Silvertip Mountain How funny it’ll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downward

@Merrick @Aventus

She moved through the evergreens, tracking the scent of Ursus until she found herself nearing the border. She should feel nervous or afraid of what might happen, but all she felt was peace. Ever since handing her life over to the spirits of the bears, she found that following their will always led her to the place she needed to be. 

It had been a hard lesson to learn. They had needed to break her completely before her mind would allow them inside. And at her lowest point, they had enveloped her and given her the tools to pick herself up and move forward. 

She would explain this to Merrick and Aves, and whatever happened next would be what was meant to happen; she knew that to be true in the deepest parts of her soul.

A large wound ran along the left side of her head, just above her ear. It was healing and scabbed over now, but it still throbbed from time to time as it did now. She ignored it and lifted her muzzle to call for Merrick and Aves.

arielle reappeared, angelic, wounded. merrick blazed from the woodland and stood before her.
"what has led you home?" his gaze flared over all the centimeters of her fading wound, and he wondered through what event she had come to be wounded as the rest of ursus.

Merrick was the first to answer her call, and uncertainty flashed in her heart, piercing her calm for a moment; what if he didn't believe her? She swallowed and dipped her head, ears falling submissively as he spoke. Arielle could feel his piercing gaze as he studied her head injury—and then her fear was gone. There was a similarity between the spirit that gripped her mind and the energy of his presence; she felt they were almost one in the same, like he had merged with their deity in some way. 

She straightened some but was careful not to meet his eye. I was exploring, she started. Near the glacier to the west. The rocks there are slippery— She paused as the memory resurfaced. In the moments when she fell towards the earth, she had been sure she would die. But she hadn't felt anything when faced with the end of her life. There had been no fear or regret—just numbness. I fell from a cliff and injured my head. For days I suffered. She had no emotion as she spoke, like she were telling some one else's story. I was sure I would die there, but then I heard her, she continued. She was old and wise, and she watched from high up on the cliffs. Suddenly, she had known where to go. She guided me to a meadow, and there I found plants to treat my wound. I gained knowledge to bring back to Ursus. She paused and drew in a long, quiet breath, her expression serene. 

It was all meant to happen, she told Merrick. It was the only way I could understand.

merrick listened. she had endured a great tribulation in their service. he watched her expression smooth from its tension, until she spoke the name of ursus. there the lantern-flame was stoked, and merrick looked at arielle with a long moment passing them both.
"this is your home. you returned to us, so you too feel that it is." the words were spoken with confidence. 
"the bear led you away, and brought you back." his lips were a trembling, ecstatic line. "what knowledge do you bring?"

Merrick understood—of course he did. He was the one to first open her eyes to the power and spiritual energy that resided within Ursus. So of course he would need no further explanation. He understood this was where she was meant to be. He was curious about what she had learned, and Arielle was eager to tell him.

I treated my own pain and nausea while down in the meadow, she explained. I learned how to stave off infection. If she hadn't, then she wouldn't be here. 

She paused and looked over her shoulder. I brought some of the plants home with me. Unless he stopped her, she would turn and trot away, returning within a few moments to set a bundle of plants at Merrick's paws. The meadow is a two day trip from here, but I plan to search closer and see if I can find something similar. She sighed and frowned a little. It may take some trial and error unfortunately. She would prefer not to practice on her packmates but unless she found a different way to test plants against certain illnesses, she didn't see another way. 

Her energy seemed to wane then. She didn't normally talk this much and her healing wound seemed to demand a lot from her. But she was passionate and dedicated, so she pushed through the fatigue.

arielle spoke of things beyond merrick's knowing.
he knew that healing was an art and listened eagerly, but not until she spoke of testing did the bearwolf's tattered ears lift. "perhaps i can be of service to you in this," he ventured pleasantly.
for now, the man straightened. "rest. eat. explore this new world. i will seek you out."
unluckily, many things would happen in the weeks to come, but this was not yet known. merrick waited to see if arielle had any response, and if not, meant to turn and meander back to their prisoner.