Redhawk Caldera idk what to name this

@Eljay @Teya @Bridget (tagging bridget bc medic <3)

since his last venture into the teekon wilds, castor had forged a life of his own. an empire; a family. he'd lived and loved within the sweet confines of the role that was thrust on him in childhood - only to come to the realization that he wanted none of it. it did not bring him happiness.
so when the challenger had come, red eyes glinting and teeth flashing, he had not fought. and his family had known it; he'd seen it in their eyes, the disappointment and, more painful, disgust as he was cut down before them. no one had expected the challenger to be so ruthless, however. castor had nearly been killed in the few moments it took for the others to fall upon the dishonorable would-be king. the man had been killed, as castor had taught his people to follow no tyrant, but in the aftermath it was clear that the golden king could lead them no more. he had become weak - or worse, apathetic.
even so, they had loved him. they'd offered him a place of honor for his service to them, and weeks of medicine and rest. castor had declined. he deserved to die alone, he knew.
so he'd left them. the wife and children whose names he refused to think of even now had watched as he dragged himself off to his death. he traveled as long as he could; beyond the borders and far past any lands his people knew. he walked until he could walk no longer, until he was at the brink of death.
and when he stopped, he found that he could almost detect the scents of wolves. many wolves. the border of a pack, in fact, though he was far enough off to pass it by entirely without notice. but his will was broken, and even his resolve to die had weakened. so instead, he dragged himself those last few yards, just close enough to draw the attention of the pack wolves there without seeming like a threat. he sent up a weak howl, a plea for help.

Brecheliant was not a place where Bridget was accustomed to hearing calls for help, but when it came her response was immediate. She grabbed what few things she had nearby and began to run for the border. Running still didn't come naturally to her and even when she pushed herself, she wasn't nearly as fast as she used to be.

Most likely wounds. She couldn't really know what she was dealing with until she got there but she began to run over lists in her head, things she might do to help. At least, when she got there, it didn't take her long to spot him.

It was definitely wounds, and they weren't fresh. This worried her more because the longer they went without care, the worse things could sometimes be. Bridget dropped what she was carrying and moved in to inspect him carefully, ignoring the fact that he was a complete stranger. Hey, can you hear me? Can you tell me what did this? Who he was didn't matter so much. She could worry about that after she saved his life.

a woman came to his aid, a woman who so resembled his wife that castor half-feared he'd gone mad with pain and infection. but she was nothing like the woman he'd tried so hard to love, that much was apparent in her demeanor and those first businesslike words she spoke. there was an energy to her that his wife had never possessed, a liveliness of manner that suggested a strong personality. these things passed through his mind in a hazy blink of a moment, and in the next second he forgot them. she was asking him questions.
wolf, he mumbled with great effort, not because speaking was painful but because it demanded more energy than he possessed. challenger. wanted the pack... and it had been his in death, hadn't it? for just a heartbeat, it had been his. a moment of lucidity passed over him like a brief parting of clouds, and he abruptly tried to stand, irrationally mortified by the situation. his efforts were feeble and fruitless, however, and if anything he only succeeded in hindering the medic's work.

She could have likely guessed but it was hard to tell right now. Bridget frowned when he tried to stand and moved in, settling one of her forelegs firmly across his shoulders to try and get him to lie still. Don't. I need to get some of these cleaned and treated. It might hurt, but I need you to try and relax. She couldn't really stand in this position but that was just as well. Her body warmth would help to ground him, she hoped, and keep him from trying to leave or doing something equally stupid.

You're on the borders of Brecheliant. She clarified for him, then began to try and tend to the worst of the wounds that she could see. She'd brought some of her common treatments for infection, but the deeper ones were going to take time to really get cleaned out.

It was likely that someone else heard the call and would be on their way as well. She could wait for them before she tried to move him. Better to do what she could here first.

teya had again taken advantage of a lovely day, leaving reyes and sorana to their own devices. she did appreciate him for that. their daughter could learn a lot from her father, despite the bruising between the red wolf and herself.
the call that rose was strained with pain, and when the raven arrived on scene, it was to find bridget already there. the healer bent over a golden man on the ground. 
for a choking moment she thought it was caracal, but was relieved to find she was mistaken. teya moved closer, focused upon the stranger's face. "i teya," she said softly, then looked to bridget, eyes inquiring as she glanced at the bleeding marks of teeth.

skippable for the rest of the thread! would love to have a follow up with either/both of you <3

his attempt at righting himself was not well received; the woman moved to restrain him, sending a cold arc of terror through his chest. he shuddered and went deathly still, closing his eyes in an effort to pretend he was elsewhere. he would not fight her, but fear stiffened his muscles as if preparing for conflict.
he opted to focus on breathing. long, slow breaths, shaky with pain and fear. i need you to try and relax, he heard, and he might have laughed if it didn't all hurt so much. still, he tried. and he tried to listen, too. brecheliant. teya. wait. that was a new voice, wasn't it?
surprise cut through his fear, and brilliant teal eyes cracked open to peer at the newcomer. another woman, not dissimilar from the one who had come first. i teya, she'd said. they were so calm, so accepting. kind, even. and he was terrified. guilt finally forced him to relax, and from there he would be a compliant and silent patient.

absolutely!!!

As soon as she sensed his fear, Bridget lay down and pressed her side firmly to his while she continued to work. She wasn't sure if he would be able to answer Teya's questions and when a moment of silence passed, she paused to look at the Raven.

Apparently it was a leadership challenge. He won't last long without a place to stay. She said quietly. It ultimately was up to them if they wanted to allow a stranger into their midst right now but either way, Bridget intended to treat him. Her role came with an oath that preceded any kind of pack lines.

yes!

teya joined bridget in helping to staunch the flow of red. her tongue swiped over a laceration and then another. "he stays," she decided. "i tell eljay." her voice was measured. it was easier to take of a new packmate found wounded; it kept her mind from her own issues and the things that were going on in her own life.
"you take care of him?" she asked gently, smiling softly at the man. 
brecheliant did not even know his name, and here they were, taking him in.

Bridget smiled gratefully and let out a breath. She'd known Teya probably wouldn't have the heart to turn him away but she would have understood it. There were a lot of things to protect right now.

I will. I'll take him to my den, but I might need help to get him there. I want to make sure that nothing sets into these. If any sickness did settle over him then she'd want to be there to address it as soon as she could too. Maybe it would set the respective fathers at ease, also, to know that he was being observed closely. She hadn't forgotten Reyes' reaction - and that was towards his own son.

Thank you. She'd felt this kind of purpose in Blackwater and it was good to find it again here, though it wasn't anything she'd ever wish on anyone. That was a bit of the struggle of a healer - unfortunate circumstances made you valuable.

teya nodded. she was consumed by how good it felt to be working with bridget, on anything. over anyone. and she wished she had it with reyes. her heart hurt and words fled away, cascading on a ginger wing. the raven chuffed to the man. "we help you stand now."
with luck, between the combined efforts of teya and bridget, the man might walk to the healer's den.
she did not look much at the cardinal as they want, cloaking this in the fact that their newcomer needed her focus now.

Bridget did as much supporting as she could while they walked but, if he needed much help, most of it would fall on Teya. She didn't notice her friend's quiet as she was focused on the patient as well, already considering what she might do to lessen the chance of infection setting in. If she'd feared it before, she'd earned a new aversion to it that burned even deeper now.

She'd spend most of the next days tending to him and ensuring he had what he needed to gain the best chance at recovery.