Kintla Flatlands My undead mummy and me

This is future-dated a couple of days from now. Outsiders and aspiring Healers especially welcome! :)

The first morning following the cutting, Junior awoke to very sore legs indeed. She stood carefully and skulked discreetly across the plateau, dropping down into the flat lands and wading into the river. The cold water soothed the aching cuts. Hopefully they cleaned them too. Junior stood there until her legs went numb, then retreated onto the bank to lick tenderly at the wounds before retreating back into the woods.

The second morning, she felt a bit better but the wounds looked downright gnarly. Disgusted, Junior returned to the river and washed the pus off her limbs. She even scrubbed at them a little, which hurt like a bitch. Aunt Willow had always stressed the importance of keeping wounds clean, so she just wanted to be sure there was no dirt or grime in them. Once more, she withdrew and returned to the plateau.

On the third morning, Junior could barely move. Her legs not only looked horrible, they throbbed and pulsed. When she touched her nose to one of the angry cuts, it was agony. Her broken skin was hot to the touch too. When she tried to climb to her feet, she cried out in pain. She knew, without a doubt, that her wounds were infected. She also knew she should call Aunt Willow; she undoubtedly required medical intervention.

But the young Osprey hesitated, feeling a deep, burning shame at the thought of revealing what she'd done to herself. Surely Aunt Willow wouldn't judge her but... word would get around and she might have to leave the plateau out of sheer embarrassment. Whimpering from the pain, she hobbled across the plateau, seeking the relief of the river's icy waters. The slow, agonizing trip gave her time to think and build her courage.

Luckily, Junior did not run into anyone, though by the time she reached the bank, she was feverish and trembling. She swooned suddenly, her vision dimming. She staggered and fell onto her right hip with a muted yip. Junior went to duck her head between her legs to get the blood to rush to it, though she fainted despite her desperate effort, crumpling into a motionless heap just feet from the water.

Here comes help! ...not

Valtýr had been transported Southwest, as requested, by a man named Lucius. Though the icy roman was binary in personality, there was enough warmth in his heart to spare some generosity to the forlorn child. Small game and shelter was enough to sustain the little Sveijarn long enough to endure their travels, though he found any degree of traveling exhausting. Lucius had been kind enough to keep the pace slow, and in return Valtýr did the best he could to keep food down; but it was a vicious cycle. His body craved nourishment, but hot blood on the tongue violently churned his insides - possibly from stress. When the scent of packlands gre strong, they had parted ways... leaving the sooty pup to make his own way forward. After all, Oborous didn't have the best reputation in Teekon.

Nothing more than a walking skeleton, Valtýr's steps became heavy as he followed a river from glen to glen. Quickly his resolve began to fade, the rocky banks quickly draining his energy. However, before he could find a place to rest a glimmer of raven colored hair caught his eye. The firstborn approached to find a young wolf crumpled alone the shore -- presumably dead -- accompanied by an odious smell in the air. Valtýr's nose twitched suspiciously but he approached nonetheless, a numbness permeating his mind. Curiosity and fear was no longer ruled by instinct. He simply craved the touch of another.

The small female did not stir as the youth approach, and so Valtýr coiled his emaciated body against the crook of her belly, wedging his hollowed skull between her slash forelegs. Her body was still tepid, though the boy did not think so far ahead as to detect any heartbeart. Instead, he shared her warmth and fell into a half-dream besides her, lulled by the river's ebbing water.

It was with suspicion on her mind that Blue went in search of Junior. The girl had been hiding something from her in the days earlier and she was determined to find out what it was. That and tied in with the fact that she had smelled blood on the air was enough to drive the healer crazy with worry. Couple that with the fact that she was fairly certain that at least one of the couplings had worked and she would find out in a few days if she was expecting or not, she was restless. So she strode from the privacy of her own den in search of the youth, and she wanted answers.

As blue traversed from the borders a small prone figure caught her eye and with a gasp of stifled surprise she raced towards it. It was indeed her beloved niece lying crumpled on the ground, but lo and behold as she approached closer there was another child there hiding in the crook of her legs. And by all the gods that were holy what had happened to Junior's legs. Blue cried out in absolute fear and worry and she strode forward with purpose now, speaking to both junior and the child. Oh Junior what has happened to you darling? It's okay little one I'm Blue. She continued forward inching slowly, even though she wanted to race the rest of the way, but she knew in order to keep both herself and the small sandy child calm she would need to be cautious.

She finally approached after what had seemed like agonizing hours, but had been merely seconds. She ran her muzzle through the fur of Junior's sides and finding a pulse she sighed in relief. She immediately set forth to cleaning up her legs, she would have to rip open the wounds, this would be painful. With a small groan of sympathy pain she bit gently at the scabs and pulled at them all the pus needed to come out.

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lasher had grown more protective of blue in the days that followed their union; it was instinctual, inexplicable even to himself. though he was quite sure the healer was capable of managing herself, the gamma nevertheless did not stray far from her side. they would not know the outcome of their lovemaking for some time more, yet he took a sort of sated pleasure in her very nearness.

it was with hesitation that he followed blue willow outside the confines of the plateau, hoping she would not chide him for his worried nature. taltos trailed far enough behind that he did not think she would notice, yet dashed after her all the same when she broke into a shocked run.

it was junior, and the sight of her bloodied legs caused him to cry out with worry. blue willow had fallen into the brisk business of a healer, yet lasher could sense her anguish.

it was the child who caught his eye; he gazed at the boy, who was quite thin and possibly sick. he wondered how junior had found the whelp; he gave a soft nudge of his muzzle to one skeletal cheek, intending to stir the waif.

Junior remained oblivious as a strange pup crawled up to her and snuggled between her mutilated legs like some sort of teddy bear. When her aunt arrived on the scene, eyes wide with horror and concern, she did not stir. Even as the Healer began to pluck at the weeping, angry scabs and Lasher drew up behind her, the juvenile didn't rouse. It was lucky, really, because the pain would have been unbearable.

As the medic tended to her infected wounds, she drifted and dreamed. In her dreamscape, she wandered through an immense, dark forest, the trees so large that they dwarfed the sequoias near the coast. Eventually, she realized that they weren't actually trees at all but the many legs of a colossal mastodon.

She darted out of the way to avoid being stepped on, only to bump into Pura. She smiled at him, then turned her two-toned eyes back to the great animal—only it had abruptly vanished. Junior shot Pura a quizzical look, only he had somehow transformed into her Uncle Atticus, who said, "I had to walk away. She never would have had a full and happy life with me..."

Unsure what to say, Junior blinked down at her feet. Her mouth opened in a silent scream when she saw that they were pale yellow talons rather than paws. I'm an Osprey! she thought in horror. This time, a real scream tore up her throat as young Junior suddenly shrieked herself awake.

The muted cries of strangers stirred Valtýr from his dreamscape. Dewy bronze eyes looks up to see two dark wolves tower over them; their pelts colored like tar and ash. One feverishly tended to the wet marks upon the fallen's limb while the other watched on with an expectant stare before its scrupulous green gaze turned to eye where Valtýr's rested. The child's jaw clenched as his wasted body curled a little tighter towards the warm one, not exactly sure what to make of the hullabaloo. His mind was absent of thoughts beyond basic survival, and so when Lasher touched his cold nose to a sunken cheek, the Sveijarn's eyes only offered a slow and heavy blink in response.

But suddenly a violent caterwaul rattled from the lungs of supine adolescent. The screech sent a fit of panic through the starved boy and his limbs flailed, muscles seizing, in an attempt to right himself. Eventually he scrambled towards Lasher's leg, but not before loosing a few drops of urine to fear. Sooty bat-ears cupped his crown as his heart raced, his insides suddenly animated by the shock. His lanky figure hugged the adult's foreleg as he watched the she-wolf return to consciousness, but couldn't help but feel the biting cold return to his side once again.

It did not bother Blue so much that Lasher was protective of her. It was instinctual for him to do so, as all instincts dictated she belonged to him at the moment. Besides it was nice to have someone worry over her, make sure she was safe. It was something she hadn't had since she lived with her father.

The scream that tore from Junior caused Blue to start and quickly back up. She did not wish to become a chew toy if Junior woke up and hadn't realized who she was. She kept a gentle eye on the small child that hugged tight to Lasher's leg. Are you alright little one? She smelled the tell tale signs of fear and angst, both on him and the urine he released, but she chose to ignore it. He was after all just a child.

Junior! Junior! It's Aunt Willow, please let me finish fixing up your legs? Please. he last plea was quiet and soft, she was incredibly upset at this ordeal. The infection was so great it could kill the plateau princess and it bothered her to no end. She was anxious to completely heal her.

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in the next moment, junior began to scream and the boy jerked himself from the cage of her bleeding legs into the shadow of lasher's own. unsure of what to do, he gave an awkward lick to the child's head, attempting to reassure him. murkwater eyes watched blue willow as she pleaded with junior, and the gamma moved forward slowly, so that the emaciated waif could keep pace as he approached his lover and the girl.

junior, junior, he murmured into one dark ear, sweeping her cheek with a wary tongue. if she snapped at him in her frightened reverie, it would be no loss to him, though he did turn his profile to her, so that her teeth could not reach his eyes without effort.

heat blazed from her young body; he caught blue willow's eye, hackles prickling. what do you need of me? taltos inquired softly. he was no healer, but the days spent with her had acclimated him the the plants she most often used, and their appearances. as he spoke, his eyes came to settle on the child again, and once more he wondered at the small presence in this scene.

it was the child who caught his eye; he gazed at the boy, who was quite thin and possibly sick. he wondered how junior had found the whelp; he gave a soft nudge of his muzzle to one skeletal cheek, intending to stir the waif.

Despite her feverish state, Junior woke fully lucid—most unfortunately. Even as her wretched scream faded into silence, she cried out again, this time a bawl of pain. "Oh my god!" she gasped, two-toned eyes frantically fixing on her aunt's hovering face. "It hurts so much. What happened?" she moaned in horror as she looked down at herself. Of course, she knew how the wounds had originally gotten there but she didn't understand why each and every one had been torn open and left to bleed.

She tried to move, only the pain stopped her, leaving her breathless and motionless. All Junior could do was begin to cry, quietly at first and then more hysterically as whatever adrenaline reserves she possessed ran empty and the pain became all the more excruciating. It would not be long before she started screaming again, in earnest, unable to cope with the agony in any other way.

Junior didn't even notice the small scarecrow of a pup clinging to Lasher's leg.

Dinnerplate-sized eyes rolled between Blue Willow, Lasher, and Junior as the latter cried out incessantly, wracked by seething pain. Words ensnared her primal wails as red pooled into her inky locks. "Oh my god! It hurts so much. What happened?" the girl howled, an indigo eye watching her mutilated limbs. Though the adults offered some small ministrations of comfort to the boy, a helpless insignificance washed over Valtýr when their attention became infatuated with their own. The pair feverishly tried to comfort the blue-eyed girl though she was wild and restless, face contorted in agony. Incoherent sobs amplified quickly and traveled through the young boy like daggers. He wished to be anywhere but here.

Suddenly, he felt quite small. Like the lynx's attack, there was nothing the boy could do. No where he could go. Valtýr slumped to the ground, hugging the rugged bank for comfort. He missed daddy and mommy... Jokull, Maera, and Larus. Why was he here? When would they come for him? When would this nightmare end.

His eyes shut tight, waiting for the storm to pass. There was no other recourse.

Blue took a shuddering breath at the obvious pain in Junior's face, eyes and voice. Oh chile. She slipped into her father's favorite word, and she nuzzled Junior's face gently, not even caring if the girl would snap at her in pain, but the need to make her feel better was more than she could take. I had to reopen them Junior they were so full of pus and I'm going to have to squeeze it all out too. She sighed sadly, she didn't want to have to do that, but she had to. I'll give you something to sleep though while I do it. She looked at lasher and spoke softly I need to get her to the den, because this is going to be a long process.

Blue then turned her attentions to the small child beneath Lasher's legs. She leaned over and if he would allow it she attempted to give him a gentle nuzzle and a lick to his face. He would need some sleep and mostly food if she had to guess without looking him over completely, and she was more than willing to give him that. Another child to add to her fold.

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his lips tensed into a grim line at blue willow's instructions, but he nodded. the boy was given a tremulous glance before he nudged junior more firmly, tears welling in his eyes at the sight and scent of her agonies. little junior — we must move from here to your aunt's den, he tried to trill encouragingly into one dark ear.

once there, blue willow would have at disposal her various herbs and remedies, but junior's screams had hurt his heart, and he did not know if he had the willpower with which to move her. yet a flicker of eye to his willow's despairing face, and to the boy behind them on the bank, and his resolve strengthened. teacht, mo daor, lasher murmured.

My last post, since Junior's out of it. You're welcome to power play as much as you need! :)

When Blue Willow explained that she had reopened the wounds and that the torture wasn't nearly over, Junior's mouth opened and she did indeed unleash another wretched scream. "No! Please, don't," she pleaded after it faded. "I'll die!"

The Healer mentioned putting her to sleep but as luck (if it could be called that) would have it, the combination of pain and terror caused Junior to swoon again. With a last cry that cut off rather abruptly, she became nothing but a sodden, limp mess on the grass.

Gonna be last post for me too! Val will follow them to BDP C:

The wails continued but Valtýr kept his eyes fixated on the ground, adverting his gaze from the gruesome scene. The gentle touch of the dark woman eased his nerves slightly, but it did not loosen his grip on the earth. Suddenly, the cries waned and one bronze eye peeked up to regard the unconscious Junior. Val glimpsed from Lasher to Blue; it was obvious they had been emotionally moved by the young girl's strife.

Even though the whole situation had been frightening, the boy would follow the dark trio towards their home, eager for their company despite the girl's frenetic status.

[i]I want to point out since so many folks are in her den, that is about big enough for 3 or 4 adults. I had it in my mind bigger than most since Blue was a healer.[/]

Blue felt Junior's pain as if it were her own, though not in the same capacity. She felt it in the vicinity of her chest and it burned. She felt so bad for her, she would do her best to heal her, but the unfortunate thing was that she would need to hurt her to heal her and that was just awful. Blue shook her head, but lent her own body to the task of bearing Junior to the plateau with Lasher. She did however look at the pup and motion for him to follow Come along little one. We'll get you some food and a warm place to sleep. She would often turn her gaze back to him to be certain he was following her.

fading!

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he too bent his back in the task of supporting junior unto the den, worried gaze flickering between the woman who aided him and the boy that trailed the healer and her lover. where he had come from, lasher could not fathom, but it made no mind; he would be welcome in the warm space of blue willow's den, with food to round out his thin sides and soft words to coax his own.

it was for junior that taltos' heart almost met its end in distress.