A far cry

A black wolf with delicate dark patterns on her fur layed hidden among brambles. Her dark eyes watched the world closely. She body looked fragile, yet graceful. Her fore paw was tucked to her chest. Every few moments she licked it. Wincing with pain was she did. Kuro looked at the world. It was so filled with pain for her.

"Goldenrod, goldenrod, where would you be?" A large gray, spotted dog roamed around the lake, peering around tree trunks. The day was pleasantly cool, a northbound wind blowing through her short, dense fur, cooling her skin as the breeze caressed it. A bright sun illuminated the landscape, green grasses looking greener, bright yellow buttercups looking brighter. Few white, puffy clouds floated in the air, proving little threat for the blazing sun and it's light.

Today, Silan was herb hunting. She'd gotten almost everything on her list. Catnip, dock leaves, chamomile, borage, and alder. She had them stocked and stored away back at one of Kestrel's camps, for later use when a wolf some how got themselves hurt. She still needed aloe vera, celadine, fever few, juniper berries, and goldenrod. Her task was beginning to turn tedious, but she was too determined to stop. Kestrel's wolves had saved her life, she ought to at least try and pay him back.

A whimper nearby cracked through her eardrum and she froze immediately. A natural healer, she could hear pain a mile away. She could practically feel the agonizing burn in her own body, and she found her head turning toward the creature that had made the sound.

A young she-wolf lay within a thick bedding of bramble. She was smoky gray wolf with even darker swirling patterns along her pelt that almost mesmerized Silan into some hypnotic gaze. However, another shrill whimper from the creature and Silan padded forward, slowly. "What's wrong?" She noticed that the wolf kept licking her paw, and Silan was already mentally going over what might be wrong. Thorn, cracked paw, cut, bruises. Aloe Vera, Burdock Root, Lavender.

Ooc: she cant speak remember, mute

Kuro looked up wishing she could reply. Yet found her self trying to back away. A sharp pain ran through her paw up her leg. She gasped in a large amount of air. She closed her eyes in pain. She looked up at the wolf sadly. Shaking her head a little. She sat down wrapping her tail around her. keeping her hurt paw from the ground.

Silan frowned, her dark eyes growing bright with a calm worry. "Lie down, let me see." She pawed ever so closer to the downed wolf, doing her best not to spook her away somehow. Bramble poked at her paw pads, making her want to leap out of the pile, but the urge to help the she-wolf was too great. She had to heal the wolf. It wasn't a want, it was a need. It was as if she were addicted to the bitter leaves she chose to chew, the sweet scent of flower nectar needed to flavor herbs.

She sat before the loner, slowing her breathing to clear her mind until she could see what was wrong with the injured paw. She took only a quick moment to see that large leaves covered the entrance to the small den, telling Silan that unless the she-wolf had called out, she would have never been found. Silan took a silent vow not to tell anyone of her location. There must be a reason for her secrecy.

Kuro layed down holding out her paw. Kuro was not much older than a pup. She was still young, and recovering form the fact her family was murdered. She watched the dog as she covered the hiding spot with large leaves.

Upon further examination, Silan noted the matted fur upon the top of the young she-wolf's paw. She gave it a ginger lick, careful not to harm the pup. "This may hurt a little." Silan practically whispered, turning the paw so that she could see it's underside. A single thorn jutted out, showing what the source of blood.

Grasping gently the broken bramble thorn within her jaws, Silan pulled fast to retrieve the thorn with as little pain as possible. Only a few drops of blood should be shed, and the pup would be fine. A simple thorn wouldn't lead to infection or any serious wounds. A few light days on the paw and the cut would be healed.

Kuro winced a little as the thorn was pulled. She looked at the dog. A few spots of warm blood showing up on her paw. She pulled her paw back to her.

"Wait, wait, wait." Silan was whispering softly, almost like a mother would her pup. "Let me see." She didn't reach for the pup's paw, didn't make any direct attempts to do anything, just waited. It was best not to frighten the pup into trying to run again. She would just end up hurting herself again.

The herb healer just wanted to make sure it was just a thorn. The pup didn't look up for talking or explaining how her injuries came about, so Silan would just check for anything herself. She thought she saw some bruising upon the top of the paw on the left side, on it's pad, but it could be a trick of the light. Silan would have to check.

Kuro gave the paw back with a defiant huff of air. She looked away from the dog. Swishing her tail silently through the air like a cat. Making the patterns on her tail look like they were dancing.

Silan watched as the paw was sent back her way, a harsh breath of air leaving the pup's mouth. But whether it was of ignorance or pain was unknown to the healer. "It's okay, I just want to check," she attempted to ease the pup's mind, send calm thoughts toward the wolf.

Narrowing her vision upon the paw again, she saw that it was bruised. Heavily. Now intrigued, Silan looked at the bruise and gently touched it with her nose, the tip finding a slight dent within the paw. Looking up to see how the wolf reacted, Silan already knew that it was at least fractured.

What exactly had the pup been doing lately?

Kuro's tail harshly thumped against the bedding around her. A snarl on her face at the pain sent up her paw. She looked at the dog harshly. A sort of what was that for look on her face.

Silan forced a slight smile, a sort of reassurment. "Sorry, I didn't mean it." She looked back at the wolf's paw, bruised and injured. "I think your paw is fractured. The bone is a little broken, it's chipping." Locking eyes with the pup, she sat up from her crouch of investigation. "You'll have to keep off it for a few days. How have you been getting your food?"

If the pup hunted, she wouldn't be able to for at least two weeks or so. She'd heal much faster than regular wolves because of her young age, but if she didn't have food, she'd starve before she could heal completely. If she couldn't hunt, she'd have to get some food from somewhere else. Would Silan have to provide for her? I hope not, I can barely hunt myself.

Kuro pointed at the berries on growing on the side. Se sat up and bit into one. She hadn't had real meat in a long time. She usually survived on grass and berries. That and scavenging. Kuro could still walk on three legs. As long as she didn't use that paw she would okay. She bit into another berry and look at the dog. knowing she probably didn't understand that she was a mute.

Silan took a moment to decipher what the wolf was telling her, somewhat curious as to why she had refused to just tell her where she received her food. Never the less, Silan understood. "Good. As long as you drink a lot with your berries, you should be fine. When it starts to feel better, give it three more suns and it should be fine.

A need of knowing occured in her mind and the dog grew the courage to ask, "What happened?"

Kuro pointed towards a tree with her nose. Than she suddenly dropped without letting her paw touch the ground. She stood back up and shook her fur. You could still easily see the claws marks of on the tree and the spot she fell on. She looked back at the dog, to see if she had more questions.

"You feel out of the tree?" Silan wasn't exactly sure, but she was able to put some of the clues together. Why wouldn't she talk though? Was she really that shy that she refused to speak?

Kuro nodded wrapping her tail around her paws. She rested her hurt paw on her tail softly. She watched the dog again. Wondering what else she might ask. She was just waiting for the why won't you talk question. It always happened in the end.

Nodding, Silan cocked her head to the side slightly. "Are are afraid of me?" Maybe fear was a factor in the no-voice decision.

Kuro shook her head plainly.

Confusion rose in her mind and Silan had to fight to push it down. Why prod? This pup deserved her own privacy, Silan had no right to make her talk. The dog nodded silently, "Anyway, you should be okay. I don't think you need anything more than some rest and water, along with those berries you eat. If your paw hurts too bad, try to find some Juniper berries. Or maybe..." Silan paused, unsure the wolf would know of the seeds. "You could try poppy seeds if you know what they are, but only if you're certain. Don't seek them out otherwise. Best to stay with the berries."

She stood up, ready to leave the den and try to cover up any proof of her being there. But one thing still made her worry. Her neck craned over to see the injured canine, "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" To find out the pup had died because Silan had left her there alone, by herself, no one to help fend her, she'd probably find herself going into a state of grief.

Kuro nodded pointign her nose to the small hole a little ways into the thorny hedge. A big wolf would not be able to follow her cat like body down. Kuro looed back at the wolf to watch her leave.

Silan's frown lightened to a slight smile. "Okay, just as long as you think so." Flicking her tail, she put in one last piece of information. "If your in any kind of trouble, look for me at the beach. I'll be there. Ask for Silan." The dog hoped at least the pup would come if anything did happen. Helping her out once wasn't enough. If Silan helped her out once, the pup would be under her radar for the rest of the dog's natural life. No matter how difficult it might be.

Turning away, she pushed out of the small entrance, her large form making it harder for her to leave than any other could. She shook out any loose bramble that clung to her dark pelt and started sweeping some leaves to cover here entrance. She nodded once to the pup and left.