Blackbeak Bluff You can run from the pain, or you can allow it to burn into your heart

her lips curved gently in a smile. "it helps to prevent infection," Tahani explained, spitting the scant remains of the plant from her tongue. when she could, she would wash the taste from her mouth from a stream; she thought of trying the seawater and shuddered, thinking how bitter the salt would be. "infection can lead to fever, swelling. . .death."

she'd only seen one death by infection before: a wolf, one she hadn't known well, had been injured in a hunt. not a surface wound, really, but a gash along the thigh that would have been easily treated had he sought a healer. but he'd let it fester, and by the time he'd dragged himself to a medic, it was too late. feverish and delirious, he died shortly after.

it could have been prevented, and Tahani knew that she must do whatever it took to prevent her brother from suffering the same fate. the wounds left by their father were healing well enough not to bring her great alarm, but the marigold poultice put her mind more at ease, and it would hopefully fade into twisted scar tissue with time.