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 Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:57 am
 Thais had finally gotten her severely debilitated patient home and settled safely into one of the small dens she used for the injured or sick. She was glad she’d insisted on having a number of small dens attached to her home and work space to tend those under her care. Everything she might need was right under paw, and if anyone needed help during the night she would be right there.
Of course healing was hard on her patients too. She glanced sadly at the leopard that was currently her only case. A broken leg was no small matter. It would be many moons before Kyriaka was healed enough to venture out without support. They had been lucky the lioness with healing knowledge had found them out there, and fixed her leg before Thais had even shown up.
It was time to continue care for her patient. She directed her jackal familiar to gather up what she’d need.
Emilija moved calmly and efficiently around the den where all the herbs were stored. On a broad leaf she placed herbs to promote healing, support for the bone, and most importantly herbs to ease pain. It was important the leopardess sleep easily to speed healing. A practiced flick of her paw mixed the herbs together. A few more deft movements and she had the leaf folded up into a little bag to carry with the herbs safely inside.
She nodded to the wild dog and followed her over toward the den where the leopard had been settled. Emil had been pleased to note, the leopard had a familiar of her own. One that was large enough to be useful if she needed help. She set the leaf bundle before the leopardess where it opened like a flower.
 Kyriaka was exhausted and it showed. It had been an agonizing moment to have her broken leg set by the unbelievably large lioness. Then she’d had to take a seemingly endless trip in a painful haze to get back home. Luckily the healer and her own familiar were enough to take most of her weight, however, each movement, each step, was painful and had cost her.
She was lying awkwardly. Her front right leg held straight in its splint. Her head rested against the support of Iphi. The healer pair had seen her somewhat settled, and then gone off somewhere. Kyriaka felt depression setting in as she wondered what she was going to do with herself now. Footsteps returning made her look up. The wild dog was back and her jackal familiar laid a leaf before her. She stared blankly at the dried pieces of herbs before her.
She was tired. Iphigeneia didn’t think she’d ever worked so hard before. It was all for a good cause though. Her partner had to get home somehow, and working with the healer had made it easier for everyone. Still! She was pooped now. The maned wolf had lain down beside the leopardess who used her for a pillow.
Iphi flicked her ears as she heard the returning paw steps. With a gentle nose she helped Kyriaka sit a little straighter. It was obvious the pair wanted the leopard to eat the herbs, although it hadn’t appeared to occur to her yet.
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:19 pm
A serious injury like this would probably cause some emotional issues, she knew. She’d deal with them once they got to that point. For now she wanted to healing to get a good start. “Eat the herbs Kyriaka. They will help you sleep.” Among other things. She could tell despair had already settled upon her patient.
“Rest and recuperation is what you need now. It will take some moons for your leg to heal.” She watched until the leopard had reluctantly licked up all the leaf fragments. It would take a little while for the medicine to take effect. Until it did, she would remain with her patient. The lioness had done a good job on the leg by the time Iphi had fetched her and she thought Kyriaka would be able to hunt again once she healed. It would be a matter of convincing her of that.
It was a good team that acted as a well-oiled pair. While Thais dealt with the leopard, Emil turned her attention to the maned wolf. She moved to the other side to speak with her. The leopardess was lucky. She had a friend to help tend her. There were some members still searching for a familiar.
“Iphi there is a part for you to play in all this. You will be her paws while she is recuperating. If you feel you can’t handle what she needs, don’t hesitate to come find me or Thais. That’s what we’re here for.” As Thais’ only patient, the leopardess would probably be doted upon by everyone, but if more injured should arrive, then more duties would fall upon the maned wolf. Particularly if the other didn’t have a familiar.
She was supposed to eat that stuff? Ugh. Her face twisted into one of displeasure. Wasn’t she suffering enough? Well sleep sounded appealing at least. Reluctantly, the leopardess licked the leaf clean of its dose of herbs. They tasted frankly awful.
Maybe the wild dog thought she was being encouraging, saying it’d take moons to heal, but it only made her feel worst. “What if I can’t hunt? How will I help my pride?” She’d taken so much pride in being a part of this new pride and able to help support others. It didn’t feel so good on the other foot. Her attention was momentarily grabbed by the jackal speaking with Iphi. So she was to be her nursemaid? At least she had something useful to do.
Iphi felt sympathy at the terrible tasting herbs. She gave the jackal most of her attention when she came over. It wasn’t a speech she’d expected. Slowly she nodded as she thought about what the jackal was pointing out. There was only these two as healers, far as she knew. Thankfully the pride didn’t have many injuries, but if they did, this duo would be very busy.
“So what? I bring her food and water?” She hazard a guess. There didn’t seem like there would be much work per se for her to do. Iphi figured Kyriaka would spending most of her time asleep anyhow.
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:29 pm
She sat down and tilted her head at the leopardess waiting until she’d finished her medicine. It unfortunate wasn’t one that encouraged lingering over it. Thais often didn’t sweet coat her medicines to discourage those who might fake or not really need them. They’d have to really want them to eat them.
“I’m going to check that your leg wasn’t jarred on the way here.” The wild dog moved carefully around the leg to inspect and feel it. “As for you, even if by some means you aren’t able to hunt again then we will find something for you. There is plenty to do around the pride.” She finished her exam and sat back down. “It’s still set well, unless you do something to jar it loose.”
Thankfully, Iphi didn’t disparage the plan right away. Emilija nodded. “Food, water, and clean up after her. Later you’ll be helping her to travel to the pit to relieve herself, but for now we want her to stay here.” It was a bit gross if one thought about it. But the leopard would be in danger of getting sicker if she wasn’t kept clean.
“I’ll show you a bit later where all the supplies are that you’ll need.” One step at a time. She would probably need to show how to do it the first couple of times. Kyriaka was lucky that it had been her front leg that had been broken. She’d practically be able to lift her back end without too much help. Although she might be embarrassed at first.
It felt like she was much too young to be a crotchety old elder. If that was her fate, she’d get plenty of practice in the next couple of months. Kyriaka faintly heard what the familiars were talking about and didn’t want to think about it too hard. That problem hadn’t even occurred to her yet!
She turned her attention back to Thais. Great more poking and prodding. The leopardess nodded slowly and closed her eyes until the worst was over. She was cheered just a little bit by the wild dog’s firm words. “But what?” Most jobs she knew were physically demanding. How could they find anything?
Oh ew. That thought had not occurred to her. Fetching food and water made good enough sense and it was an easy and clean job. They’d been an independent pair and given each other privacy in that respect. Kyriaka wasn’t going to have any secrets by the time she was healed.
At least getting to the pit would be easier and she could leave her there to do her business and return to fetch her once she was done. This would be awkward on both their parts. She sighed and nodded. The healers might not be around all the time. They were friends as well as partners. This would just be a test of that bond. That was how she was going to look at it.
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:50 pm
Keeping her patient calm and quiet for the next few weeks would ensure a good start to the setting and healing. Thais planned to use her medications and the soothing features of the familiars to help with this. The other aspect as she knew was moral. It would be all too easy for her patient to feel sorry for herself. Between the three of them, they should be able to keep her spirits up.
The leopardess was persistent. “We must wait to see how your leg heals before we can decide what you can or can’t do.” She planned to have the leopardess back out hunting by the end of her treatment, but she didn’t want to give false hope.
Emilija was satisfied with what she saw. They looked like they had as good a pairing as Thais and herself did. If this didn’t shatter it, nothing would. She saw the nod and knew the maned wolf understood her tasks. With her business with other familiar settled, she turned her attention back to the main conversation.
The leopard was resilient if she was already asking questions instead of sleeping. She felt there was a good chance of her healing up well. Provided they could keep her still long enough to heal. “And Iphi, don’t let her do too much right away. She needs to take it easy on that leg.”
It wasn’t the answer Kyriaka had hoped for. She’d hoped the healer would tell her now. Thais’ explanation of waiting to see how her leg healed held some logic. It would be hard to tell what her leg would bear right now. First bone healing, then she’d need to recondition the muscles in her leg.
She sighed and laid her head back down. The herbs she’d eaten were starting to work. Her eyes felt heavy and droopy. At least the pain was starting to ease. There would be plenty of time when she wasn’t sleeping for her to also put her mind into finding possible alternatives to hunting.
The jackal seemed content. Iphi turned her attention back to the others, and caught the tail end of their conversation. She could see why it’d worry Kyriaka. What the leopardess was able to do would affect her as well. Emil had one last direction for her. She nodded, that probably wouldn’t be too hard at first. Once Kyriaka was half healed would be another matter. "Right. I'll do my best."
She could see the herbs were finally beginning to work. Iphi laid down and settled against the leopard’s side to provide support and warmth while she slept. She was going to have a lot of time to herself.
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:16 pm
Thais was pleased with the way things were going so far. Kyriaka had things to keep her mind occupied instead of fretting too much when she was awake. She could see that the medications were finally starting to take full effect. “Rest now and we’ll be back to check on you later.” She nodded to the maned wolf. Some time later she needed to have a conversation with the leopard’s familiar. See where she stood on it all.
“I’m ready Emilija,” she said to her own jackal as she rose to her feet. Her patient was in good paws for now. Quietly she turned and left.
With the last of her advice dispensed she also rose to her paws and moved back beside the wild dog. Surely there would be questions later, but all was quiet for now. Emil smiled at the sleepy leopardess. She’d be back on her paws in no time, and surely driving them to distraction long before that.
“As am I,” she replied to the healer. With a quick wave to the maned wolf, Emil followed. They would probably need to check the stores of herbs were sufficient for a while or they would be making a trip out to collect more.
There wasn’t much Kyriaka could do with the drugs dragging her down to sleep. She let herself float and relax. It was much easier without the throbbing pain in her leg to keep her awake. Add to the fact that Iphi had settled beside her; keeping that one side comfortable and warm. She was the best friend she could have possibly asked for.
It was easy now to follow the healer’s directions and let herself drift off to sleep. There’d be plenty more to occupy her mind once she woke again.
If it came down to it, she’d put her mind to figuring out what they could do even if Kyriaka had a bum leg. There’d be plenty of time and her mind wouldn’t be clouded with drugs. The den slowly warmed up around them, and she could feel the leopard’s breathing slow as she drifted off. It was quite a comfortable set up they had here.
Maybe it wouldn’t hurt if she took a nap too. It had been a lot of work to get them back after all. Iphi rested her head down on her paws and closed her eyes.
Fin
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