Tender Love and Care

Diana crouched as she entered the cave once again. She rested the long stick which she found on her way in a corner. With eyes fixated on that particular dark corner, she soundlessly unpacked her pouch on the stone bed.

Naturally, she was still not sure if she should do this or not. She wanted to help but still valued her precious own life so she had to take at least the minimum precautionary measure. So she took the dagger out and placed it on the stone bed.

She steadied the lantern on the rock beside her. She took the iron and flint out and struck fire. She carefully lit the lantern. Finally, she took a bread loaf out and pierced the bread with it. Then once again, she prested the stick on the wall.

With the dagger in her left hand and the lantern in her right, she slowly moved towards that dark corner. She couldn't see anything before, but now, she could see more traces of dried pools of blood. The injury must be critical.

Diana bit her lower lip because of trepidation. She moved a few steps forward. Finally saw her majestic rescuer only to gasp at the scene.

The black wolf she saw the night before was seemingly sleeping in a puddle of blood. It had turned itself into a doughnut shape and was lying, peacefully. She wasn't sure if it was sleeping or had lost consciousness.

Poor thing! Her hand froze and her eyes teared up. She continued to look at its peaceful face. Her face softened looking at that sleeping face and tears rolled down her cheeks.

It had been always like this. She doesn't like it when animals are hurt. Diana was the epitome of animal lovers in Ruthernglan. She loved animals more than anything unlike most of the Ruthernglaners. This contradictory factor had caused so many troubles, still, she never relinquished the kindness inside her.

This situation Diana stuck with was different from the previous ones. She had to nurse this wolf immediately to save but she was not sure if she could go near it.

Because it's not a cat or lamb but a wolf.

But no matter what, she has to save the wolf, wolfman to be precise!

She placed the lantern beside the wolfman so she could see him from afar. Then she went back and grabbed the stick with break loaf on it.

She stayed at an end of the stick and brought the other end near the wolf's nose.

No movement at all!

Diana waited a few seconds then lightly dabbed the bread on its nose.

The wolf only shifted a little and grunted. It was obvious that the wolf was in pain.

"Hey, beastie! Wake up", she whispered.

The beast grunt once again and turned its face away from the bread.

What now? She was out of ideas once again.

"You don't want to eat?", she questioned him.

Of course, a wolf wouldn't want to eat bread, but what about a wolfman? So she wasn't sure if her idea was idiotic or not.

Finally, with determination, she poked the head of the beast with the bread!

The beast which grunted in annoyance slightly lifted its head and turned towards her!

.Her eyes widened in fear as she took a step back. Then she paused and brought the bread in front of his face.

"Do you want... bread?", she asked. Her question was followed by a sheepish smile!

The wolf looked at her as if she is a nonentity! Then once again, it turned its head away!

"What the...?", she started, then stopped in the middle.

"Beastie!", she called again.

No reaction!

"Beastie!", she tried loudly!

The beast lifted its head once again and tiredly placed it on its legs, staring in her direction.

"You... You should be treated", she continued after a pause.

The beast seemingly sighed once and continued to look at her. It looked extremely exhausted!

Diana's tender heart ached at the scene.

She wanted to help the wolfman so she moved to the stone bed and opened the bag with the herbs. She placed the porringer on the bed and started to grind it with a piece of stone.

Then she took a white cloth out of the bag and tore it into a few pieces.

She added a few more herb ingredients from the pouch and continued the grinding.

Once finished with preparing the medicine, she put the required things in a bag and started to move towards the wolf!

The wolf was conscious and was looking at her, unlike the other time!

She stopped in her track a few feet away from the wolf and lifted her left hand towards the wolf. Still, she wasn't sure if the wolf understood her intention or not, she tried to explain it in sign language.

She pointed the bandage in her hand. Then moved forward. Now, involuntarily, her hands fell on the dagger in her belt.

Of course, she would attack if the beast tried to attack her!

The wolf unwaveringly looked at her.

Finally, Diana sat on her knee beside the beast. Slowly she extended her hand and tried to touch the beast.

The beast didn't seem scared of her. It just kept looping at her.

Diana's heart was pounding out of her chest at that time. Finally, she touched one of its legs.

The beast didn't react at all! It kept looking at her with a slight frown. Her hand moved from the leg to the back of its neck.

With fear in her eyes, finally, she stroked her way up to its head!

At that time, she was looking at the beast in the eyes. The beast did the same!

As she said "Let me treat your wound", the beast closed its eyes then rubbed its head in her palm.

Diana realized what it was!

He wanted her to pat him?

She couldn't believe her senses still she continued to stoke its head a few times.

"Now, please let me treat you", she repeated.

The beast looked at her again, then lay on its side.

With this, Diana could see the wound in the side of its stomach.

It was a big injury. She could see a few more minor bruises on its limbs as well.

She still remembered the scary claws of the speedy beast. Goodness, it must have hurt a lot!

She gently touched the area around its wound.

"It may hurt! Bear with it", she softly patted the wolf's head once again then placed the clean cloth on its wound.

The wolf let out a low grunt. Though she was startled and the hand on the dagger involuntarily tightened, her lips kept repeating the consoling words.

"It's gonna be alright!"

She continued to wipe the wound. The beast grunted a few more times and slightly hit the floor with its head.

"Ssshhhh... That's all, that's all. It's over", she comforted the wolf.

The head of the wolf fell back in place with a sigh.

It seemed like the wolf had lost its consciousness once again!

She sighed.

It is for the good.

She applied the antidote on the injury, then dabbed the medicine Wyatt usually applies on wounds.

Unfortunately, she couldn't make the beast eat the painkillers. She wasn't sure if it was even possible to make the wolf eat some herbs.

Also, she couldn't wrap the stomach wound in a cloth either. She can't lift the beast and bandage the wound. So she dropped the idea of bandaging that wound and just bandaged the other wounds on its limbs with those white cloths.

Once she finished with bandaging, she stood up and went to her stone bed. She picked a few candles and lit them.

She needed the lantern to return so she had to save the oil. She picked up the lantern and replaced it with the candle. Then she extinguished the lantern.

Diana sat afar from the wolf, picked a loaf of bread, and started to eat it.

So many weird things had happened.

She had no idea where Wyatt was. Also, she wasn't sure about this wolf either. Whatever it is, she had been following her heart all this time.

She missed Wyatt the most. She had never thought about her feelings for him before that day. It's a pity that she had to realize her feelings for him amid this mix-up.

'Wyatt, I'll make sure to let you know how much I like you soon. So wait for me', she thought.

She believed Wyatt would be safe. He is a good man. He will live longer than anyone else.

Her father, Ruthernglanners, and all the Lanirs may hate her even more if they found out about what she was doing here. But she followed the path she trusted the most. "Kindness is the key", she assured herself with a sigh.

She was very tired after all the incidents of yesterday. She rested her head on the stone bed beside her and closed her eyes in fatigue.