Mount Apikuni And now I'm tryin' not to drown

@Taikon @Zephyr
Set directly after the sad thread that I'll link later when I'm not on mobile.

Taki! Taki! Where are you?! Her older brother's booming voice could be heard all around her. It made snow fall from the dusted evergreens as she watched him search out her trail. And just before Sia got close, she jumped out with a roar and a giggle. Gotcha! the fiery little girl yelled, jumping forward to nip at her brother's chest. 

He looked down at her with a stern expression the quickly cracked just a little. You can't go wandering off on your own out here, Taki, he told her. Always so serious. You're too far from home, let's go back.

The sunny winter valley disappeared into darkness, and then all she felt was a throbbing pain in her head. She shifted some and felt a weight against her. She shifted even more, and then nausea gripped her stomach. She shot up just in time to vomit to the side of where she had been. Looking around, she saw Taikon and Zephyr. What happened? she asked, her voice gravely. Where is the cougar? She tried to stand, but nausea had her doubled over again, and all she could muster was a pathetic groan.

Zephyr is at her side when she wakes, watchful, a stone guardian. Takiyok's movement breathes sudden life into him, and he stands, moving close to brace himself against her gently. Don't stand. You hit your head, He says softly, tone grave yet uncolored by any particular emotion. The cougar is gone. I brought you back. He leaves out the rest, the unsavory parts, the parts where Taikon had yelled and Zephyr had panicked and cried. He leaves out how he'd stayed glued to her side in the moments between making sure the group still functions, seeing black fur and red eyes, smelling invisible sickness on her. He simply goes silent.

He was eating when Takiyok finally woke. The goat that Zephyr had brought would be difficult, if not impossible, for her to stomach. Much of his eating was in preparation for feeding her like a pup, even if she wanted to refuse food. Zephyr was beside her. The both of them were drained.
When Taikon heard her voice, weak in the air, he spun around. Oh thank God, he breathed, moving quickly back to them. Zephyr explained the situation numbly. Taikon shut his eyes and lowered his head beside Takiyok's. He didn't say anything, afraid of overwhelming her and afraid that anything he said might make Zephyr spin out again. He could smell vomit. The scent was strong and gagging, but he didn't care. She was alive.

She was very dizzy and disoriented but she understood what Zephyr had said plain as day. If she could frown, she would have. How did I hit my head. And what do you mean the cougar is gone? She should have thanked her, but her mind was everywhere, and she was just trying to piece everything together. 

And the amount of relief she heard in Taikon's words made her chest tighten. All she could think was that she might have died without resolving things between them. She had been so angry with him, and it was not all his fault. She would need to explain later, but for now, she touched her head to his cheek. I am okay, she told him. Or she assumed that she was because she was alive. If she was alive, she could push through anything. 

She glanced back to the woman who had no reason to have saved her. She could have left her to the cougar, but she had saved her instead. Thank you, she whispered. She winced a little. How long will my head feel like it is going to explode, she asked them both, It was making it hard for her to think about anything else.

Little did she know, it would be quite a while before her head felt anything resembling normal. Thankfully, she had Taikon, who she trusted enough to lean on while she couldn't be a hundred percent. And Zephyr, well, she had saved her life it seemed, and Taki was the type that took such an act to mean the other wolf deserved a real chance to prove herself. 

For now, though, she was tired and welcomed whatever help was offered the remainder of the night until they moved again.