Vitani

Vitani was happy when she the farmhouse being built. 

And how could she not be? She's always been friendly with other animals, and she's even meet a couple of cool humans! When she was a pup, her father introduced her to a farmer near the place where their old pack had lived. 

"As long as you help him keep his sheep safe, he'll give you all the food and shelter you could ever need!"

When she got older, she decided to leave the pack where her parents live. She loved them and vowed to visit them every once and a while, but it was time for her to find her own way in the world. She wanted to see what she can achieve on her own. And so she set out, planning to first spend some time living alone, learning to take care of herself, and then she'd find a nice pack to call home. 

After a while, she found her purpose. She wanted to be an herbalist, she thought. She was always intrigued by it. She'd seen the old farmer carefully plant the gentle stalks, taking care not to damage them. She'd seen him put a pinch of their leaves into the fresh dirt every time he'd take some. She'd seen her father learn to gather and use herbs, careful to sniff them each time, making sure his potions were healthy. 

So when she saw this new farmhouse being built near her solo cave, she was excited. 

She was looking forward to meeting all the new animals, and maybe even a new farmer, too!

As time passed and the farmhouse was built, she started to worry. Why are there no chickens there? No goats, no sheep? What could she trade with the human, if not her protection of their animals? She was getting pretty good at herbology, so maybe that's something she could offer?

She finally approached the place one day. It was a fresh winter afternoon, and there was a man sitting on a stool in front of the heavy door, smoking a cigarette. She was careful about approaching humans. She did it slowly, the way her father had taught her. She established eye contact from afar, made sure to look non-threatening. She peaked her ears to show interest and wagged her tail, then approached with her head down, not showing teeth. 

The man looked alarmed at first. He threw down his cigarette in panic, stepped on it a couple of times to make sure it's out, and then hid behind the heavy door. Vitani knew this might happen at first. She left a healing salve in front of the door and went back to the forest. The same thing happened the next day, and the next, and the next. 

But after the third day, Vitani noticed her healing salve was gone. Her offerings were working! And so she kept coming back, and eventually, the man started leaving a bowl of water outside the door for her. In a week, there was a bone with some meat still on it. By the time winter was in full swing, Vitani had a friend in this man. She gave him medicine, and he gave her food. The man wasn't the most talkative of people, and he wasn't one for cuddles or play, either. But on a good day, he'd pet her head, and she'd wag her tail happily. Sometimes, even the smallest sign of affection from a closed-off person can be a show of great love. She was proud of this relationship she'd forged. 

She'd heard rumours about the man, though. Something about cruelty, about coldness, about fear. 

She mostly ignored them. She knew what it was like to be on your own. She'd seen many wolves like that who'd come to her father, begged him to help. They didn't want to be alone, but word travels fast and once your reputation precedes you, it's hard to get away. Sometimes, just the fact that you spend a lot of time on your own makes you intimidating. 

This was the case with this man, she chose to believe. 

She met a group of wolves one day. From a pack that used to live around these areas, they'd said. They were looking for a missing friend, they'd said. He'd been captured by an evil man who lives in an empty farmhouse, they'd said. Empty, save for the whines of pain. 

Vitani chose to ignore it. She knows the truth better than they do, she thought. She's the one who lives here, after all. She's the one who really knows the man, and he was her friend. A bit distant at times, but never cold. Thankful for her medicine, and always saved the best meat for her. And so she told them this. 

The wolves looked at her with untrust in their eyes, or was it pity? Either way, they didn't say anything and moved on. 

Vitani watched her human friends closely. His hands were rough, but that's not uncommon for a farmer. But where were the animals? And where were the fields?

But she ignored it. She ignored all the warning signs. She couldn't let rumours ruin her friendship. Her father had taught her this. Give people a chance. Rumours aren't always true. Sometimes, all you need is to show a little kindness to get kindness in return. She defended her friend to anyone who will listen. 

Until one day. 

She usually ignored the sounds coming from the farmhouse. They're just those moving pictures humans love so much, she'd told herself. Or one of those noise machines, maybe? Surely, her friend was a good person. Why else would he be so kind to her?

But then, in the evening, just as she was heading to the farmhouse to drop off some medicine, she saw her. A young wolf, covered in wounds, running through the door as fast as she could. He fur was rough, her eyes swollen and filled with fear, her tail between the legs. Vitani ran to her and guided her to her cave. She made a soft nest for her to lie in and brought her food and water. She took care of her wounds. 

"Are you the one who's been making this medicine for us?", the young wolf asked once she gained some trust in Vitani. 

"Yeah!", Vitani said proudly, "I'm the one making it!". 

"Do you know what he needs it for?", the young wolf asked. 

Vitani had never really thought about it, not until now. She just assumed everyone needed medicine. But this wolf was right, she thought. The medicine Vitani made was designed for canines. So what was her friend using it for, if not to heal canines? But why did he need so much of it? Does he know so many injured dogs? Or maybe he goes out into the forest, helps wolves in trouble?

There was a long silence, and the young wolf began to speak. She told Vitani about how she'd been made to fight, and made to have pups, and how she's been healed using Vitani's medicine only to be thrown into another fight the very next day. Vitani was horrified, and the wounds on this wolf's body proved her story. Even beyond that, Vitani saw real fear and could smell no lies. 

Her friend was an abuser, and she's been helping him from the start. 

How could she have fallen for this? She felt horrible. 

She nursed the young wolf back to health and helped her find her way. She'd been abducted from a pack, she'd said, and so Vitani helped her find her way back home. She swore she'd make up for what she did. It wasn't her fault, the young wolf had said, Vitani was tricked. But Vitani still swore. She'll make it up to her, to everyone, the best she can. 

It was time to join a pack, she thought. Be with someone who can really use her help. Find someone who will help her contribute in a real way, someone who she can really trust. 

Sometimes rumours are just rumours, but sometimes something sinister really hides behind a gentle, calm smile. So Vitani was careful when she first met Gentlewolf, but it didn't take long until he proved himself kind. And so she finally joined his back. 

"Could you use a herbalist?"

And in a few months, a young pup joined. He was scared and alone, and looked like he'd been through hell. But he was open and active, and Vitani thought she'd seen his eyes before. He reminded her of the young wolf she'd help heal. 

She was glad to meet him. 

Vitani is currently residing in Cushion home, alongside other scouts, herbalists, pupsitters, and pups.