Bearclaw Valley And now there'll be no time to play

She came to stillrift with a plan—another way for @Indra III to prove herself worthy of the bear. 

She had tossed and turned against Aves the night before, gripped firmly by a vivid dream. She had seen the mother bear again, this time she had been staring into the clear mirror of the channel. Her reflection had shifted and become the bear woman. Then the ursine had risen from the water and pinned the bruin-heart down on her back. The large jaws had moved deliberately through the fur of her neck until they found the perfect spot. She felt the pain of teeth in the crook of her neck and grinned; the bruin-heart knew this was a gift, something for the healer to take and use in her learning. 

When she had woken, her skin throbbed where the bear's teeth had been in her dream; a bruise would form there in the shape of a bite. She had immediately risen and headed towards the bloodstain. 

Arielle climbed down into the rift and took a seat. Indra? she called sweetly, her heart fluttering with excitement.

It had been some time since the woman had visited. Indra didn't know how long exactly. She had tried to count the days but, when the sun came up and caught her there within stillrift, the warmth tempted her to sleep. It was hard to resist the warmth of the sun.
She came, she called, and Indra heard the goodness in their voice which was attractive; she was greedy for attention, affection, kindness — and so she came out from hiding within moments, drawn to where Arielle waited.

Indra did not keep her waiting, and that earned her a smile and if she allowed, a brush of the bruin-heart's nose over the top of her head. She needed to soften the girl to her more before continuing with what she had planned. 

I have a very important job for you, Arielle told her. It will help prove your loyalty to the bear and it will help Ursus. 

She studied the girl's face as she waited for her response.

A job? Nobody had ever given her a job before. Hearing this perked Indra up a little, focused her attention.
If this was something that would free her from stillrift, she'd do it. If it brought her closer to freedom, food, or the comfort of a normal life, she'd do it.
What is it?
The lady was warm towards her today; she showed tenderness in the way she brushed Indra's fur. It was physical contact that the touch-starved girl had been yearning for, all these weeks. The smallest touch — it reminded her of better days.

I am the healer of Ursus, Arielle started, pleased with the eagerness she could sense from the girl. I have been experimenting with new treatments and I need to test them out.

She paused and smiled. Your job is to be my test subject. We can wound you over my altar and offer your blood to the bear. Then I will try my new treatments; they should help with your pain and keep the wound from getting infected.

She stood and looked expectantly at Indra. Do you think you can do that? The only acceptable answer was yes, but she needed the bloodstain to come to that on her own.

Before the woman could explain the details to Indra, the girl had convinced herself that she'd do anything; but when it was explained to her and she came to some understanding over her role in this job, she faltered immediately.
Wound me -- you want to hurt me? She wasn't afraid of that, or offended. Her tone was lacking emotion as she soaked those words up.
Will it, um, hurt a lot? There was a slight tremble to Indra's voice, betraying a fear she did not know how to contain.

Her answer was not what the bruin-heart wanted to hear, but she supposed it was logical to want to know how much it would hurt when you were not yet worthy of the bear. Her expression hardened and she let silence fall between them for a few moments. 

Sometimes we have to sacrifice our own comfort in order to please the bear, Arielle explained. I can't tell you how much it will hurt because everyone is different. The wound will not be anything serious, though.

Follow me, she said, her voice holding none of the warmth from before. We have much to do. She didn't have to follow, of course, but it would look poorly on her part if she stayed.

Sacrifices had to be made.
Indra didn't understand that. She didn't know what a sacrifice was, not really. It was just a word to her. If she had known more maybe she'd have fought against the pull of fate a little bit harder. All she saw now was the woman turning to leave - all she heard was the prompt to follow, which had been given by the other adults who had come to visit her, and she had been trained to obey without thinking too deeply.
As Indra fell in to step after the lady and they climbed along stillrift's edge, she was huffing and puffing a little bit. Halfway along Indra came upon a thought and deliberated if she should voice it; ask a question that might turn the woman against her, somehow.
She decided to be brave and ask.
Have you -- did you sacrifice? Indra watched the dirt as she asked this, but spared a few tiny glances to the lady in case she lashed out somehow. There was no reason to expect such a reaction except, somehow, Indra sense something dangerous about her.

Indra redeemed herself a little by following despite the fact that she knew what was to come. There was silence as they climbed out of the rift. It wasn't until they had started to make their way to the altar that the girl spoke. She wanted to know if Arielle had sacrificed. Yes, she answered. I have sacrificed safety and comfort, and I have known pain. But it has all been worth it. The bear always has a reason for what it demands. Her hardest sacrifice yet had been to watch her mate suffer while he healed from his injuries. 

The smell of decay was even stronger now; it beckoned them closer. 

The altar was a peaceful place; she had spent many quiet hours here. Today, the sight was lovely. The coyote was a heap of fur and bones; maggots wriggled under the fur and flies buzzed around their heads. The rabbit was in similar shape. Every part of the decaying process was important. The three bloody pawprints painted the stone around the decomposing creatures. Arielle grinned and took in the sight for a few moments. 

Then she turned to Indra. Where would you prefer to be wounded? she asked. She would give her a choice in that.

The woman expected something from Indra. The girl wasn't sure what exactly, only that she needed to give something up; the last time they were here she'd given up the rabbit and this time, as they hadn't brought anything, Indra could only guess what was to come next.
Where would you prefer to be wounded? The woman asked. Their full attention was upon Indra; the girl wanted to shrink down and hide beside the altar as if it were one of the stones within stillrift.
This wasn't the way to please the woman. This wasn't the way to gain her freedom. So she sucked in a breath and stood tall. By now Indra had grown in to her full size and was a lean, sharp thing, all leg.
Leg. She looked down at herself and marched in place for a second or two, trying to decide where would be best. Fearing for her face, she muttered: Leg, my... my leg. Maybe here? And she lifts one forearm then another, full of nervous energy.
Just be happy, she willed in to the universe; —be happy with me.

Indra lifted her forearm and stated that it was where she chose to be wounded. Arielle smiled and nodded. She could tell the bloodstain was nervous, but ignored it; she would learn soon enough that pain was often a part of life with the bear. Place your chosen leg on the altar so that we can offer your blood to the bear, the bruin-heart directed. Once the girl had done as she was asked, Arielle reached down and grasped Indra's leg between her jaws. The healer pinched the flesh between her teeth and then pulled back quickly. Blood flowed down the girl's leg and onto the stone of the altar while Arielle watched reverently. Indra would have a limp while the wound healed but she would be fine after that. 

When the bruin-heart was satisfied with the amount of blood Indra had offered, she stood. Good job, Indra, she said softly. Now follow me and I will take you to mosskeep; it is where I keep all of my herbs. I can tend to your wound there.

There was no way to know what to expect. The woman took the offered limb and placed it upon the altar; the stone face of the tableau was cold and smooth, and the woman's touch was warm, even when she grasped for Indra's limb with her teeth.
This was one of the rare moments of physical contact within this strange place. Indra would try to remember this; it was a lesson like any other moment, but more importantly she was touch-starved and would endure whatever was necessary for that contact.
Until those teeth dragged through her skin. The shock of the initial wound made Indra's eyes water and she stared, horrified, as blood welled up across her fur and stained it a deep crimson. She felt dizzy at the sight of it. The pain came after, threatening to sweep her feet out from under her. Indra focused through the sheen in her eyes. She held the urge to cry at bay with the grit of her own teeth.
The woman was talking.
Something about -- tend, tending -- moss, herbs. Help. Indra withdrew her limb when she was able and nodded furiously, her tears catching in the fur of her cheeks. Follow her. Follow her and she'd be cared for.

Indra followed her silently. There was no complaining, which the bruin-heart thought was a good sign. She had seen the tears on the girl's face but ignored them. 

When they arrived at the medicine den, the healer ushered Indra inside and stopped to look over her concoctions. She pointed her nose to the tincture at the end closest to the bloodstain. Drink from that one, she told her. It should help with the pain. 

Assuming she did as she was told, Arielle turned to gather a couple plants. She set them down on the ground as she waited for Indra to finish. Only a few licks, she instructed.

Moving with the lady at the helm of their little procession, Indra struggled to keep up with the new wound to her leg, and she didn't have the focus necessary to see where they were going or to try and find the pretty things along the way, as she might have back home. The trip wasn't long — but to Indra it felt endlessly arduous — and when given the instruction to hunker down in the medicine den, Indra was all too glad to obey.

The woman showed her some pockets of water; Indra didn't know what else to call the strange little dug-outs with their little collections. One in particular would help with the pain, she said, and as Indra moved to drink from it a second warning was presented: Only a few licks.

With a watery-eyed stare plastered on her face, the girl nodded and then dipped her snout towards the nearby water caught in the earth, and drank carefully.

Okay, that's enough, she told Indra when she thought she had ingested enough of the tincture. 

Come over here so I can clean your wound and apply a poultice to keep it from getting infected, she instructed next. And let me know when the pain is better. Her tone was business-like as she shifted into healer mode. 

She picked up a piece of moss and held it in the spring, then she turned to face the girl who was presumably sitting in front of her now. If she allowed, Arielle would begin to clean the wound.

The water was almost sweet. It wasn't familiar, whatever that medicinal taste was, and Indra was slow to drink, so when the lady told her to stop she obeyed.

Then the girl was instructed to move and settled promptly before the woman. In time perhaps the tincture would take effect - for now Indra was fixated on the physical attention of the woman.

It was rare in this place. Softness, kindness; affection by any other name. Indra was obedient and watchful, greedy for the attention and happy - for the first time in weeks - truly happy.

When she was done cleaning the wound, the bruin-heart stepped away for a moment. She picked up a different piece of moss and dipped it another tincture. She moved to sit in front of the girl and placed the new moss over the wound, then she held it there with her paw. This needs to sit for a moment. It should stave off any infection. She hoped this would work because it would mean no more chewing poultices. She did worry that it wouldn't stay on the wound long enough like a poultice might, but this was why she was testing it out. 

She watched the bloodstain carefully, silent for a few moments. You did well, Indra, she praised. The bear will be pleased. She would be sure to let Merrick know of the girl's advancement, as well.

When the woman placed a new bundle of moss upon the wound it stung, but Indra endured the pain for the sake of physical contact. She was quickly learning that pain could be endured for better things; that this minor grievance would net her some attention, or even kindness, which was so important to her.

Praise, too.

That's good, she went on to remark as casually as she could, but to anyone perceptive (such as Arielle) it was obvious that Indra was beaming, in her own way. Will the bear want more? After. When I'm better?

She was wary about the answer - pain wasn't the best, but, having someone care for her so closely was something Indra desperately required. It was the one thing she knew in her heart to be missing from her life.

Indra liked to be praised, something Arielle thought was useful to continue her training. She would use whatever motivated the girl. She noticed how the bloodstain responded to attention, as well. 

Her question was met with a few moments of consideration. Possibly, she answered. It depends on what I learn from using these new medicines and also what the bear wants, she explained. I will know if the bear wants something different. 

You can rest here for a little while until your pain subsides, she offered. She would need to watch over her to know if the tincture worked. She may need to dose her again.

Indra was in awe. She listened, perhaps too intensely for the woman's liking, and while she did not pretend to understand everything about her own situation she was pleased to be of help, especially when it meant the bear would be happy. The bear had saved her and all it wanted now was a little discomfort? Indra was the winner here, she thought, because the pain she felt brought her closer to freedom, and it brought her the company of the woman.

Okay, she murmured in response, and settled in to wait. The stinging of the moss wasn't as bad as the bite itself, and either way Indra was doing her best to appear strong and attentive for her own sake. Maybe if she behaved in a way that made the woman happy, they'd stay with her longer.

Arielle was pleased with how invested the girl was in what she was saying. It showed promise that she could be brought into Ursus with the bear's blessing. So far Indra had done everything she asked without complaint; the bruin-heart was proud.

The healer moved about mosskeep, adding more plants to some of the tinctures, disposing of the used moss outside, and putting any left over herbs back in their places. When she thought it had been enough time, she turned her attention back to Indra. How is the pain? she asked. She was eager to know the results, and it likely showed in her expression.

The lady liked to keep busy from the look of things. Gathering bits and pieces for one puddle or another, hurrying in a purposeful way between piles of greenery or the dried bits hanging from the walls.

Indra remembered another space like this one; she'd gotten a few glimpses of a storehouse with the aid of her brother, who had boosted her high enough to spy, once. It felt like a lifetime ago.

When the lady asked after Indra next, she felt a little groggy, like she had just woken up from a nap. She had no concept of when the affect had started; but the lady was focused on Indra entirely now.

M'sleepy, she half-heartedly answered, having missed the question itself. Arielle had asked about the pain specifically and not Indra, but the girl felt too woozy to differentiate.

That will be from the tincture, Arielle explained. Sleepiness was to be expected. But your pain, is it better? That was what she had been asking after. 

Regardless of the girl's answer, the bruin-heart would add: You can sleep here until the tiredness wears off, then I'll bring you back to stillrift with meds to take every day. She knew Indra liked when she received attention, so she hoped this would motivate her to do as she was told. If she cooperated, the Arielle would be more likely to continue to allow her to help. She would also consider mentoring her and teaching her more about the bear.

Yes, Hm'better, Indra answered with a hesitant nod. She liked how relaxed she felt. The lack of pain was nice too - it wasn't totally gone, and her tummy felt a little funny like there was a fish flopping inside of it and still alive, but it wasn't bad.

The lady said she could go back soon and Indra's focus shifted to her - quickly by her own perception, lethargically otherwise - and from her mouth spilled a truth.

I wanna stay with you. A slow blink came next and Indra drawled, You're... nice, like a big sister. She hadn't thought about it before, but maybe that's what she was missing. It could have been a sister's presence she lacked - a familial face that appeared in her better dreams.

Indra's admission tugged at some part of Arielle's heart that had been long dormant. She didn't care about those who were not hers or were not loyal to the bear. But right now, she was reminded of her own sister, @Lilitu. It had been months since she had seen her, and longer before that. It felt like a different lifetime when she was with her family. Her mom, her dad, her sister—she hadn't thought of any of them in a while. She waited for the guilt to follow that realization, but it didn't come. She wasn't that sweet little girl anymore. 

For a moment, she wasn't sure what to say. She wanted the girl to trust her, but she didn't want her to get to comfortable. 

You can stay with me for now, she finally answered. Now go to sleep. She didn't want to hear anything else about sisters. 

tag for reference <3