Wolf Yoga (Sphuul)

[Zel]

(Teasing this thought that Zelunik can do yoga (especially since I've been trying yoga), wolf style for her of course, but it's an interesting thought. It also came from my friends dog, she owns a yorkiepoo and that little thing has a dog version of a six pack cause she 'sit's pretty' ALL the time. So it's just an idea. Let me know if it's too far fetched for RB.)

A crisp wind picked up a few droplets of the waterfall and brought a cooling mist over the base. Shaking the spring leaves in a sound that was akin to the ocean. A pleasant and gentle whoosh. It raced through the trees trying to make claim of the forest that would never be 'claimed'. In fact it was a peaceful area. A different feel from the other areas. So calming and the powerful waterfall itself churned the water blew for a refreshing taste. This was the temporary home of a few loners, such as one Mexican Grey wolf. She had made the trek down to the base of the waterfall. Where she could feel the rumble of the water the greatest.

Zelunik planted her feet squarely apart and raised her head. She breathed in the wind and when she breathed out she gave the wind her troubles. Letting it carry them away as it did the mist of the waterfall. A smile on her lips she thought of everything her mentor had taught her and how far it had taken the young wolf. Though she would never put herself in her master's paw steps yet but over the years she had been getting better and better at her craft. For now the red and black wolf was content on practicing something else. Meditation. She'd not had the chance to relax since her being chased by auktioneers, healing others, and searching for a permanent home. It's not that she minded but sometimes a wolf needed to unwind and enjoy something other than what they were born for.

Zelunik stretched her back by placing her front paws to the ground and lifting her head as high as it would go. Eperna Salutation she'd thought it was called. She focused on her breathing and clearing her mind. Not thinking of her past more. She flowed into another position with her tail, back, and nose all aligned and lifting her front right paw and back left paw. Stretching them as far as the would go out. Farun Pose, as it seemed to be a wolf stretching it's legs to run far as it could across the world. She breathed out as she switched paws not moving anything but her legs. Of of her mind she dumped the thoughts of puppies and the want to have them. All four paws were on the ground as she continued breathing. She sat up her hind legs tail pointing up as it would go and nose pointed towards the sky and ears pointed towards the ground. Sitting of the Healer. She breathed in and out just listening to the rush of the waterfall. She could imagine herself taking in the peace of the energy around her, the serene power of the water, the gentle kindness of the earth, and the open vastness of the sky.

It was all relaxing. The tension in her just seemed to melt away. She pointed her nose down to her squatted feet and in a nimble move kicked her back feet pushing her body forward and stood like a human. Her front paws going down as far as they could. All the while she was breathing in and out not even thinking of her movements just letting them flow into the next. When she came out of her meditative state she found herself on her front paws and both feet sticking up in the air her tail tucked between them. Lowering herself slowly she shook her loose muscles and plastered a happy grin on her face, tongue lolling and all. She walked to the stream that led from the waterfall and lapped at the delicious water. One thing was for sure, it might have been relaxing but it was a workout non-the-less.

[Sphuul]

Sphuul

The gentle breeze rustling through the leaves of the trees seemed to calm the male wolf that crouched, eyes intent on the prey in front of him. It was a yearling buck, recently sprouting horns that were just coming out of velvet. Sphuul had gone without food for a few days, and the look of the deer had him salivating. His eyes watched each movement with an intense fervor, watching the muscles ripple under the mousy brown pelt. He would not miss today. There was too much at stake here. This was dangerous game, and he could easily be harmed. But the risk was worth it to Sphuul, and he slowly made his way closer.

The buck was as innocent and stupid as its age. It gave no thought to the wind, to the gentle padding of the wolf's paws as it stalked him. It was busy rubbing its new antlers on a sapling tree, the young wood cracking under the pressure. His mistake had not gone unnoticed, and he would soon pay the consequence for it. The male sprung, teeth bared, and latched himself onto the side of the bucks shoulder. Surprise and seemingly in shock, the deer turned to look, and the two met eyes for a brief moment. As Sphuul shifted his grip the buck broke free, head lowered. He managed to turn and head towards the wolf, his antlers ripping through Sphuul's side as he tried to move away. A yelp of pain was swept through his jaws, but he kept at it. The buck obviously had no experience fighting, and he went down quickly.

Sphuul licked his jaws, reveling in the taste of blood. It had been so long since he had taken down a buck of this size. His sides heaved, trying to regain his breath and excitement coursing through his veins. Without a thought to his gaping side, he tore into the kill, bloodying his gentle grey pelt. He gorged himself, eating until he could hold no more. At the end of his large meal he lost his footing, sinking to the ground and hitting it with a gentle thud. The brute's eyelids hung heavy, his mouth open in a lazy pant. Only when the glory of killing and eating had passed did pain register. Another yelp broke through his maw, and he stood carefully, head turning to look at it. The wound had become dirty, and blood continued to flow freely from it. It was open and nasty, but didn't seem to pierce very deep. However, it was an open wound, and it would need to be treated.

Without really thinking, Sphuul was on the move. He walked slowly, careful not to tug at the wound while he padded through the gentle forest. The sound of running water was familiar to him, and he made his way there with as much naivity as the buck had displayed. He was utterly vulnerable, but he made no move to find cover. He was too full, and the pain had taken over his mind. The roar of the falls made Sphuul's ears prick, and he tried, unsuccessfully, to move faster. The trees broke in front of him none too soon, and he took in the familiar site of the waterfall. He stopped, lifting his head to scent the fresh, clean scent of water. Blood still caked his maw and face, and tainted every smell. The male was about to begin to move again when a flash of movement caught his eye. It was a fae, doing god knows what.

She seemed to be stretching, a relaxed, yet strange expression on her face. She was utterly serene in her movements. Her body was lithe, supple, and utterly graceful as she moved. Fear skittered through Sphuul's body as he continued to watch. She was strong, as well, and it turned the meat in his stomach sour as he remembered another strong female. He wondered what the Fates had in store for him today. Every wolf he had met in his recent journeyings had been female. Was this a cruel game they decided to play, or was it just coincidence? Would one of the females one day betray him as Reyna had? Would this constant exposure to fae's lull him into a sense of security? The terrified thoughts skittered through his brain as he kept his eyes squarely on the female. As long as he could see her, he was safe. For now.

Her movements slowed, seeming to slur together as she finished whatever she had been doing. The fae moved towards the water, lapping thirstily, and before he could stop himself, he was moving towards the water. He needed water. The kill he had made filled him up, and he needed water or he would burst. Sphuul moved slowly, giving his paws a direction that made an angle away from the strange wolf. The water was close, and as soon as he got to it he kept walking until his side was nearly submerged in water. He lapped as he felt the icy water prick at his wound. It would hopefully staunch the bleeding, and something could be done from there. As he drank, his eyes remained glued to the fae. What would she think of this, a male covered in blood with a nasty wound, in her presence and in her water?

His fear and imagination was not enough to make him leave. He drank until his stomach was swollen, and then cleaned his face in the water. Sphuul made his way carefully out of the pool, shaking off his fur and grimacing as it pulled on his side. He backed towards the trees, eyes remaining on the wolf. What would she do? As he found shade, he sat, slowly allowing his paws to drift until he was in a comfortable laying position. There, he watched, and waited.

[Zel]

It was the smell that hit Zelunik's nose first. Fresh blood. She lifted her muzzle from the water a bit though kept her head bent as if she was still drinking. Her nostrils flared taking in the sweet scent. It was of deer. Her mouth watered at the thought of a bite of deer to eat. Being a loner she rarely had the chance to sink her teeth into fresh deer meat. They were too hard for her to catch by herself. So an injured deer looking for a peaceful place to drink had wondered here. Well not today bub, for this area was inhabited by a wolf. Zelunik narrowed her eyes eagerly in the water and a satisfied smirk lit her face. Of course the thought passed that whatever injured the deer might still be around. The bushes rustled and Zelunik swiveled and ear to the sound. What? That was not the steps of a deer.

Zelunik lifted her head fully this time a curious expression on her gentle face and saw what it was. A wolf. What should have been a deer from the the smell was actually a bloodied wolf slowly moving to the waters edge. He, which was unmistakeably a he now that he was closer, walked slowly as if in pain. Instantly she put herself in healer mode. The poor creature submerged itself and lapped at the water greedily. Zelunik stepped back from the water's edge and watched as the blood flowed down stream. Now that he was clean, she could smell the wolf scent much better; and the smell of wolf's blood. As he shook she saw the gaping wound on his side and winced. That must have hurt.

She easily pieced together what had happened to him. This was a hunting accident. A misplaced hoof or antler could have been the cause of that. Well there went her relaxing morning. Zelunik watched him with just as wary eyes not saying anything that could cause the male to bolt or attack. She knew that wolves in pain were unpredictable. Injuries turned the most mild mannered wolf into a fearful, wary, and dangerous creature. She watched as the bigger male slowly laid himself down and fixed his curious eyes on her. Well at least he was awake enough to know she was there and not just ignoring her. Also the fact he hadn't rushed her put her a bit at ease. Angry hurt wolves would also attack blindly if needed. Though fun in knocking them out she did not feel up to that task; especially when she was relaxed from her work out.

Zelunik tried to gauge the situation. She could sit here and have a staring contest with him until he passed out from the pain and blood loss; she could try speaking to him; or she could try to approach him in a calm manner and tell demand him to roll over. Some how all three items didn't seem to appeal to her. One way or another she would just have to earn this ones trust. She could see the curious fear in his eyes at her presence. One of the more normal reactions to pain. Well she was not getting anywhere by just staring at him. The healer knew she would need lavender, mint, and a few large leaves to cover the wound. She would also need time to get the materials and to keep her patient still for at least a few days till she deemed him healed. From his watchful pose she could see that this was going to be a battle of wills and minds.

Taking in a sigh she finally moved parallel to him. Keeping all her actions visible to his eyes. She came to stand directly across from his form and gave a stretch and yawn, hoping to show him that she was no threat. From this angle she could see his form more clearly. Now it was do or die. She padded forward taking each step slowly towards him. Each step caused a bit of prickling in her feet as if any moment he would bolt, injured and she'd have to chase after him. If he lost too much blood he'd eventually pass out somewhere. A chase was not was she was looking forward to.

At last she left at least twenty steps between them. It was a comfortable distance for her and she hoped it would be for him until he accepted her helping him. During the whole process Zelunik had never broken eye contact with him. Her warm amber eyes, she hoped, would put him at ease. In the loner lands they did not need to play dominance games. She stretched again and gave an audible yawn before plopping down to the ground her nose pointed in his direction.

"Your hurt," she stated the obvious in case he was delirious. That was the worse when wolves were delirious on top of everything else. She slowly continued using soft and soothing tones, "you know you've managed to stumble upon the right wolf. I'm a very well trained healer. If you let me I can help you. But you're going to have to stop staring at me as if I'm going to attack you. Or we're going to end up just staring at each other for the rest of the night until you pass out from pain and blood loss."

She kept rambling, one to explain herself and two keep him from passing out. Blood loss could do that. At least she hoped the wound wasn't that bad. Still she could still smell the fresh blood and it demanded to stuffed full of soothing herbs and be covered with fresh clean leaves. Maybe she would let him go without charging him for a meal? Or have him tell her where he left his prey. This would be more than a one day heal for him and they would both need to eat. She thought quietly to herself, Sucks to be both of us hun, for we're both just going to have to tolerate each other till you're ready to go tackle another deer.

[/b][/blockquote]

[Sphuul]

Sphuul

Sphuul watched the female as her eyes became trained on him, a curious and wary glint coloring her amber orbs. His body tensed, waiting for the aggression or panic that was sure to darken her expression. The presence of a male wolf was never taken lightly, no matter if he was injured or not. But did she know of his fear? Obviously not. Echo was the only one who knew, and she wasn't much of a talker. No, his secret would be spared today. Until he was sure she was not a threat, the fae would be considered an enemy. Dangerous. Untrustworthy. The wolf would have to earn his trust. What if she simply didn't want to?

Sphuul's head dropped to his paws, the stress of the situation draining his body. He was weak from pain and blood loss, and utterly helpless with his full stomach. He was vulnerable, and this strong, sturdy female could easily overtake him and kill him. Violent thoughts began to twist through his mind, turning his stomach inside out and making the brute slightly queasy. A soft whine murmured through his teeth as his head raised slowly, as he gathered the strength for his neck to move. No, he could not defend himself, and he was probably going to die tonight. He would not see tomorrows sunrise.

Decision flickered in the faes eyes, and Sphuul tensed, watching carefully as she began to move closer. It took her a few moments, her pawsteps wary and reluctant. Apparently, she was as uncomfortable in this situation as he was. Well, that's what he thought. It could just be because I'm ugly and I scared the crap out of her.. Grim thoughts took him over, a frown settling his features. He had watched her like a creep, covered in blood and a gaping wound. The idea of that would make any wolf nervous around someone. The males black ringed eyes flickered down for a moment, a flash of guilt coursing through him. But the guilt was short lived, and he began to watch her again, as the fae made her way towards him.

The brute gave a soft sigh as she stopped about twenty feet from him, plopping her butt down on the dirt. His lowered position made him vulnerable, and with a struggle, he scrambled back until he, too, was in a sitting position. Sphuul watched her, wary and curious. What business did she have here, with him? What would she gain from talking to him? Why was she moving like that before he showed up? There were many questions spinning in his head, and settling them would be a struggle. Not that he bothered. Thought organization was the last thing on his mind, only adding to the clutter. Oh, what a mess this was.

The fae began to speak, and his ears flickered towards her, catching the elegant syllables. Her voice was quiet, firm, and gentle all at once. The words, however, were blunt and obvious. Sphuul gave a soft snort before he realized what had happened, a hint of a smile lifting up the corners of his grim set mouth. No, he had not realized he was hurt. He had just been limping through the forest like a gay little wolf, eager to drink water and clean the blood from his paws in his delirium. What a picture. He barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, agitated thoughts quieting as she began to speak once more.

As the words began to register in Sphuul's brain, his eyes widened and his brows shot up in surprise. So, he had gotten lucky on this one. A healer. How convienient. Well, a healer was not usually inclined to kill it's patients, so he figured he was safe enough from her. Unless she was a demented fae with intent to poison him with her 'healing' powers. But that was quite unlikely. So he relaxed, ever so slightly. If she was lying, and tried to make a move, Sphuul would do his best to preserve his life. He would not make the same mistake twice. Once was enough, and he had the scars to prove it.

The end of her ramble had him chuckling softly. It would only be a matter of time before he keeled over from lack of blood, and he would ultimately be in her paws. Could he trust that the fae wouldn't kill him in his unconscious state? Well, he wasn't going to find out. Not anytime soon. "Uhm.. That's quite lucky of me, I guess. I.. guess.. I could let you.. help." His words began to slur and stopped making sense, so he shut his mouth, looking at her, a confused and curious glint to his amber eyes. Then and only then did he realize that hers was the same shade. So much prettier on her.. Sphuul shook the thought off almost angrily. No, female charm was dangerous, and she wasn't even trying. What the hell?

Sphuul watched her, his head cocked slightly to the side. What was she gaining from this? His ears twitched in understanding, his mouth hardening. Of course. "And, uhh.. My kill isn't far from here.. Just follow.. my scent, and you'll find.. it." His maw twitched in irritation with himself. Why couldn't he just speak correctly? The words weren't difficult to say. "Take what you want. I doubt I.. can make my way back.. to it anytime.. soon." So she was after a meal. Well, she really didn't have to help him if that's what she wanted. She could have ignored him and made her way there, taking what she wanted with nothing in return. He wouldn't have the strength to fend her off. So why did she offer to help before she asked for food? Things just weren't coming together for him. So Sphuul waited, amber eyes intent and wary. He was sure this would not end well.

[Zel]

Poor thing is nearly out of his mind. Good that his reactions are normal. He probably thinks I'm being an ass. Listened as he talked and watched his reactions. Especially when he pushed himself in a sitting position which had her wince. They would have to stop that bleeding fast. After he was talking and she noticed how he hardened at the thought of her getting food and she broke out into a smile. Ah this one was going to be fun to heal. He already accepted, so now he was going to be put through quite a lot. First thing was first she'd have to explain quickly what she was going to have to do first.

"Good you're not delirious or anything. That's why stated the obvious," she sighed happily but she then continued, "As a healers oath I give you this, once asked for help I will do everything in my power to do as such. Just relax as best as you can and if you must bite. I ask that you bite on the wood I shall bring for you. Though in your situation I doubt that will be necessary."

She spoke as if she had said this many times before. Actually to every patient she's had she did. And each time in the same calm, gentle voice.

Zelunik then broke out into a grin, she was reminded how sour he sounded about his left over meal. "There are plenty of herbs I need around here. It might take an hour or two to collect them all. That wound of yours is going to take a few days to heal and it's better for us to eat something and not let your catch go to the carrion. I will fetch it tomorrow after you're all patched up. Now, I'm going to need you to lay on your uninjured side for a moment. . . .

She let her voice trail off. Usually quiet, but Zelunik in her healer mode had to explain EVERYTHING to her patients. At least the ones who were conscious and nervous about her methods. Wolves usually rested for a few days and left, now with new knowledge of the herbs and medicines there were more and more wolves able to ward off illnesses and treat wounds such as . . . oh wow, she didn't even get his name. She would get it in a minute but now, she was up on her feet and looking around. She needed something quick to staunch the flow of blood while she was out looking for the herbs to numb the pain and promote the healing. Ah ha! She kept a wide radius to her patient and quickly began to gather large colocasia (elephant ear plant) leaves. After four or five she carried them gently back to her charge.

Trust, she was going to have to earn his trust. She thought for a minute then came within ten steps of him and set them down. "These leaves will stop your bleeding but I'm going to need you to turn on your side so I can rest them on you. OH and before I forget."

The she wolf padded to the bushes and found a thick tree limb. This would help if he felt pain from her taking care of the wound. She hoped he wouldn't but some wolves had a lower pain tolerance than others. She'd seen mother wolves pop out babies like nothing and then she'd seen grown male wolves whine and whimper over something as silly and insignificant as a thorn in their paw. It wasn't like she was all knowing like her master she had enough judge of character to know when they needed that extra comfort.

She set that down next to the leaves as well before sitting down. She snagged the leaves by the steams and drenched them in water. Cleaning them of any dirt. The waterfall did a good job a purifying the water here there should be no bacteria that his body couldn't fight naturally. This was the test of faith she walked on his injured side with the leaves and gingerly set them on his paw. Purposely showing her neck to him. Oh that was hard to do but she'd rather him know that she would from now on put her life on the line to heal him. It was her duty as a healer once her patient asked for help. If he hadn't agreed for help she would have been stuck there still staring at him. She took one and laid down beside him so she wouldn't be towering over him. She learned the hard way lone wolves, especially did not take too kindly to that. Scooting forward on her belly leaf in mouth she as carefully as she could pressed it to his wound.

Zelunik reached for another and began to press this one to it as well. She used a paw to apply the needed pressure to keep them in place. While working she decided she might as well tell him her name, "My name is Zelunik, by the way. Just so you don't have to call me Healer or you. Mind if I ask yours?"

She's had wolves who refused to give their names and she was OK without a name or with a name. It just made treating a patient easier if she didn't have to say, you do this or sir/ma'am do that. Plus knowing some wolf's names made them less of a stranger. She hurried with her task hoping she didn't hurt him too much before slowly pulling away and retreating back to that mini barrier of ten paw steps away. She nodded at him and smiled, "I will be right back. Do not fear, these surrounding woods have just what I need to help you. Howl if you need me."

With that said she padded out of the clearing and started her search for the right herbs.

[Sphuul]

Sphuul

This fae was a strange one. Her gentle face broke in a smile, and Sphuuls head cocked in confusion, curiosity coloring his features. What was so funny? Was her happiness based on the fact that she now had permission to kill him? He had no idea about plants and their uses, so she could easily poison him. Of course, that would be an inefficient way to kill him. Why collect plants when she could just rip his throat out? Some wolves like seeing others in pain before they die.. The thought had him shuddering, but his face gave away nothing. No, the fae would not know of his horrifying thoughts. Her having to help him was bad enough.

She began to speak, and couldn't help the small chuckle that came out of his throat. What did a healers oath mean to him? Sphuu hadn't even known one had existed. Why should he trust in her word and a pretend little oath? He wasn't a pup. He didn't believe in fairy tales and sugary sweet promises. There was no such thing as a happy ending. He didn't voice his opinion, but merely nodded. Pain had become a normal thing for Sphuul, and biting sticks would do no good. But let her think as she may. How is a stick gonna help me cope with any pain.. Again, he did not speak his thoughts. "Okay. I can do that." He nearly cringed at how stupid he sounded, and became irritated with himself shortly after. Why should I care what she thinks? The fae probably already thought he was batshit crazy, so a few stupid words shouldn't be a big deal.

Another smile broke through her face, and she began to speak again. Sphuul listened attentively. Everything she said would be of importance to him from now on. He was putting his life in her paws. Literally. Well, paws and teeth, he supposed. Her words barely registered in his mind, and another chuckle whispered through his teeth. So she had seen the hard set of his jaw, the intent glint in his eyes. She understood. The fae had gained his respect, but that was not enough for him to trust her. Not yet. He would see what happened when she set about 'fixing' him. Maybe then, he could trust her. But probably not. Because he would probably be dead.

Sphuul did as she asked, slowly laying himself down to a vulnerable position on his side. His eyes warily watched as she moved, the picture strange in his awkward side view of the world. He watched her gather large leaves and come back, his body tense as she approached. It was strange, him laying like this with a strange wolf so close to him. If someone had asked a week before if he would be doing this, after he got over the shock of someone talking to him, he would have scoffed and laughed in their face. This simply wasn't something you wanted to do.

She spoke again, turning her back on him to fetch something else. His wary eyes stayed trained on her retreating figure, sleepily wondering what she was after. It didn't take her long to return, a thick tree branch in her maw. She carefully set it down next to his head, but he promptly ignored it. It would do no good, and it would simply be a waste of time trying to get splinters out of his tongue and gums. It would cause more pain than it would be worth. He turned his eyes from the stick back to the fae, watching her slowly move, taking leaves to the waterfall and washing them off. She returned, sitting and bearing her throat. Sphuul grunted in shock. Why would she do that? He was in no position to harm her, and she gives him the perfect chance to end her life. He frowned softly, but didn't move, ears attentive for movement.

He was surprised once again when she lowered herself into a laying position, crawling forward to lay a leaf on his side. It made him cringe for a moment, a grunt slipping through his maw, but his eyes rolled at her behavior. "Oh, stand up. I don't need to be babied, lass." Sphuul bit his lip softly. Had he been too much of an ass? A bit of his scottish accent had risen there in his irritation, a habit he had thought was broken. The wolf who had taught him to speak was of scottish descent, and he had picked up the trade. Would she bite him, cuff him, or worse? He cringed once again as she applied another leaf, sighing softly when that was all she did.

The fae began to speak again, revealing her name. Sphuul smiled as she spoke. She had a humorous air around her, interesting and confusing at times. Her words trailed off into a question, and his head rose ever so slightly to look at her. "My name is Sphuul. It's nice to meet you, Zelunik." His head thunked back on the ground, and it throbbed slightly. She's gonna have plenty to do if she's set on healing me.. Sphuul rolled his eyes at his logic, watching Zelunik as she worked.

She finished soon after, and backed up enough for him to once again feel comfortable. Sphuu didn't move, but nodded softly as she began to speak, explaining she would be absent. He sat up ever so slightly, not enough for the leaves to fall off, but enough to give him the sturdiness he desired. He would not be left alone in such a vulnerable position. That was just plain stupid. He watched her retreating figure, an amused, curious glimmer to his eyes. Zelunik would have to share her story soon enough. She obviously planned to stay with him while he healed, and he deemed her not the kind of wolf to spend days without speaking or sharing stories. He would hear about her soon enough. All he had to do was wait.

[Zel]

Zelunik pressed her nose to the ground. Her ears forward and her eyes alert. She knew several different remedies at once but for this particular case she needed to find witch hazel, yarrow, juniper berries, and then her own lavender and mint poultice. Luckily this was spring and she could possibly find calendula flowers to apply the herbs. This was where her work was cut out for her. She knew she quite possible wouldn't be able to find the witch hazel. Though next on her list she pressed her nose to the ground caught the scent and took off further into the woods.

The yarrow root was dug up and into her mouth, luckily she didn't think she'd have make Sphuul . . . . He gave her, his name and she noted he did have a bit of bite to his words. Good that made for a much better companion. He wasn't as fearful as he shown. Maybe that's how he survived the escaping the Auktion Rock? She had her own questions to ask of him. Stories worth telling were meant to be told. Zelunik had a few good ones to tell while she healed him. She was a gypsy wolf of course. Though most wolves regarded her very much truthful stories as naught more than a song or lore to be passed down. Healers she supposed were good at that sort of thing.

Actually while she was working she started to hum a sweet and light tune. It helped pass time. Soon she had collected all that she needed. And sadly she was right there would not be any witch hazel but that might have been over kill on her part. She liked to be thorough with her work. The red and black she wolf with amber eyes padded back to the clearing her mouth stuffed full of the needed medicines. She had collected enough of the herbs to last them at least three days. If he wasn't OK by then she would just have to go get more. Three days with him by the waterfall might just be relaxing anyways.

She set the herbs down in front of her paws and found her patient right where she left him. Zelunik relaxed and knew that he was truly ok with her healing him. That was good enough for her there. Sphuul wasn't going to run, at least not today. She wondered what would happened tomorrow though? She had so much work on her paws right now though. She would have to get him settled dig a den underneath the bushes to hide him from other predators. She did not want to face a cougar or bear. They could be driven off if they weren't that hungry but other than that she'd have to divert them and let her healing patient escape. Her mind shuddered at the thought of fighting nonwolves. Wolves she could handle. Let Dominor's come into this territory thinking they had two easy sklavin.

Realizing that she was staring at the herbs for a moment too long she decided to start cleaning the yarrow root. She wagged her tail at Sphuul, hoping she hadn't been gone for long. It only took her just about an hour to find what she needed. Still the elephant ears she put on his side wouldn't stop the bleeding for too long. She took the long skinny root and bit it into thirds. This released the strong odor. She wrinkled her nose and turned her head to give a loud sneeze. Ugh roots. She quickly pawed the root clean. Finding another elephant ear she placed the cleaned root on that.

Next was the leafy herbs. They were all easy to wash. The berries, she had found six of them. Enough for two a day they would have to be crushed. She started humming absentmindedly while she worked on getting everything together. Her voice not too low or too high but that pleasant soft medium. Her paws had crushed two of the berries. Carefully she dragged her leaf covered in medicine over to her charge. So he didn't need to be fussed over huh? Good she could just get to work. Still keeping up with her humming she grabbed the root and this time just sat at his side.

Gentle and efficient paws moved the bandage of elephant ears and revealed the angry red wound. Well it wasn't as bad as it looked. It would heal just fine. Maybe leave a bit of scar but he could always say it was a battle wound. She chewed up the root onto the juniper berries. With a paw she swirled the petals into the mixture. She took a breath and stopped her humming, "brace yourself, this is the worst part. I've got to clean it."

Without waiting a beat she took the flower and pressed it to the wound. Yarrow she knew for herself left that cleaning sting and the juniper berries were just there to stop the bleeding. After a few minutes of having to add all the mixture she stopped and then nosed around the tender area. Satisfied it was clean she turned to the lavender and mint.

"This is the part you're going to like," she grimaced at what she was about to do. This would be better for him and make her loose all feeling in her taste buds she HATED that tingling feeling on her tongue might feel good for wounds not on her tongue. Still she flicked her tongue for a minute and took the mint and lavender in her mouth. She chewed the leaves and flowers till that made her tongue tingle.

She promptly began to lick his wound allowing all the herbs to mix together by her tongue. It would sting at first and then feel like heaven as the mint and lavender numbed the wound. Plus she knew wolves saliva would also help the wound close on it's own. She kept licking till the last bit of leave was mixed together. After that she took a fresh large elephant ear and pressed it the healing wound. He'd already stopped bleeding.

Zelunik backed away from him again her mouth all tingling feeling. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance and smacked her lips. She forced her tongue to work and tried to keep her healer air about her. In the end she still sounded a bit funny. "I wish that it would just numb your wound and not my entire mouth. For three nights we'll do this. Then after the third day depending on how you feel will be the deciding factor on if you're able to do. . . whatever you did before. But for now how do you feel? Better should I get you something to take by mouth?"

Keeping an ear towards him she began to lap at the water again letting the chill wash her mouth out. The sun was already setting, next she would have to start on that den for him.

[Sphuul]

Sphuul

The time seemed to drag on and on.. and on. The fae who called herself Zelunik had vanished into the trees, leaving him behind covered in leaves and pain. She had promised him healing and relief, and so far these things were far fetched, a mere tale in the girl's web of tricks. The lass must have something up her sleeve.. Ach! The pain in the brutes side flashed, bright and painful, as he attempted to shift positions. He groaned softly, secretly hoping for the fae to return quickly. She was his only hope, his only salvation, at this point. Without her, he might die. With her, he might die. He was playing russian roulette, and the odds were not in his favor either way. Oh, what a game.

The return of the female had his ears pricking, eyes searching hopefully. What he found, though, was unsettling and downright hilarious. Mouth packed with leaves and roots and herbs, Zelunik's face was a sight to behold, and it had Sphuul nearly howling with laughter. Nearly. His side complained and he calmed himself, a few short chuckles bursting out here and there. Whether or not she was offended, he didn't know, for she didn't show a sign, merely setting the herbs down and looking at them, an intense fervor in her eyes. Sphuul's eyes narrowed for a moment, suspicion taking hold. Did she know what the hell these were? Was she trying to remember how to give these to him in such a way that would have him writhing in pain before he collapsed, mouth frothing as his last breath shot from his lungs?

With a movement that broke the dam of silence, the fae wagged her tail softly as she took hold of the strange looking root, biting through it with a grimace on her face. The scent of the root had his nose wrinkling up in disgust. That smell was awful.. and it was supposed to heal him? The brute glanced up at her, doubtful. But she had used her mouth to break it apart, so it couldn't be dangerous. Unless it was only dangerous in open wounds. But hey, what did he know?

Zelunik's movements became blurry in his boredom, a yawn almost breaking out through his maw. Sphuul didn't find the plants fascinating in any way, and he wouldn't be able to tell if they were poisonous or not by this point. All plants looked relatively the same to him, hence the reason he had not become a healer. What had he become? A silly, frightened male scared stiff of every wolf he came across. Yes, that was certainly better than becoming a healer. A snort blew through his nose before he could stop himself, his body relaxing and his head lowering as he waited, more or less, calmly.

It was only when the fae spoke did Sphuul raise his head, ears perked and attentive. This was the only part that mattered, when she actually wanted him to listen and understand what she was doing. His bandaged had been removed, and a strange looking substance was on a leaf in front of him. The brute gave her an are you really putting that on me? look, but remained silent. It wouldn't matter, anyways. She would do it with or without his permission. Her words registered and he tensed, watching as she applied the stuff on his wound, flinching slightly. It stung, but it felt clean, and he gave a gentle sigh of relief when it was over. Step one complete.

Without missing a beat, the fae continued, and Sphuul noticed the grimace that went along with her reassuring words. Either she had run out of clever ways to look like it was helping him, it wouldn't be something he liked, or it wouldn't be something she liked. The answer was never given, as she put the next mixture into her mouth, chewing and then licking his wounds. The sting had him grimacing, but the relief that came after was so intense and real that a small sigh escaped his maw while she reapplied leaves. Oh, that was wonderful. The cool, clean feeling felt much better than it had before he had come across Zelunik. Hell, if this is what it felt like to be poisoned, keep it coming.

A smacking sound had his eyes trained back on her, and he realized the fae had an annoyed expression on her face as she licked her lips. His head cocked in confusion. What she mad that he wasn't dead yet? But no, she began to speak, and Sphuul began to chuckle softly. Her speech had become slightly impaired because of the salve she had applied. So it not only numbed wounds, it numbed everything it came into contact with. Interesting to know.. But it wouldn't ever be useful to him. Maybe, if the only way to survive was to numb his enemies mouths to keep them from biting him, but that wouldn't work out too well.

Sphuul watched as the fae went back to the water, lapping thirstily, obviously trying to get rid of the numbing sensation. "I feel fine, I don't think I'll need anything." His head came back down on the ground, eyes closing and his body slowly, slowly relaxing. So, he was either going to die soon, or he would heal. And that meant either, well, dying, or staying with her for as long as she wished him to stay there. Something about her made him want to stay. She was simply too intriguing. "Thank you, Zelunik." His eyes opened and he took one more look at her. "I really was lucky." Sphuuls head simply couldn't hold itself up any longer, thunking on the ground with an annoyed huff. Weakness would take some getting used to.

[Zel]

OoC: Sorry about the wait and hopefully next post will be better. IDK what's up but my muse is getting low. ^^;

The Mexican grey wolf lifted her head from the stream and looked at him as he spoke. She sent him a warm happy smile, "you're very welcome."

Praise was good. It meant she did her job well. She looked to the sky and noted the orange glow. Zelunik nodded and looked as her companion flopped his head tiredly to the ground. Well that was good enough reason for her to start making a den for him. She was more than capable of taking care of herself so she would sleep outside the den. She'd already scoped out the bushes that ran along the edge of the stream where they were. There was a spot that was not well traveled by animals so the rear was covered by a thick foliage and dense trees shed their leaves on the tops of the bushes. It would be a great, warm, and safe place for her friend to rest up.

With a tail wag she pointed a paw at the said spot making sure he could see her. "There, I'll dig you a spot to hide while you heal. It's well sheltered and warm. If I dig underneath it and line it with more leaves it should be perfect for you."

Zeulink lowered her paw and moved towards the bushes as realized she was doting a bit more than usual on this wolf. Maybe it was his natural unwariness, which in this world she thought was smart. It was better to run away when you didn't have a pack of wolves to pack you up. Or maybe it was how he sat there and watched her move. He was like a pup. Maybe that was it. Maybe that's why she acted the way she did. She would never give birth to pups. She knew after three years of never going into heat. She tried with several wolves hoping to maybe jump start it but after each attempt no pups and the dejected male would leave her with a broken heart.

Paws furiously worked the dirt at thoughts of the past, and she held back the urge to whimper or cry. Well whatever the reasons she had a Sphuul here in the now that needed her. Zelunik cleared her mind and soon there was a small pile of dirt behind her and a cozy den in front of her. She slipped underneath the foliage and circled around before slumping down. It was perfect, a little too big for her, but for the larger injured wolf it would be close to heaven. She poked her nose back out and flattened the dirt she's stirred up.

Happy at her progress, she began to hum again. A simple tune her master taught her this time. It was a slower and sweeter than what she was humming before. It could be considered relaxing or sad, depending on the wolf you asked. Her work was nearly finished, she began nosing dead dry leaves into the den. Soon there was a soft bed for her companion. She turned to look at her friend and hoped that he hadn't fallen asleep while waiting for her to finish.

Just in case she called out gently to him, "Hey, Sphuul, I've finished if you'd like you can now rest in a warm den instead of on the cold ground.

The red and black she wolf moved just as gently to him. No need to startle him out of his slumber. Again she stopped at what was becoming the safety zone for him. It was like his personal bubble. As long as she asked permission to enter it seemed he was much more relaxed. Zelunik knew that he would need help getting to the den now that exhaustion had taken over. But they were wolves. If he needed help doing anything he'd ask for it. One thing she could rely from her patients is that after the first initial treatment went well they were usually on their feet and ready to get back to doing, well whatever it was they were doing before.