(Flashback) Wild Souls Cross Snowy Paths (Fela Meason)

[Zanril]

Her mouth was bathed in the wolf's blood. She stood there a moment, as if to say, "I can take care of myself". Zanril chuckled. Kelvic. She was independent, even in her true form. Zanril lowered his bow, and the jaguar limped off toward the other girl. Zanril eased his string's tension and replaced his arrow. He walked over to the mangled corpse, produced his hunting knife, and cut his arrow from the wolf's flesh. He inspected the arrow. Not too much damage. He slid it in the quiver. Looking up, he could see the jaguar licking and nuzzling the girl's hand. Definitely Kelvic. A wild jaguar would have mauled the girl, or just ignored her. He turned his attention toward the kill. Zanril prodded the wolf's chest until he found its sternum. He flipped the blade up and began cutting a field dress. Zanril was taught to never waste a kill. Zanril skillfully removed the bladder by pinching off the urinary tract, cutting it out and laying it to the side some distance away. After his dressing details were finished, Zan wiped his hands in the snow and on his trousers. He stood up and walked toward the girl and the animal. The pale girl looked worried. She was crouched, frantically feeling around for something. Was she blind? W-where is it?! Where is my bag? I must have dropped it. The girl was visibly upset. Zanril spoke to her in Common. Hello? My name...Zanril. Are you looking for something? I can maybe help you, girl? Zanril stooped and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. It is all right. I am a friend.

[Fela Meason]

51st Summer, 510 AV Fela could feel herself becoming weaker as the blood continued to roll down her leg in crimson rivers. The pain wasn't that bad, but the wound must be more severe than she had first realized. The amount of blood loss would soon take her life if it was not bandaged soon. Really? That little pip squeak did this? Fela growled as she slid to the ground and sank into the snow. Salida was growing more and more worried and she started to wander away from the tree searching for the bag. The hunter in the woods approached, he said he name was Zanril. He sank down and placed his hand on Salida's shoulder to calm her. She stilled her movements but a visible tremor was running through her body. I need my bag. It's a small deerskin bag. Brown and well worn. My Medicine and bandages are in there. If I don't find them, she'll die. She'll die and it's all my fault. The tears were streaming down her face now in full force. The temperature had dropped well below freezing now. Ice crystals were spreading over her cheeks. Her whole body continued to shake and shiver as the cold seeped deep into her being. Her hands numb Salida dug in the snow around the tree base till at last her fingers scraped along the smooth leather of her bag. She cried out in joy and pulled it out of the snow. Inside were small phials of pale herbal tinctures, swaths of linen cloth and healing salves. She reached inside feeling for the special marking separating the jars. Her hands were too cold, too numb to tell which was which. I-I can't do this. She turned towards the friendly voice of the man. I can't see. Help me, help her. She thrust the bag towards the last known location of the voice. Help us.

[Zanril]

Zanril took the leather bag and looked down at the jaguar. The wolf must have severed an artery. I need to work fast. Zanril knew how tourniquets worked and the properties of an herb or two, but mostly relied on the Whitevine Hold for medical treatment. Zanril acted fast. He wiped the frigid tears from the girl's face, removed his jacket and wrapped it around her. His buckskin armor and warm cotton shirt would suffice for now. Zanril's own hands were getting cold at this point. He found that gloves impeded his archery, so he usually just went back home if his hands got too chilly. He would have to work with what he had. Zanril wrapped her cold hands around his and began warming them vigorously with his breath. I don't know your medicine, girl. You need to find them. I can help you administer them. Get your hands warm! Zan squeezed the blind girl's hands, trying to increase their circulation. He had to hurry! I'm sorry for this, but we have no time! Zanril stooped and jammed the girl's hands up underneath his armor. Her hands felt like ice on his warm stomach. After a few moments of holding her hands on his flesh, Zanril pulled her hands out and placed them on the jars within her leather bag. You have to find them, friend. Concentrate. I can help you look. You can do this. What do you need first?

[Fela Meason]

51st Summer, 510 AV The blood flowing out of Fela's injured leg was frosting over, the bitters winds were even defeating the warmth of her life force. Concentrating all her energy on staying awake Fela left her trust in the hands of this strange hunter and her blind bondmate. The wind kicked up and slapped Salida's pale blonde hair in her face. The man gently took the bag out of her hands. He must have understood the plea in my voice. She thought to herself. She jumped out of her skin when she felt his cold digits wrap around hers. Despite the situation she found herself blushing. She had never been touched by any man before besides her father who only offered her a hug on her birthday. She sputtered for a moment and was about to tell him to stop when his position changed and she found her hands in a more compromising situation. Her blushing cheeks felt like they were on fire, each beat of her heart could be heard inside her own head. She couldn't hear anything over the roar of her own blood coursing through her veins. The seconds stretched on for what felt like hours and at last feeling was returning to her. She flexed her fingers digging into Zanril's stomach. He was warm, feverish under her fingers. Strange thoughts flashed in her mind, sinking her teeth into that warm stomach, laying down in warm furs. You have to find them, friend. Concentrate. I can help you look. You can do this. What do you need first? The stranger barked at her. She snapped out of her daze and cursed herself for allowing such lustful thoughts at a time like this. Salida found her voice, The healing balm first. A clear jar with a pale gray salve. It jar has three bars etched into the glass. She rummaged in the bag tracing her fingers along the edges of each phial. Three. She pulled it out and thrust it at Zanril. The memory of its creation was clear in her mind. Salida sat poised over a pot, Fela giving her directions so she did not burn herself. Melting the wax slowly as she mixed the oils with care, 3 parts comfrey for every one part rosemary. She felt it leave her grasp. She reached out until she felt fur and pulled her self closer. She traced her fingers around wounds feeling the severity of them. Most of them were not deep, shallow, a mere scrape. She found it, the deep gash in her hind quarter. Here, cover this wound with the salve. Make sure it's a full coating but make sure the layer is thin.

[Zanril]

Zanril stroked Fela's soft fur to comfort her. He popped open the jar and dipped in his left index finger. It was a thick, sticky gray salve. Zan pulled out a heaping glob of salve with his digit and slowly rubbed it on the large wound. I'm sorry, Fela. He could tell it hurt, and he was half afraid she'd take off a hand. She stroked Fela's coat with his right hand and began telling her an old Vantha tale in Vani to soothe her. It was a melodic lullaby story about Queen Morwen's protection and love, and about how she travelled far and wide once a year to spread her kindness and peace to Mizahar. After Zanril finished spreading a thin layer on her wound, he placed his right hand on the blind girl to alert her of his presence. It is finished. What do I need to do now? Find the next part of her treatment and I will help. Zanril pulled the bag closer and placed the girl's hand on the leather.

[Fela Meason]

51st Summer, 510 AV Fela growled and winced as the Vantha coated her wound. While he worked he began to speak in his native tongue. The smooth vowel combinations soothed her and calmed her beating heart. The sun moved out from behind the clouds and started to warm the earth again. Thankful for the break in the shadows thrown down on them Fela started to have hope. Zanril finished spreading the healing salve and turned to Salida. It is finished. What do I need to do now? Find the next part of her treatment and I will help. Salida nodded and reached into the bag and pulled out a roll of linen bandages. and a stack of square patches made of a denser material. She held them out for the man and waited for him to take them. Once he had them in his hand she reached in and pulled a soft cloth as well. Use this to dab the wound and clean as much blood away as you can. After you clean the wound the best you can place the squares on the wound and apply pressure with one hand. Make sure the keep the pressure hard and even. Once the wound has been covered start to wrap the area. Once you start to do that tell me and I will help lift her. She dreads that, she had to put on a brave face but she was weak and lifting a 200 lb plus animal was not something she trained to do. She knew medicine and poisons but knew nothing of fighting nor possessed the strength to do it. She crawled up to Fela and felt around in her fur feeling for the major artery in her leg. Her fingers found it pulsing underneath her fingertips and she applied pressure to it slowing the blood flow. Fela reflected on the situation. It was all her fault. If she had allowed the hunter to take care of it should be not be lying there dying in the snow. Her inner cat wanted to play and she let it.

[Zanril]

He grasped the pads and bandages and took the cloth. He listened carefully to the girl's instructions. Zanril softly dabbed the blood away from her wounds, being sure he didn't cause too much pain. The cloth quickly turned crimson. After most of the blood was absorbed, Zan placed the square pads so they evenly covered the surface of the cat's gashes. Zan then used his left hand to apply pressure to the pads--gentle at first, then firmer by degrees--until Zan was sure his force was sufficient for the wrapping. With his right hand, he dextrously manipulated the bandage roll. He dropped it once, but was then able to grasp the roll's end with thumb and forefinger. After wedging the linen under his left hand, he held the bulk of the roll loosely with his right. His right hand then wound around her leg, the cloth distributing more or less evenly across the square pads. He pulled tightly each turn around with the bandages, but not so tight as to restrict circulation. Zanril looked at the jaguar. Its chest was heaving with each breath, and the discomfort hung heavily on its feline features. Something else, though. It seemed...disappointed. Ashamed it had to be cared for like this, as if it had failed. It hit Zanril suddenly. The blind girl is her bondmate! That explains why this girl cares for Fela so. The cat came back for the wolf not only out of raw primal urges, but also to make sure it couldn't hurt her special friend. Now she feels weak, as if her efforts to protect the blind one made the cat a burden to the girl. Zanril held the bandages fast with his left hand. With his right, he stroked the cat's velvet head. He leaned to her ear and whispered, You did well. That wolf had luck. You are a powerful animal, I can tell. Zanril softly rubbed his face against hers. She is safe with you. Worry not about this wound, you will prove yourself to her time and again. He turned his attention to the bandages again. After a chime or two more, Zanril was finished with the wrapping. He cut the line of bandage, pulled it tight, ran it under another line of bandage and tied it firmly to itself. He placed his hand on the blind one. It is finished. We can move her. Zanril knew he had to carry most of her weight, and he didn't mind at all.

[Fela Meason]

51st Summer, 510 AV A weak growl left Fela's mouth as Zanril dabbed the blood from her wounds and finished cleaning them. She closed her eyes as he proceeded to bandage them, the bandages held the warmth into her body and even this little shred of warmth gave her hope. Just the smallest hope that they were going to make it out of here a live. The more Fela thought about it the less she wanted to give in. The thought of her passing out twice in a 24 bells time frame made her sick to her stomach, she knew she was stronger than this and was going to pull through. Zanril whispered words of encouragement in her ears as if he read her mind and knew the weakness she felt. She waited until he finished with her bandages and she heard him speak. Concentrating all her strength in her front paws Fela attempted to pull herself to her feet. She slipped the first few times and crashed back in the snow. Careful to pull as much weight off the back as she could she struggled to her feet with her back leg drawn up next to her body. She was not going to be anyone's burden.

[Zanril]

Fela was trying to move on her own. No, no! You'll make the wounds worse! Zanril exclaimed. Why do I bother? She won't listen to me. Too independent. Only the girl's words can sway her. Zanril quickly wrapped his arms around Fela's massive neck and chest. This cat could kill me without batting a lash. Fela was pushing through Zanril's embrace, and even in her infirm state Zan was no match for her wild power. He turned to the blind one. Talk to her, girl. She's trying to walk on her own! She'll listen to you. Stubborn Kelvic.

[Fela Meason]

51st Summer, 510 AV Salida's eyes widened in panic at Zanril's words. Fela no! please. You'll hurt yourself further. She reached out searching for any sign of fur but Fela was out of reach standing in the snow panting and swaying on her feet. Fela please. Let us carry you. Carry me? Fela whispered through her mind. No, no Salida. I will not be a burden to you. I have one purpose in life and that is to protect you and take care of you. I must be your eyes since you cannot. New found strength surged through her and Fela pushed and pulled away from the human grasping her neck. Once she was free from his grasp she turned and growled. Back off buddy, I will take a hand off. You will not be carrying me this day. She hoped the point came across in her body language. Onward she surged. She knew the cabin had to be nearby. Salida's family was from the area and was allowing them to stay there. There on the horizon stood the squat dark building. She could see it, feel the warm furs and the fire place. She craved it, she needed it. She was only a few more feet away. Her breathing became more labored and every step was slow and painful. The heart felt like any moment now it would explode from her chest. Determination was just not enough in the end. Fela turned to make sure the others were follow. I'm sorry. She said with her eyes. I'm sorry. Then everything went black.