Horizon Ridge Blackfish

Dublin hadn't expected the piebald female to escape the grips of unconsciousness so quickly, but after a few heartbeats had lapsed after her query, the white female began to stir. It was subtle, at first; jaws parting slightly to allow her tongue an escape, the fluttering of eyes, a pained moan. Still, experience told Dublin that it would be some time before the yearling could answer her queries intelligibly—and so she had begun pressing her snout gently against Pied's throat, ribs, kidneys, and along her back... making note of every sharply drawn breath, every difference in texture or heat. With that assessed, Dublin prepared to set the mangled paw—

"Dub... lin?" came the rasp, and the elder female's silver-blue eyes swept up towards Pied's face. She paused in her position, for a moment debating whether she should simply set it without warning, but the younger female's queries stayed her ministrations. "I saw," she murmured gently, comforting, "You are awake now, and that is good. Not much time has passed." Dublin's voice was soothing, but matter-of-fact. She continued to speak, knowing it was unlikely that Pied would truly absorb much of it in her shock, but the gentle stream of words was known to comfort most patients. "You will have bruises, to be sure, and some mending to do—but you will not die in my care," this last part was said fiercely, passionate. There was no question that Dublin would not allow Pied that fate.

"Your right hindpaw is badly broken; I will need to set that, and it will hurt," she continued, "That will be difficult, as it lays beneath you—and you are in no condition to move as of yet. Your left shoulder is dislocated, but I can move it back into place: you will feel a sharp pain for a mere moment, but you'll feel some relief immediately after." Dublin paused to let that sink in, though she did not wait long enough for the yearling to be consumed by hysterics, "Which shall I take care of first, Pied?" She would give her patient her preference, were she able to make one. Often, giving the wounded a sense of control did wonders for their immediate and long term well-being.