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 Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:35 pm
 Duskback trotted through the pack's lands with a confidence in his stride. Though, there was something small that offset it. Well, see... The young dog had decided that it'd be a great idea to go meandering around near a bush that had thorns. He hadn't known it was thorny, of course. He wouldn't have been so careless to step on them, otherwise! However, he had gotten that thorn in his paw without a yelp, and now he was padding around with it. It was kinda on the inside of his paw, the side of one of the pads on his digits. He'd tried to get it out on his own, but he couldn't get to it very well, the more he tried, the deeper he seemed to push it. He wondered if he'd be able to locate his dad to give him some advice, he certainly didn't want to be taken care of like a pup, though!
At any rate, the fact that he could go padding around with just a hint of a limp made him feel quite tough. He did want it gone, though, so he kept an eye peeled for a packmember who might be able to help him out without making a big deal of it.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:30 am
 Although she was searching for medicinal herbs, Dawnflower always glanced upwards every minute or so, much like an ADD, schizophrenic meerkat. How could she ever call herself a healer if she let some poor injured animal cross her path, and she didn't even have the common decency to help them because she was picking flowers! Of course, the flowers were for the patients, but she didn't give a ratel's tail if the plants got hurt.
She stared irritatedly at the ginger plant that had given her a paltry amount of root, perhaps enough for one or two wild dogs at the most. Pinning back her ears, she muttered under her breath, "What kind of plant are you? You're leaves and flowers are massive, yet your root is pathetic! I blame you if I need more ginger than you gave me!", as she swatted the stem on the ground with her paws already muddy from digging. Tenderly, she placed her trivial prize into her zebra-skin bag.
Dawn stormed off, furious at the plant, but continued searching for a better behaved client. Ah! Perfect! Just what she needed, some lavender. Loping over to the bush, she took deep, calming breaths of the aroma as she nipped at the stalks and migrated them into the pouch.
Purely out of habit, her head darted up, scanning the horizon for anyone in need of assistance. Hm... Well there was a small brown wild dog, but he seemed to be pretty lively an-- wait a second! Was that a limp?! It was! It totally was! In a panic, she frantically slipped her medicine bag over her neck and sprinted over to the poor thing. Luckily for him, she could spot the faintest limp from a mile away!
As she reached him, she let out a flurry of words, not leaving spaces for answers. She quickly circled him, prodding him with her nose, and going through her usual neurotic routine. "Oh, you poor child! Are you okay? I saw you were limping, so I need to take a look at your leg and paw, okay sweetie?", she sped through her words as she picked up his back leg only to see the incriminating wound, a thorn deep in his toe, with a smear of red on his pad where a bead of blood had welled up. "Alright, come with me dear!", she said, trying to keep her calm, but worry still seeping through.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:20 am
He could see a figure on the horizon as he peeked over a small ridge. He leapt down it and changed course to meet up with it. He was pretty deep in the pack's lands that he was certain she was a packmember. The lavender coloration of the wild dog reminded him of his own pelt that gave him his wolf name. He got a little weirded out to see her... well, galloping over to him. That was unexpected. "I wonder if this was a bad idea," he said to himself, stiffening up his stride and bearing the pain. Buuuut... It seemed it had already been seen, because that didn't stop her. He pulled himself to a stop as she arrived and started talking.
On and on and on, his mind couldn't keep up. He quirked a brow over widened eyes (he was surprised anyone could talk so fast!) At all the "child" and "Sweetie" stuff, his ears drooped to the sides and he took a quick glance around for anyone he knew, and he was relieved to see that nobody he knew was around. Well, around and visible.
But he had to calm her down! "It's alright, really, it's just a little thor---" She picked up his back leg and threw his balance off. He sprawled a front paw to keep himself from falling over, "A thorn, it's nothing, really," he assured her. "Oh, okay," he said to the idea of going somewhere, perhaps it would placate the adult. "Hey, uh... Where are we going?" He asked, hoping it wasn't towards the dens. Pleeeeeeease, anywhere but the dens. "My name's Duskback, by the way," he said, feeling he'd want to get that out of the way.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:47 am
Relieved to see that see that the little one was willing to come along let her breathe a little sigh of relief. Dawn had dealt with many a-child who only went to her den kicking and screaming, and while she was good with pups, she hated seeing them upset. Although she had learned that by being maternal and baby-talking to them, they had a tendency to calm down a bit. It also probably helped that she helped them feel better, but the only problem was when they had something like a thorn or her medicine was less than tasty. However she comforted herself in the fact that they would be healed soon and be able to romp around with the other children.
Dawn made sure to keep pace with him, making sure not to rush him. She didn't want to make his injury any worse. Her ear perked to the side as she heard him speak, and then turned to listen. "Oh, we're going to my medicine den, hon. That way I can take care of that nasty thorn.", she said, her voice still rather fast. Dawn always spoke faster when she was worried.
"My name is Dawnflower, nice to meet you!" she said cheerfully. She always made a point of being friendly with her patients. If she were in their fur, she could only imagine how terrible it would feel to be sick or injured and her healer was grouchy.
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you,", she said in a sweet voice that sounded like she would have given him a pat on the head if they weren't walking.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:49 am
Duskback had seemed rather calm this whole time, really. Overwhelmed, perhaps, but calm. Until they were going to the dens. Oooooh why did it have to be the dens. He stopped walking altogether. "You sure we have to go all the way to the dens, Ms. Dawnflower?" he asked with the most pleasant, "please let me out of it" smile he could muster. "I mean, I don't want to waste your time going all the way back there! Don't you have what you need in that pouch there?" He asked, extending his paw towards the zebra-skin sac around her neck. "And besides, even if you don't, I'm sure I can get it out myself, honestly! I didn't mean to be a burden to you at all."
He could only hope he was convincing, but there were no guarantees. What would he do if he got back to the dens? Slink along behind her? He wouldn't go back there, no he wouldn't. He had a reputation to upkeep. He looked up at her hopefully, certain that his little point had been convincing enough to remain here.
((Sorry for the vanishing act. *got pulled away by parents for chores and errands; is getting pulled away again* DX))
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Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:39 pm
Dawnflower walked a few paces before she realized her young patient was behind her, having been distracted, trying to figure out the best way to sterilize the puncture. Hm... Perhaps tea tree oil? Anyway, that was beside the point if she couldn't get to all her supplies.
Listening intently, she slowly nodded, an eyebrow cocked, and her eyes lowering knowingly. Dawn may be neurotic, but she was no fool, and she could tell that he didn't want to avoid her help for not wanting to burden her. She had handled many proud, fully grown dogs that would not be seen in her care if they had lost two legs! Dawn was not really a fan of pride, but she decided to cut him some slack for being polite about it, and for being so young. "Hm... I see.", she murmured, deep in thought. Her eyes shot open brightly as she figured out what to do. "I've got it! I have just the thing! And lucky for you, it is in my bag. Stretching the pouch open with her paw, she pulled out some red berries, placing them on a nearby rock. Dawn then went on to crushing it with her paws. The fruit released a deep crimson liquid as she pressed down on them.
"Duskback, could you come here for a moment?", she asked kindly, and then smearing the scarlet juice generously over his back leg, and rubbing his fur against its natural lay a bit. Taking a step back, she admired her work. His back leg looked matted with blood. It was a touch thin to be blood, but at a passing glance, it would do. And as for pups, they usually hadn't bled enough to know the exact look as she did.
Licking her paw, she said, "This is called Miracle Fruit. It's not really that useful for medicine, and it makes sour things taste sweet, but in this case, it works as makeshift blood! Now you look seriously injured, but you'll still only have a slight limp, so you'll look tough. And most would find you a fool if you refused to get treated with a wound like that. So now will you go back to the dens so I can treat you?"
((Fun fact, Miracle Fruit actually does exist, make sour foods sweet, and is native to Africa ;3))
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:34 am
((I knew about the miracle fruit, but I didn't know it was in Africa! Coolies~ XP))
He didn't know what she meant by "I see," but it didn't sound like a response to "I don't want to be a pain." That would elicit the response of, "no, it's fine," or "alright, see you later!" Did she see through him? Was he that obvious? That was rude of him, and he blushed under his fur. She didn't seem upset, though, she seemed confident. He quirked a brow and padded after her slowly in curiosity as she pulled something out of her bag and started to work on it. Would she not have to take him to the dens?
He listened as she explained her plan, and a grin grew across his face as the idea dawned on him too. Coming back to the pack unharmed was one thing, but being able to walk the way he could with so much "blood" on his leg would earn him some points of reputation. He just couldn't turn that down. "You got it, Dawnflower!" he said, letting her smear it. It felt pretty good, actually, it was cooled off his dark fur in the sun. "You're really brilliant, Dawnflower, this is the best plan ever!" He said, suddenly much more malleable. He'd go to the dens contentedly now. Actually, he'd run to the dens, as long as none of his friends or siblings got to investigate.
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