Hideaway Strath we didn't quite do what we thought we could

a little welcome to TGL for the newest little! Also Idk what a timeline is or where we fall into things :D - no obligations to respond from anyone tagged of course 

All in all her quest to hopefully track down a lead on Roarke had not been successful. She knew no more about where her godson was than when she'd left and while she hadn't even been gone two days still she came back to a changed world. She had carried @Ran most of the way back, not only because the grounds were uneven and it was treacherous but because the puppy seemed so infinitely tiny. It brought out the qualities in Hemlock that made it easy for her to fall into line with tending to @Sirius.

Once they had made it back into the Strath Hemlock let Ran down, going slow so the little puppy could keep up. Her first goal was to get her fed and then the pair would be able to relax together, no doubt the little thing would sleep properly. Hemlock knew she would need to tell @Arturo and @Lotte, mentally steeling herself for the opinions of her fellow leaders - it was taking resourcing from their children to give to this small stranger, but, Hemlock would bare the burden of hunting and raising her alone if need be. "You will be safe, here." She said with a small smile, tail loosely at her heels as she watched the little puppy. 

 

Ran's paws were sore from walking so far away from Moonspear, so she was happy enough to be carried most of the way. She was frightened and sometimes she would cry out when she suddenly realised how unfamiliar everything in the situation was. By the time they reached Teaglaigh, Ran was too tired to be fussy anymore though. As she was set down, she followed ever so slowly. "Tiyums," she muttered under her breath as she put one sore paw in front of the other, going very slow because it was only recently she'd learned to walk at all on her three good legs. Her right front leg was burning from the extra pressure and exertion, but survival instincts told her to keep pressing forward, even if it was hop by painful hop.

"Wha's gone?" she asked, looking up at Hemlock with a questioningly tilted head. Her left ear perked up curiously while her right stayed flopped down. She didn't know what the words were that her new caretaker spoke, but her tone of voice was soothing still so Ran felt safe enough, knowing instinctively to stay close in order to survive.

Hemlock smiled at the little puppy as the tiny grey girl looked up at her. Everything about her was precious, even her obvious deformity, but she knew that there was still potential in her for greatness. When she said she was tired Hemlock gave a little nod, leaning down to pick the puppy up to carry her to the densite. "Rest, sweet girl." She murmured as she took to grooming the puppy, briefly leaving her to grab a kill from a nearby cache. She chewed it up before offering some to the girl, letting her fill her stomach before they curled up together. 

No doubt that Sirius would have a strong opinion about it (how strong, Hemlock would never anticipate!) and Arturo and Lotte would as well. Once the girl had rested more she'd call the pair, but for now, they just needed to recover. The attempt at recovering the lost boy hadn't gone well and so Hemlock could only focus on the tiny child at her side, and later she'd try and sort out the emotions it brought up. She let the Fearghal's down - she had let the pack down. Maybe she could focus on Ran and help her, maybe she wouldn't fail her. 

As always though, even the best of intentions were wrong - and Hemlock would find in the coming days just how very wrong she was.