Shit.
Her naivety was bound to catch up to her at some point--Although, this seemed more like bad luck. She had been going along, minding her own business, when BAM, she was suddenly way too close to a Lynx. A Lynx that was very angry to have been startle by a wolf and had lashed out with its claws, leaving three nice gashes across Speedy's shoulder. Luckily, the cat was just as eager to get away as Speedy was, and they both took off in opposite directions without any further injury. Except, not all that lucky for her, as she now had a wound that needed to be dealt with, and it just happened to be in a very hard to reach place.
She was silently cursing herself for being so stubborn and refusing to join a pack. Had she had packmates to help her, this would all be a lot easier. She racked her brain for some creative plan while she made her way to her closest herb cache. At least she had been close enough to the small stash she had kept hidden near the lake she often visited. When she got to the small pile of rocks and branches, she very carefully moved some things out of the way, blood oozing from her wounds with every movement, and the pain causing her to occasionally wince. Finally, she uncovered her well-hidden herb stash and was relieved to see everything she needed. First, she pulled out the elder bark and immediately began chewing and swallowing a large piece. She also pulled out some marigolds, comfrey root, and cowebs; all would be necessary in treating the wound properly. The only problem she had now was figuring out how to apply it to her own shoulder. The majority of the wound was just out of reach, and so it would be pretty much impossible to place anything there with her mouth. She picked up another piece of bark and chewed it as she continued to try and think of a solution to her problem.
She was so concentrated on her task and the pain of her wound, that she didn't even hear the male approach. His words made her jump before she realized it was him. Cadwalader,
she said with a relieved sigh, glad to be in the presence of someone she knew. Um, well, I sort of accidentally surprised a lynx and was met with its claws in response,
she said, a sheepish expression crossing her face. She realized how stupid she sounded right now. She had a bad habit of not always being aware of her surroundings; it was high time it caught up to her and taught her a lesson. Of course, the situation could have been a lot worse, but she was still left with a decent wound that would get infected if not addressed.
It's not too bad,
she lied, glancing down at her lacerated shoulder. Her adrenaline had long worn off, and the gashes were starting to throb. She tried to ignore it and focus on the more important task of how to apply these herbs to the hard-to-reach spot. She looked back to the golden male then, wondering if she could enlist his help. She was torn between asking him and just figuring it out for herself. How weird would it be? 'Hey, we barely know each other, but will you chew these herbs and put them on my wound?' He seemed like a nice a guy and had already offered her a place to stay for the winter, so maybe he wouldn't think it so weird to help her with this; or maybe he would, but she would never know if she didn't ask. I have...a weird question,
she finally said with strained smile.
She nodded her head, Yeah, they're much smaller than the mountain lions I've seen, but their claws hurt just the same.
She usually tried to stay far away from any other predator she scented, but when she wasn't paying attention like she should, stupid shit happened.
When Cadwalader agreed to help without even hearing what her request was, she wanted to kiss his cheek but refrained. Instead, she gave him a grateful smile and answered, I need some help applying a couple things to these wounds to keep them from getting infected and to stop the bleeding.
She looked towards the flowers and the cobwebs on the ground next to her. Those golden flowers need to be chewed and applied to the wounds,
she explained. She gave him a apologetic look and added, I'm sorry. I would do it myself, but I can't reach the area very well.
she watched his expression after she had given him her request to gauge his reaction and said nothing else, waiting patiently for his answer.
She laughed a little. His request wasn't quite what Speedy had expected, but even through his roughness, she felt the concern there. She had to admit it was nice that he seemed to really care. Don't worry, I don't intend to,
she replied with a small smile. She never wanted to see a cat of any kind ever again. This wound hurt and was going to put a damper on things for a little while.
She shuffled a little uncomfortably on her front feet and looked away when he asked if she had found a place to settle yet. She had a feeling he wasn't going to be very happy with her answer I am still on my own,
she replied. I have a few options, but I haven't decided yet,
she added, risking a glance at his face to see what emotion she would find there. She really was going to settle eventually, but she still had a little time left to enjoy her freedom. She wasn't going to join a pack before she absolutely had to, no matter how stupid it seemed to others.
Although it was brief, she did not miss the disappointment that crossed his face when she answered his question. She wasn't surprised to see the expression there. His concerns were valid, but she still had some time. She sighed when he mentioned the approaching winter weather. She had noticed the days getting colder and colder, her southern coat not offering much in the way of warmth. I know winter is close, but I still have a little time before I have to make a decision,
she replied. The concept of snow was not very appealing to her, and the thought of being caught in it was pretty unpleasant. Well, she assumed it would be. She had actually never even seen real snow before. It sounded wet and cold, which were two of her least favorite things.
He once again offered her safe harbor for the winter. She followed his cerulean gaze to the mountains in the distance as he talked about the pack he had joined. It was only then that she realized his scent was mixed with the scents of other wolves that she assumed were packmates. That's very nice of you to offer,
she replied with a warm smile. She would like to get to know him more and try and meet the wolf inside the walls he so clearly had up. She suspected it would take a while to really get to know him, so it would give her something to look forward to while she was stuck in a pack for a few months, assuming he let her in at all. It sounds like a nice place,
she added a moment later. Maybe I will make my way there soon.
she said. I plan on making you my friend, though, so I hope you're prepared for that,
she informed him with a shy, teasing smile. She was stubborn, too, so she had every intention of doing exactly what she promised should she end up joining his pack.
She was not surprised by his subtle disagreement with her plans, but she didn't really need him to approve of what she did. She didn't remark on it, though. She knew it most likely came from a good place, and as annoying as it was that he thought she didn't know what she was doing, she appreciated his concern. Besides, she had gotten along this far and managed to stay mostly in one piece--aside from the wound currently throbbing slightly on her shoulder. She would really be more careful going forward. The run in with the cat had scared her enough to make her realize how stupid it was to not be fully aware of her surroundings at all times, especially when wandering around on her own. She had been incredibly lucky that Cadwalader was the one to find her while she was somewhat vulnerable and not someone wishing to cause her further harm.
Speedy grinned, her golden eyes filled with amusement. She liked that she had put the teasing half-smile on his generally serious face. Nope. You don't,
she said, lifting her chin in a playfully self-satisfied manner. It's good you realize that now,
she added, lowering her chin to smile at him again. Her expression turned more serious, then. I really do appreciate you helping me,
she told him. It would have been quite the painful ordeal had she been forced to tend to her wound alone. As much as she hated it, it was becoming more and more apparent that she was better off in a pack than as a lone wolf.
A yawn opened her mouth wide and pushed her ears against her head, surprising her. She shook her head after, wincing a little as the movement jostled her injury a bit. The run in with the cat and the adrenaline rush that accompanied it had taken a lot out of her apparently. Sorry,
she said, sleepily. I should probably find somewhere to rest,
she finished, rising to her feet. There were a couple spots around here she could rest for a bit without being found; she had become kind of an expert at finding those kinds of places. Thank you for your help, Cadwalader,
she said, a warm smile returning to her face. Don't be surprised of you find me calling for an audience at your borders soon,
she added, her tail wagging a little with the statement. She didn't move anywhere just yet, though, in case he had anything else he wanted to add before they parted ways again.