Horizon Ridge pollen season

For @Thistle Cloud.

Kennedy awoke with a pounding headache. Groaning, the Razorback carefully righted himself, making sure to keep his back leg as protected as possible in the process. He had become accustomed to keeping it guarded at all times, never letting it touch the ground unless it was his intention to test his weight upon it. He did not intend to do that this morning, though, as his head was pounding with pain. Kennedy shut his eyes tight, swaying on his feet for a few seconds before snapping his eyes open again.

His stomach growled, and he growled back at it. Edy reluctantly began making his way to the nearest cache, hobbling around on three legs as he had been doing for the past three or so weeks. When he arrived, the dark male began gingerly scraping at the top with a single front paw, his process going slowly as he could not utilize his two front paws as he normally would.

Thistle Cloud began a slow walk towards her patient's area. She found that if she moved slowly she would not throw up her lunch and all seemed normal with her. She saw him hobbling around and she frowned, his leg should be doing much better than it was, she knew part of the problem was that Kennedy could not use mind over matter and he was not thinking very positively. Though it had been a bad break since she had set it right away it should heal up nicely.

She wondered if he had kept the splint on and the cobweb wrappings and seaweed or if he had torn them off, he did not seem the type to like the restrictions that the splint put on him. Approaching him slowly she spoke out "Hello Kennedy! Do you need some help or you got it covered? She did not wish to impose herself upon him if he did not wish to be near her, though she had to check on him it was imperative.

Everybody's cheerful attitude made Kennedy scowl in protest. He would not force himself to be happy just because that was what everybody else wanted of him. No, the Eta was bound and determined to be a complete drama queen and continue his antics for the rest of his miserable life. When Thistle approached him with such a joyful stance and expression, all he did was allow his gaze to slowly rise to her chest before shaking his head and proceeding to slowly scrape away the earth with one of his good front legs.

It was slow work, but it was all he could muster. Edy did not think that he needed any help at all. In his mind, this was simply his fate: to slowly wither away into nothingness while the world continued to be cheerful and happy all around him. He tolerated it only because instinct kept him going; not because he hoped for something better.

A bone weary sigh worked it's way up from her chest. She did not like how Kennedy scowled when all she said was hello. The wolf in front of her was a broken shell of what he once had been. It depressed her, but more so it worried her. If he could not break out of this funk, she did not know if he would heal correctly or at all for that matter. She moved a little closer but not to close as he obviously wanted his space as of late.

She wanted to help him but she kept her paws to herself and just watched to make sure he did not use his sore back leg. She could not see from where she was sitting the condition of the leg in question so she spoke. "How is your leg today Kennedy? Do I need to change the bindings? Do you need more herbs for your pain? She had been trying very hard not to give him too much for pain as she did not want him to become dependent on them, especially with the current state of his mood it would be easy to do so.

“Go away,” he growled, “Leave me alone.” Why could the others not see that was what he wanted? They were constantly trying so hard to make him into something he was not. Perhaps he had been that thing before, but ever since the incident, things had not been the same. No longer did he frolic in the ocean. No longer did he seek companionship among his peers.

Looking away from Thistle, he resumed his scratching at the cache, unwilling to accept her offer of help. When he managed to scrape away enough, he plucked out a small squirrel that had been left there by somebody else, settled down, and began to pick at it with his teeth.

Thistle had enough of this she was stubborn for a reason she walked over to him and stood in front of him staring down at him. "Listen to me Kennedy adn listen well. I consider you my friend and that leg needs tended too now we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I can fix it for you today change the binding change the herbs give you something to help you ease pain and sleep, or I can call the two males RAgnar and Gavriil and they can help me hold you down and I can do it without your help anyway. You may want to sit here and waste away like you don't matter but I don't want you to do that and I refuse to let you as long as I am still breathing so again Kennedy do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way. Her eyes were dark blue as she stared down at him irritated and upset. She did not like being mean to others and she really didn't want to have to call the other males but she would if it was needed.

Kennedy continued to pick at the squirrel, chewing on the particularly sinewy parts as he half-listened to Thistle go on and on about how she was going to make him all better and everything was going to be juuuuust fine. “Then call them,” he replied, glancing up at her and challenging her to do just that. “Because I’m not in the mood to listen to you carry on about whatever the hell it is you’re talking about, woman.” The last word was spat at her with disdain.

Why could they not just leave him be? Or kick him out? He was nothing but dead weight to them all, and yet they continued to harass him and try to make him all better. Even Pump was guilty of this, when he had thought she was a wolf of reason. Apparently, he had pegged her all wrong. She insisted on keeping his weak and pathetic soul around... for what? Entertainment? He sure as hell wasn't helping morale.

Thistle cut her eyes at him and she stared at him for a beat of a minute and then she spat right back at him with just as much venom. "You are a fool Kennedy Razorback! I am trying to help you. I know that you do not feel like you are worth anything anymore and I know that you are obviously having a pity party about your leg but you will be fine you just may have a limp and I know many wolves that were perfectly capable of surviving with three legs, they can still hunt they can still stalk and they can still fight, but obviously you are too stuck inside your own head and filled with self pity and loathing that you don't see it and I've about had enough. I promised myself i wouldn't do this and I truly didn't want too, but I am tired of seeing you waste away to nothing it's ridiculous. I imagine you want a family and you could still have one, but no female is going to want to be around a male that treats others as disdainfully as you do now. Get over yourself Kennedy and starting thinking Positive and you just might see that you are fine and can improve. Now have it your way. With that she tipped back her head and howled for the males in the pack for their assistance @Ragnar and @Gavriil. She stepped back from him obviously upset and ruffled that she had to speak harshly but she really didn't know what else to do. Being nice to him didn't matter to him anymore and he was so angry adn bitter that it didn't help matters. So she figured maybe some toughness would do some good.

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Ragnar had been where he could normally be found through random periods of the day, re-marking the territory borders after dropping a few hares he had caught at the mouth of the den for Thistle. She hadn’t been there, of course, either out collecting her flowers - despite that Ragnar knew she collected other things for healing and medicinal purposes he continued to call them simply just to affectionately tease his wife - or checking on Kennedy of whom she seemed to be continuously worried about. While the ebony man of whom Ragnar had yet to meet had suffered the worst damage out of all of them, of course, still required Thistle’s attention as their main and only healer Ragnar thought that she might start taking it easy chasing the, from what Ragnar had heard about him, distraught man and start thinking about their children (because Ragnar didn’t give two flying F’s about if they were Crete, the babes were his, would be his even if not biological) and their health. Besides, she would not be able to leave the den for the first couple of days (except to y’know relieve herself and whatnot) and even then her hands would be full with the babes and either someone would have to step up to temporarily fill her place or Kennedy - Ragnar assumed he was her only patient now - would have to get along without her.

Thistle’s howl for him and Gavriil - an interesting addition to the Viking - had risen into the air just as Ragnar had been about to lift his leg to remark another section. For a moment the savage froze, deciphering the tones in Thistle’s call. It hadn’t particularly sounded urgent but it hadn’t sounded quite right either. Sparing the lands beyond the borders a quick, harsh glimpse Ragnar headed in the direction of her call.

A quick assessment was given as he arrived upon the scene, his eyes first going to Thistle, noting the obvious distress and general flustered body language that Thistle was giving off before he glimpsed at the ebony colored man Ragnar immediately knew to be Kennedy despite having never officially met him. He did not look all that pleased, either. Cautiously, the Warden approached them, icy Caribbean colored eyes lingering upon them both as he attempted to gauge the situation. “What is the problem here?” Ragnar inquired to either of them, though he expected Thistle to respond first for she had been the one to issue the call.

The male had been hunting all morning. Taking turns between catching hares and keeping eyes on the boarders that surrounded his pack territory. All was quiet. The most recent hare he had caught was russet color. It's life ended around the second year. It wasn't too small, the winter had wore hard on it though. Obvious by its fur. It lacked any fat, purely muscle. It proved to be a bit of a challenge while chasing. Gavriil was a large wolf not built for speed. Once he had caught the russet hare it had been an easy kill. One swift bite to the neck and it was all over. 

The bear of a wolf had just finished placing his prey in the cache when he had heard a call from Thistle, the aspiring healer. Her call was for Ragnar and himself. Fearing that something was wrong with the pups the cinnamon wolf tilted his head but obeyed the call. Sprinting as fast as he could he made it to the female's position. Standing before him were Kennedy, the sickly ebony wolf, Thistle, the small healer, and Ragnar, the macho Viking. "Is everyone okay?" The male questioned frantic in tone.

It looks like you guys want her to go first and then Kennedy so she can explain why she called them if I need to delete this please let me know.

Thistle sighed and nodded to Gavriil first as he had a frantic undertone to his voice "yes we are fine at least physically. She gave Kennedy a loaded dark look, her patience had worn out. She did not know if it was because she was pregnant and her hormones were insane or if it was just simply to tiring for her to keep a stiff upper lip for a male who did not wish any help.

She tilted her head and spoke again her voice edged with ice and steel a different contrast than her usual dulcet tones. I called the two of you here because I told Kennedy I would if he didn't cooperate and he of course isn't and I have to change the bindings on his leg and frankly I am tired of his every kept dark mood so I needed your help both of you are bigger than me and perhaps one of you can talk to him rationally since I obviously can't anymore without becoming angry. She cut her eyes again at Kennedy irritated above all counts with the way he was acting. She had cared deeply for him as a friend, she had enjoyed their day of fun and she wanted him to be that wolf again, but it was impossible if he kept this impenetrable dark cloud hovering over his mind and heart so she thought perhaps some tough love would fix it

Pinging @Ragnar! Feel free to PP Edy in this thread to finish it up. :)

Kennedy tuned her out after the first three words. He had heard it already, and he did not care to hear it again. Instead, he slumped to the ground, becoming dead weight and awaiting whatever consequences they would throw at him. At this point, he did not care. If anything, he thought they were the stupid ones. They should have just let him die instead of wasting their energy on keeping him just barely alive. It would have been a mercy killing.

“If it interests either of you fellows, I don’t want your help. You’re wasting your time and energy.” With that, Kennedy fell silent, mildly curious to see if they would agree with him.

I'm going to slap an ending here if you don't like it I can change it :)

Thistle stepped forward making sure ot keep the other males at her back. Though Kennedy was weak, he still had 3 good legs and sharp teeth. She worked at his broken leg, wrinkling her nose as she studied it trying to figure out what she could do with it. She had already set it, now it just needed to heal. She replaced the sticks and wrapped it up as tightly as she could with seaweed ignoring any hisses of pain he may have uttered. She really honestly had no pity for him anymore. He had ruined it.

She stepped back and spoke quietly See Kennedy that wasn't so hard if you would have just cooperated, with that she turned on heel and walked away, anger still roiling around in her small stomach.