Redhawk Caldera somewhere in the sore, bloated meat around you

@Teya @Maia @Eljay

He had been turned around one too many times on the trail of tusked beasts.

The trek home should have been easy, should have been noble. He could have brought back something worthy. Instead he sustained injury and laid in a haze for some days as it scabbed and prickled with some kind of infection at his throat.

He knew not the way back home from there.

Nor if he would make it back home.

So he slogged along, nearing borders that smelled of neither Winterglade nor Moonglow. A call did little good from him. A low, croaky sound that inspired pain.

she had caught a fish. endlessly fishing. she would need to leave soon, and look for reyes, but dread and other things caught in her throat and stifled her paws. bridget was out searching. even bridget! why hadn't she gone?
just as teya was about to berate herself, her nostrils were tinged with wolfscent. she dropped the grayling and approached the borders with caution. 
a man, visibly sick. the raven warned him back with a growl. he smelled of infection. and so she held him off, unsure if it might transmit to their pups. "what happen?" she hoped direly that @Bridget was back within earshot; she did not want a stranger to die at brecheliant's borders.

Not so long ago, he had learned words.

He had learned how to place certain phrases along one another. He might have been able to explain the situation clearly to her.

Instead, he could only offer but a whine, crouched so low he was soon lying upon the ground. Chin tilted away from his body so she might see the scabbed wound upon his neck.

The mark of a boar who had seen it fit to strike him for his novice hunting.

too quick for me! Have a Bridget instead <3

She'd arrived back a fairly short time ago, though she intended to go out again as soon as she'd caught a little rest and scrounged up a meal. She hadn't slept long when the call woke her, and it took her a moment to recognize the urgency before she lurched groggily to her feet.

Thankfully she woke up some on the way. By the time she limped onto the scene, though, Teya was already squared off against whoever called. Her defensive pose immediately set Bridget's fur pricking. Had he tried something? She looked him over and some of her worry faded. He looked rough. There probably wasn't much he could try.

That wound looked nasty. She'd need to treat it, and soon, if he was going to have a chance at survival. Let me take a look. She didn't need to worry about the details of who he was or where he came from. Instead she cut straight to business, hoping to get his permission to come closer.

teya remained taut as the man lay down, but visibly relaxed when bridget swept onto the scene with her customary and no-nonsense gait. 
the man was hurt, and now he would have the care of the best medics in the teekon. a smile tugged at her mouth. "can i do anything?" she asked of the cardinal.
and reyes beat in her chest.

In this position, stretched on his side and tail tucked against his stomach, the underside of his neck where the damage had been done was on full display.

And although there was the instinct to curl up and protect these things, there was also the instinct to survive.

So he fell silent, content to be tended to by the wary kindness of these strangers.

He seemed willing to have her poke around at it. Bridget drew in so that she could inspect the wound better, though she didn't touch it just yet. She could immediately tell that he had gotten lucky - if it had gone deeper, he would likely already be dead. It was still deeper, and wider, than she liked. Clearly some amount of infection had already set in.

She'd need something to offset that. To be safe, she should probably give him something to ingest too, to help keep any kind of fever at bay. It wasn't a guarantee but it would at least up his chances.

She was so caught up in the work that it took her a moment to answer Teya. She almost said nothing, then realized she'd rushed out without bringing anything with her. Shit.

I should've brought it with, she replied, clearly a little annoyed with herself. But if Teya was offering, that meant Bridget could at least get started here without making him wait. There's supplies, you know where I keep them? I need one with the clusters of small, red flowers... and there's a root, too. Bridget described where she could find them. Then she smiled, breaking focus for a moment to look at Teya gratefully. Thanks.

She trusted that Teya could sort out the plants she needed. In the meantime she turned her focus back to the patient. This is going to hurt, but it's important. I need to get this properly cleaned. She wanted to make sure he understood before she started in to avoid triggering any unexpected reactions.

it was good to work next to bridget, even for a moment. "of course," teya said. her eyes flicked mistrustfully to the man, but if he suddenly turned on bridget, the raven herself would finish the work of tearing his throat out.
she dashed and returned as quickly as she was able, still many minutes before she came back with the requested things wrapped in a large blade of sedgegrass.
"here," she grunted, settling down beside bridget once more. "will he live? too early to know?"

feel free to PP him as needed too! :D

Hurt, but important.

It needed to be cleaned.

The thought made him nauseous, but he clenched his jaws and offered a slight nod of understanding. Prepared for the pain. As prepared as one could be.

His eyes closed and he thought of the glade.

Bridget was as gentle as she could be, but she was methodical too. She pushed him gently to direct him to lie down, then placed a paw on his shoulder to help hold him steady. Then she set in to work.

There were deeper places she might need to reopen but would wait for that. She didn't want to risk opening anything without having a poultice ready to apply. It took a while, and she was not quite finished when Teya arrived back.

Some of it runs deep. I'll have to clear it out, or it'll still settle in beneath the treatment. But I think he'll live. Bridget took a few of the flowers and a portion of the root Teya brought, putting them in front of him. If you can, eat these. They'll help.

She'd thought she might do it here, but that didn't make sense. She wouldn't want him moving much once she got the treatment in place. I'd feel better if we got him to the den. It was a question without really being one, but her friend could argue against it. And, like usual, Bridget would keep him nearby and under observation instead. Usually it was a pain - this time it might be less of one, honestly, with her out and searching anyway.

the man was silent and unmoving through it all. this earned him a silent measure of respect from teya.
bridget spoke as she worked. she was a good teacher, presenting the information in an accessible way. teya nodded. "i help you." she moved to the man's other side and nudged herself under his forearm. "come up."
in this way, she would assist his move from the border to the medical den. she looked for bridget to direct them.

It was a ferocious roar of pain in his head and it churned his gut. The nausea of his pain almost felt too great to try to eat something. For a moment he stared, watery eyes and uncertain, but his other option was far too bleak to not try.

The remnants of the plants he had managed to eat felt like stones in an empty stomach.

The other firebrand helped him, the one who had seemed against him at first. He knew now that she was not mean, she had not meant harm. She was like the village women. Fierce in the unknown, kind in the knowing.

In the den, he hoped to find pain slumber while the two firebrands worked.

Bridget assisted where she could but she was grateful for Teya's help. She was still sore from the previous day of extensive travel and hadn't quite had time to recover yet. It was doubtful now that she would get it, but she was determined to still try and balance both this new patient and her search. It was impossible for her to leave it alone until she'd exhausted the options and knew, for sure, Reyes was in a place that could not be found.

Later. Now she led them to the den and settled him in, giving him something mild (if he needed it) to assist sleep while she worked. She would cleanse the deeper parts, opening where the wound had closed over uncleanses places, and cover the space with a mixture meant to ward off infection and ease pain. His chances were good if she had done her job well and if the illness wasn't too deep to be drawn out.

If Teya chose to stay, she'd welcome the company, and direct her to help in holding and mixing. It was quiet, rewarding work.