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The Healing

A short story by AncientWolf based on Swift47's sketch titled, "Death Cry"

As he lay on the ground, his life pouring out in a thick red stream, Rob noticed that the sounds around him began to fade into a soft buzzing hum. The light, too, was dimming, and he felt cold. "This is it...I'm so screwed! I'm gonna miss my friends, my family...I don't wanna die, though! Help me...somebody...somebody...," he thought to himself, even though he knew that the end was very near.

Suddenly, Rob felt that something was lifting him...or maybe he was falling, he couldn't tell for sure. He heard a voice calling to him--it was a female voice, though it sounded...old, ancient, and yet...not.

"I have you, little one, you're safe now. Quite a mess you're in, but thankfully, I was able to reach you in time. Now, let's see about closing up these holes, shall we?" he heard the voice say.

Profound warmth began to spread rapidly through his broken body, and in the darkness, he saw a brilliant reddish light with tiny little motes swirling around. Within this light, he perceived a pair of amber lupine eyes looking softly down upon him. He wasn't quite sure if there was a form or not, though he could tell that something was holding him as if he were but a small child. The feeling in his chest where the spear had gone through it, no longer hurt, though he felt a curious tingling sensation coursing through his body, almost as if he had been immersed into the warm waters of a hot spring.

In only seconds, the grievous wound had been knitted back together, his heart began to beat strongly, and new blood flowed through his body carrying much needed oxygen.

"How...how is this possible? Is this a dream? I should be dead now!" he thought.

"I am a healer, my child, and you are very lucky that I heard you in time. You are a long ways away from where I exist, but The Heart brought me to you. Indeed, if The Great Circle had intended for your time in this life to be over, you would be elsewhere by now. But now is not your time to complete your current path around The Circle," the ancient, motherly voice said to him in his mind.

"Who...who are you?" Rob asked.

"Shush now, all will be explained shortly," she said.

As she finished her work, the healer sensed another pain. Although she could heal any wound of the body and mind, this was something that required a special touch that only one other could give.

"Come with me, child, for a little while," she said to him.

"W-Where...where are we going?" Rob asked hesitantly, feeling a bit of panic rising at the uncertainty.

"Somewhere safe, my little one. You will be returned to the time and place you belong when you have learned how to live," the healer replied.

Just as his eyes fluttered open a little bit, there was a multi-hued swirling flash of light, and the sensation of movement...and Rob fell asleep.

Sometime later, Rob opened his eyes and found himself inside somewhere. The room looked as if it was a bedroom in a hobbit's hole, though much larger. He could smell a pleasant earthy scent, and there were oil lamps on the walls providing light. Taking stock of his new surroundings, Rob found that he was lying in a bed of furs that must have been made for a very large person. His clothing and equipment were gone, and he was naked under the fur covering of the bed. Rob lifted the covering and looked at his chest--there wasn't a mark on it. Even the various scars that he had were gone. Gingerly Rob felt the place where the spear had penetrated his chest, but he felt no discomfort of any kind. It all felt normal.

"I must be dead and this is some sort of afterlife, or something," Rob thought aloud. There was no way in his mind that he could have survived having a spear run through his heart.

"Ah, I see that you are awake finally," said the voice that he had heard previously in his head, only this time, Rob heard it with his ears. He looked in the direction of the voice, and saw, standing in a doorway, a female wolf being. She was tall, much taller than he was, well over two meters in height. Her fur was bright red, except for the grayish mask around her eyes. The fur on either side of her muzzle, throat, front and the insides of her arms and legs, was white, and her muzzle was grayish. This tall, strange female had a decidedly wild look to her, and those intense amber eyes...they seemed to look deep into his very being! She wore only a breechcloth and various pieces of gold jewelry. Rob found her to be very attractive, though he somehow knew that she was far older than she appeared.

"A very unusual name you have...'Rob Swiftclaw'," the older female stated.

"How do you know my name?" Rob asked, thinking maybe this female might have found his I.D. card.

"I learned a great deal about you as I healed your wounds, my child. Come, you need to eat so that you may regain your strength," the healer said as she walked towards Rob, holding a hand out to him.

"Um...what happened to my clothes?" he asked, keeping the covering over his lower body.

"They are being tended to. Your other things are in safe keeping, and will be returned to you when it is time, but for now, they are not necessary," she replied. "There is no reason to be shy, my child; I have seen the bodies of many in my long existence. Though if you wish, there is a breechcloth there for you to wear. It should fit comfortably."

Being naked around a close lady friend or mate was one thing to Rob, but in front of her it seemed rather inappropriate to him. Not seeing that he had much of a choice, Rob got up out of the bed, though he felt a little shaky. The older female gently held him by the arm to help keep him steady on his feet. After he stood for a moment, he attempted to put the breechcloth on. Rob had never worn one before, so it was a bit of a challenge for him to get it tied properly. Chuckling lightly, the healer helped Rob by holding the ties on one side while he did the other side.

"Um...thanks," Rob said sheepishly. He remembered back to his childhood days when his own mother used to help him put his clothes on.

"There now, my child, feel more presentable now?" the healer asked lightly.

"Yeah. Uh, you...never did tell me what your name is," Rob said, not quite sure exactly how he should address her.

Smiling down at Rob, the older female said, "I am Lore Mistress Fire Weaver, the Keeper of Customs, among the Five Eastern Forest Clans of the Ayoona-Lu-Nehm'a. I am a First One, and the people of this forest are our descendants, as you will learn during your stay here. You, young Rob Swiftclaw, may address me simply as Mistress Fire Weaver," she replied with a slight grin. "Come now, before your food grows cold."

Fire Weaver led Rob out into the main part of her "den", as her people called their homes. It was a simple, though comfortable looking place, with one larger front room that served as kitchen, dining area, and living room. Divided off from the front on one side by a low wall and strings of some kind of large beads, was a smaller work area across from the room Rob had initially found himself. The work area had a writing desk, a table, and shelves holding various sizes and types of pottery jars and bottles. On the back wall was a doorway to another room.

Just as they were about to step into the front area, another of the large wolf beings appeared in a multi-hued swirl of light. This newcomer was taller yet, standing at least a head taller than Mistress Fire Weaver. His fur colors were creamy-white on his front, feet and hands, blending into deepening shades of gray, tawny, reddish browns and black.

"Ah, I see your latest patient is up and about, my dear," the older male said lovingly.

"And you, my love, are just in time for midday meal," Mistress Fire Weaver said as they nuzzled.

Rob felt a bit awkward, and still confused by the events that have recently happened to him. One moment he had been completely run through with a spear wielded by an angry tribal female, and the next he was...somewhere else and among strangers who seemed to have powerful abilities.

Turning towards Rob, the older male introduced himself.

"I am called Sky Splitter, and you must be young Rob Swiftclaw. Please, let us share our hospitality with you," Sky Splitter said as he motioned to the table.

Rob took the place at the table that was set for him opposite of where Sky Splitter and Fire Weaver sat. The bowl in front of him contained a hot, steaming stew of some kind, and although he had no idea what it was made with, it smelled delicious. He felt ravenous, as if he had not eaten in days, and Rob wanted to dive into it, but he restrained himself, trying to maintain some semblance of good manners. Rob found the stew to be quite tasty, with a fresh quality that was unlike the usual rations he ate.

"Wow, that was good!" Rob said, after finishing the contents of the large bowl in front of him.

Fire Weaver smiled gently as Sky Splitter said with a little chuckle, "My mate was quite a cook in her day."

Rob said, "It was very good, ma'am, thank you."

"It pleases me that you enjoyed it," Fire Weaver said with a slight nod. Shifting her gaze to her mate, she added, I am going to take our young friend and pay Foxfire a visit. I believe she might be able to help him with another issue."

Sky Splitter looked thoughtfully at Rob for a moment, and then nodded his head. "I understand, my love. If anyone could help with that, she would be the one. I will clean up here, and have some tea waiting for you when you return."

Fire Weaver stood slowly and gracefully, and held her hand out to Rob.

"Come with me, child," Fire Weaver said gently, though it carried the command of a grandmother. Rob and Sky Splitter stood, and he let Fire Weaver take his hand and lead him outside.

Stepping out from under the porch-like area outside the den, Rob saw that he was in a village the likes of which he had never seen before. All of the inhabitants were taller than he, and things were built on such a scale that it made him indeed feel like a child in a world of adults. One other thing that he noticed right away was the simple harmony and beauty of the place. Everything seemed to blend into the natural surroundings and compliment it. He didn't see any sign of technology that he understood, except for a few who wore a form of light armor and carried swords. These must be their warriors, Rob reasoned. He thought that they wouldn't be a match for the weapons he was used to, but then again, a simple spear very nearly ended his life, if it had not been for the timely intervention of Mistress Fire Weaver. Rob still did not understand where he was at present, or even how this healer managed to come to him in the nick of time.

"Um, Mistress Fire Weaver...where am I?" Rob asked.

"You are in the village of Hope's Spring, child," she replied. "Where is that at? I've never heard of it," Rob asked.

"We are in The Great Forest, on the world known as Y'Nahra, far away in place and time from where you were," Fire Weaver replied.

Rob noticed as they walked along, the other villagers bowed to the healer in loving respect, and they eyed him with curiosity.

"So, if we're on another world than the one I was on when you found me, how did we get here?" he asked.

Fire Weaver looked down at her young charge and thought for a moment, finding the words that would answer his question in a way that one of the younger races would understand.

"That which we call The Heart, has the ability to exist at once in more than one place and time. It can reach out to other worlds, other times, other levels of existence, and through it, we may not only learn of things, but also travel. It has its own awareness, and is even alive, after a fashion. It is through The Heart we maintain contact with all the worlds our kind has visited. For whatever reason, it heard your call for help, and chose to pass it to me. A healer is always on duty, after all, and you are fortunate I was able to attend to your injury. Few could have healed such a wound," she explained.

Rob rubbed his chest where the spear had pierced it.

"Thanks...for saving me," Rob said quietly.

Fire Weaver looked down at Rob with a grandmotherly smile.

"There is one other for you to see yet," Fire Weaver stated.

After walking a good ways across the village, they arrived at a very large den. Stopping at the beginning of the path leading up to it, Fire Weaver called out in a language that Rob didn't understand. At first, it simply sounded like a howl, but listening closer, he could discern a greater complexity that he might have missed otherwise. A moment later, a monstrously huge black shape emerged from the den. Head and shoulders taller than anyone else he had seen so far in this strange village, Rob suddenly felt very small and weak before this powerful giant wolf. Saying something briefly in her strange language, the huge black wolf stood before Fire Weaver and knelt down on one knee, lowering his head, and holding his hands out with palms up. Rob noticed that it was clearly a show of respectful submission, one that he thought seemed more appropriate for royalty than for a healer. She placed her hands on those of the huge black wolf and said something he couldn't understand; the expression on her face seemed to show a level of familiarity one might show a close relation or friend. The huge black wolf stood, leather bracers and armbands creaking due to the flexing of powerful muscles.

Fire Weaver spoke again using words that Rob could understand. It was sort of like English, only the accent was something that he just could not place.

"Grimm Tooth, this youth is...a distant cousin of our people, from a faraway world. He is known among his own as Rob Swiftclaw, and among them he is a warrior of some experience. He was gravely wounded and The Heart carried his plight to me. I healed his physical wounds, however I believe your sister may be of further help to him in another matter. Rob Swiftclaw, this is Grimm Tooth, the Alpha Defender of the Five Eastern Forest Clans, and my own son's best friend," she said, making the introductions.

Grimm raised an eyebrow when Fire Weaver mentioned that The Heart had chosen to intervene on the behalf of someone not from this world. Extending his right hand to Rob, Grimm spoke with a deep, gravelly voice that seemed as if the ground itself spoke to him.

"Welcome to Hope's Spring," he said grasping Rob's forearm with his huge hand.

"Um, thanks...nice to be here," Rob replied.

In a formal sounding voice, Grimm said, "Welcome friends, enter, and find comfort."

Fire Weaver slipped an arm around Grimm's and walked beside him into the large den, with Rob trailing slightly behind the two.

Once inside and his guests were seated, Grimm went back to his sister's room to fetch her.

"Foxfire, we have guests. Mistress Fire Weaver is here and she wishes to see you," Grimm said.

"Oh, okay, Grimmie, I'll be right there," she said.

Grimm re-entered the large front room and said, "She will be out shortly, Mistress. May I offer you some tea?"

"That would be nice, thank you," Fire Weaver replied.

Grimm looked expectantly at Rob, and not wanting to offend anyone, Rob said, "Um, sure."

Grimm nodded his head once, and fetched some drinking bowls from a cupboard. He poured the tea and added just a touch of honey to each drinking bowl before handing one to each of his guests, and then taking one for himself.

Rob cautiously took a sip of his tea and found that it had a rather pleasant taste to it. It wasn't like any tea that he had had before.

While Rob was taking another drink of his tea, his ears perked to the sound of lightly jingling jewelry. He looked up and was immediately struck dumb with awe at the indescribable, breathtakingly beautiful sight entering the room. He had never in his whole life, ever seen such exquisite beauty before. The female that entered the room was covered head to toe with silver-white fur that seemed to shimmer almost like moonlight on freshly fallen snow, and her lupine eyes were the most intense blue he could ever imagine. Silver vine-like jewelry decorated her body around the wrists, upper arms, waist, ankles, and the necklace around her neck had five unusual blue gemstones set into it. She moved with a sensual fluid grace across the floor towards Fire Weaver, who rose from her seat and greeted the silver-white wolfess with a motherly hug.

"Good afternoon, Mistress! Nice to see you again!" the sliver-white female greeted the elder happily. "Grimmie said you wanted to see me about something?"

"I have brought someone with me who I believe you may be able to assist in your own special way," Fire Weaver replied.

After she made the introductions, Fire Weaver told Foxfire and her brother about the circumstances by which Rob came to their world. Grimm Tooth had no doubt as to Fire Weaver's healing abilities, having personally witnessed on numerous occasions throughout his long existence what she is capable of doing.

"Oh, poor sweetie, that was bad of that person to do such a thing to you!" Foxfire said.

Even though Rob was starting to feel peculiarly fuzzy for some unknown reason, he could see the heartfelt expression of sympathy in Foxfire's eyes.

"Foxfire, this child has another hurt, one in his heart of being, which I believe would fall more into your particular abilities," Fire Weaver said.

"Um, no offence, but...I'm twenty-nine years old...and I'm not a little kid anymore," Rob said, though his speech was beginning to thicken a bit, almost as if he had been drinking strong liquor.

"Years?" Foxfire asked, cocking her head a little to one side.

"Yeah...you know...how long it takes...for the world to...make one pass around...the sun," Rob struggled to say.

"Ah, your people's word for the turn of the seasons," Fire Weaver said.

"Um...yeah," Rob acknowledged.

Foxfire giggled a little and said, "Sweetie, our people don't come of age until they're thirty turns of the seasons."

"They...they don't?" Rob asked, slightly confused.

"I'm still young by our standards, and I'm a bit over eight thousand turns of the seasons old," Foxfire said with a grin.

Rob couldn't believe his ears! How could this extremely beautiful female be so ancient?

He looked at Grimm Tooth, who said in his deep voice, "I'm older than the hills."

"Oh, Grimmie's just being modest!" Foxfire said. "He's really over four hundred-eighty million turns of the seasons. He's one of the first born of the First Ones on this world, just like Mist Runner is. Oh, that's Mistress Fire Weaver's son, by the way. He's Grimmie's best friend, and his mate is my best friend."

Rob was dumbfounded! He vaguely remembered Fire Weaver saying something about being a First One after she had healed his wounds. He looked from Grimm Tooth to Fire Weaver, and he wondered just how old she was.

Before Rob could open his mouth, Grimm Tooth anticipated his words and said, "Do not ask."

Fire Weaver smiled slightly and said, "Suffice it to say that I am older than your world, my child."

Rob suddenly felt very small and insignificant compared to these ancient beings, even though they had treated him kindly ever since Fire Weaver had brought him to their world.

Fire Weaver cocked her head a little to one side with a distant look in her eyes for a moment, and then said, "I am needed elsewhere for a little while. I shall return shortly," and with that, she stood and disappeared in a swirl of light.

Foxfire sat down next to Rob and taking a hold of his hand, she said, "Why don't you tell me all about what troubles you."

The room began to fade into whiteness, and soon all he could see in front of him was a pair of intensely blue lupine eyes. He felt inexplicably drawn into those eyes, and everything he had felt, every memory, every thought, suddenly came bubbling up to the surface and poured out. At first he tried to resist, immediately thinking that someone or some thing was trying to get military knowledge out of him, but then he found that whatever was drawing these memories out of him was focusing on his feelings, how he felt about his experiences, and especially about his relationship woes.

A sweet, gentle voice filled his thoughts and said, "Oh sweetie, you will be okay. Let me show you what real love is all about."

Rob gasped as the essence of Love itself washed over and through him and filled every corner of his heart, taking away the hurts, the wrongs, and the sadness that he had endured. A new understanding took their place, one that would be with him for the rest of his days. It was a simple joy, of being alive and seeing life in a new way. He felt the weight and stains of the world wash away in that whiteness that filled his senses. He perceived a light scent of wildflowers and the clean air after a storm and something soft against his face. Slowly, the room returned to normal, and he found himself being held by Foxfire, as a mother would hold and comfort a child.

"There now, sweetie, all better," she said gently rocking him.

Rob sighed, slowly and deeply, feeling much better than he had for a long time.

There was a swirl of light and Fire Weaver reappeared.

Smiling a knowing smile, Fire Weaver said, "Thank you for your assistance, my dear. I should be returning him to where he came--his friends will no doubt soon be wondering what became of him."

Foxfire stood, pulling Rob up with her. Holding his head in her hands she said, "It was nice meeting you, dearie. Maybe you can come back some day and visit again. Safe journey!" and she kissed him on his forehead.

Grimm Tooth stepped up and grasped Rob by the forearm and said, "Be well, and safe journey."

"Th-Thanks...for everything," he said as a tear ran down his face.

Fire Weaver took Rob into her arms and said, "Sleep now, my child. We have a long ways to go."

And with that, a swirl of light surrounded both him and Fire Weaver, and he felt an odd prickly sensation as the world seemed to dissolve around him, and he with it.

* * * * *

When Rob awoke, he was lying on the ground and it was dusk. He slowly sat up and looked around. He found that he was where he had been at the moment he had been run through with the spear. He was wearing his own clothing and all of his equipment seemed to be in place. In the dimming light, he looked at his uniform and saw that the hole had been expertly repaired. It was so well done, in fact, that it was hardly noticeable. There was no trace of any blood to be found anywhere. Carefully, he got up and checking to make sure no one else was in the immediate vicinity, he made his way back to his camp. He went through all of the usual questions, though as soon as his superiors were finished with him, he went back to his tent to rest.

As he got ready to crawl into his sleeping bag, he felt a small bundle in a pocket that he couldn't remember what it was. Rob pulled the little bundle out and unrolled it, looking at it for a moment, before it finally dawned on him what it was--a simple breechcloth.

The End