Sleeping Dragon You are the spade I used to dig this hole

A yawn stole over Wildfire as she walked slowly through the territory. The weather was cold and gloomy, which made her eyes heavy. She was feeling a lot better but she was still healing, which was a long and tiring process. Although it was tempting to return to the warm, cozy den and sleep the day away, she forced herself to keep going. The fresh air and exercise was good for her, she knew.

She caught wind of the pack's Skayona and decided to look for Portia. She wanted to ask her a few things about the wound on her thigh. She also wanted to talk to her about the arrangement with Dio. Wildfire didn't want anything to interfere with her plans any more than she wanted to upset the pack's medicine woman. She let out a breath, then inhaled Portia's scent and began tracking.

Dio had mentioned the whole ordeal a little while ago, so despite the initial shock it'd had time to settle in the Skayona's mind. She'd almost told him no, but realized how ridiculous that would've been-- she didn't even want children, who cared if he very platonically fathered Wildfire's? Though the thought of him with another woman really ruffled her fur, ironically.

She'd put it to the side for now, she was about the same age as Wildfire and knew that it would probably happen sooner or later, but she could deal with it when the time came-- inwardly, she wondered if she herself would have to cross that river. But instead of pondering it, today she sat outside her den (as usual) and counted seeds, worrying instead of Chessur would replace her-- and if Thuringwethil no longer trusted her. Mid-thought, her ears perked and she looked up to see the red form of Wildfire, head tipping. 

"Hey, hun," she said, forcing a peppier tone and wagging her tail, "How are you feeling?"

There was a reason she was a master at hunting. Swiftly and efficiently, she tracked Portia down at her den. There were seeds scattered on the ground at her feet and she appeared to be counting. Wildfire didn't mean to interrupt, so she hung back, though the Skayona soon looked up and greeted her. The Bandrona smiled, black tail sweeping the chilly air as she closed the distance and took a seat adjacent to the other she-wolf. As usual lately, she favored her right hip so that she could splay out her left leg to avoid pinching the nasty gash on her thigh.

"I didn't throw you off, did I?" she asked, peering down at the seeds, then up at Portia's face. "I was hoping you could take a look at this again," Wildfire added, blinking down at the thick scab on her upper leg, then up at Portia again. "I picked at it a little the other day," she felt the need to confess.

Wildfire seemed hesitant, but she made herself comfortable when Portia greeted her. The freckled woman gave her a bright smile and shook her head, offering a quick explaination. "Oh, no, you're fine... it's just a precaution," she said, then gave a sidelong glance like she was telling a secret, "This is the fourth time I've counted these today... it's so relaxing." 

Her attention then turned to her leg, and she shifted into a sitting position. "Didn't I say not to?" She teased lightly, giving her a raised eyebrow and a sweet smile as she bent to examine the leg. "It doesn't look too bad-- is it hurting?" She asked, attention moving towards the trapper. 

Her brows lifted when Portia admitted that she found it relaxing to count and recount the seeds. Wildfire herself wasn't terribly good at counting. Her amber eyes lowered to the seeds again. She almost definitely couldn't count that high, period, and so she was mildly impressed with Portia. She had already known the Skayona was bright but she was even smarter than she'd realized.

Wildfire forgot all about counting, her ears splaying a little guiltily even though Portia chastised her in an entirely friendly way. "I know," she said guiltily, then admitted, "Kind of. It's more pressure than pain, though. That's why I picked at it. When the scab came off, it oozed pus. Do you think it might be getting infected?" she asked, worrying at her lower lip.

"Eck," Portia muttered, staring back down at the leg, "It's certainty not a good sign... but I'm glad you came to me, I'll fix it before it gets worse." She gave the woman a smile and stood, trailing into her den and motioning for Wildfire to come in and sit as she began to shift through her herbs. "Where exactly is the pressure?" She asked, glancing back at the woman as she worked.

Portia seemed concerned, which ratcheted up Wildfire's own anxiety about it. "I don't feel feverish," she said because it seemed important to note. When asked about the location of the pressure, she pressed her lips together and gazed down at the gnarly-looking gash. "All over, really," she said, worry coloring her tone. "The skin on and around it is sort of warm to the touch. That's bad, isn't it?" the yearling guessed, hoping Portia would be able to diagnose and treat it if it was an infection.

"Usually," Portia said as she sorted through herbs, "wounds tend to ooze, it's natural and it's part of the healing process-- but warmth is usually a sign of infection. It's good that you don't have a fever though, that's usually a sign the infection has progressed pretty far, this seems very mild." She turned to the woman with a few herbs in her jaws and a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine," she said, placing the herbs on the ground and stepping towards Wildfire. "May I?" she asked, referring to her wound, "Just to double-check."

She listened as Portia gave her prognosis, nodding quietly. If it was just a mild infection, she knew she could beat it with the Skayona's help. She trusted the medicine woman rather implicitly. She was intelligent, skilled and possessed a bedside manner that always put Wildfire at ease.

"Of course," she consented, shifting slightly to make her wound more visible and reachable. As she waited for the medic to assess her, Wildfire found herself peering thoughtfully at the side of Portia's face. She had another question she wanted to ask which related directly to the wound. It could also segue neatly into the other thing she wanted to discuss with her, though it was easier said than done.

"I, uh," she began as Portia examined her, "I was wondering something." The Bandrona drew in a steadying breath. "I have no idea when it'll happen but it could be anytime. So I'm wondering: is it safe for me to get pregnant while I'm—like this?" She waved a paw to indicate her entire body. She was healing well but Wildfire knew she needed the consultation.

Portia prodded a bit-- softly-- noting Wildfire's reaction. It was certainly warmer than it should've been, confirming the Bandrona's concerns. She then turned back to the leaves she'd grabbed, referencing to them as she spoke. "These are oak leaves-- they'll help with your infection and will help to keep it closed... or at least fight to stop the bleeding should you scratch it open again," she told her, teasing lightly. She moved to begin to make it into a paste to apply to the wound, ears perking as she began to speak again. 

Her tail paused it's movement as she listened, but her paws continued to work, eyes focusing down rather than on the yearling. "Uhm," she began, disappointed she had to think about the topic again, "The wound shouldn't be at risk of coming open in a week or so, I would think. That being said, you'll be fine so long as you're... careful." Her ears fell to half-mast as she worked, the image setting in for a moment before she looked back at Wildfire with a small smile. "Any hormones setting in yet?" she asked.

When Portia offered the leaves, Wildfire nosed them and then opened her mouth to munch the first one, after shooting the medic a quick glance to make sure that was what she was supposed to do. It tasted bad and was difficult to chew what with her sharp fangs, yet she managed. As she chewed and eventually swallowed, she listened carefully to Portia's feedback, trying to gauge her expression and tone.

"Yeah, I've been feeling more hormonal the past month or so," the Bandrona said thoughtfully. She tried to pinpoint when it had started but she couldn't really remember exactly. "So I expect to, ah, go into heat pretty much any day now." That thought made her heart beat faster, though it clenched a little as she regarded the Skayona.

"I was hoping to talk to you about that," Wildfire said in a soft, slow voice. "The arrangement I—we—have with Dio. Are you okay with it?" She couldn't even begin to guess how Portia might feel about it. It was complicated. She did know that unless Dio withdrew consent, Wildfire would breed with him regardless of Portia's feelings on the matter. She felt terrible for thinking that way but she couldn't bear the thought of losing out on her chance for a family with Thuringwethil.

Wildfire ate, and Portia continued to mush the rest into a paste to put on the wound itself, smiling at the face the other made-- it was always the best part. Wildfire's next comment drew a breath from Portia, and she shrugged a bit. "Yeah that sounds about right-- just... go easy..." Though Portia was usually way open and usually lacked the ability to feel awkward, the conversation tugged at a few sensitive topics. 

"Oh, don't you worry about me," she then said quickly, paws moving a bit more hastily as they worked, "They're just children-- and I don't even want any." She stared down for a second, squinting. "So, you-- you might as well, I guess."

Wildfire went still as Portia answered. Although the wording sort of rubbed her the wrong way—they might as well? she guessed?—she decided to give the other she-wolf the benefit of the doubt. Actually, whatever irritation she may have felt at the phrasing melted away nearly immediately and she gazed at the Skayona with a mixture of sympathy and gratitude on her face. She had the distinct feeling that Portia was downplaying it.

"I want you to know how much it means to us," she said, voice still soft and slow. "Without Dio, Thur and I might not be able to have a family at all. He's being incredibly generous... and so are you." She paused, lips pursing momentarily. "Obviously, we wish it could be done some other way but there's no fighting mother nature..." Wildfire gave a sort of hollow laugh and then trailed off awkwardly, wishing she could convey the true depth of her gratitude because her words did it no justice at all.

Clearing her throat, Wildfire's brow knitted as she questioned out of genuine curiosity, "You really don't want any of your own?" In her eyes, Portia's decision whether or not to have children actually had no bearing on the leaders' family planning. But she couldn't help but wonder why she didn't want pups. In the Bandrona's opinion, the medicine woman would make a brilliant mother, though of course it wasn't her call or even really her business.

She shook her head. "No, no," she said quickly, "I understand, completely." Wildfire seemed to imply that she was being incredibly generous, though the comment was a bit confusing. "I'm not really offering you anything, hun," she then said, shrugging, "It isn't my call, I appreciate you coming to me though." She and Dio really hadn't done any clarifying either. Mostly their relationship was just beginning-- so all of this seemed like a distant future-- then again that might've been the little pessimist in Portia speaking.

She wanted to mention that Wildfire was going into her first heat-- and being in the hierarchy she was sure to have another one in the coming years. It wasn't really a pressing matter... but she wasn't going to argue, Wildfire seemed set on this being her one and only opportunity. 

The Bandrona's next comment made her smile, and giggle a bit. "Not really. I've never been one for settling," she explained, then immediately wondered if Wildfire would question her about Dio-- or even her place in Drageda. "I've matured, a bit, but I'm still not sure children are for me," she added with a hesitant smile.

Portia insisted that she was all right with it and that there was nothing Wildfire needed to thank her for. The Bandrona decided against arguing her point. As Dio's prospective partner, the yearling knew it must be difficult for her knowing he would be intimate with another female, no matter the nature of said union. Wildfire really respected Portia's cool-headed take on the whole arrangement. She sort of wanted to hug the other woman, though she also wanted to respect Portia's insistence on treating it as very low-key.

She licked her lips when Portia explained her stance on children. Her head canted, wondering if this also meant she didn't really want to tie the knot with Dio, either. Perhaps that was why she was seemingly unconcerned about the entire arrangement. That kind of made Wildfire feel a little better. Besides, shouldn't she be happy that Portia wasn't interested in procreating? That meant less competition for her own pups and the resources required to raise them.

"I get you," she said amiably. She paused, wondering if these next words out of her mouth would be extremely awkward but decided to spit them out anyway. "I hope you'll be involved with mine and Thur's pups, as a mentor if nothing else. It would be neat if one of them grew up to be a medic. I've always had a lot of respect for the field," Wildfire said earnestly, peering down at the seeds. "Ever since I was a kid and I followed my sister around while she gathered herbs and stuff.

Anyway," she said in the next breath, glancing down at her thigh where Portia had presumably smeared the oak leaf paste on the wound, "I'm very grateful you've spent your time and talent on me. You might be the only reason my leg doesn't fall off," she quipped.

She nodded. "Dio said he wanted to be involved, so I'm sure I will be," she replied with a wave of her tail. She adored babysitting, puppies were always so much cuter when they were someone else's-- care for them for a moment, and when they start to act up just hand 'em back over. She loved teaching, as well, thinking fondly on Hvitserk and even Freyja, though the Skayona knew that Freyja was really Wildfire's apprentice. "And you know I'd talk anyone's ear off about plants and medicine, just send 'em my way," she purred, smiling playfully at the other.

The other comment earned a shrug from Portia, though she beamed visibly. "It's my job, hun, I fix up anyone who comes my way-- Lord knows I don't have use for all of these herbs all on my own," she said, a small giggle escaping her lips. 

Portia was probably the easiest member to love in Drageda's ranks. Wildfire smiled at her, appreciative of her kind and helpful attitude. She hoped the Skayona wasn't just saying that she was all right with the whole arrangement, that she truly didn't mind and would be involved with the pups that were born as a result of the union because she wanted to and not out of any sense of obligation.

"Anything else I should know or do with this?" the Bandrona asked, eyeing her left thigh before her gaze lifted to Portia's face. "Should I keep eating oak leaves every so often? And putting the paste on it?" She licked her lips. "Does that help reduce the possibility of scarring, by any chance?" Wildfire also wondered.

"Eat a few, rub it on maybe once in the morning and then at night, just in case it rubs off during the day or in your sleep," she said, thinking for a moment prior to double-check. Portia then nodded, a wider smile spreading on her face. "You don't think I'd let you walk around with that nasty scar all your life, do you?" she teased playfully, pawing at the air in front of her in a friendly gesture. "I mixed some lavender into that salve-- it usually does it's job in time. You can come back once the wound has closed and I can give you some more," she added, tail waving. 

The Bandrona listened carefully to Portia's instructions, nodding quietly. Her eyes crinkled at the corners when she mentioned slipping some lavender extract into the paste to help with reducing scarring. Once again, Wildfire was reminded of the Skayona's intelligence. She was quite the trifecta, actually: beautiful, smart and kind. Drageda was really lucky to have her (Dio especially!).

"Thanks for all your help, Portia. You're the best," Wildfire said, rising onto all fours and slipping her smudged muzzle against the other woman's neck. "I'm going to go find Thur and tell her how you're taking such good care of me," the yearling said with a wink of one golden eye and a playful grin. "See you later." With a parting smile, she turned and toddled back toward the den, deciding to give in to the urge to take a nap after all.

Portia smiled, tail wagging a bit faster as she stood with Wildfire. "I know, I know," she quipped playfully, returning to friendly nudge. "Bye! Be careful, hun!" she called out after her as the Bandrona waddled away. She was happy, glad that she and Wildfire were beginning to be much closer than just packmates-- but when the redhead was out of sight she sank to the ground and let out a huff, eyes scrunching as the situation began to fill her brain again. It wasn't that big of a deal, it wouldn't be anything that she should be jealous of, and she certainly couldn't pass judgement-- but still, the thought still bugged her ever so slightly.