The Hunt

Tom glanced up, "I'm sorry Rose." The male adverted his gaze.

Tom nodded and began to search through the nearby forest. The small male immediately recognized marigold as it's bright yellow flower popped out against the duller forest colors, but he found himself having trouble to find anything else amongst the lush greens around him. "Hmph." He decided to gather some pine sap into an oak leave and returned to Ulver along with the marigold. "If you haven't used marigold before just chew the petal into a poultice. I'm gonna go find those other herbs I was talking about" Tom gave him a worried look before heading off into the forest again.

After a bit of searching, Tom did find some horsetail and a small amount of goldenrod. "Oh?" Tom had wrapped up the herbs in another oak leaf but when he turned he caught a glimpse of a poppy. "Perfect." The male nodded and gently set down the herbs he hand and began to shake the flowerhead. Tiny black see scattered across the ground. Thomas gathered some and added them to his small pouch and headed back to Ulver. "Hey. I found those herbs I was talking along with some poppy seeds. You used to heal, didn't you? Well, I trust you more with wounds than me but basically chew the horsetail and golden rod into a poultice. And I can give Rose some poppy seeds. Again, in my old pack, they were used to ease pain, shock, distress, and even help a wolf sleep." Tom set down his pouch of herbs next to the pine sap and marigold.

Tom began to slip a few poppy seeds into Rose's mouth, gently making her swallow them. Once the small seeds had disappeared down the female's throat he turned to Ulver. "I'll catch a few rabbits. I presume you're hungry. I'll look for a place to set up a small camp while I'm out as well. We can see to my wounds later." Before Ulver could even reply Tom was bounding away in the other direction.

In about an hour the brute had managed to catch six rabbits. Which should be enough for all of them, for one night that is. Thomas had also stumbled across a large hollowed out tree, which would be a perfect temporary den. The tree was hidden in a dense grove of trees with bushes around the entire grove which made it pretty hidden away from other creatures. Tom made his way back to Ulver with four rabbits balanced on his back and two hanging in his jaws. The small male would need to go slow but he soon made his way back to Ulver and Rose.

"Hey. I'm back. Found a place to set up camp and all these rabbits." Tom dropped the rabbits in a pile and turned back to the male.

"Oh uh- Sure." Tom nodded, the deep lacerations on his cheek and leg were killing him, even if he didn't show it. Tom found it quite easy to hide any pain he may be in, and to be honest he was amused by how it came naturally.

"Not at all. I know I'm stubborn. Sorry. It's just a habit from before my pack." Tom flicked his ears in gratitude. "Thank you though."

Tom nodded, "Alright." The lean brute began to make his way up a path and towards the hollow tree. It wasn't too far, few miles but the sun was lowering past the mountains with cast pale orange light through the tree canopy. "It's just around the corner," Tom states as he slipped past a rock and into the small grove. Thomas had laid down fresh moss in the hollow tree. "Here we are."

"Yeah go ahead. I'll keep an eye on her." Tom shook his pelt, the pain was finally easing away so it was the least he could do.

Tom applied it before gently laying down. The male let his head rest calmly on his front paws, his tail naturally curling up to his side. "Thanks, Ulver." Was all Tom said before his eyes fell closed and his breathing slowed.

The next morning, Tom woke up before Ulver and Rose. The male's pale eyes fluttered open, flinching at the pale dawn light as it hit his eyes. The male growled silently and sat up. Not wanting to disturb his packmates he stood up and slipped out of the den, sitting just outside and say down, enjoying the sun.