
The canyon was damp and humid with evaporating rain. It had been an hour since the storm had passed, but its presence could still very much be felt. Floodwater ran quickly over ground where it could not be absorbed, collecting into dark, muddy pools. Birds were busy pecking for unhappy insects. In the distance beyond the cliffs, Sanuye could hear the faint roaring of thunder. It seemed to say, "I was there, but now I am here," like a precocious child. Sanuye couldn't help but smile.
Doing her best to dry her still-dripping mane, the mare tried her best to lay her braids out beside her where they could catch the most sun. She rarely removed her braids, and she was convinced that undoing them now wouldn't help them to dry any faster. The clouds had drastically thinned, leaving her confident that her hair and coat would be dry as a bone, like usual, within the hour. It was a nice excuse to relax and not have to think about anything. She didn't often get those chances, but then again, that might've been her own fault. Worrying about what the day would bring seemed to be her prerogative, however much she despised that. But now...yes, now she would relax.
Eyes closing, Sanuye kept the peaceful smile on her lips where she rested, ears shifting now and then to catch the sounds of the earth and its life. She inhaled slowly and deeply, attempting to rid herself of tension, but then she happened to smell something that startled her eyes open.
Blood.
Rising slowly to her hooves, Sanuye nudged her medicine satchel over her head and felt her nostrils flare on their own as they tried to catch the scent. When they had, she moved toward it, cautiously open to any other scents that could come along with it...scents that may signal danger. But then...someone could still be in trouble. She continued on. It didn't take her long to find her target--a deep shelf carved under one of the cliff-sides. It was the epitome of a perfect shelter, although low-falling. She'd have to crawl to get in. And judging by the blood pattern mingling with rain water, that's exactly what the injured creature had done. Sanuye smelled the blood more and found that it belonged to another Soquili. Without much more thought, she fell to her knees and inched deeper into the cave-like space. When she got a little farther in, she saw that the opening widened into an area large enough for a few Soquili to stand and walk around in. But before she could stand up herself, her eyes found what she had been seeking--the injured one lying against the back of the cave. But when her eyes met his, she swallowed and remained curiously still. A Kalona...someone who might not want help.
Awkwardly, almost shyly, Sanuye called out, "Do--...do you need help...?" She was sure he did, but whether or not he accepted it...that was another story. She'd cross that bridge if she came to it.