Word Count → 322 :: Introducing Sky's Tree Clinic!
She'd finally finished the hut! The tree house type building was finally completed to the point of being usable. Knowing that eventually, Zalen or someone would stumble across it anyway, Sky made the decision to let Zalen know herself. So, that morning, at dawn, she made her way to the top of the den as usual and settled down to wait. Once the sun had risen and some more of the pack had woken up- greetings were made as they left the den- she decided it was a good enough time to call on Zalen.
The older wolfdog let out a howl, just a short one, to call her alpha to her. With luck, this meeting would go well and he'd accept her project as a good addition to the pack's territory and structure. She didn't want people thinking she'd turned human again. It wasn't what she'd meant by it. The hut was stocked tight with medical supplies for the pack.
And she knew how to use each and every bit of it. She knew she'd have to focus on her job as perspective medic now that her pups had earned their own ranks in the pack. Cody and Lena were old enough now to shift and work and pull their own weight. She didn't have to watch them every moment, knowing full well that the pack had accepted them long ago as their own family. Lena was well cared for, between Cody, Noah and the rest of the pack. She knew the two were safe without her now. Sky had more important things to tend to, with her new freedom. The pack was facing dangerous times with the winter to come and she knew, from the previous winter, that injuries were common and sickness, even more so, during the cold Northern Winter months. She needed to be prepared and now, with the hut fully stocked and built, she was.
Zalen had just gotten up to stretch from his sleep when Sky’s voice rang out loud and clear from outside the den. He shook his fur and trotted outside to great her in the sunlight, still slightly groggy, but his tail wagged even so. The mother had become more visible now that her children had grown, and it was a good site to see her around more. In the past he had avoided asking why she was not as social as the others, but there were others like that as well, so he could not fault her.
Zalen reached out a hand in greeting, Good morning, Sky, you called? He wondered what she was asking him for, was it something about her children? He could tell that she seemed to be a mixture of excited and nervous and he wondered exactly why.
Zalen’s mind was suddenly drawn to Titania; he was beginning to worry about her; she had been in her birthing den for such a long time now, he would have assumed she would have emerged with puppies by now. But no matter how worried he became, he knew it was best to wait; she may be a new mother but she had instinct as old as time. He thought about her a lot though; he hoped he’d see her again soon.
Word Count → 322 :: Introducing Sky's Tree Clinic!
The alpha emerged from the den almost casually. She smiled to him, leaping down from her spot on top to land beside him with an easy 'thrump' of paws. Good morning, Zalen. She greeted, touching her nose to his fur politely. I have something I'd like to show you. A secret project I've been working on, as a gift to the pack. She all but purred, playing her best skills into this, to sell it for him.
She moved away with a slight bounce in her step, tail waving behind her. If you'll follow me, it's not far from here. I know your first thoughts won't be good ones, but hear me out once we get there. I think you'll approve of my idea. She grinned, the flecks of white on her muzzle showing just a bit more from it as forked tongue lolled out.
Should the dark alpha follow her, the pace would be a brisk jog into the territory. Lean legs and toned build would carry the aging mother easily and fluidly through the brush, skipping over rocks and roots as she went. Now, I found this by absolute chance. It's surprisingly well hidden for something of its size and design- I doubt it'd be noticeable even in the winter months, when all the leaves are gone. She chattered excitedly, hoping he'd approve. But its hidden location makes it the perfect place for what I've turned it into. Private and secluded, a perfect safe zone for shifting and nonshifting canines alike.
Zalen wagged his tail when Sky landed beside him and for a moment tensed into a play stance until she began speaking. He became interested immediately; she had a secret project? He wondered what it could be, but it might explain her scarcity from socializing. She beckoned him to follow her and he did so willingly, his tail still wagging. Something about Sky made him feel playful, it was the same feeling he got around Palaydrian, and so he relaxed.
She mentioned that he might not like what he saw at first glance and this worried him only slightly; what could she possibly had done on her own that would anger him? They made their way through Glen Eyrie at a brisk pace; Zalen’s heart longingly wishing he could take a small detour to visit Titania, but knew that he could not let anyone else know where she was denning.
Sky moved fluidly over the fallen branches and other debris even when running on two legs; Zalen could never manage that now that he was so used to running on four legs even in Optime. He smiled up at her as she spoke about whatever it was she was showing; size and design, private location, maybe she had made another den. But then they finally came through a grove of trees into a small clearing and Zalen’s eyes were immediately drawn upwards to an object in a huge and old tree that was not supposed to be there. His mouth dropped open; it was a building, and it had not been there before, for he had scouted all of New Dawn with Titania before they had established the pack. No, this was a new building, a tree-house structure built by Luperci hands. He was speechless for a moment and then looked at Sky, You… did this? He did not show any emotion just yet, he was still trying to figure out exactly what this all meant.
Word Count → 490 :: lol like a kid showing off a macaroni picture to her dad or something. Jeeze. XD
When they came to the hut, she stopped, panting lightly. He questioned her, his voice not quiet displaying any emotion yet. She nodded. "'ve been working on it for quite a few weeks, now. Almost since her arrival. Almost. I used to live in one as a kid, when my sister Dusk and I were in Ontario, before moving down to Saint John in New Brunswick. She explained, walking up to the ramp that led to the main platform. It's sturdy, but a work in progress. Won't be ready for any real pressure for a little while yet, but it's usable now. She turned to face him on the first level, leaning over the balcony's railing.
I know you don't like human stuff, but hear me out before you get upset, okay? She nodded for him to join her on the deck if he wanted to, though she doubted he'd want to. New Dawn's got, what, a few dens? A hole in the ground is no place for an injured or sick wolf to recover and get treatment. It's not sterile or clean enough and can lead to infection and even more sickness- in some cases, a sickness that could spread through the entire pack overnight. I've seen it before, on my travels. The only cure for something like that is a clean place to rest and good, well-preserved medical equipment that's clean and sterilized.
She turned to look up at the building above her, pride in her eyes. This here is the answer to that problem! A medical hut. Located off the ground, to avoid flood and terrain damage. It's hidden, so our injured and sickly won't be targetted by possible threats, and it's close enough to the den that no one needs to worry about being too far away to help if something comes up. She'd thought it all out. Blue eyes returned to the alpha, shimmering with a child-like excitement. It's equipped with medical supplies, emergency rations, soft pelts and blankets and four areas of entry- all but one are hidden from the outside. It's a safe, secure, clean place for our injured and sick to recover in, so the rest of the pack doesn't suffer for them. What she meant, of course, by that last part was, the sick wouldn't pass on their ailments to the other members of the pack. New Dawn wouldn't have to worry about such things anymore.
So uh... I know it's not natural for a wolf to build a tree house, but... I hope you approve. Sorry for not getting your permission first- I just... I wanted to surprise you without building any expectations that I might not have been able to meet. I wanted it to be bigger, actually... but I was building it alone, so.... Now she was nervous. She looked between Zalen and the hut, worry lining her eyes just slightly. What would he say?
Zalen was so in awe of what he was looking at that he nearly didn’t hear when Sky went into frantic explanation. He stared up at it, mouth open, his mind whirling with what to make of it. The first thing that came to his mind was how she was able to do it all by herself, but obviously she had. The second thing was, why up in a tree? It would have been so much easier to build such a thing on the ground. Finally, with these questions floating in his mind, he finally pulled his eyes back down to Sky and listened to what she was saying.
She spoke of her intentions, that it was for medical concerns only, not for living in. She wanted a clean, dry, safe place for New Dawn’s injured to stay and somewhere where the healers could train and practice in safety. It made sense, and it was something Zalen had seen as a need in New Dawn. This would be a good place for Noah, Deuce and Jiva to learn, and a clean place for the injured to heal. Zalen nodded his head, and started towards it, pulling himself up onto a low hanging branch, and then another, and another, until he found a way in.
Once inside, he saw the sturdiness of the structure, though he did see what Sky had meant about it being unfinished. The main structure was a large, circular room, there was enough room for several, and places for shelves to go for supplies. It was good. Zalen turned to Sky, This is amazing Sky, just amazing. Thank you. He put a hand on her shoulder, It is obvious you care greatly for your pack-mates, and I appreciate that. This structure, while based on human ideas, was made by your hands, and therefore is not human at all. He smiled.
His praise melted away her worries completely. He rested a hand on her shoulder and assured her that he did not believe her project to relate to humans past the basic idea. She felt a smile crawl up onto her face and her tail start to wave. Thank you, Zalen. She placed a hand on his for a moment. I just want what's best for the pack. I messed up in d'Arte. I won't make those mistakes here.
She turned away from him after a short pause. Her legs carried her over to a cabinet on the wall and she opened it, reaching in and pulling out a box. ...These are a few of the things I managed to bring with me from my old clinic. Little things I could have Fella fetch for me. Inside were many things. Little trinkets, framed paintings- little keepsakes.
She pulled out a pendant on a thick braided hemp 'chain' and held it up for him to see. On it, a silver moon. It was my mother's. She gave it to me when I was a puppy. I stopped wearing it after I shifted, because my sister always hated it. Kept it with me, though. She spoke fondly of it, then smiled. She got it from her mother, and so on.
I want you to have it. She looked up at him now, cool blue eyes steady and clear. You've proven to be a good leader, Zalen. You keep your pack secure and strong. I'm proud and grateful to be a part of it. She smiled then, the expression soft and kind. I just want you to remember- the burden of an alpha can be great, especially in times of chaos and suffering. Every family faces problems and tagedy- it's the trust and faith in a leader that pulls us through in the end. It's a lot of pressure. I just hope you'll remember that, in spite of all the hardships, you're what keeps us going. Thank you, Zalen. She held the necklace out to him, hoping he'd accept her thank-you gift.
Zalen could see the happiness that he approval brought written on Sky’s face as she thanked him, before turning to retrieve something in a cabinet. While she had her back turned, Zalen peered around the structure again; he knew New Dawn needed this more than he would care to admit, but he didn’t feel fully comfortable here; he supposed it might have something to do with the height rather than the building itself. He put these thoughts aside when Sky returned to him.
She held a wooden box which she opened; curious, Zalen peered inside as best he could; it was filled with a variety of knick-knacks and other things that weren’t really any of his concern. The item that the female chose to bring out though was a marvelous thing; a simple yet beautiful necklace that was obviously Luperci made. He was reminded of the pendants Ismeme had given he and Titania, both of which now were stored in his alcove of the main den. Those necklaces, while beautiful, were too delicate to wear every day, but the one Sky held would more than stand up to wear and tear.
The Rhiannon woman explained what it was, that it had been a gift given to her in youth by her mother, but that she did not much wear it anymore. She offered it to him, as a gift in return for her belief that his leadership was adept. Zalen nearly refused but he could see the sincerity in her eyes and would not deny her, so he took the necklace from her and gave a grateful smile, Thank you, Sky, it is beautiful. He took a closer look at it then and noticed that the main stone was etched to look like the face of the moon; he enjoyed this and immediately put it on.
+3
