Stone Circle we clean up and now it's time to learn

She'd torn through snow and bramble on her way home, beelining straight for the den she shared with Murdock and shooting through the entrance with enough velocity to half-crash into the rear wall, only to curl into a tight ball as she tried desperately to gather her thoughts, succeeding only in scattering them further. Her neck began to burn as the adrenaline settling in her veins began to fade, her split tongue pounding as she quivered. She'd left a trail of torn up snow, streaks of blood and desperation, and though she wished dearly to call for @Murdock, something like shame at her predicament had her silent as she began to try and clear the  blood from her fur, trembling like a leaf and succeeding only and spreading around the blood from her bleeding tongue. This was never supposed to have happened, and she couldn't quite comprehend that it had.

Poppy didn't need to call - as soon as Murdock caught the scent of blood and Poppy, he was trotting toward the den at a fast clip. It was as quickly as he could go without breaking down into a coughing fit, and he still wheezed uncomfortably as he followed the dog's trail to its terminus: the den.

"Poppy?" he asked, his voice rough and panicked. She was hurt - that much was clear. The scent of a strange male was thick in the den, and her blood seemed to creep up his nostrils and settle in his chest. He coughed a few times and crawled closer to her, fearing the worst. "What happened? Where are you hurt?"

The answer seemed to be 'everywhere'. In his panic, the poor girl seemed to be covered in blood. Was she dying? Murdock hoped not, but couldn't help but fear. He ducked out of the den and sent up a howl for Keoni, hoping the healer would arrived quickly. A few seconds later, he'd returned to Poppy's side. "I'm here now, I've got you," he murmured anxiously, nosing over her tiny form.

The approach of someone had her fur stand on end, though she was quick to recognize the footfalls of Murdock. She blinked at him as he slid in beside her, and though the threats of the male still echoed in her head, she could not stop herself from blurting, "he had a head! a wolf head, and I - he said - a cannibal!" She spluttered in a rush, her tongue beginning to ooze profusely again. Trembling still, she moved to clean the blood from her coat until realization finally set in that her efforts did little besides spread the stuff around. 

His words did serve to calm he, however, and her thoughts gradually returned as she abruptly pushed her muzzle into his shoudler, his scent serving as a kind of magnet for her emotions, pulling the together and having her bite down the words that bit at her tongue, afraid suddenly of what to say, what to do.

Seeing that it was her mouth that was bleeding, Murdock nudged her face away from her pelt. "Quit that," he said gently, "let me." He began cleaning the blood from her coat, as well as the scent of the other male. Inwardly, his blood was boiling. The idea that someone had tried to hurt his girl was more than he could bear peacefully. Whatever he had done to her, he would be punished for it. Murdock had the man's scent, now, and as soon as Poppy was cared for, Murdock would be going after him.

"I've got you," Murdock repeated, moving to curl himself around the poor girl. "No one can hurt you now, okay? You're home. You're safe."

Halfway to the howl she'd chanced upon the trail of blood, and, stomach sinking, she'd turned back to her den and carefully selected the same things she had when Steph had been gored. She limped back hurriedly the way she'd come, forepaw dragging along as she went, a mess of wounds and a wide variety of herbs she'd tried in desperation. 

Tracing the call to its source and aided by the trail of mangled snow she'd chanced upon, she recognized after a moment the scent of the dog. Slipping into the space she'd come to learn Murdock shared with the dog-girl, she blinked once at him before moving to assess the dog, humming softly and pushing a few raspberry leaves towards the girl as she began to carefully assess the wounds, gaze flickering to Murdock, question in the cant of her head.

He pushed away her muzzle, moving to clean the blood from her coat. She wanted it off, away, along with any memories of the threatening man and his head. Her ears were pressed against her skull, though flicked up when Murdock began to speak, trembling once before falling still, suddenly comforted as he wrapped around her. "he said he was going to kill me, Murdock. he had a head." She murmured, the words a little clearer.

It was when the healer squeezed halfway into the den that the collie tensed, reassured only by the steady presence of Murdock and attempting to push away thoughts of the ground falling on them. After a nervous moment, she ate the leaves proffered by the girl and fell still while she began to tend her wounds, lapsing into silence but keeping her gaze steadily on Murdock.

He was angry that someone would threaten Poppy, and enraged that she'd been harmed. "He can't get to you here," he said passionately, pushing his face near to Poppy's so that she would have to look him in the eye. "I've got you, alright? And I'm bigger and meaner than that sonnuva bitch could ever be. I'll kick the shit out of him, alright?"

Inwardly, though, he was concerned over the implications of this attack. Were any of them safe? He had no doubt that he could hold his own against the other male, injured or not. Poppy had been hurt by him, and he wasn't about to take that lying down.

But the man's scent was all over her. When he saw him, he'd go for the kill.

She blinked as Murdock stared into her eyes, the passionate tirade putting a stop to a scattered and wandering thoughts, her fear and panic in that moment. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him a moment, before some odd feeling settled in her chest to join the fading adrenaline and panic, and the tension bled from her muscles. Managing a small smile, she finally spoke, voice steadier, now.  "yeah - you'll kick the shit out of him." Surely Murdock was bigger and meaner,  or could be, if he wanted.

The healer soon finished her poking and prodding at Poppy's neck, and the sheepdog met her gaze as she offered a slight smile. The woman proffered an odd looking leaf, and after understand that she was to eat it, she did so carefully, trying very hard not to wince at the taste lest she insult the woman, somehow. Carefully picking up the remaining herbs wordlessly, before carefully poking her shoulder. "thanks,"  she said softly, watching as the girl looked once more at the pair before vanishing into the wood. She wasn't sure what good, exactly, a bunch of leaves would do, but they were oddly soothing. 

Her gaze returned to Murdock as tiredness swept over her suddenly, settling her head carefully over his shoulder and settling in beside him. "do you think you could stay, a bit?"