[PRP] Broken routine. [Alnitak & Gallifrey]

[Ritikine]

Such a hassle this had all turned out to be. Alnitak's moment of gloating had long since passed, as now the litter of pups residing within her were starting to slow hr down. They made her tired, hungry, and simply gave her a harder time trying to go about her duties. Her nightly patrols took two to three times as long, due to the constant breaks she had to take to catch her breath.

Alnitak now sat atop a rock, stopped on one such break to catch her breath. She wasn't even a halfway through with her patrol and was already tired. The red female closed her eyes, head lowered as she listened to her own breathing.  

[Grumpy Paw]

Gallifrey was on his nightly patrol. He had finally had become one with the pack and had entered into the borders, and though he was still a loner he was participating more then before.

It was just then he turned and heard heavy breathing in the distance. He wasn't sure if it was a member of the pack or not, but it sounded hurt; and he could at least help it out before kicking it out of the pack if it didn't belong there.

He raced forward as fast as he could, "Hang on there whomever it is...I am coming to help you..." But he slammed on the breaks as fast as he could when he saw it was the alpha herself, pffft and she called him weak. Here she was lazing about. He had half a mind to bring it to her attention while she was weak; but the asswhooping he would receive once he helped her wasn't something he craved.

"Let me help you..." He reached down a paw filled with herbs he had been carrying.  

[Ritikine]

A voice caught Aln’s attention, as well as the quick paw steps of someone running towards her. She turned her head and looked through the night to see a familiar male coming her way. She remembered him. That orange male she had met near the borders who had, at the time, not wanted to come in for reasons she saw as weak. She sneered as she raised her head to meet the oncoming wild dog.

“Help?” She stood slowly, huffing lightly at the thought. “I don’t need help, I am doing just fine.” With that she started to slowly walk away, following the path she had walked every day for so long.  

[Grumpy Paw]

He rolled his eyes and trod after her sticking the herbs into a safe place. "Fine is the words ladies use when they don't want anyone to think something is wrong with them..." He stood still behind her and glared knowing the bitter words would catch her attention.

"Having something wrong isn't a weakness as much as you try and tell yourself that. And frankly..."

He added even louder as if she was deaf. "Not asking for help when you really need it is perhaps the biggest weakness one could have..."

He began to turn and walk away. "But what would I know...I'm a coward..." He sniveled at the words as he spit them out of his own mouth. "Serves you right if you loose all your strength and Alnilam takes over your position..." He smirked knowing her all her weaknesses already.  

[Ritikine]

Alnitak fell to a halt. This mongrel dared call her weak? Aln was nothing of the sort! She was strong, needed no one’s help to prove this, however she felt there was somehow truth to what he said. If she kept it up like this she could end up unable to even do half her patrol, and it would certaqinly do her no good if she couldn’t even more.

However it was his last statement that caused her to spin around, if a bit unsteadily, and snarl. “I will not fall to this and let her take over the whole of the pack! i won’t see it fall again!” She spat out, the growl finally leaving her maw, low after her words.

The sudden burst of emotion forced her to sit once more. She could barely do her patrol, and a fit of anger was even too much for her right now. It was simply ridiculous. Alnitak closed her eyes once again, falling silent as she listening once more to her own breathing, trying to slow it and calm herself. “Fine.” She finally spoke, golden eyes slowly opening to fall upon him. “I will accept your help, this time.” Was all she said. If he could help her at least get through her patrols, then perhaps it would not be too bad.  

[Grumpy Paw]

He smiled warmly at her, his plan had worked and he would be allowed to treat her. He really had no hard feelings towards either one of the Bazaar even if this one was far more rude then the other. "Thank you Bazaar Alnitak." He tipped his muzzle at her with respect addressing her properly.

He wanted to get on her good side, and perhaps the only way to do that was to show her how good a healer that he really was. So without hesitation he went back and retrieved the herbs he had buried for safe keeping and returned to Aln.

"You take this and it will keep your strength up. You need to make up for what your loosing when you nurse your young."

He pushed it forward. "I made it special myself, even Alnilam dose not have my potion. It will make you strong-"

He looked at her. "Stronger then her since she is with child too..."  

[Ritikine]

Alnitak waited silently as the male left, returning shortly with some sort of plants she could not identify. Aln was not much for herb identification, but also figured this male dare not trick her in to taking something that would make her ill. The female sniffed warily at the herbs though, before snapping them up. They were unsurprisingly terrible, tasted nothing as sweet as the meat of some well earned hunt, however she pushed the thought aside and chewed them up. Gallifrey’s final statement received a snort in reply, unable to speak for the moment. The herbs were swallowed, as she could not stand their taste in her mouth any longer.

“Good, I will need the strength. I don’t want to be lying about for too long.” She finally replied, her mouth free of the bitter herbs. “As for Alnilam.” She snorted once more, but did not continue whatever it was she had been about to say.

The Baraza stood and inhaled deeply. She was surprised to find herself a bit better, which was much sooner than she had though the herbs would work. Truthfully it was more than she had expected as well. “It seems to be working already.’ She spoke as she started to take a few steps forward. It would likely still take longer than she would have liked to get through her patrol, but at least it seemed more likely she would be able to complete it now.  

[Grumpy Paw]

He tipped his muzzle low in a bow as if to say 'thank you for the compliment'. He always took his work seriously when it came to healing even if he couldn't dull the taste of the bitter herbs.

"I doubt you will be effected by weakness for the rest of the night with those herbs."

He spoke confidently. "Though I do regret to inform you that you will have to suffer with that bitterness nightly until the pups are weaned." He sighed. There was really nothing he could do about it unless he wanted to lessen the effects of his work and if he wanted to impress the Bazaar he needed to make each application more potent then the next.  

[Ritikine]

Alnitak paused, staring thoughtfully up at the night sky. “I can handle the bitter taste,” She spoke, her gaze still locked upon the heavens. “If these herbs can help me keep my strength up.”

Finally the Baraza turned to look back at the male. Her gaze was as stern as ever, staring down the male. However after a moment that look softened, though only slightly. “Thank you, Night Gallifrey. If I should require more of these herbs of yours I will call for you.” She nodded back at him, which was as close as she would ever come to bowing, before turning and walking away to finish her patrol.  

[Grumpy Paw]

It made him feel pleased inside that the Bazaar liked him. He hadn't meant to anger her when they met. It was just he preferred to analyze the situation before jumping into 'water' he couldn't swim in.

"I shall await you're call then Bazaar." He sat to watch her leave.