Redhawk Caldera You can reach, reach out your hand

After @Meerkat dropped her off at the Caldera and her mom had greeted her, Fenn immediately retreated to take a little space (and to avoid the questions she knew were going to happen).  Her going story was that she'd gotten turned around and then fallen and that was what she would stick to for the duration of the fallout.  Eventually it would fade, but until then, she kept it vague.

Despite staying here under the guise of seeking medical help, she knew she didn't likely need it.  Her side would heal with time, so she didn't immediately bother @Eljay.  Instead she found a spot near the caldera and plopped down (gently) in the sun with a shallow sigh.  She wasn't sure how this was going to work, but at least she'd sorted out one thing.  Her image for the future, the one she'd held for these past few months, would need to change.

tags for reference, aw!

Ever since Maia had been gone from the Caldera, Eljay was feeling rather restless. He spent a lot of time just patrolling and checking the horizon for traces of Maia, and he spent a lot of other time overthinking the future. He just wished that he could come with her, he really did, but where would they go? Did they even have a place to settle yet? And... Would he risk losing Maia if he didn't follow her? There were so many doubts in his mind, and Eljay wished that he could make sense of it. One moment he wanted to just run after her right then and there, and the very next he nearly had a panic attack just thinking of leaving Redhawk Caldera and the Blackthorn den.

He was wandering when he saw someone who resembled Fennec. Huh, weird. Was it Niamh..? No, she was definitely different looking. His nose confirmed his suspicions and Eljay trotted up to Fennec, quickening his pace to reach her, with surprise written on his face. Fenn? What are you doing here? Last he knew she was a part of Firefly Glen, after all.

how visibly wounded is Fennec?

She laid there for a while, but restlessly, she ended up needing to pace.  The decision to stay was still weighing on her mind.  She'd never been able to accept the label of coward, but this right here, it felt cowardly.  Just like you.  She understood now, much as she hated him, and the comparison she drew only made her feel worse.

Eljay's appearance was actually we hugely welcome distraction.  Hey Eljay.  I... well...

She was prepping to launch into the same story she'd told Meerkat, but instead, the plot gods have spoken.  She didn't know the caldera, was distracted, and didn't feel before she stepped.  Her foot caught a rock and she stumbled, then fell, landing heavily on her injured side.

Something snapped.  Fennec bit back a shriek as her entire ribcage and chest erupted in pain.  Fuck, she was going to pass out.  She bit down on the inside of her cheek and exhaled with a hiss, but whatever she'd been about to say to Eljay was forgotten.

Well it was a fractured rib! But now it's a broken rib/punctured lung, huzzah!

Eljay didn't realise that anything was wrong with Fennec at first glance. She was a welcome distraction for him and his overthinking mind, too, and he smiled as she stepped towards him. Then suddenly she fell. Fenn! Eljay called out to her and his face instantly turned to worry. He rushed forward out of instinct, but of course wasn't in time to actually catch her, as he hadn't been near enough.

Right away he could see from the look on her face that this was bad news and she had landed poorly. Eljay chewed on his lip as he asked, Are you okay? He knew the answer would be no, but hopefully it'd be a catalyst towards her spilling what wasn't okay, at least.

She thought it hurt before but that was nothing compared to the way it felt now.  Fennec automatically moved to take the pressure off, but she stopped and lowered her head as it became nauseating.  Something was way worse.

I... fell.  She managed to get out, though her face twisted as she spoke.  She needed to tell him what was wrong.  The medic in her brain kicked her.  She could shut up after.  Before.  Just hurt, but now, s'thing broke.  It felt like something had skewered her side and chest every time she took a breath.  

Fenn's ears tucked back and she let out a low sound, something between a groan and a whine.  This was out of her depths and she couldn't begin to think straight enough to walk herself through it.

He'd already seen that she had fallen (he didn't realise she might mean the previous time) so he quickly nodded through that and waited for her to further explain what was going on, what she was feeling. She added the much-needed 'before' and then added that it had hurt before, but now something was broke. Eljay wondered if that was true (in his experience, many wolves often exaggerated their injuries and thought things were broken when they were - thankfully - just severely bruised), and he moved in to inspect it.

Where? Can I touch it? Eljay moved a bit closer, though he visibly waited until she would tell him where she was hurt and gave permission to come closer.

Instinctually she almost snapped back with a no.  She didn't want anyone touching it, not right now, when even breathing was agonizing.  But of any wolf she trusted Eljay.  He wouldn't hurt her unless he had to, and right now, he had to do his job.

m' side.  She exhaled, the inhaled, trying to calm herself down and keep her breathing light to move as little as possible.  She could feel her chest constructing, though, and a weird sensation as though something heavy was resting on it.  

Slowly, Fennec drew her paws in, then shifted, rolling sideways so that she was on her stomach instead of laying on her injured side.  She couldn't help but let out a sound as finishing the movement she'd started earlier made her stomach turn and a spear go through her.  Eljay started to grow a little fuzzy as he moved around her, sounding distant through the haze her mind apparently summoned to detract from the pain.

Eljay nodded when Fennec told him where she was hurt. She sounded strained, which made sense since she seemed so hurt. What could've happened to suddenly cause this? Maybe something was already wrong, but it just suddenly showed itself. If it was truly broken then that was nothing he could fix, especially not in someone's side. All she could do was hope that it would heal on its own and take it easy until then.

Waiting to give her the bad news until he'd actually checked it out, Eljay approached slowly. He was grateful that Fennec helped show him where it was, and slowly reached his muzzle to feel in the injured area. He touched very lightly, because he knew then that if it was only bruised it would be maybe a little tender, but if it had truly been broken it would hurt a lot even to be touched lightly in such a place.

Fennec rested her head on the ground in front of her, but it felt a bit like she was floating anyway.  Suddenly the pain wasn't so bad, though her breath was getting shorter, compressed by pressure.  It felt like her lungs just wouldn't take the air.

This didn't freak her out this time, though, because she was too out of it to notice.  Even as Eljay prodded her gently, the pain was distant.  If he asked her anything, or said anything, she wouldn't hear it.  The stress of the injury had currently kicked her body into a state of semi-consciousness that was bordering more towards the "un" right now.

It was hard to feel anything, though it was undeniable the sound hadn't been too good. Eljay noticed that Fennec didn't respond to the touch at all. When he looked at her face she seemed to be fading away. Fennec? Does it hurt when I touch here? Eljay's voice was laced with a bit of worry, as he didn't want her to fall unconscious; it could be potentially dangerous.

It was a heady wave she was riding.  Her ears were muffled, Eljay's words barely making it through in any capacity, and she didn't quite understand them.  She started to tune in, then lost interest, her head lolling somewhat into her paws.  The exhaustion and warmth and floating were too much, her consciousness flickering and threatening to snuff out like a submerged candle.  It'd take more than noise to rouse her, though her eyelids still flickered.

Eljay frowned when Fennec didn't respond to what he was saying. He moved over to her face and nosed it roughly (well, roughly compared to what one would expect of Eljay, anyway) to try and wake her up while saying, Hey, Fen! Stay with me! In the worst case scenario he'd stay here with her and lay down beside her so that he could keep her warm, but he'd rather she fell asleep on her own volition rather than just drifting off somewhere.

At his rougher prodding Fennec tuned back in somewhat.  She let out a light moan as feeling returned to her and she tried to recall where she was.  Eljay was here.  She sharpened on that some.  Wha.  Was all she got out before her features tensed with pain.

Her breathing was shallowing more as pressure built on her chest, stabbing with each breath.  He might see the tension or hear the shakiness and the hitch.

She still wasn't doing very well, but she managed to get something that resembled a word out and Eljay was glad to see that she was at least present again, somewhat. He frowned as he tried to think of what to do. He couldn't really move her right now, since it did seem like something might be broken. Honestly, the prognosis was pretty bad if she did have anything broken, but Eljay didn't want to tell her that right now (he would, however, inform her later that this might mean bad news and that he couldn't really do anything about it but hope that it would heal well enough on its own if she stayed still enough).

I'll get something against the pain. Try to stay awake. Eljay didn't wait for a response and dashed off towards the den, where he still had some stores left from what Fennec brought them for Maia. He picked something against pain and infection and rushed back, hopefully arriving to an awake Fennec who would be in a mood to eat his (or technically, her own) dried plants.

She listened dimly as he told her to stay awake.  She really didn't want to and it was super tempting to just ignore him and fade off again.  Being here hurt a whole lot more than not being here did.

She did try at first, but in the end, she couldn't do it.  Between the pain, the oxygen deprivation, and the stress, Fennec failed to maintain her grip on the edge she was clinging to.  She fell headfirst into senseless nothing, and by the time Eljay got back, she was unresponsive.

Her quiet wheezing continued.  She'd be out for a few hours, long enough for them to move her if they wanted.  She'd be dead weight but at least they wouldn't have to worry about hurting her more at the moment.  When she woke she'd choke the herbs down gladly, but for now, she wasn't doing anything.

my last post! <3 ty for the thread (and lettin me get my whump in here)! XD

When he returned Fennec didn't respond and he frowned worriedly. He made sure that she was warm and comfortable enough when she came to, although it would take a while for her to heal. He made sure that she ate the herbs against the pain -- hopefully it'd help her heal -- when she awoke. While things looked pretty grim now, Eljay hoped that time would heal Fennec's wounds well enough so that she didn't have any lasting effects.