Swiftcurrent Creek copper

the break in her right hind-ankle had been clean, but the days forced to walk upon it had not done well for its swelling. the blackhaired warrior had ordered her to find a woman called @Arlette. muskrat called out once in her coywolf cry, then settled to sit out the rest of the rain beneath a stand of birchtrees, annoyed and yet relieved she would not have to hunt alone.

Arlette was called, but the voice was not familiar. The woman frowned but was quick to get to her feet and respond. However after a few steps she decided to grab a seedpod of poppy seeds. Her stock was running really low. Luckily any moment there would be poppies returning. The woman went to the call and was met with a coywolf female. Arlette raised her brow and then remembered Akavir mentioning something.

Hello, she greeted after placing the seedpod down between her feet. She watched the female curiously. She had some scarring on her face. Her red eyes traveled over the other curiously. They locked onto the swollen ankle. It looked painful. Arlette's eyes traveled further over the woman but couldn't see anything else. Did you call for help?, she asked and motioning her muzzle to the ankle.

muskrat had almost dozed off when footsteps brought her eyes open into lemony slits once more. and then they widened, for the woman standing in front of muskrat looked even more the part of a warrior than ah-kah-veer. traced in a patchwork of long-healed scars, the red eyes captured muskrat's own reverent stare.

she noted then that the plantwolf was pregnant, and thought to herself that it was good to see warrior-women seeking daughters to which their lineage might be passed.

"yes. i call. ah-ka-veer tell find arlette." she shifted to show her limb, though not the bite-marks on her nape where the night man had seized her. those scars were for muskrat to wear with her own pride.

Arlette watched as the female moved when she saw her. The pale healer gave a quick nod when the woman spoke. It made sense that Akavir would tell her to come to her. She watched the leg and at first part it didn't look good at all. She picked up the poppy seed pod and stepped closer to place it before her. Ah yes. I see. First eat this. It will help with the pain, you might feel a little more sleepy and sluggish but at least you won't feel as much pain, she explained. It would take a bit for it to work so she wasn't too worried.

She glanced at the female for consent as she stepped closer. She would first focus on the legs, after all that looked serious. Can you stand on it? She would need her supplies and perhaps let the leg cool. Hmm. Luckily she recently gathered reeds and other supplies. I will have to mend. Can you follow me?

feel free to PP her for any healing stuff, shes cooperative <3

it was great pain to stand upon her leg, but muskrat did so without evincing a blink. the plant was given a cursory sniff, and as she chewed, the awqalli glanced again at the woman with many scars.

"you are warrior?" muskrat asked, limping behind arlette wherever the plantwolf led.

from here she heard the rush of the creek, and felt again how starkly different these lands were from her own.

thank you <3 <3

Arlette helped her towards the river where the cool water was rushing past. A warrior? Then she realized her scars and well yes, in a way she was a warrior but probably not in the way the female mentioned it. Uhm.. No, sorry. I got attacked by a cougar, she explained. Luckily she had survived it, her pups had not that year. It was still a little painful, but it also had been a very long time ago. She had been so young and very innocent about the world.

When they reached the river she instructed Muskrat. Place your paw into the cool water. It will hopefully help with the swelling,with that said Arlette looked around if there were come quick herbs around. Nope, she would need to gather her supplies. I will be right back. Stay with your leg in the water. Arlette then trotted off to gather the things she might need. She had a feeling it was broken and not often one would come across a broken bone.

Arlette went to grab the cattails and reeds she collected. Within twenty minutes she returned to the female. She placed the supplies down and then was off again to the nearest tree. She started to pull off some bark and finding what she was looking for. Resin. She returned and placed it on the pile of supplies. She motioned for the female to come closer. Sit and try to stretch your leg, she instructed.

Okay I am going make you a splint. It might hurt a little but the split will help to keep the bone straight and heal, she explained. Arlette started to pull some of the fluff out of the cattails, it was a little messy especially when she started to mix it with the tree sap from the bark. It was rather sticky after all. She knew she would be a mess of fluff and tree sap later but oh well. She got to help someone.

She first made a layer with the reed fluff around her leg, and then started layering the stems, breaking them at the right length with her teeth. She made sure the bottom leg was kept straight as she worked. It was a tedious procedure. She would need more tree sap. Hoping that the splint would be stable enough for her later. At least it would help with her walking. Arlette went to grab some more for some of the last layers. She hoped the fluff in the first layer would make it more comfortable for her. She tried to work as gently as possible but with the leg on tension and stretched it probably wasn't fun. You okay so far? Want to tell me what happened?

<333

arlette had many plants muskrat did not know. but her time in battles had made her malleable to the arts of a healer, even with the obstacles of culture and language between them.

the water was cool upon her leg. she stretched the limb when arlette returned and indicated that she do so. pain blossomed in black spirals within muskrat, but she refused to let this show. the green material intrigued her, for she recognized this at least. "soqos," she murmured of the longer plants, though she found herself touching a paw to the inner fluff of the cattails, for which she had no word.

the plantwolf bound her leg. "i run from bear. bear chase. i fall, break ankle. but bear not kill," muskrat darkly chuckled, her sharp teeth glinting for a moment. "you good, yatiri."

To Muskrat's credit she didn't whimper or whine while Arlette worked on her. It was quite remarkable. Arlette also realized she spoke a different language than she did, or well, knew words she didn't. However, she had understood to explain what happened. So her language couldn't be much different from hers? Arlette quirked up her lips at the explanation. Ah yes. Survivor, she spoke. She knew all too well. Cougar not kill me too, she hummed in return. Strong women. She decided to say.

Arlette was about to turn to the last layer when Muskrat complimented her. At least she thought. Thank you. She then grabbed some more stiff reeds and worked on the last layer. She hoped it would hold when the female would stand. She stepped back. I hope it holds. She stood herself. A little tired and covered in resin. She hoped Arric would forgive her when she asked him to groom it out of her fur. She would try to get it out with water first though.

Done. Try standing? It had been a while since she made a splint but she hoped it would hold for the female and at least give her ankle some support and rest. Try not to move too much, and rest. No fighting. She then looked at the female and decided to ask: Do you wish for more pain medication?

hearing the woman of scars amend her sentences to be shorter flicked the coywolf's ears with interest. a cat had given arlette her wounds, and at this muskrat sagely nodded. "strong woman. now you have cat's strength, hm?"

the splint would hold. muskrat cast a watchful glance over arlette before she held out her leg to look at the splint. she was unused to its weight or structure, but gamely strode back and forth along the bank with a lopsided gait until the plantwolf seemed satisfied.

she would have to move, muskrat already knew, but did not argue. rest and the avoidance of conflict was easier achieved. "no pain medi..ic ... nothing for pain. fill head with fog like morning in swamp forest." agony should be borne until your body put you to sleep. the stare of lemon-quartz had softened. "thank you, arlette."

Arlette wasn't sure if she had the strength of a cat though. She still disliked the animals a lot, and was rather fearful. But she wouldn't say that to the other. She just dipped her head. Perhaps that was the philosophy she needed, maybe she did have the strength of a cat now. That was actually surprisingly nice to think of it that way.

Arlette watched but luckily the splint held. She nodded slowly in approval. Good. Okay. Her work was not for nothing. Muskrat didn't want pain medication. She nodded again. Perhaps the pain was good to keep her slowed down, that usually worked in a sadistic sort of way. She wondered if the same could be said for the female who had been so quiet during all of the procedure. Alright. No pain meds. Arlette dipped her head. You are welcome. Good luck and come back to me if something doesn't feel right.

Arlette looked at the river, she might have a dip in it, see if the resin would come out of her fur.

arlette did not press. it was part of what made her a good yatiri. they had not known each other for any time and already muskrat believed this.

she tested the splint as she stood, taking her weight onto her other legs with a gait that set hitched sideways a little.

muskrat did not say goodbye. she would see arlette again, and did not feel the need for a formal departure as she went back to her pile of branches beside the creek, nothing more than a beaver's home out of which she had chased the residents after eating one of them.