Blackfeather Woods I've been walking out all on my own

Her worry had increased exponentially now that he had been gone longer than she thought he would. Each day past the day he should have returned, the knot of dread in her chest grew bigger. Tonight had been the worst of all; she could not get her brain to shut up and had not been able to sleep. She hadn't wandered far from the den though; Taktuq was sleeping and she wanted to be close in case she woke. 

So, she paced the perimeter of the den, her nervous energy only seeming to grow with each step. She wasn't sure how much longer she could handle this. She felt stuck; she wanted to go out and search for him, but she didn't feel right leaving her niece after everything she had been through. If he was gone too much longer, though, she would have to go after him regardless of how guilty she would feel leaving Taktuq here with wolves she barely knew. 

His scent pulled her from her thoughts. She froze and drew in air again, afraid it had just been her mind playing tricks on her. It wasn't, though; his scent filled her nose again, along with the scent of sickness—infection. Why hadn't he called from the borders? If he was close enough that she could smell him, then he was already within the forest. Quickly, she turned and began to track him, finding his thin form within minutes. 

Taki sprinted forward, ready to push her face into the fur of his neck and nuzzle into her spot. When she reached him, though, she saw how bad of a state he was really in. Taikon, she said softly, her voice heavy with worry. She very gently nuzzled into her spot, unable to stop herself. Then she pulled back and looked him over. He was dangerously thin, and had wounds that appeared infected. She could tell he felt sick. What has happened to you? She wanted to yell at him that nothing was supposed to have happened to him while he was gone, but she knew that would not help anything. Plus, she wanted to soothe him anyway she could, not cause him more discomfort. Her worried gaze searched for his. Come on, we need to clean your wounds. They would need far more than to be cleaned, but that would require a healer, which she was not. She could help him clean them out, though. There is a small stream not very far from here, she told him gently. Do you think you can make it there? He looked like he might collapse at any second, but she couldn't just let him fall asleep with his injuries looking the way they did.