paw upon the snow. There was no time to react, but her amber eyes widened as the calloused paw pad slid against the hidden sheet of ice, born from a shallow puddle frozen through before the snow had fallen. Perhaps if she hadn't been relying on her bad paw to carry her weight just as well as the others, she might have been able to avoid what was to happen. If only the stubborn, proud crone would just limp for once.

Her ankle twisted as her leg slid beneath her, a sharp pain that would be enough to make anyone cry out though she choked the sound back. It was over in an instant, her large mass thrown to the ground in a not-so-regal heap. Shocked, she lay still and silent in the snow for a moment. After coming to her senses, she tried to stand, but found the pain her twisted ankle caused her too great to make it fully to her feet. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Damnit..." She muttered under her breath. Perhaps she'd just rest a moment before trying to walk again, and settled back down against the snow. Hopefully no one would come across her like this... She felt quite like a fool, and craning her head around she looked to see if anyone had seen the faux pas.

(This post was last modified: Dec 31, 2012, 06:49 AM by Skana.)

Snow crunched beneath his pale paws – flurries flitted through the air with nowhere in mind to land, at times flecking and blending in to the male’s ivory pelt, spare for the bits of black that would spot white beneath mother nature’s frozen offerings. A yawn escaped the muzzle of the once regal male, his fiery eyes the one factor of his presence that did not blend well with his surroundings. He had risen early in the morning, languidly stalking the Ridge borders in a patrol while scanning for a meal along his travel. A rabbit had brazenly bounded before him, yet before Phineas had been able to truly react and catch the creature, it had disappeared in the snowy foliage – a bit more graceful in winter’s harsh conditions than he, despite his part arctic heritage.

Briefly debating whether to round back to the heart of the pack gathering’s, the ivory wolf caught a sound in the cold winter air. He could not make out the expletives, for they were far too low for any to catch, yet the unmistakenable scent of one of his pack members drifted to him, and the alabaster Argyris prowled forward, wondering if he could coax his fellow pack mate to a hunt.

What met his eyes was no wolf in ready condition for such a task, and blinking, the newcomer of the Ridge regarded the dark figure that remained almost stilled in the snow. He sensed something was wrong, though she seemed peaceful enough for the time being.. still, as if just taking a moment’s rest. He could not place it.. but something seemed off.

Moving forward, his muzzle bowed in respect to the elder and higher ranked female, Phineas regarded the dark furs that coursed along her large figure. “’Lo,” he murmured, his tone slightly rugged as he came closer, remained a respectful distance from the woman lest she wanted her space.

The soft staccato of crunching snow in the muffled silence of the snowy forest caused her ears to perk and her spine to rigidly tense. Out of habit she nearly tried to rise again, but thought better of it when her ankle burned in protest. The scent, a male's, was somewhat familiar and ingrained with the pack's own characteristic perfume. It wouldn't be a rogue to worry about, but it was still troublesome enough that a pack mate might see her sitting around as such. She'd never let a stranger see her like this, but pack was like family. There was some unspoken trust there that made it more tolerable to be seen in a moment of vulnerability, but not by much. The two things a pack mate might conclude could either be the incorrect assumption that she got lazy on the job, or the more accurate presumption that she wasn't fit enough for the job.

Stuck waiting in place she could only watch as the white wolf slowly approached. Phineas, she recalled having seen him at the meeting and was grateful that at least her mind hadn't failed her. Not yet, at least. She appreciated the respectful lowering of his stance, but it was still uncomfortable having to lie on the ground with her head lower than his own. Nonetheless, she kept her amber eyes trained on the orange of his irises, taking whatever edge of dominance she could. He did not come too close, as if merely curious.

Feeling like some sort of spectacle and already well embarrassed and in pain, irritation began to build within her. "What do you want?" Her voice was gruffer than she intended. She knew it wasn't fair to him as he'd taken no part in her stupid mistake. She could probably even ask the man for help, but the thought was just too humiliating. Her scarred stare softened before she turned her face away from him, staring off into the trees. "Sorry," she mumbled.

(This post was last modified: Dec 30, 2012, 04:53 AM by Skana.)

As indifferent as he hoped to appear before the more elderly female, the ivory male allowed his eyes to sweep across her, unable to put off his concern that something wasn’t quite right with the darker wolf. His tail hung low, despite her posture on the ground, and at her initial snap Phineas’ ears drew back to his skull momentarily.

Fiery eyes met amber for a brief moment, and realizing that her tone did not match her unwillingness to move, the Argyris male knew his instincts had been correct; Skana was unwell, though he did not know how or why. Dipping his muzzle lower, Phineas maintained his distance from the she-wolf, his eyes falling to rest at the lady’s cheek. “You’re Skana, yes? My name is Phineas.” A simple introduction, but one that enabled the she-wolf to ask him for assistance should she need it.. and for him to not pry in to her business openly.

With a shift of his large figure, the once regal male regarded the ebony she-wolf quietly, his muzzle nodding to the snow-cloaked terrain. “May I?” It was a simple request to join her – one she was completely able to deny should she feel the need. Still, despite the non-subtle hint that his presence was unwelcome, the new Ridge wolf was not so eager to leave her to her self.

(This post was last modified: Dec 29, 2012, 02:32 AM by Phineas.)

It was satisfying for Skana to see the arctic wolf's ears briefly flick against his head, showing that she was still something worth being apprehensive about. Despite this, she was strangely relieved to see Phineas hadn't been put off too much by her gruffness. Part of her did want to be left to suffer alone, with no one around to learn of her own failings. Stubborn in her ways, it was so very tempting to snap and snarl at the man until he just left. But, the prospect of being left on her own at the territory's edge wasn't a promising one, and the man was too polite for her to justify snapping at him like that.

After a brusque nod at his introduction, she bobbed her dark head towards the snowy earth he had signaled. "Go ahead, suit yourself," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. She wondered what the young man had to gain from sitting around with an old lady, but she decided she didn't mind the company.

The ice she'd fallen onto was nipping through her fur, her coat for some reason less insulating than she remembered it being in previous winters. The searing of her ankle had dulled to an ache, partly due to the chill of the snow. She was sure any jostling would bring the pain back with a vengeance, but she couldn't lie still here forever. She shifted against the snow, trying to get into a more comfortable position only to nudge the tender joint. Her ears flicked back for a moment, her teeth gritting against each other as she bared through the twinge.

She knew she was being ridiculous, having a polite, able pack member who could likely give her a hand, if only she'd stop being so damn stubborn and ask. Admitting that it was some sort of fear that was holding her back, the only thing left was to face it face on. Skana cleared her throat, as if she were about to make an announcement. "It seems I've hurt myself on the ice."

The scars that were so intricately placed upon her muzzle intrigued him – her age was a satisfying thing, a reason to admire her. Reaching such an age only revealed her strength rather than her weaknesses, and the Argyris male knew that if she ever revealed to him the stories of her past they would be a fascinating tale. The brief response she gave him stirred a hint of amusement to his fiery eyes, and soon the noble reclined gently to his haunches, his ivory tail wrapping about his left forelimb.

She remained stretched in position, and without fully prying, the new Ridge male allowed his eyes to sweep over her once more, the hint that something was wrong tugging at him. She shifted – her ears fell back, though Phineas said nothing. He was not a patient wolf by any means, but such a skill was not required here. Soon, the Advisor mentioned her injury, and his gaze soon found itself settling upon her hidden ankle. Unaware of who was perhaps knowledgeable on such a matter, the wolf allowed his muzzle to bow slightly, his figure shifting as he made to stand. “Who shall I send for?” He did not fuss over her, knowing she would not accept such a thing. Instead, he would get straight to the matter and find her a healer. If Willow Ridge did not have such a skill among them, he would have to encourage her to the den, offering his body as support for the injured ankle.

She seemed a proud creature, but even the strongest laid victim to the bitterness of winter. He had been eager to join the Ridge for such reasons – his plans come the spring remained unknown to him, though he imagined the pull of the breeding season would coax him to disperse with another she-wolf. Desdemona had stolen fatherhood from him and he longed for it once more.

She didn't know what she had expected. Some irrational part of her half imagined he would jump up and cast her out for being so damn useless, after all, she'd been banished before, why not again? Skana hesitated at his question, her amber eyes leaving Phineas to cast out through the white forest. She knew at some point, the joint would need the attention of a healer, but letting anyone else in on her fragility was not an encouraging thought. Skana knew Elettra to be a medic, bits of herbs stashed here and there, though Skana knew nothing of their function.

"Elettra knows medicine, but..." The old woman trailed off, then shook her head slowly but firmly. She didn't need to drag the busy leader from more important matters just so she could be babied. If Skana could just get back to the safety of the den and rest, she would be alright for now. Later, on her own time rather than when her nagging paw decided, she might seek the Ridge alpha for help. She had already gone far beyond what the limits of her pride would normally allow in the simple act of admitting injury to Phineas, someone she hardly knew. He seemed trustworthy enough, but Skana had learned the hard way that trust wasn't always what it seemed.

She looked back to him, her eyes boring into his own again as if a stare might rattle any ulterior motives from the ivory man. A wordless test of sorts. "If you could help me on my feet, I should make it back alright on my own."

The ebony she-wolf trailed off, offering Phineas a small amount of insight to the female that led them. He had not known Elettra had dabbled in such a skill, and it surprised the ivory male slightly – she seemed to hold a colder exterior, he never would have guessed at her art of healing or caring for others above and beyond what she did for them now.

However, Skana seemed completely against seeking their seemingly talented Leader out for her aide, and Phineas felt his lips purse slightly at the thought of her not seeking the guidance of one who held knowledge with such things. Still, he did not argue with the stubborn elder, and instead he prowled forward upon her request. His gaze regarded her for a moment’s pause, curious as to the best way to aide her without causing further injury or pain.

Bending his muzzle down, the male lowered his figure slightly, pressing himself against her side as he allowed himself to be used as a means of her getting to her paws once more. Upon her rise, the ivory wolf would slowly push himself closer to her, hoping to get slightly under her and allow her to alleviate some of the weight from her injury, and in turn, give her another to lean on so should she need it. No words were spoken, for they were not needed – reluctantly, Phineas would do as she wished for the moment, and while he doubtful she would be able to walk alone, he remained silent. Still, their trip to the den would determine if he felt it wise to go beyond Skana’s wishes and seek Elettra out and inform the ebony she-wolf himself of their Second’s mishap.