Firestone Hot Springs Not the kid you think I am

@Asterr

He was on the verge of breaking. Leo's pace had slowed every second he walked and his eyes were cut to slits. His side's heaved with exhaustion from walking and his tongue lolled to the side.

Once in awhile, he would groan and grumble from the pain. He wished that he could lie down and sleep, but he was afraid that he wouldn't wake up. His stomach gnawed at his side's, demanding to be fed. "So hungry..," he muttered to himself. By now his legs were shaking underneath him, trying to keep his weight up.

Onward he walked until he was at the edge of a hot spring. His legs couldn't bare to move further, so he finally flopped to the ground. His eyelids shut over his optics, but he forced them open once more. "Can't move..," he croaked, hoping for anyone to hear. But there was no answer. He was all alone. You are not alone. You have us, the voices said, in a more happier voice. Leo looked around, only to see upsidedown, black wisps floating around him. They had white eyes and sinister smiles. These were the voices he heard? He wondered at that moment if anyone else could see them, but it was all in his head. But they were real to him. "Help me. Please," he whispered. One of them flew closer to his face and loomed around his muzzle. We cannot. We are not capable, it said.

Phone post, ehe

There was always something with her, a feeling that led her to various locations. For a long while, it'd taken her north, steering her through a land that was still so new to her. Then, it'd taken her south, a sudden urge that practically dragged her to a whole new region. She knew it to be Draco, for what else could it be? Her own intuition, perhaps, but why would her unconscious self take her to a place she did not know? Nevertheless, she allowed for her legs to carry her over the land, maneuvering through the various terrains. Her last stop had been at a wondrous place, a glen that seemed to come alive when the sun went down. It was a beautiful area, as were many of the territories she'd entered since her arrival. Still, her time there was cut short, being driven by a whole new need to move. Where she was going was unknown to her, as it usually was, but that did nothing to slow her pace. The young dragon continued to walk with her usual, light step, shrouded in a faint air of mystery.

This time around, Asterr had not needed to travel overly far for her wanderlust to be satisfied. The second her obsidian form crossed over into the springs, relief flooded her very existence. Taking in a deep breath, she froze as a scent entered her nostrils. Dried blood, festering wounds... scents she recognized and knew the meaning of. Someone had been harmed, she was sure of that. Immediately, she started walking in the direction from which it'd come from, catching the ends of words here and there. The closer she got, it was revealed to the Draconid girl that the owner of the smells was a child. A lone child. Her pace quickened, and before long she was standing over the boy's body, brow furrowed. Lowering her head, she gave him a gentle nudge, attempting to further assess how badly he was injured. No matter whose child he was, she was not about to leave him alone with such severe injuries. "Can you stand?" the girl inquired, voice soft and pale eyes filled with worry. "Can you speak?" Taking a second to look around, it was confirmed that no one else was around. Whoever had allowed the boy to leave their side in such a condition was not someone worthy of having a child in the first place, though she didn't even know if it was the boys parents that had sent him off.

The woman's appearance fell deaf on the whelps ears. The only thing he could focus on were the misty shadows that were before him. They did not speak any longer, only stared down at him with lifeless eyes. All he could do was stare back at them, silently pleading that they could help, but they stayed frozen.

It was not until he felt a nudge at his side that he noticed the wolf before him. And when the nudge came, the black wisps disappeared, fading into the surroundings. Leo turned his head to gaze up at the female with his dull grey eyes. He didn't hear her exact words, it sounded like mumbles. "Help...please," was all he could manage to say. His creamy head then lay back onto the ground, finding it to hard to keep up.

Minor pping of her moving and cleaning him. PM if you'd like it changed~

The girl watched him closely, ears going erect when he moved. She didn't need to hear his request a second time, having decided long before he'd spoken that she would help him. How could she not? Straightening up, she glanced at the closest pool of water, then back at the child at her paws. "I'll need your help," she murmured, leaning back down so her muzzle hovered near his scruff. "If you can move at all, please do so. If you can't, keep completely still." It was her first time treating a child. Never had she needed to look after one before, and though that made her a bit hesitant at first, she knew that wasting time wouldn't do either of them any good. "I'm sorry, but this might sting," she announced, before securing her maw around the boys scruff as gently as she could. Asterr lifted him up, having to put a bit of effort into in, then proceeded to carry him towards the closest section of heated water.

Stepping into the pool, she moved the child along with her, making sure they stayed in shallow waters. With the water touching her ankles, she set him down and gave him a once over. "Please, do not move too much. This may hurt, but I promise you that it is necessary." Had she been any other, perhaps she would have just left the young wolf to look after himself. Lucky for him, that went against her morals. So instead of abandoning him and letting nature run its course, she lowered herself down into the water and kept the smaller form between her front paws. Slowly, she got to work, licking over his wounds and using her nose to push the warm water over him. Having noticed his paw while carrying him, she tried to keep from touching it, but knew she would need to take care of it as soon as the female was able.

Once his fur had been cleansed of the dried blood, her eyes were drawn to some of the scabs that had formed. Asterr gave him an apologetic glance, before working on removing the scabs. Any other time, a scab would be a wonderful thing, signifying the healing of an injury. This time, however, it appeared the wounds had gone untreated entirely, and so the clotted blood could be trapping some bacteria within his body. Not wanting to put him through the pain of an infection, she did not stop until every scab had been removed, no matter how small it was. When that task had been completed, she went back to cleaning him. The Draconid moved him a bit closer to the edge of thr water, leaving him there so the liquid could continue to wash over his body. "This is all I can do for now," she informed him, voice still laced with concern. "There's no herbs in this area, no plants I can use to help you." Finding any would be a bit difficult, what with winter approaching and her not having a pack to back her up. Still, though, there was always a chance to find things, if only she could get to a proper location. "We will have to move somewhere else, once you've rested. Until then, is there anything else you need? Are you hungry?" The girl hated the idea of leaving him for even a moment, but if food was something he needed, she would have no choice. Starvation would be a terrible thing to subject him to, especially at such a young age.

Np :)

 He was glad to hear that she would help, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't bring himself to move. But that didn't matter to much, for the female picked him up by the scruff to bring tim to a hotspring. It didn't hurt to much, but he wasn't a fan of being picked up. But for now he was just glad he wasn't left to face mother nature's wrath. 

 The water came as a shock to him. Grey optics widened with fear. He didn't know what to make of this, for he had never been in water at all. And the fact that the female told him something may hurt, it made the fear grow. What was she going to do exactly? When Asterr ran water and tongue over his scars, a stinging pain came with it. A soft whimper rose from his throat and he shut his eyes, trying to ignore the stinging pain. How was this going to help?

 It only became worse as the female started to peel the scabs away. He gritted his teeth, trying his hardest not to move in the process. It still didn't stop him from wiggling a bit though. The process was painful, but not as painful as the wolf who did this to him. He'd rather do this a million times than face that monster again.

 When the female finished, she pushed him closer to the edge of the pool. Leo sat there and looked up at the obsedian female with a thankful stare. He could say he felt a little better, but not alot. He did a small nod when the female asked if he needed something. "Hungry," he muttered, trying his best to speak a little louder.

The whimper that'd come from within the boys throat had not gone unnoticed. It'd made her a bit more cautious, though she knew she could not be. That was a luxury they could not afford, as it could prove detrimental to the health of the child—who was now in her care, and therefore her responsibility. It was something she didn't mind, in all honesty, but it meant she could not be worrying every second while looking after him. Her mind needed to remain clear, to be absent of any and all thoughts that might lead her to believe a different approach was better. Anything less than her current action would be unacceptable, she knew, and never would she allow for the boy to meet death while under her care. Draco looked out for all, even those who did not believe or know of his existence, and to witness the death of anyone couldn't possibly bring him joy. Asterr respected the dragon far too much to allow him to be engulfed in sorrow. Aside from that, she also found herself to have already grown attached to the boy, perhaps because she'd been traveling alone for longer than ever before, and his appearance would change that.

His hunger was soon made known, and she responded with a nod. "Alright," the Draconid voiced, stepping from the pool and then looking down at her new ward. "Stay in the water. It'll keep the dirt from reentering your wounds, and should help you relax." A few scenarios of what could happen arose in her mind, making her glance worridly at him once more. Walking off a short distance, she retrieved a stone and placed it in the water, moving it close to where his back legs were stationed. "Don't go past this, okay? I will be right back." After tossing him a few more looks, wishing to ensure the child was currently safe, she set off. The water that clung to her fur did well to hide her scent, and her light steps made her presence practically unknown. It was something of a talent, really, the way she moved. A talent that would prove beneficial.

Now, Asterr was still unfamiliar with the land she was in. She knew nothing of the types of prey that it held, aside from the obvious—and that was all she currently needed. Small game was ideal, after all, since she was only one wolf. So, that was what she focused on tracking, nose working overtime to pick up on any scent she could find. Just when she thought it was of no use, a fragrance she knew well graced her with its presence. Within seconds, the svelte girl was off, her existence becoming something that could easily be missed if not noticed from the start. The water in her coat assisted her in the hunt, and shortly there after, the kill had been made. From her jaws there hung a muskrat, it's limp body nice and plump. When she was certain it was dead, she returned to her previous location, easily relocating the child. Asterr closed the distance left between them quickly, setting the small mammal down close to the waters edge. She then moved around him, helping Chevalier leave the warm pool and brought him closer to the creature. Though thought to be a myth by some, she did not wish to risk the chance of his stomach cramping up from the combination of the meal and being in water. Watching him, she laid down, motioning for the younger to dig in whenever he wished. She waited a moment, then, before asking: "What is your name, hatchling?" It was most likely strange to hear a wolf refer to a whelp as a 'hatchling', of all things, but with that being the way she was raised, it was the title she was used to.

Leo watched the dark female go away. Her form reminded her of Lusa, which made grey eyes narrow. He would never go back to that woman. In his eyes, she didn't care for him. But that wasn't true. He was the one to blame. He broke from the borders when he wasn't supposed to and this was his punishment. Still, the boy refused to believe it was his fault. As much as he didn't want to listen to what the voices said, he felt they were right for once. Lusa cared more for Peridot anyways.


Leo's ears shot up when he saw the female come back and with it a smell of meat. His little tail swished around in the water, grateful to even smell the food. When Asterr dropped it in front of him, he didn't hesitate to tear through the little muskrat. He was tearing at the fur when the dark female asked for his name. "Chevalier or Knight. But I prefer Leo," he said in a soft voice before tearing at the fur some more. It took awhile to get to the good part, and white when he was able to tear through the belly he chowed down.

Asterr could not help but smile as she watched the child eat. The motion of doing so was rather messy, but she could not bring herself to care. He was eating, and that was all that mattered. Besides, if it became too much of a problem, she did not mind giving him another bath. She was pleased he ceased his movements long enough to answer her inquiry, and she took in his response with a great deal of interest. Three names, the first two being similar to one another, but then the final one being the oddball out. Of course, it also happened to be his preferred name, and the name she would refer to him by. “My name is Asterr Draconid,” the dragon voiced, tone currently remaining in a constantly quiet state. It was almost as if she believed speaking too loud might further damage the boy. “It is nice to meet you, Leo.” Under better circumstances would have been the preferred method of crossing paths, but beggars could never be choosers. She felt terrible for him, unable to imagine what he must have gone through to be marked so thoroughly. While she primarily walked along a thin line that just barely prevented her from being labeled as a pacifist, even she was fully willing to give whoever had caused him harm a piece of her mind—so to speak.
 
Dastardly thoughts aside, she resumed her observations of the hatchling, mentally keeping track of his every movement. As he tore open the stomach of the pudgy rodent, she allowed him to feast for a few moments before letting out a soft chuff in an attempt to acquire his attention. “Slow down, lest you want to give yourself a stomachache,” she murmured, her faint smile making it clear she wanted only the best for him. Though she’d only just met Leo, she could not help but feel the need to watch over him. Perhaps it was due to her compassionate nature, though no matter the cause, it’d already been made clear to her that she would not be leaving his side anytime soon. Even Draco seemed to be pleased by her decision, as his presence in the back of her mind was filled with content. Well, neither the presence nor herself were entirely content, in all honesty. Asterr’s own mind was still filled with worries, especially when she’d catch a glimpse of his mangled paw, or recall how she’d yet to put any pastes over his wounds. Such thoughts made Draco nervous, too, the mental connection they shared never failing to weave their emotions together as well.
 
“Leo?” the Draconid girl started, having put the questions off for longer than she should have. “Where are your parents? Do you want to return to them?” So far, he’d yet to say anything concerning his familial relations on his own, which made her feel both curious and uneasy at the same time. The thought that maybe, just maybe, his parents had inflicted such injuries upon his small body was enough to make her blood boil—though you’d of never guessed it going by her outward appearance. She remained calm, on the outside, the risk of scaring the hatchling far too great. If she was given even the slightest of hints that his parents—his family—had been the root cause of his trauma, there’d be nothing in the world that would convince her to lead him back to such a dangerous place. She’d much rather look out for him on her own, anyways. Asterr was not troubled by the notion of becoming his guardian, even though winter was fast approaching. In her eyes, everything would work out well for them, since their meeting one another had been destined.

Asterr was the name of this female. The name was one he hadn't heard of in his lifetime, though his life hadn't went for that long at all. There was still far more Leo didn't know about and needed to learn. There were so many things that didn't make since to him now.

Leo lifted his head away from the food when the midnight wolfess informed him not to eat to fast. He didn't exactly know what a stomachache was, but it sounded bad and bad things were hated in his eyes. It had been a terrible few days, thank you. First it was the big beast, then Burke, and now this. He was in a terrible status at the moment.

There was a silence for awhile, one that made the little lion nervous. He let out a small grunt just to break it. That grunt turned into a small growl at the mention of parents. "No," he answered, saying nothing more. He didn't wish to speak about them now. It was their fault this was happening, but it was mostly his fault. If only Lusa had been there to stop that big dark monster, none of this would have happened. But maybe it was for the best.

The female’s ears perked slightly when she heard a grunt, immediately catching onto how it morphed into a growl. He’d answered her inquiry with a simple ‘no’, and she nodded, accepting his answer without any further questioning. It confirmed her private suspicions, that his family had had a hand in what happened to him. She would not be searching for his parents anytime soon, that was a given. Trouble was not something she sought out, after all. If, by chance, such an occasion ever arose in which she was forced into an encounter with them, she would not back down. She didn’t know the wolves, but she was certain Leo deserved better. Every child deserved better. The Draconid would do her very best to care for him and keep him away from anyone who possessed ill intentions. “I will keep you from having to go back to them, then,” she announced, wanting to share what had been running through her mind. Since she’d said it aloud, it’d become similar to a promise, and so she would never go back on it.
 
Wishing to move to a somewhat lighter topic of conversation, she asked, “Are you feeling any better since you’ve eaten?” No amount of food could heal the wounds that had been inflicted upon his flesh, but she hoped it’d at least make him feel a bit better. “Are you ready to try walking?” Asterr knew they couldn’t stay there for too much longer. She needed to get them to a location that allowed herbs the chance to grow, that way she could properly treat his wounds and then bind his paw. While that was all of great importance, she wasn’t about to force him. Putting a strain on his body wasn’t necessary, and would do nothing but make things worse. She awaited his answer, recalling the places she’d passed by or seen during her travels over to the glen. If he was ready to give moving a shot, she wanted to have a territory already picked out so they wouldn’t need to waste time figuring out where to go.

Fade next post?

The creamy whelp was more than happy to hear that Asterr wouldn't take him back. It would be very disappointing to go back anyways. How could he even confront his mother like this? He didn't want her to see him ever again. He didn't want to carry out the orders of that scary Sawtooth wolf.

Going with Asterr could be the chance he always wanted. Starting anew and pure. He could forget about all the bad things of the past and focus on getting his life straight. He can forget about everyone he'd ever come to know and meet new wolves. Yes, this was a better choice than going to Blackfeather. He would be judged there for his parent's actions. Burke would always pick on him and possibly kill him. It was sad, however, that he wouldn't see Can. Leo was looking forward to playing with him, this time in a more friendly way. Fate didn't want that for him.

The little boy looked up at the darker wolf, slowly lifting himself from the warm waters and hobbling out. Paws carried him over to her side, clearly wanting to start walking. The faster they go, the faster he could forget about the Haunted Wood.

Sounds good to me. uwu

 
The boy had made his decision, just as Asterr had made her own. It seemed that they would be traveling together, which pleased her. Not only because she did not want to leave a child all alone in the wilderness, but also because she enjoyed being in the company of others. It was a wonderful thing to have someone at your side, no matter what their age may be. She’d quickly taken an interest in Leo, and wished to learn more about him. His past was curious and unknown, but she did not wish to ask too much about it. She could deal with not knowing if it meant the boy would feel more comfortable around her. Whatever had happened, whatever he’d been forced to go through, it was his business. The dragon would not pry to learn about the wolf he once was, but continue on with him and learn of the wolf he currently is, and of who he would become. The thought of that made her smile, as did the fact that he’d managed to stand.
 
“I promise that I’ll keep you safe,” she voiced quietly, moving slowly so as not to let her companion topple over. She’d already decided on where they were to go, having figured the forest was their safest bet. With cautious steps, the yearling moved forward, mindful of the smaller presence at her side. As they moved, she kept an eye on him, making note of how much strain his body was being put under with each step taken, and giving him breaks to make up for it. That was how their entire journey went, leaving the springs behind them as they trailed towards the forest, each possessing the thoughts of something good.