Ocean's Breath Plateau Safe and sound…finally

The Hearthwood healer howled for @Kukutux as they neared the second camp.

It flew on the wind. She had hoped the Moonwoman heeded her call. These children needed more than what she could offer. Her knowledge did not surpass the midwifery information instilled by Kukutux back in Hearthwood. She only knew of slowly feeding them solids and liquids to prevent the return of contents in the stomach, thanks to her father. She did not know if they needed more.

@Tuft had carried them all the way here, she would do anything to repay the man. It meant so much to her that he had been so willing to help her with these children. She knew she was lucky and she would make sure to share her appreciation with him. He deserved so much more than words, that was for sure.

When he would catch up to her, she planned to check on the children.

worry crossed the face of moonmother as she stood to guide reina and tuft into the camp.

they carried young wolves, weakened to the eye. kukutux immediately set about warming the two, emaciated from hunger, sand clinging to their mouths.

"there is fish drying beside the river. bring it, bring water. we will make them a broth," she decided, wonder and wariness vying in her gaze.

---

From his years of being alone by himself, he grew accustomed to having to have lots of weight to carry from the several animal hides he had to travel filled with food. Having not done it for some time though, he grew a little bit weary from carrying these two wolves for such a distance. It didn’t matter to him, he’d do anything for Reina.

Having brought back the fish and water that Kukutux mentioned back to the den, Tuft panted slightly as he told about what happened. 

“What will happen to them? I’m afraid that the pack of these pups might be looking for them. Will they think that we stole them from their home?” Tuft asked.

---

PP of the kids is welcome. The boy is much more stable due to his larger size, though malnourished from dehydration and lack of sustenance. The girl is incapacitated for another day, her condition stable, but teetering.

She watched over the children, fussing over the fox pelt she placed over the girl, as Tuft came and went for the supplies Kukutux requested. The boy roused himself, more stable in his condition, lifting his head to look around. Though dulled from his health, his eyes spoke volumes. He did not answer Tuft’s questions.

Grateful. Worried.

His female companion, similar in age, was breathing, but did not rouse. Reina worried for her the most.

“I do not know, Tuft. When they gain more strength, we can breach that subject. They need more than our questioning. If it comes to it, we will explain the situation, that’s all we can hope to do, for now.” She smoothed the fur over the girl’s brow, more silent prayers sent above.

She had settled herself between them, giving them warmth and comfort. Her eyes found Kukutux. “Thank you for answering my call and meeting us. I found them below the cliffs.”

tuft returned with what had been requested. chewing the fish quickly, kukutux soaked it in the water, leaving the mixture for now while the meat softened.

beneath the cliffs. they smelled of earth and salt. "i do not think we will be thought to have taken them, no," she assured reina and tuft. "they must rest. they do not belong to the moon villages, and so we must send word to other places, that two young have been found."

she guessed they each had twelve moons, though their hunger and hard journey had ground them into smallness, almost nothing. 

"the boy will live. i am not sure her spirit will stay," kukutux said of the girl, voice hushed with painful knowing.

Tag for Ref

---

Tuft looked over to Kukutux. "I can ask the other packs to see if they are missing anyone Minnow and I are planning on looking for which packs will let us have our children, so I can those we meet if they have any little ones missing too." He figured that he should talk to @Minnow about this to make sure that this would be a good idea. 

Tuft didn't like the fact that Moontide's leader was so dismissive towards the young female pup. "There must be something that we can do to help her!" Tuft thought. 

He asked the leader and Reina "Is there anything that we can do to help that young female pup out?" He knew that it would be best for the children to sleep and rest, but he hated not being able to do anything.

---

Her ears swiveled in Tuft’s direction, her eyes remaining on the children as she listened to his words. “It would be worth it to ask around, in my opinion.  But, check with Minnow first. I know you have your own endeavors to tend to, Tuft.” If the sweet woman could not spare time to find information on these children, Reina would understand. This rests on the red woman’s shoulders; they were her responsibility, now.

The male’s other question had her turning her eyes to the Moonglow Alpha, afraid to hear her words. She had predicted their fates—the boy to survive, but the girl teetered with one foot each in different planes—and Reina did not know how to help them. 

The feeling of powerlessness in this situation was strong, overwhelming. Blue eyes welled with tears as the red healer returned her attention to the young female, threatening to bubble over. One tear did escape, falling down onto the girl’s cheek. There was a subtle flinch as it hit her. A small moan.

A gentle touch to the girl’s cheek, another small, slightly more bothered moan. Reina snapped her gaze to the Moonwoman. “She’s responding to stimuli. Isn’t that a good sign?” 

The young boy had stirred, again, turning his eyes slowly in the girl’s direction.

“Peri…dot. Dottie…” He croaked out. “Sister.”

It took everything for him to push himself upright, his eyes finding the woman’s that sat between him and his sister. He coughed, clearing his throat. “Thank..you—ahem—Thank you for saving us.” He looked around for the male who brought them to this place.

His smile was small, but genuine. “Thank you, sir.” 

Then, he looked towards the other woman, Kuku…something. “Thank you for helping us…please, please save my sister.” He couldn’t help the whimper that escaped his lips; he couldn’t cry, he was too dehydrated. 

She was not allowed to leave him, they promised never to part.

No matter what.

again the nervous energy of tuft jangled, and moonmother looked toward him without speaking. reina interjected then, and then the children roused themselves.

"we must keep eyes on them both, always. especially the girl," the duck murmured, drawing the edge of a soft-tanned hide around the bony shoulders of that child. 

"tuft, bring the broth, offer to the boy first. reina, we will give her fresh blood, hm? if she is too weak to chew, she can swallow." the pale ears flicked. "you are safe, young ones. rest. trust in us." her smile was assured, and she curled close to the girl for a moment, intending to warm her.

---

Tuft did as Kukutux had asked, and brought the broth over to the two youngsters. He let the girl, named Dotti, first lick from the bowl a couple of times, then let the boy do the same. 

Helping these wolves out made Tuft feel even more excited to become a dad. He felt a newfound pride grow within him.

"You're welcome young pup. I will make sure she lives no matter what." Tuft said to the boy wolf. Tuft knew that was a promise that he couldn't keep, but he felt deep down that it was true.

---

The Moonwoman had assured the boy, as well as Reina and Tuft, that the children are safe now. But, will they truly be safe and sound? The boy, yes, but the girl…it was yet to be seen. And, the Hearthwood healer wanted to try everything and anything that could be done to give the girl, Peridot, a solid fighting chance.

She watched the boy nod to Kukutux and Tuft before sipping from the broth that was offered, gulping greedily. A gentle touch of the paw was given to remind the boy to slow down. The broth would still be there for him and his sister, there was no need to finish it all at once, lest he chanced the risk of it coming right back up. He did indeed stop, heeding her silent warning. He flattened to the ground and settled into Reina, eyes only closing after a brief glance toward his sister.

She found her voice, soft enough to give the children some quiet, yet loud enough where she could still be heard. “I do not know what will come of these children. If they are found to not belong to a pack, I want to bring them on the return to Hearthwood…” She did not know if Reverie would accept them, but she needed to try, or at least find them somewhere safe.

Safe and sound.

Skip Carnelian, he’s seepin’ :)

quietly she watched tuft as he communed with the young ones. energetic though he was, she saw the silverstreak of paternal strength in the forestwolf. he would mellow with time. fatherhood would see to it, she decided.

"they were found near moontide's land. let this choosing be the task of rodyn and heph," kukutux gently encouraged, not wishing reina to hold more stressful thoughts than she must.

"moonglow is open to them. moonspear too, will take them for healing. morningsong will also be a place of peace for them." reverie had newborns. kukutux did not believe that giving her more to do would be wise.

“I do not think there is any harm in Tuft searching, if that is what he would like, but, yes, Rodyn and Heph can surely be involved. Thank you, Kukutux. I appreciate the assurance that these children will have a place to land within the Moon packs.” What she didn’t say, was that if it came to be that they did not have a pack, or family to care for them, she wanted to be that for them. They need someone who can guide them, they were still only pups, after all. They needed a mother—and that was why she wanted to bring them to Hearthwood. Her responsibility, children of her soul.

Not only for the fact it was where she resided, but she couldn’t possibly fathom leaving Reverie and her daughters. A promise was made and she would keep her word, but what would that mean for the kids? She half hoped they had family, a pack, who would rejoice in their return and she would not have to make such an awful decision. The other half of her hoped they were nothing more than abandoned children, lost and in need of her. 

She knew the possibility of Reverie refusing to absorb them was high considering she just had her babies, but it was worth a shot. If anything, Reina would escort them to one of the Moon packs herself, but her heart felt a heaviness settle in at the thought.

“We should let them rest for now. I was thinking of searching for herbs and berries to dry, so I may carry them in a skin. I don’t want to be as unprepared as I was when I found them.” The red healer hadn’t necessarily been speaking to anyone in particular, her eyes glued to the kids as she had been lost in thought. A yawn escaped her then, suddenly feeling the weight of her life. 

“Well, maybe I will sleep first.”

moonmother would say nothing more upon this matter. she was amused that reina seemed rife at once with maternal intensity toward the waterlogged pair.

she would offer another mixture of broth and another of greenery edible for their kind. a whisper to give them tea and water as often as they ate, and then she left them in the care of tuft and reina.

kukutux would not be far, patrolling the edges of the camp before she settled within earshot of the young ones and the woman who watched over them.