Swiftcurrent Creek Heal the wounds of my soul

@ Razo

Jace lay at the waters edge looking into the creek bed. He wasn't doing much of anything right now. He had to speak to fox and get things figured out but for now he just wanted to lay there and nurse his wounds. They were pretty serious all things considered, but he hoped that they could be fixed. He was trying hard to remember the males name that had told he and Fox that he was a healer but for the life of him he couldn't.

Lifting his nose slightly in the air he howled out a call for the healer to come and help him. Make the pain go away maybe fix the bloody mess of his throat. that would make him feel better. He lay his head back down adn watched as the blood droplets mingled with the cool clear water.

He had smelled the blood before being called, but the howl sent forth gave him the indication that his immediate presence was necessary. This wasn’t some other wounded animal, but a wounded wolf. He quickened his lope and pinned down the direction, and fleet as he could, he arrived on the scene. The stench of partially staunched blood in open lacerations greeted him freely.

Christ, he uttered in a low growl as his eyes cast darkly over the bloody mess that was Jace. Don’t tell me—I surely should see the other guy, he joked harshly, although he truly found nothing funny about what lay before him. Little did he know, the other guy was actually Ferdie, the wolf Fox had sent Ren after when they’d been ranked as Swiftcurrent wolves at the border.

He stalked close, though he might have been uninvited to do so, and investigated the damage done. Wait here, he murmured a little more gently (which was a gesture caused by his temporary distraction to remember which herbs he had nearby than an actual attempt at decency), as if the great black male would be going anywhere anytime soon. Without further delay and quick as a dart, Razo took off, disappearing swiftly into a shroud of trees.

Jace chuckled darkly I'm not your god friend. He didn't know what possessed him to say that most of the time the dark youth was serious and stoic and very rarely joked around, but maybe it was the simple fact that he lay at death's door or so he thought. Or maybe it was simply his mind was addled from too much blood loss who really knew, because he surely didn't. I won if it's any consolation. He said quietly, though he didn't think he had wounded Ferdie this badly but he may have. You'll have to seek out Ferdie after you care for me Razo. he remembered the other males name at that time.

jace shrugged and spoke quietly I'm not going anywhere. he lay there butwatched the other so he could memorize the plants he was about to get used on him. Knowledge was always key and he knew this.

Jace had graduated from “worth-ignoring” in his books, first with unexpected humour and second with the state in which he’d gotten himself. While Razo really didn’t care to hear the story, he expected to hear bits of it when he returned, and for the time being he was only focused on finding the closest materials he could. Jace was fortunate enough that the tawny scoundrel took his trade seriously enough to have been so vigilant as to scour the entire territory twice and three times over in order to cover as much ground and memorize as many prime locations as he could, and yet he was unfortunate enough to have to rely on a medic who hadn’t been in the Creek for even a fortnight. He still hadn’t found everything he wanted at his disposal.

It took him at least thirty minutes to leave, gather what he could carry and return. Wedged between a couple of pliable pieces of birch bark scraped from a trunk were several shards and chunks of willow bark complete with watery sap and enough Common St. John’s Wort for one poultice, meant in particular for that nasty neck gash the dark male had acquired.

He trotted over to Jace, sat at his left shoulder and laid the delicate parcel he carried on the cool earth. Now, listen, he said sternly, expecting his patient to be fully attentive despite the pain that plagued him and the rest he clearly needed, I don’t have a lot to work with from this location. This— he said, nosing the top layer of birch out of the way to reveal what he’d brought with him, —is Willow bark. I want you to chew the entire portion I brought you and ingest as much of the sap as you can get from it. It’s slow acting, but it will relieve the pain and reduce swelling. And this— he said, indicating the Common St. John’s Wort,—I’ll be applying to your wound for its antibacterial properties. If that mess becomes infected there isn’t much I can do for you, sunshine. He began to chew the latter as soon as he finished, closing his mouth long enough to allow Jace to speak or quip or do whatever he wanted, so long as he didn’t interfere.

alright going to have to change the setting to night time before he goes to talk to fox

Jace would have to go see Fox soon with Ferdie, but he had begged for a moment to go clean himself up and that was where he was. He waited patiently for the other male to get back, going in and out of consciousness, mostly simply because he was just tired. He could not wait much longer when he saw a familiar figure coming towards him.

Jace smiled with a snarky grin and said quietly Well alright then darling. and with that he grabbed the willow bark and began to chew. Surprising it wasn't that bad, a little bit sweet. It was still nasty for sure, but at least it was good. he then realized he owed him at least part of the truth he spoke around a mouth full of sap and bark. I was protecting two of our girls today from another pack member who wasn't in his right mind and well obviously it had dire consequences for us both.

Not a worry!

Frankly, Razo didn’t care about the what or the why, and if he hadn’t been chewing a toxic herb as delicately as he could manage he would have also staunched the flow of explanation that started from Jace’s mouth. In doing so, however, he would have missed the information that his current patient had nothing to do with instigating the conflict that had landed him where he was.

He put a pin in the knowledge and packed the pulp into a mound between his tongue and the roof of his mouth before applying the portion to the gaping neck wound and spreading it in a thin layer with his nose. He hadn’t said that it was going to hurt, which was only the tawny field medic’s lack of bedside manner in action, but Razo would have been willing to wager it stung like a wasp.

If you want this to count towards your healing rank we need 10 posts :)
he continued to chew the bark, the methodic movement keeping his mind occupied and soothing him a bit to the entire chaos of the day. As Razo applied the next paste though his breath came out in a hiss and he stared at the other male and spoke quietly Jeez friend what are you trying to do kill Me that stings? Jace snorted as the sting slowly quit, but it had been enough to cause some discomfort.

He shifted his paws and asked a question How can I find this stuff if I can't find you to fix me up? Little did he no that in a few moments time he would be forced to leave his home and the healer, so it was a good thing he asked.

We definitely need a few more in order to tie this up nicely, but we can wrap it up at any time you like.

He couldn’t respond immediately. He sprang to his feet and sidled up on the very edge of the riverbank, placing one large, rugged paw in the fluent water and stooping low to rinse his mouth out thoroughly. He gave his head an energetic shake as he lifted his muzzle from the river’s surface which effectively threw the excess water everywhere. He shot a sharp gaze directly at Jace. I may have to kill you if you insist on calling me “Friend”, he threatened, although he sat back with a look of amusement as he regarded the other male.

There’s plenty on the way to the wetlands. You’ll often find quite a bit of it when you do come across it as it tends to stifle most everything else, he replied. You’ll want to warn anyone who volunteers to apply it not to also swallow it unless you’d like to poison them. On his way to finishing that thought another came to mind and Razo’s eyes grew focused and shrewd, narrowing ever so slightly. Why exactly does Ferdie deserve my attention?

Jace grinned wickedly Alright thanks "Friend" He shook his head he could not help that jab that came out of his mouth and he found that he did not like his new odd change. He was a serious wolf by nature, he still did not know what has possessed him to tease and cajole today of all days. Perhaps it was simply a coping mechanism for what he had been forced to do to save two friends from another friend. Who really knew. Really though thank you Razo.

Jace tilted his head he could not make the choice for the male whether or not Ferdie deserved his attention. However, he could point out that he was a healer and his job was to heal, but that sounded bold and crass even to him. I cannot tell you whether or not he deserves your attention that is entirely up to you. I can tell you that he is wounded as badly as me, if not more and as a healer if you could find it in your heart to do a kindness to someone who has not had many in his life, I would appreciate it. But it is entirely up to you. Truth be told the youth could entirely understand why no one would want to help Ferdie. He almost attacked and could hvae killed to of their younger members and females at that and he had seriously wounded Jace when he stepped into defend.

Razo’s expression didn’t waver from casual amusement when Jace seemed to refuse to let up and loosed a little sass of his own. He couldn’t have known that it had actually sparked a hint of inner unrest in the swarthy, battered male, and as a personal preference the tawny stray thought it a marked improvement to his otherwise too-stoic, too-literal personality. It elicited a very slight bit of egotism, really, that he had affected such a gentle, straight-forward creature so easily. Then again, Jace was young and probably easily affected at the best of times, and the egotism was forgotten, though not at all punctured.

He acknowledged the thanks he was offered with a curt nod, but said nothing. He then listened as Jace explained why he felt Ferdie deserved attending to and heard much of what he’d expected. Razo wasn’t a healer out of kindness or because he really wanted to help anyone else at all. To him, the skill was just a tool he’d used on many occasions to gain access to what he wanted, and because the background duties associated left him to his own devices, enabling him to become an elusive shadow whenever he so fancied. Those tasks also fell in line with hunting and tracking, which took him everywhere and for the most part did not require the presence of others.

I’m aware, he said knowingly with a hint of severity in his eyes when Jace assured him that whatever he chose to do was up to him. Then if you don’t need anything else, I’ll be off. He stood to leave, but paused long enough to look the male over one last time while he awaited response. He might have been becoming accustomed to Jace’s company, and he couldn’t have that.

Jace shifted his weight and dipped his muzzle in respect. Okay Razo and I'm off to speak with Fox and hope this nightmare ends. Jace stood on slightly shaky legs and after adjusting to his weight he began to travel towards the center of the pack land and looking for Fox adn Ferdie. Hoping that this wouldn't be a bad punishment.

Jace hadn't meant to offend the other or anything of the sort. And truth be told he hadn't needed to ask for healing hands for Ferdie, but his gentle nature and kind soul could not let him not ask.

He nodded sharply, statuesque as the dark lad signalled his intent to seek the alpha female. Razo stared for a few moments as Jace left the riverbank, thoroughly scrutinising the tremulously moving physique for any other injury or symptom of one that he wouldn’t have thought to ask about. He ultimately found nothing that held his attention and turned back to the water to drink deeply before collecting his birch bark and loping off on his own to replenish his materials.