King Elk Forest blood in the sunlight

according to google dogs can chew, dig and rip roots out of the ground so, uhm, i went with that lmao

“I see,” Riptide murmured when his patient explained that the lone wolf hadn't been rabid. This was assuring, for the both of them, no doubt. “Tell me,” Riptide drew in a distracted tone as he focused his dissecting and piercing gaze to the root her paw was trapped in, attempting to judge it's thickness and how tightly packed the earth around it was. Botany was an important part of his job but he was no landscaper by any means and any attempt he may make to aid her in freeing her paw might only serve to do more harm than it did good. “Do you always fight over your food?” It seemed foolish to the aspiring witch doctor, if he was being honest. He didn't have the full story, of course, she had not specified who started the scuffle but still he couldn't help himself the question. It seemed she simply had a bought of bad luck but two incidents of it in one day...well that just seemed like the spirits were either having too much fun with her or she'd done something to upset them.

She was hesitant, and instead asked him, albeit with some flattery thrown in, if he couldn't loosen the root a bit. It was an old gnarled thing, the root and he looked down it. He blinked slowly, contemplating it for a moment before he spoke, “I suppose I can try. It might do more harm then good.” But they wouldn't really know until he tried. He moved closer, trying to determine which tree the root had came from and which way the end of it would be. The side closer to the trunk might not give any pull being stationed as it was. When he thought he found it, he moved to his left — her right — and dug a bit at the soil around the root, trying to loosen the dirt around it. The action pulled at his sore and bruised muscles and he winced visibly a few times but uttered no complaint.

Riptide knew some trees could be toxic and that splinters were particularly hazardous so he tried only to dig it up that it might loosen and she could pull it free without the extra complications before he attempted to chew or rip it up with his teeth.