Redhawk Caldera My precious

Wildfire was no Healer, yet when the news of @Sebastian's injuries broke, the youngster couldn't resist trying to track down her friend and see how he was doing. She plucked up a bunch of wildflowers en route, mostly to cheer up her wounded friend, though perhaps they could use some of them medicinally too. Suddenly, she wished she had thought to ask Raven to accompany her. But Wildfire hadn't seen much of her sister the past few days. Probably she was taking the latest streak of bad news badly. The child thought fleetingly of Aunt Dove and frowned around the spray of stems in her mouth.

But she had never felt particularly endeared to the pale, supercilious woman. Focusing her thoughts on Sebastian instead (if a built guiltily), Wildfire trotted through the pack's territory, following her Aunt Magpie's scent. She was said to be helping him heal. When she thought she smelled the gray Delta (and all his bloody cuts and scrapes), Wildfire slowed, gently set the flowers at her feet and called, "Seb...?"

Since it was summer Sebastian was rather fond of sleeping outside. Luckily for him @Dove and @Magpie tended his wounds and made a softer bed for him to lie on. Sebastian decided that he needed his rests. His wounds would need healing. He hoped they wouldn't scar too much, not wanting to look like a soldier coming from war. He didn't want to be that wolf. It might send the wrong impression along with his height. The large tank of a male made the goldenrod poultice himself to help out Magpie. So hopefully his wounds wouldn't be infected. Sebastian was glad that he had constant shade with the big tree he was under.

The grey male was resting when he heard a small voice. He wanted to lift his head but then the wounds on his neck might open again. "Wifi?," he asked. He hadn't seen the girl in awhile, after all the chaos that happened. He had protected her from that Junior, and gave her honey afterwards. Sebastian quirked his lips up a bit when he saw the girl. He kinda felt like a big brother to her. "Hi there," he greeted, eyes falling on the flowers. "Are those for me?" Sebastian turned his lips into a bigger smile, then he was reminded of the three small cuts from Citali's paw. Instantly his smile dropped. Saena did talk about meeting Wildfire right?

I'm gonna assume that Magpie is looking after both Dove and Sebastian in the same place. I hope that works!

Her golden eyes locked onto what looked like a large stone lodged beneath the shade of a tree. Wildfire paused, blinking, nose twitching. Her black tail then began to wag as she snatched up the bouquet again and trotted over to Sebastian. He looked pretty battered, which caused the youngster to frown around the stems in her mouth. Slowly, she set them beside his outstretched paws, nodding when he asked if they were for him.

"Can they help heal you?" she asked hopefully, taking a seat. "Even if they can't... they're pretty, right?" She offered a tight smile, which fell when his face did. He looked to be in so much pain. She whined under her breath, creeping forward so that her belly touched the ground, her paws resting next to his. "Do you hurt a lot? What happened?" she asked quietly. He looked even worse than Aunt Dove, who had been hurt by a gigantic (to her) deer.

All good! <3

Sebastian watched as the girl came closer and placed the flowers close to him. He smiled more softly and moved his nose to it. "I am not sure, I am not that good with plants yet. But there is one though! See the yellow one? That is goldenrod. It helps against infections," Sebastian explained, his voice a bit raw like when Wifi's throat hurt. "They are very pretty. Thank you. You are being such a good and caring packmate," Sebastian complimented and watched her crawl closer. Sebastian reached out gently and then licked over the tip of her nose as a thank you. 

Sebastian cleared his throat. Dove was with him on the infirmary bed. It made him realize how much his pack needed him as an official healer. He would need to step up his game! He would become a doctor and help out his pack members. The large male nodded. "Yes. It hurts a lot," he whispered. "Well.. I was in the North.. visiting a friend. And your half sister Saena or well... you have met her right? Your half sister? She scented that I was from the Caldera and then she wanted to kill me," Sebastian explained, he wasn't going to lie to her. "I know you are an aspiring outrider but you have to promise me that you won't go too far North. Don't go over the mountains. Because I don't want to lose you."

Sebastian indicated that at least one of the wildflowers could be used medicinally, which made her tail thump. He seemed pleased with the gift in general, even paying her a compliment for being so caring. She tucked her muzzle toward her chest a bit bashfully, amber eyes dancing. She then bent forward to press her nose against the side of his muzzle.

"You came and visited me when I was hurt, remember?" she reminded him. She was happy to return the favor. "You're my friend," she told him, in case there was any doubt. Wildfire felt comfortable enough to swipe her tongue over his cheek in a friendly (and hopefully comforting) kiss.

She lapsed into silence as Sebastian explained what had happened. Wildfire felt her blood run cold and her body stiffen when he mentioned another half-sister. She had purportedly met Saena once, though she scarcely remembered that encounter. The fact that she wanted to kill Sebastian caused her lips to part. She barely registered anything he said beyond the words, "...she wanted to kill me."

When silence fell after Sebastian finished, Wildfire did something surprising: she curled her lip and growled low in her throat. Why were her half-sisters so damn murderous? What was their problem? Of course, the child knew next to nothing about her father's dramatic familial history. All she knew was that her dad's older kids were just horrible. If any more of them came around here, threatening the pack, Wildfire would be happy to join the effort to eradicate the rest of them.

These angry thoughts passed through her head, then she relaxed and glanced apologetically at Sebastian. "You won't," she promised, belatedly registering his words. "Mom and dad forbidded me and Nightjar and Raven from leaving the caldera anyway," she told him. "Did you know I'm a Warrior too?" He seemed to know about her Outrider ambitions and they'd already talked about Naturalism in the past, yet she wasn't sure if he knew about her secondary trade. "I'll kick Saena's butt if I ever see her," she grumbled accordingly.

Sorry for the late reply. It was too hot to think in another language.

Sebastian quirked his lips up a bit when the young girl was being so cute. "I remember. I helped your sore throat with the honey," Sebastian returned. The grey male smiled more. "Yes I am your friend," Sebastian agreed. "A very good friend. A big brother good friend. You can always come to me if something is bothering you or want some company. Unfortunately now I can't do much with you. But I promise we will go swimming this summer. You like swimming?" Sebastian wished he could have fun and play at the waterside with Wildfire and maybe her siblings but the large male couldn't move too much right now. His wounds might open again and they just closed.

Sebastian looked a bit surprised when he heard the girl growl. It followed by an apologetic glance. Sebastian nudged her to tell her it was okay. "That is good. It is very dangerous outside the borders right now." The large male was glad that the girl wouldn't wander. Out of all three he felt like Wildfire would actually listen to her father and mother. "I didn't know you were a warrior?," Sebastian sounded surprised. "What an accomplishment! I bet you could!," He encouraged her. He didn't want to crush her dreams. "I want to kick her butt too, but it isn't smart to go look for her. If she comes close to our home again we will both kick hr butt back to where she came from, yes?" Sebastian felt a bit better now Wildfire was cheering him up. She was doing a good job, and probably without knowing. "Does that mean I need to watch out for you now? I am not a warrior so I should watch out you don't kick my butt," he joked a bit. All of this while he was resting on his infirmary bed.

"I want to be a doctor. So I can help the other wolves heal. Do you think I can do it?," he then asked, needing a bit of motivation now he was injured himself.

Sebastian seemed rather delighted by the title and went on a brief ramble that caused Wildfire to smile at him. She listened, only speaking when he asked her if she enjoyed swimming. "Yep, I like swimming a lot," the youngster assured him. "I'd like that," she added, already looking forward to their little pool party.

It appeared he didn't know about her Warrior status. Wildfire bit her lip, trying not to smile like an idiot. He seemed pretty impressed and praised her for her accomplishment. He reminded her that going looking for Saena was not a good idea and the child nodded her understanding. He did tell her he would help her kick Saena's butt if she came around here, then made a joke about being frightened of her. Wildfire rolled her eyes, her lips parting in a wolfish grin.

"I'd never hurt someone in my family," she told him nonchalantly. "Yeah," she added when Sebastian asked about becoming a medic. "You already helped me," she reminded him, then queried, "Did you know Rave's training to be a Healer? Maybe you two could train together?" Even though her sister was young, she was already quite knowledgeable. Perhaps she and Sebastian could learn from one another.

Sebastian wagged his tail when Wifi was so happy, and his tail wasn't something that didn't hurt. He was happy to go swimming with the girl, but that would be for next time. Once he could move a bit better than he did now. He grinned too. He liked to see the girl so happy. He didn't want his poor health to affect her. "Then we go swimming," he agreed soon afterwards.


Sebastian hummed and nudged her playfully. "I know that. I was just implying that you can maybe even defeat me because Saena beat be to pulp," he explained. He didn't want to tell her that she would de be anything like Junior. Maybe that was a bit insensitive from him. He wasn't thinking about what he was saying. But he meant it in a fun way, not in a mean way. 

Sebastian then looked surprised since he didn't know that. "That is an excellent idea! We could exchange knowledge and she can help me when others are injured. I haven't seen her since I am back though? Is she around? If you see her you should tell her that I like to see her. Maybe she can learn from my wounds."

Sebastian reassured her and Wildfire offered a small smile and a nod to indicate she understood. She swallowed when he mentioned again how Saena had beaten him to a pulp. Another wave of anger swept through her, though it passed just like before. She looked idly at her feet, suddenly certain that if she kept training, she could definitely take on her half-sister. Should Saena ever wander this way, Wildfire would mete out just revenge for what Junior had done to her and what Saena had done to Sebastian.

But they moved onto a slightly happier topic and Wildfire grinned at Sebastian's enthusiasm. "I'm not sure where she is," she answered honestly regarding Raven's whereabouts. "She's around here somewhere. Want me to go find her and bring her back here?" the red youngster offered, readying to leave to go collect Raven at Sebastian's word.

Sebastian felt the same way, having his revenge if the female would ever come down south again. He would want to see her dead, see her suffer from wounds he was suffering from now. He was still hurting greatly from his wounds. "I will howl for her tomorrow. Don't break out a pant in this hot weather," he assured. "Thought friendly offered." The male knew that he might be terribly boring to the young girl. 

"You are naturalist, right? Do you know anything about Botany?," he asked curiously. "Maybe there is something I can use as a healer," he spoke, hoping that the young girl might make him learn about healing plants, or maybe plants he should avoid! Maybe even something about the weather that had a connection with certain herbs. 

Rather than send her off in search of her sister, Sebastian insisted he would call for her tomorrow, then launched into an inquiry about Naturalism. Wildfire whirled and seated herself again, nodding at his first question, hesitating slightly, then nodding again at his second. Botany had to do with plants, like biology had to do with animals. She was just getting a handle on all these terms, which were passed onto her mostly by Peregrine. He told her only knew them because of his parents, her grandparents, Aether and March Owl.

"I know a little. I'm still learning." Naturalism was a broad field, after all, and she hadn't focused much on plants in particular. She was more of a biology, geology and topography sort of girl. "Rave's taught me some stuff," she added. "She showed me chicory and snowflowers. They help you heal, I think. Right?"

Sebastian perked up his previously resting ears. "Well, learning is always good. We can learn together," he spoke encouragingly. Wildfire being a naturalist could mean that she only knew about wildlife or maybe only about the weather. Sebastian thought it would be good to talk to her about botany too. Suddenly Sebastian remembered a moment with his mother. She was telling him about snow plants. He was instantly trying to remember what more she told him about plants she had been rather good with them. "I've heard about the latter. Yes! Oh good that you remind me of it!," he spoke to Wildfire. 

He was so close to becoming a healer journeyman. Sebastian felt that he wasn't a complete newbie on the topic of herbs anymore. He was slowly expanding his knowledge into something that could be counted as useful! "Do you know any other plants or maybe mushrooms?," he asked curiously. He could always ask after all. 

His enthusiastic reply confirmed it, earning a small but proud smile from the modest Wildfire. Next, Sebastian wanted to know if she knew anything in particular about any other plants, including mushrooms. She knew what a mushroom was by sight, yet she'd never really done much more than sniff one. She wondered if they were valuable medicinally and decided the only way to find out was to ask.

"Can you use mushrooms to heal? No, I don't know the names of many plants yet," she admitted. Perhaps that was a weakness in her trade that she ought to strengthen. Well, it would be easy enough with Raven and Sebastian around! "But," she continued in the next breath, suddenly remembering something, "I know a little bit about how plants grow. They grow when they get water and sunlight." At the moment, she couldn't recollect who'd told her that... ah, it had been Dove.

As her aunt's name floated through her head, she glanced over at the dozing white she-wolf. She hadn't moved much. Wildfire could see her flank rising and falling. She watched, mesmerized for a few seconds, before her amber eyes blinked back to Sebastian's face.

Sebastian slowly nodded. "Yes definitely. Some a poisonous of course but some can be used for healing but they needed to be treated in a special way. And I don't know that special way," he admitted. But Sebastian wasn't adventurous enough to try really. He wished he would be brave enough but he didn't want to kill himself or anyone else in that process. Maybe there was a mushroom master in these wilds he could learn from. But that was also another obstacle because he wasn't very willing to leave the Caldera anymore. 

"Yes! Very good," he praised again. "This is true, but too much sunlight and less water can dry them out. Have you been to the plains with high grass? That green grass turns yellow at a certain moment due to the sun," he explained. He wasn't sure if Wildfire knew this but if she didn't he might have taught her something today. By doing that he felt at least a bit useful. 

Poisonous wasn't a big part of Wildfire's vocabulary but she understood its meaning vaguely. Sebastian said that mushrooms needed to be handled with special care and knowledge, neither of which he possessed. Of course, neither did she. The pup's ears flattened slightly as she decided not to mess around with mushrooms anytime soon. She didn't want to risk poisoning herself or, worse, somebody else.

It made sense that more sun and less water would result in dryness. Wildfire knew well the sensation of a parched mouth on a hot day, so it followed that plants could also get thirsty, in a way. Of course, her fur didn't change color when that happened (as far as she knew), so she found this tidbit of information interesting and filed it away for future investigation.

All this talk about plants caused a question to form in her brain and Wildfire thought out loud, "Do you think if I could get it sun and water some way, I could grow a plant? Like, pick a place where I want it and grow it myself...?" She was picturing flowers around the mouth of the badger den, for decorative purposes. But she didn't have the first idea how to accomplish such a concept.

Sebastian watched the cute facial expressions of the red female. She looked so much like her mother save for the black in her fur. Sebastian closed his eyes but opened them when she asked her question. Sebastian knew the answer to this, he spoke with this with Citali. So Sebastian showed her a hint of a smile. "Yes you can, and there are two ways you can do it," he explained and clear his throat a bit. "Plants have seeds, so if you dig a hole and put the seed in them, they should grow with enough water. Some seeds need to just lay on the surface though!," he added.

Sebastian took a brief pause. "The second is that you can dig up a plant you like and replant it on the location you like, I was planning to do that with my herbs and healing plants so I have them all in one spot you know? But it is difficult because you can't damage too much of their roots because the roots suck up the water and nutrients, that is their food, though those roots!," he explained. 

Not only did Sebastian confirm the possibility, he began explaining how to accomplish this vision. His first explanation confused her, simply because Wildfire wasn't sure what a seed was, much less where to find one and what to do with it. However, he continued by informing her she could just dig up her plant of choice and replant it where she wanted. That actually made logical sense to the pup. Her lips, previously drawn into a thoughtful line, parted in a smile.

"I think I wanna try that," Wildfire told him when she finished. "Replanting, I mean. I don't really know what a seed is. But I know about roots, kinda." She had dug enough to know about those crazy, twisty tendrils that that buried themselves in the earth, locking a plant in place. She hadn't know about the part where the plants soaked up nutrients via the roots. "I didn't know that's how they ate or drank or whatever. Plants are pretty cool." In other words, she would need to spend more time focusing on them.

Her amber eyes glanced at the bouquet she had brought him. Could she take back one or two to replant? But that would be mean, wouldn't it? Besides, she hadn't been careful about the roots at all. She had just plucked them by the stem. They were no good for replanting. Well, there were many more wildflowers where those ones had come from, so she would be sure to select a few to try to replant around the mouth of the badger's den.

But back to Sebastian: "How long do you have to stay here? Do you get bored?" After all, he was sort of stuck just lying around, with only the (always unconscious) Dove for company. Well, Magpie too.

Sebastian had to chuckle lightly at his own inside joke when Wildfire innocently spoke of not knowing seeds. Maybe it was good she didn't know.. that. Sebastian had to laugh at his own joke a bit and then he smiled more genuinely. "To have new plants, plants have a way of spreading their seeds, which will fall on the bottom and then grow into new plants. Once I can walk a bit I will show you were to find them, yes?," he asked. Wildfire would know more about plants in no time with Sebastian eager to give her lessons and wanting as much knowledge for himself. He really wanted to become a good doctor. And he was going to work hard to get it. 

"Plants are really cool so we should take good care of them," he spoke. Some wolves didn't regard plants as anything special but their prey ate the grass and plants if they didn't have them there wouldn't be much prey, just like in winter. Sebastian didn't understand how wolves could be so careless at times. Luckily they didn't live in this pack. "I get bored terribly,' he admitted. "But I could give you lessons if you like." Sebastian thought for a moment trying to get his inner doctor to tell him how long he was going to rest. "I would say one more week. So the wounds are really closed and sealed tightly. Then I can start to work my muscles carefully, but not over work them."

When he offered to show her more about seeds once he was back on his feet, Wildfire nodded. "'Course, I'd like that. We can go swimming, then learn about seeds!" she suggested with a grin. "We could spend the whole day together." She liked the sound of that and hoped he did too. She was really starting to think of him like an older brother or possibly an extra uncle.

He admitted that he was afflicted by boredom, even calling it terrible. She grimaced sympathetically. Sebastian offered to teach her things. Wildfire was happy to learn but that sounded sort of boring for him too. "Or we could play games. Not like... running around or jumping or anything. I mean like... brain games. You know?" she threw out there, cocking her little red head at her larger companion.

Sebastian smile widened when Wifi was so exited to hang out a whole day with him. "Yes. That is a deal! We will make it a whole day! Wifi-day," He spoke in return. The little girl was adorably cute and Sebastian had no idea he was so good with children. At least, he thought he wasn't but maybe he did have a knack for them. Luckily there was Magpie and Dove who were their actual nannies, so he could do all the fun things. He would be the 'fun' pack member.

"Brain games? Oh but then you will beat me! You are so smart! I will only play the brain games if you allow me to win at least once," he spoke, praising her. Normally with an arrogant child he wouldn't foster that pride and arrogance but Wildfire was far from that and it seemed that she gained for the praises Sebastian gave her. "What would be a brain game for you?," he asked. Wondering what kind of games she was thinking off. 

I say we fade this and have another dated after Wildfire's encounter with Burke! :3

His flattery pleased her, though Wildfire batted at him bashfully, not sure what to say about the compliments aside from, "Thanks, but I'm not that smart." Surely she couldn't outwit an adult. The notion struck her as not only silly but somehow disconcerting. She looked up to all the adults in her life, so the idea that she could be more knowledgeable than one was almost uncomfortable.

But Sebastian didn't give her a chance to dwell on it. "Well... do you like riddles? I know a couple." And, actually, she knew one that was even themed after her primary trade: Naturalism. Peregrine had passed it on from her grandfather, Aether, who had been something called a Skywatcher. "What falls but does not break and what breaks but does not fall?"

Excellent Idea!

Sebastian quirked up his lips to her. She always made him smile. "You might be surprised! You grow so quickly and almost have three trades already!," he spoke. Sebastian couldn't be more positive about Wildfire and her progress. She was always eager to learn and that was what he liked about her. She was an active little bee like him. 

"Okay, fire them," he let out, wanting to know some riddles. Sebastian instantly blinked and repeated what she said. He tipped his head. "One moment," he spoke. "Break of the day and night fall!," he then let out, being rather proud of himself that he caught the riddle. He fired some back at Wildfire and tried to answer some more. But slowly he grew tired and he didn't have many answers right. He did have fun and that was the most important thing.

- Fade -