Swiftcurrent Creek three days rest

Although surprised by his admission that no other wolf had attended to any of his wounds in the past, Fox did not comment on it. She wondered if he meant only in his adulthood, for surely his parents had tended to him as a whelp. Fox was used to her pack mates gentle touches now, and she welcomed them when it had been necessary. Despite the terrible things that the cougar had done to them as individuals, the leader felt that the event had brought them together as a pack. They had survived something, and that meant a lot.

When he asked her to accompany him to the creek, she nodded her head. “Sure can, though I might be a little slower than usual.” With her wounds still healing, Fox was required to take it easy for a little while. She began limping toward the banks of the creek, not wishing to linger any longer than she needed to. His compliments were noted, but they felt a bit too forced for Fox's taste, and so she did not respond to them.

“Eh,” she began when he asked of the origin of her leadership, “The pack was founded by Lethe. She was a fine leader, but kinda messed up in the head, I guess. She threw herself in the creek and drowned. Willingly.” Fox relayed this story with little emotion. She had not been close with Lethe, even though she had respected the woman. “For some reason I got it in my head that I was going to take over, so I did. Nobody challenged me, so I remained.”