Sun Mote Copse verlamming

this is making the bold assumption that no one is like murdered in this thread.

the feeling still hadn't returned, not fully. for days after the incident, anathi had been bedridden, confined to the soiled hole he'd crawled into. eventually, hunger pulled him from the den; crawling with his hind legs sprawled out worked long enough to lead him to a pond. 

there, anathi found himself grateful for the girl's lessons about die water. it took hours of frustration and failure before he finally, finally, caught a fish just smaller than his paw. he stayed beside the bank for as long as necessary before he was once again able to stand. 

it wasn't...it was standing, but only by definition. anathi's legs shook like those of a fawn. these episodes of strength were momentary, lasting just long enough to close miniscule distances. for days, he worked tirelessly on his balance, stopping only when on the verge of fainting.

hunting felt impossible. his survival was made possible by the picked-over carcasses of long dead prey. occasionally, he would test himself to a chase but thus far, they'd all failed.

eventually, anathi was strong enough to carry himself for moments at a time. his hindlegs still hadn't regained feeling; instead of walking, he moved with an exaggerated limp caused by the dragging of his paws. there were often times wherein he needed a break and would revert back to the more comfortable (and more vulnerable) crawl.

he remembered the woman who'd found him in the den. just like the others, their conversation was essentially non-existent. still, he remembered her persistence and what had been perceived as compassion. anathi thought to seek her out. 

there was a pack some ways from where he'd fallen. it would have normally taken a morning to find, but this trip took days. when anathi did arrive on their doorstep, he drew in a deep breath of relief and took a moment to express his gratitude. finally, the hunter tilted back his head and sounded his request.