The Howler (Bruce Banner/Hulk Fanfiction)

Chapter 10: Helping Paw

Fingo poked his head into the entrance of the pack and was more than relieved that there wasn't a patrol. He forced the two pups in before he helped his brother to his den, more than thankful that he didn't have a Training Fang to draw attention to.

"Let's do this, yet again," Fingo muttered as he nearly shoved Fanggo into the den. Fanggo stumbled against the wall and into one of the spare nests that Fingo had in case a wolf had to spend the night. Fingo was about to turn to his stores when he heard the soft pawsteps of Jolt and Ginger. "Oh, no. You two have done enough. Go back to your nests."

Ginger snorted with a roll of her eyes. "We've already made it this far. We're in this for the rest of the night. What can we do to help?"

"She sounds stubborn," Fanggo rasped from his nest as he tried to find a comfortable spot that didn't aggravate his shoulder too much. "I like her."

Ginger puffed out her chest in pride while Jolt gave a cheeky flourish of his tail. Fingo sighed loudly as he flicked his muzzle forcefully against their flanks. "Alright, then at least be of some use. Ginger, you get Fanggo some wet moss for him to lap at while Jolt, you start to clean the wound while I get the herbs that he needs."

The two set off without another word. Jolt reared on his hind legs as he hopped into Fanggo's nest. He thrust his paws gently around Fanggo's wound, one on his neck and the other lower on his flank. "Just stay still," he grumbled with the same authority that Fingo seemed to have. He ran his tongue over the muddy wound and spent almost as much time cleaning the wound that he spent picking caked mud from his fur and wound.

"Hey, be careful," Fanggo huffed as he pulled slightly away from Jolt.

Jolt tightened his claws into Fanggo's fur so that his claws just pricked Fanggo's flesh. "If it doesn't get cleaned then the wound will eat infected and you really don't want that to happen," he pointed out hotly.

Fanggo couldn't help but chuckle as Fingo padded up to them with herbs clamped firmly in his jaws. "Since when did you get so spunky? Hanging out with Ginger isn't doing you so well," he joked as his brother set the herbs on the ground and nudged Jolt aside.

He sniffed the wound and gave a nod of confirmation. "You did pretty well, Jolt. Good job at getting the mud out of the wound."

"I could hardly see it," complained Jolt with a hint of a whine in his voice. "I don't know how you can do anything with a wound in the darkness."

Amusement glittered in Fingo's gaze as he looked at the young pup. He then turned to the wound, but continued to speak to Jolt. "When you're a healer you train for this and instead of using your eyes, you use your nose. I can smell the trace of a wound and the possibility of infection festering there thanks to the mud. It's a healer trick that every healer learns," he explained between a few laps around the edges of the wound that Jolt had been afraid to touch. Fanggo hissed as his shoulder spasmed under him. "It takes a lot of practice, but it's not impossible."

Jolt breathed in awe and Fingo couldn't help to fell a small flare of hope inside of him. Maybe I've finally found a Training Fang. He gave his head a small shake. Don't push it! If it is Starbound's will, then it will happen. If not, then it won't. I can't force it. That won't help any wolf.

Just then, Ginger bounded through the entrance with a sopping pile of moss clamped tightly in her jaws. It dripped onto he floor and she slipped ever so slightly. "Got it," she mumbled.

Fingo nodded to her and took the moss from her and set it in front of Fanggo. He flicked his tail tip toward it. "Lap at that. I'm going to have to have to close this wound and you're not going to enjoy it," he confessed.

Ginger swayed a bit on her paws when she saw the open wound in Fanggo's shoulder. She gulped powerfully and started to draw backwards slowly. "Um, I think that it's time for me to leave. Jolt, are you coming?"

Jolt stood wide eyed for a moment before he finally broke out of it and turned to look at her. "You can go ahead. I want to watch! If that's okay," he barked slowly.

"Of course," Fingo replied a little too quickly. He twitched his ear in surprise at his own enthusiasm. "Just come and here and watch and don't get in the way, alright?"

Jolt nodded vigorously as he skirted forward while Ginger pulled backwards. He wagged his tail as he peered over Fingo's shoulder in an effort to look. Finger looked down to the herbs, but his paws were busy holding the wound exactly where he wanted it. "Jolt, do you think that you can chew up that spiky leaf, the leaf with the curve on one side and the stems that I brought?"

"Sure," Jolt exclaimed as he leaned forward and lapped at the leaves.

"Careful! They're-"

Jolt continued to chew, but he looked like he was going to be sick. He narrowed his eyes and chewed slowly. "Sour," croaked Jolt. He finished chewing up the herbs quickly and then looked back to Fingo. "What do I do with this?"

Fingo lowered his paws so that he pulled Fanggo's shoulder down as well. "Just spit it right there and then we'll spread it out. It's a poultice that stops the spread of infection. Hopefully that will undo all of the harm that the mud and bear claw did."

"How did you know," Fanggo butted in. He had been unusually quiet through this thanks to the pain that was slowly engulfing him.

"I'm not an idiot, Fanggo. I've seen my fair share of wounds in my day. I know what a bear claw and bite when I see one," he pointed out as he watched Jolt spit the poultice into his wound. Fingo started to spread it around and wrinkled his nose in disgust as he spread the poultice. Fanggo whimpered with his tai almost tucked between his tail. "Stand still please. You're not helping by shifting yourself around. Just give me a moment."

Fanggo grumbled. He then met Jolt's gaze as Jolt leaped forward and landed in front of his muzzle. "Was it scary to see a bear," he breathed.

The Fang couldn't help but smile at Jolt's awe and enthusiasm. "I've seen them before, but I've never fought one. It certainly isn't something that you take on on your own."

"You did," Jolt pointed out.

Fingo felt his stomach seem to knot. He pinned his ears against his head and continued to spread the poultice against his wound. He started to press some leaves against it and bound it in cobwebs. Once he was finished, he patted his brother's flank. "Okay, I think that we should get some rest. Dawn comes early here."

"Do you think that I could stay here," Jolt asked as he looked at his paws almost in embarrassment. "I don't like sleeping in the she-wolf's den in my own nest."

Fanggo didn't even wait for his brother to say anything. He stooped his head forward and nudged Jolt's shoulder. "Of course. Fingo always keeps extra nests in here."

Jolt looked relieved as he scampered forward past the two of them. Fingo followed him while Fanggo limped forward, deeper into the small space. Jolt leaped into a nest and rolled onto his back, his paws in the air. Fanggo chuckled as he slipped in beside him and curled around the small pup with his tail curled around his body. Jolt yipped and pressed his body against Fanggo's in an attempt to warm himself up.

    "I forgive you," Jolt murmured against Fanggo's thick fur.

    Fanggo nearly jumped out of his own fur. He looked down at the pup snuggled into his fur. "You do? Do you really mean that?"

    "I know that you didn't mean to hurt my mother. I don't know what happened, but that wasn't you," Jolt murmured as he met Fanggo's eyes. He lifted his paw and pressed against either side of Fanggo's face. "Whatever it was, it wasn't you."

    Fanggo leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Jolt's and let out a low rumble. "Thank you, little one. That means everything to me."

    "What it means to me is that it's time to get some rest," interrupted Fingo as he passed by them with a twitch of his tail tip. "Now go to sleep. It's already late."

    Fanggo chuckled as he rested his head on the edge of the nest and keep his shoulder sprawled away from any jarring. Jolt snuggled closer to Fanggo until the two blissfully drifted off to sleep.