Swiftcurrent Creek In Sickness or in Health(IC Joining)

whoops! Went a little overboard :p. don't follow my length :p

The wolf pup cowered at the sharp words of the small red wolf. This alpha was not one to give pity. Nightingale had a strange sensation that if she wasn't run off or taken somewhere else, she would most certainly be killed.

An old instinct welled up inside her, a feeling that she should defend herself and what little dignity she had. The white she wolf backed off and the male nuzzled her neck. She didn't need to be told twice.

She knew what she had to do.

She pulled away and tapped her nose under the wolf's chin in thanks. She turned back toward the red wolf, eyes once fearful were now calm, with a hint of nervousness.

She felt something out of the back of her mind appear... It was small, but the tiny sliver of memory was all she needed.

"You are small, my little songbird, and you have a blind eye, this is true... But that does not mean you are weak. You were granted two amazing gifts in return of two sad weaknesses."

Nightingale blinked, wondering out loud. "what are those gifts, Mom?"

"Your strength in your legs and your strength in your voice, Little One."

Weakly, she began to stand. At first, she began to stumble again as the waves of nausea hit her head again and again, but managed to stay up.

She continued to stare at the Fox. She crouched low, thinking. If one looked close enough, they would see the muscles in her legs beginning to ripple as they gathered energy. She looked at something past the wolf's head. She took a deep breath...

She jumped.

Nightingale felt as if she took the essence of the bird she was named after. She jumped over the head of the alpha wolf, feeling as if she was granted wings. She landed a few feet behind Fox, landing a bit heavily on her less-favored side. She nearly fell again, but caught herself in time. She looked back at the three wolves.

"With all due respect, Miss Fox," she began cautiously, "I can assure you that I am not as weak as I look...

"I have been on my own for weeks, probably even longer, if I could remember back farther. Despite my current state, I feel that I did a fairly good job, considering my size and my blind side. I... I'm sorry for passing into your territory, Miss Fox... I didn't realize I had done so..."

With that, the young Eastern Timber Wolf crouches low, looking as small as she could. She didn't realize it, but she was displaying a perfect example of submission. She didn't have long though, before her malnourished body gave up after working so hard. She collapsed again, going in and out of conciousness.