and if there's life after that, i'll love you then

Although she let her threatening bristles flatten with Shadow's assurance that he'd been joking, Paarthurnax' irritation with him remained. It was not the place and most certainly not the time to be mocking their mutually difficult situation. It was his way of dealing with stress, no doubt, but it was not her own.

When the sterling outrider announced that he intended to stay in the area for a further week or so, the two-toned wolfess couldn't help but feel that it would be a bad idea. Furthermore, she wondered who Shadow trusted enough to hold the fort at Noctisardor Bypass in his absence, when Paar herself had not been deemed suitable enough to greet with potential recruits at the borders. She frowned inwardly at the thought of the imbecile Flash acting as a leader until Shadow's return, which was a real possibility considering how close the two had been in the time leading to Paarthurnax' departure. Shadow went on to express more concern for his wound, and the scarlet beauty stepped closer to better examine the depth of each cut. "You must clean it," she said, fully aware that it was in an awkward position for him to do so on his own. But with fresh, flowing water he could position himself in the shallows to allow it the chance to clear any grime away that may have been delivered by the predators' talons. "In the creek. I'll find you there with some supplies."

The crimson Frostfur made to turn and head off in search of the items she required, but instead paused and pricked her velvet lobes at her former mate's suggestion that she talk with her cinnamon Alpha. She looked over a slim shoulder at him, sure that this talk could wait, but offered him assurance: "I will discuss with Scimitar," Paar said, "but you must know that I cannot make any promises. You must prove yourself when you seek audience with him." Not waiting to hear what he had to say, she trotted from him and into Swiftcurrent territory in the direction where she knew she could find medicine without dipping into her Winter stash.