Martha & Others

The closer they got to the vet, the more animated that Sage got, and the more she shuffled about from the floor to the seats, panting wildly and covering a good deal of the interior with droplets of saliva. But even this was probably sedate to how Rihanne was handling things, or would be handling things very shortly. "Tah, can you manage these two?" Daring not to open the door yet, Martha remained in her seat after parking the truck and trailer in the lot, wanting first to make sure that all three of the canines up front were in control and not in risk of bolting out and away from them. After snapping a leash onto the collars of Timber and his daughter, she handed the ends to Tahmores, then busied herself with taking a muzzle out. "Hold still Rihanne, I know you don't like this place." The woman didn't quite try to put the muzzle on yet, but she was doing her best to at least try and calm the dog's nerves so that she could at least get the leash hooked to her collar.

Rihanne*Others

The closer they got to the hated office, the more Rihanne's careful composure chipped and slipped away, until she was nearly as panicked and difficult to deal with as Sage was. Her years of such experiences - and the throbbing pain that continued to hold its place in her shoulder - kept her from pacing back and forth as the young hybrid was doing, but in every other way, she was behaving in a highly stressed manner, and that didn't get better when the truck parked. Her sensitive nares alerted her to the smell of the feared place even before the door was opened, and though she sat tamely enough in the seat when Tahmores gently shuffled her off in order to take Sage and Timber from Martha, she wasn't going to let her mistress put on the muzzle without a fight. Not that she would ever do the slightest bit of snarling at her beloved Martha or snap at her in any way as she might do to the medical staff, but after sitting still enough for the leash, she began to dart her nose around and try to struggle back to prevent the despised muzzle from being fastened into place. Not only was she aware that it prevented her from biting the frightening veterinarian and his assistants, but at the moment, her bitten nose was quite sore, and she certainly wasn't looking forward to the sensation of it. Still, with a little persistence from Martha - and much whining and struggling on the part of Rihanne - the hated restraint might be fastened into place.

Martha & Others

'We're here! - Can you smell it? - I'm gonna run, soon as that gate opens, I'm running! - Bad idea, Pip. You know you'll get in trouble.' The medley of quiet whines and anxious canine voices came from those still waiting in the trailer, a mix of Aidan and Tahirah's offspring, and the only other survivor of Artemis and Timber's litter. 'You'll get lost, too. - Oh really? Then how co- Listen! The doors are opening!' It wasn't the trailer doors that they were speaking of, but the cab doors as Martha finally moved to step out of the driver's seat. "I know Rhi, I know." It had been a struggle to get the muzzle on, and more unpleasant than usual because she didn't want to cause the dog any additional discomfort from her sore nose. In the end she managed it though, knowing that the alternative was to risk Rihanne biting one of the vets, and possibly getting into legal trouble. With the end of the leash wrapped twice around one wrist just in case, Martha picked the cocker mix up, holding onto her carefully as she headed for the building and disappeared inside. Sage was still acting unusually spastic, and at the first opportunity, she bolted out of the cab without regard for the collar and leash. Timber simply sat down on the seat, lowering his head staying firm where he was. It would take some tugging or physically picking him up to get him on the ground, and from there, additional work to see him into the building.

Rihanne*Others

"Stop! Don't take me in there!" Those were the words that went with the cocker mix's yelp as she wriggled around in Martha's embrace, now heedless of the pain it aroused because of the heightened level of her fear. This was accompanied by a healthy amount of whining and occasional repeated yelps; one might have thought she was being killed, as opposed to simply taken to the vet, and they hadn't even gone inside yet. When they reached the door, her panicked flailing only increased in intensity, enough that both her tail and one of her rear paws smacked solidly against the door frame as she was carried inside.

While keeping a half an eye on the struggle that Martha was going to have to put up to keep Rihanne contained, Tahmores had fortunately been wise enough to keep a good hold on both the leashes he'd been given, even though he had to brace himself a bit against the strength that was leant to Sage by her fear, so that he wouldn't be tumbled by her sudden bolt. Feeling a little guilty for the violent tug it would give her neck, the young man whined briefly to reassure her and then turned his attention to Timber. "Come on, old fellow," he murmured quietly, moving to scoop the collie up as Martha had done with Ri. "We did not come this far to sit in the truck; besides, Rihanne and Sage will need you." He had half a mind to carry the dog all the way into the clinic, just to make the whole idea easier, but that was dependent upon whether or not Timber put up a fight - he might be persuaded to return the collie to his paws, if he protested too much to being carried.

Martha & Others

The words might be as lost on her as the anxious chatting from the back of the trailer, but Rihanne's message was clear enough. She was not happy at all, and didn't want to step paw in the building. "You're only going to hurt your shoulder more." Martha sympathized, needing no sign of blood or limping to know that the dog's shoulder had to be killing right now, and made worse with all the struggling she was doing. "I don't want to be here any more than you do, easy Rihanne." She winced at hearing the smack of body parts against the frame, but didn't stop for a second; she only adjusted her careful grip on the dog and proceeded inside.

Sage almost flipped at the end of the leash, so powerful was her lunge to get away, and the suddenness of being stopped. A sharp string of yelps followed when she put up a brief struggle, flipping at the end of the leash like a wild animal, until the length of fabric rubbed sharply across her head and convinced her to stop flailing around. Her tail and ears went back again, and while a fresh new trickle of blood was running down her muzzle, she crept back towards Tahmores and eyed the truck up, trying to gage whether or not she could squeeze past him and jump back into the cab. The only one acting semi-sane was Timber, and that only because he was still shell-shocked. Once he was picked up, he had no ground left to stubbornly pit his paws against and try to stay put, and at the same time, he didn't really struggle in the man's arms, giving him a small bit of respite from all the trouble.

Rihanne*Others

Unfortunately, despite the fact that she wasn't going to offer Martha any aggressive act, Rihanne still was far too worked up to lie still and give her mistress an easy time of it. The struggling continued as the woman made her way indoors, where a dark-eyed, soft-voiced young nurse was manning the front desk. She looked up at the sound of the door, and instantly snapped into work mode. "Woah... I thought the attacks on your place had stopped," the young woman commented, even as she was smart enough not to approach Martha or try to take Rihanne from her - this nurse, whose name badge read Jenny, had been here long enough to know all about Ri's hatred of coming to the vet. Instead, she drew forward to open the connecting door that led to the examination rooms, and prompted, "I'll tell Dr. Swearingen that you're here... how many this time?"

Despite the flinch he provided as Sage ramped and flipped, doing her best to get away, Tah's grip on the leash never faltered, showing off a bit of his seldom-used strength as he grimly held onto her and waited for her to settle down. When finally she did and drew back close to him again, he offered her a soft word of praise and another quick whine and, with Timber balanced carefully in his arms in a way that thankfully was void of a touch on the wounded side, began to head toward the building, making occasional noises to draw Sage with him in a way that would hopefully prevent him from making a faceplant on the ground, what with his arms full of the collie.

Martha & Others

Martha's words to Rihanne continued on, as if she were dealing with a young child and trying to talk them down from their fear of being at a hospital. Her patience persisted through it all, so that her voice never rose, and the concern and regret over bringing Ri to the place she hated never shifted into frustration. She held the dog as firmly as she could, and was midway into a soft few words to her when Jenny greeted them. "Three that we're bringing in. There's..." She stopped for a second or two to try and tally up just which canines she'd managed to get into the trailer, and in the end, she shook her head, "...a few more in the trailer; I haven't the time yet to sort them out. None of them are hurt as bad." Before following Jenny through into the examine room, Martha had to stop and readjust her arms around Rihanne.

Some of her usual manners and common sense began to trickle back, allowing Sage to slink after Tahmores without forcing him to tug too much on the leash. When they got near the door, she froze in a manner much like her father, then turned and pointed her muzzle back at the truck, debating whether she could try and tug herself and Tah back that way. With some further encouragement however, she again drifted back to his side and proceeded through the door. Timber felt as though he were made of springs, so tense were his muscles. His own anxiety was starting to show now, in the the way that he was puffing his cheeks out in short, rapid breaths. The anxiety grew when he saw the tail-end of Rihanne disappear out of sight, and into the examine room.

Rihanne*Others

"Sharon - see Tahmores and his two into the next room. Best keep them together, for now, but we can't have 'em in with Rihanne. When you're done, come give me a hand with the shot." Those were Jenny's quick words as she showed Martha into a clean, monochrome room with a high counter and numerous medical instruments. She didn't seem disturbed as Rihanne continued to fight against Martha's hold, well used to this sort of thing whenever the pit-mix was brought here. "If you'll set her there, Sharon'll be here in a minute to help you hold her down." She motioned briefly to the table at that, and set about gathering the supplies she'd need for the sedative they'd have to administer, and Ri snarled dramatically at Jenny, who level-headedly ignored the sound.

Leading Tah with father and daughter into a second exam room, Sharon also was aware enough of the various quirks of the ranch dogs to know not to try to touch Timber or Sage. Instead, she lead them into a room that was the mirror-image of the one where Martha was currently struggling with Ri - everything was reversed, but otherwise in exactly the same place. Without being told, Tahmores shifted the collie in his arms with the aim of setting him down on the counter, all the while making soothing noises and doing his best to stroke the uninjured parts of Timber's fur to keep him as calm as was possible, in this situation. Unlike her counterpart however, Sharon couldn't quite restrain an amazed look at the chorus of whines and brief whimpers Tah was giving to try to keep the canines under control. It took her a moment to recover before she said, "It'll be a few moments - we're going to have to give Rihanne her shot before the doctor can come in here and see to them. While we're waiting for the drugs to kick in, he can probably see to them."

Martha & Others

In past times, Martha had tried to correct Rihanne's aggression towards the vets, but her past traumas were simply too much for even the dedicated mother to overcome. The blaze of fear in her dark eyes was enough to break Martha's heart at the thought of what she had to have gone through to have such animosity towards the techs, and in the end, she'd resorted simply to holding the dog and muzzling her during the dreaded trips to the vet. Predicting an attempt to bolt by Rihanne, Martha tightened her fingers around the leash as she eased her four-legged companion down on the table, "Easy does it, girl." One arm was hugging around the front of Rihanne's chest and neck, and over across her side to hopefully prevent her from plunging forward and trying to run. The other hand was partly rested across Rihanne's back, with her hand working across the mix's head in a futile effort to keep her calm.

Not far away in the other room, Timber's tension was so great that he scarcely moved once he was on the table, save for a low, almost inaudible rumble that vibrated through his chest and throat. He was significantly calmer than Rihanne, but he was a known biter if he wasn't watched closely; not the muscle-deep, savage kind of bites, but fierce little snaps that drew blood all the same. Sage was the tamest one of the current group; or she would be, if not for the horror they'd just gone through, and a throbbing wound on her head. Even so, she was the least likely of the group to bite, and now that they'd been corralled into a room, she stood next to Tah and whined back at him in expression of her discomfort. Hearing Rihanne's snarl didn't help things any at all.

Rihanne*Others

Martha was wise to keep a tight grip on the lead, because no sooner had her paws been set on the countertop than she was jolting forward in a powerful motion, determined to jump down even if it meant enduring a painful landing. And even with the woman holding her so tightly, she might have succeeded in her venture - except her back paws got caught on Martha's arm as she tried to jump over it, and that made her trip and land with a thump and a yelp, with her forelegs dangling off the counter and most of her body in a graceless heap. Fortunately - or not - about this time Sharon swept into the room after having left Tahmores and the others alone, and reached to help Martha better contain her pet, who snarled and aimed a snap in her direction, which would have landed if not for the muzzle. There was a mix of snarls and yelps that could be easily heard in the next room as Sharon and Jenny helped hold Rihanne so that Dr. Swearingen could bustle in and administer the shot, and even then there was a lot of scrabbling of claws against the slick surface as the cocker-mix did her best to get away. In the end, though, Dr. Swearingen met his mark, puntuated with a particularly fierce scream from Ri, who sounded as though she'd been hit with a bullet instead of a needle, and both nurses released her quickly and stepped back, allowing Martha to try to soothe the mix-breed, since it was clear neither could do anything about that.

"Sorry, pretty girl," Sharon muttered, and then ducked out of the room with the doctor, to rejoin Tahmores and his charges. "Hello, Timber," the doctor murmured as he shut the door behind him, his tones quiet and kind even though he was quite aware that the collie didn't like him. Still standing beside the counter, Tah was petting Timber ceaselessly in a vain effort to keep him calm, and seemed unphased by the growling the father continued to put up. "I'd be very careful with him today, Doctor," he murmured, directing his green eyes at the physician. "He lost a good deal of his family in the fight today, and isn't quite in his right mind."

Martha & Others

Martha had done her best to hold Rihanne in place, but the dog's fear overpowered that and before the woman knew it, the mix-breed had lunged out of her protective hold. With the end of the leash in hand, she at least would not have gone far, but that wasn't needed when Rihanne's attempt to escape ended with her tripping over Martha's arms and falling against the table without quite making it to the ground. To keep her companion from falling completely off the table and hurting her shoulder even more, Martha scrambled to wrap her arms around the dog again and haul her back to the center of it, "You're okay, Ri." That was said as she helped the two vets keep the unhappy cocker-mix in place, while Dr. Swearingen delivered the merciful shot, "You're okay Ri, you're okay." It was hard to pet Rihanne at all, with the lock-armed hold she was putting on the terrified creature, but Martha did run her fingers through the fur a little as an added bid of comfort as they waited for the drugs to take affect.

Timber's chocolaty gaze followed Sharon when she entered the room, watching her movements in an unfriendly, guarded manner while his daughter actually gave a nervous thump of her tail in greeting. "Rihanne..." The collie's growl turned a pitch higher when he heard his friend's scream. He'd been to the vet's enough to know that this was just how she acted, and with Martha with her, he knew she wasn't being threatened or hurt... but that scream still made his heart race faster and made it difficult not to leap from the table and rush to her aid.

Rihanne*Others

Unfortunately, there just wasn't much that could be done to make this any easier for the copper-colored dog, who flailed and snarled violently until finally Jenny gave Martha a sympathetic smile and murmured, "I'll just wait outside... maybe you can calm her down some if I'm not here." And with that, she backed away from Ri and closed the door behind her, leaving Martha and the cocker mix alone in the room. Even so, it took several long minutes for Rihanne to show even the slightest signs of calming down; the snarls shifted slowly to mesh with whines, and then into whimpers, which were accompanied by how the shaking dog suddenly shifted and tucked her eyes into the curve of Martha's arm, perhaps with the juvenile idea of 'If I can't see the scary things, they can't see me.' The shivering, which was an after-effect of the adrenaline that was coursing through her, was powerful enough to shake her whole body, and because of that adrenaline, it was taking quite a while for the sedative to set in completely.

"Easy, Timber... Rihanne's okay." Responding both to the redoubled snarls of the father, and the single word he'd understood, Tahmores reached to cuddle the collie against him in a way that was similar to what Martha was doing next door, except his was a little less of a restraint and more of a comfort, and he had to be careful not to brush the wounds with his fingers. Meanwhile, Dr. Swearingen was pretending to ignore Timber completely, knowing the basics of canine behavior simply by virtue of his profession, and was currently gathering up the tools he needed and loading a needle with an analgesic to inject around the borders of the various wounds before he'd begin examining them. "He's never been fond of coming here," the doctor answered Tahmores, even as he turned toward them. "But I'll remember your words. Hold him." And with only that brief warning - which Tahmores responded to by putting his muscles to work in trying to keep Timber still - Dr. Swearingen turned the business end of the needle toward Timber and did his best to make the needed injections without getting any part of his anatomy bitten.

Martha & Others

It was a struggle to hold onto Rihanne during her wild fighting, and if she wasn't already use to this reaction, the intensity of the snarls and thrashing might have frightened her. "Give it a few minutes, you'll be okay." Martha went on speaking to Rih, and gave the retreating Jenny a appreciative look - and that's all the attention she could spare to the vet before she was back to console the cocker-mix. She felt almost guilty holding her in place for the shot, and continuing to restrain her when it was so painfully clear that she just wanted to get out of her, but hold her she did, until Rihanne tucked her face under the woman's arm. Martha took the opportunity to relax her death-grip on the dog and put more focus into stroking at the short fur, "Just a few more minutes, Rih. Then you can relax."

Black ears pricked at Tahmores' voice, then planed to the side slightly. He could still hear Rihanne's voice in the next room, even if her struggles were starting to dim down as the time went on. Sage started up with a whine even, and moved towards the door on a sudden whim, only to be stopped by the leash. "Get your grubby paws away from me..." The deepened growls from Timber were directed at Dr. Swearington, unable to be quieted by Tahmores' petting and comforting hold. When the vet didn't heed his warning and moved in with the needle anyway, Timber's growl turned into a short snarl and a brief snap of fangs that clanked against empty air. If Tah hadn't been holding him, he would have gone for the man's arm; instead, he had to settle for trying to intimidate the doctor, which didn't work either - he was able to deliver the shots without too much trouble from the collie, aside from that ongoing rumbling.

Rihanne*Others

It was a long, long time before Rihanne showed any sign that she was beginning to feel the medicine that was working its way through her veins. For the longest time, she leaned and quivered against Martha, letting loose with occasional whimpers half-interspersed with snarls that were sheerly for her fear of the place, and not directed at her mistress at all. Then, ever-so-slowly, the length of time between whimpers increased, and more and more of her weight went against Martha as the sedatives did their work and caused her inhibitions to slip away. On toward the end of her fight, she lay full out on the counter, her head still defiantly raised as if that would keep her awake, but even then it was another five minutes or more before finally her head rested down fully, and she closed her eyes, giving the deep, huffing sigh that Martha would recognize as a final surrender to sleep.

"Easy, Timber," Tahmores repeated, and backed it up with a firm tap on the collie's shoulder that was curiously similar to a nip that one of his parents might have given him to get him to behave, had they been here. Still, he didn't scold the tense dog too sharply, considering all that he had been through today, and though Timber earned an instinctive flinch from the doctor for his efforts, it didn't keep the man from reaching with gentle fingers to examine the wound, while using a small cup to pour water over it to clear out some of the dried blood and any debris that might have been left behind so that he could determine whether the slice needed stitches, or just a good bandaging and a round of antibiotics. "I'll give him credit," he muttered distractedly to Tahmores as he went about his work. "He's a courageous thing. Can't tell you the number of woudns I've treated on him, and he still has the guts to snap at me."

Martha & Others

The long minutes of seeing Rihanne through her fit of anxiety and fear seemed to go on forever, and though Martha had gone through this several times before, it became no easier to endure. Every whine or snarl was met with a gentle word, and the fingers never stopped moving through her coppery coat, scrubbing lightly at the dog's coat as her strength and sense was slowly whittled away by the drugs. At long last, Rihanne's final whimper was given, and she could hold her head up no longer. Martha continued to stroke at her coat, even when the dog was completely out, and took this opportunity to remove the muzzle and set it aside.

Timber's growling caught in his throat when he was reprimanded, then ceased altogether - though his unblinking stare didn't go away. To the collie, Tah was so many things; in this instance, he was the leader, one of the Masters to be obeyed without question. "I need to get back." Still staring at the man to let his distrust be known, the father shifted his tones into a low whine and tried to crane his neck around enough to see what the vet was doing to him. The wound was not particularly deep, but it was open enough to need a few stitches, to help it heal faster.

Tahmores*Others

Exercising his ability to understand what a canine said to him, even when he couldn't always say what he needed to, Tahmores shifted his grip a little to hold onto Timber more securely, and responded to the whine with a gentle tone that belied the poke he'd given the collie only moments ago. "Brother is home," he assured the father, his words simple and still with that thick 'human' accent that even he couldn't get rid of, after so long living among wolves. "Is safe. Tahmores protect Timber... Sage." As he was saying that, Sharon was again looking at him as though she thought him to be a little out of his head, but Tah didn't seem to mind - he kept right on stroking the base of Timber's neck with his thumb and responded to Dr. Swearingen's prompt to adjust his grip a little so he could begin stitching. As he moved forward to begin his work, Tah's grip tightened subtly on the collie, so that he hopefully would not be able to snap at the vet as he began to reunite the torn halves of skin and muscle. "Timber is one of the oldest and bravest of our defenders," Tahmores was answering the doctor, making polite talk even though he was far more focused on keeping the father more or less calm. "He has never lacked for courage."

Timber & Sage

It helped to view the young man as a leader right now, though Timber's instincts were torn between needing to be in control to defend his family, and secretly needed to be comforted as well, something that his conscious mind wasn't even aware of right now. "Sage..." Reminded of his daughter, Timber briefly extended his muzzle and a quivering nose away from the death-stare at the Doctor, and settled it on the hybrid waiting anxiously at the door, as if hoping she might get out of here without having to be put up on the table. "I don't need protecting, it-" Hearing his name from the vet caused the collie to turn his head sharply to look at him again, and to wriggle briefly in Tah's arm at the tight feeling of the skin being stitched back together. He couldn't help but start up with a new growl, and to flash his fangs at the man who was only trying to patch him back up.

Tahmores*Others

"Timber..." The young man didn't repeat the warning prod that he'd given earlier, but his voice did carry a certain tone of caution to remind the collie that his actions weren't to go beyond that snarl. Understanding as well as did Martha that their pets almost universally disliked the vet, and knowing that the growl was Timber's way of expressing his tension, Tahmores didn't try to silence the noise as some owners might have tried to - but he made it very claer that he still expected the do to behave himself. And thankfully enough, Dr. Swearingen seemed aware of the dog's unhappiness as well, either because of his familiarity with Timber or because of the unsavory look he was receiving from those chocolatey eyes, and he was working with quick efficiency, soon having the collie cleaned up and beginning to work bandages over the wounds. "I'm going to send you home with a round of antibiotics for both of them," the doctor was saying, as he finished up his work and gave it a last lookover before he finally gave Tahmores a signal to indicate he could put Timber on the floor. "Just follow the instructions on the box. I seem to recall that Rihanne, at least, has a taste for bacon, and that's what flavor they are." And as Tahmores gave the collie a last pat and scooped him up to set him on the floor again, he was already calling the hybrid to him. "Come, Sage," he murmured, and then switched into English for the benefit of the humans in the room. "Your turn - there's a girl."

Timber & Sage

His growls were stifled a second time, only to be replaced by a faint in and out puffing of the collie's cheeks to show for his uneasy mood right now. With Martha, he could sit perfectly still for a bit of stitching and wound cleaning, but this vet didn't get any of the collie's otherwise loyal and obedient manners, even if he'd never done anything to earn Timber's distrust, other than the fact that he wasn't a part of the Ranch family. That, and he represented shots and funny smells that the dog was not fond of. For the last portion of the stitching he managed to behave himself well enough, and continued to mind his manners when he was put on the floor. Sage was starting to come around from her mindless fear from earlier, and allowed Tahmores' to pick her up and put her on the table, but not without a little whimper, "It hurts, Tah." Unlike her father, the wolf-mix wasn't as prone to aggressive behavior as much as she was to being evasive and sneaky - but with a leash on her and no escape route in site, Sage couldn't try to wriggle away from the humans and bolt out the door.

Tahmores*Others

With Timber on the floor, and thankfully seeing a return to a less-threatening set of behaviors now that he was out of the hot seat, as it were, Tahmores cradled Sage very gently as he hefted her onto the table in her turn. "It's alright, Sage," he told her quietly, running a calloused but deft hand over her shoulders and back in a stroke that was both affection and a comfort for her fear of having her face looked at. And from there, he went about bracing her gently but firmly against him as the vet whispered, "Hey there, Sage - you remember me," and again went in with the needle full of painkillers to take the sting off of her mauled face. Since it was a more sensitive area than the side, he didn't go directly for the face, but instead strategically injected the medication into a vein that ran up into the face and brain, which would take the medicine in the right direction, if in a less direct, slower sort of way.

Timber & Sage

The end of her tail twitched in a meager wag, not that it could be easily seen tucked between her legs and mostly obscured from sight. Timber's aloofness towards some strangers wasn't nearly as prominent in her, thankfully for the doctor, but like her father, she still associated him with unpleasant things and wasn't jumping to lick his face or be friendly. She relied on Tahmores for support, leaning against him and deriving support and a bit of calmness from his presence and voice. Instead of giving a growl or snap at the vet when he get near her and injected the medicine, she gave an unhappy whine and wriggled in Tah's hold, trying to fight the urge to jump off the table. "I hate this place!" In a few moments though, the pain that had been throbbing all about her face began to recede into merciful numbness, and as it did, the wolf-mix relaxed accordingly.

Tahmores*Others

"Shhh... I know," was Tahmores' quiet answer, delivered as he did his best to contain her wriggles without any undue force, as he preferred to use persuasion with the ranch's various canines, and would go to great lengths in that before he'd ever consider physical force, which he used only in a circumstance when the fear of one or the other of them was putting them in direct danger. For all his stature and muscle, where he stood head and shoulders higher than Martha and could fling hay bales for the cows all day without breaking a sweat, Tahmores was a gentle giant. So his hold on Sage was very gentle and more embrace-like than anything as the vet waited for the medication to do its work and then leaned in with the cup of water to flush out the wound and begin assessing how deep it was, and what sort of treatment would be needed.

Timber & Sage

Once the last twinges of pain had been dulled, it was possible for the vet to examine Sage's head and turn it this way and that without risk of losing any fingers. Feeling suddenly exhausted by it all, the hybrid sat back on her haunches and curled her tail around one side, and at last, became the well-behaved - if not a little anxious - canine that she normally was. From her forehead down to the bridge of her muzzle, there was a set of punctures and a sizable gash, and a flap of skin and fur that had been torn aside. The the amount of blood that had run from the injuries, the wound looked more gruesome than it was, having stained most of her face in rivulets of crimson, but like her father, a careful cleaning and a good round of stitches ought to see her battlescars healed up in little time.

Tahmores*Others

"There we are, miss - now that's more like you." That was Sharon's soft comment as she helped the doctor to hold Sage's head still for the examination, which included lots of soft words and a couple of fingers that were petting softly between the canine's ears in an effort to keep her more or less soothed. And with the help of Tahmores and Sharon to hold her still, it took Dr. Swearingen very little time to see what needed doing, and set about doing it. After gently pouring some more water over the wound to be sure itw as clean and patting it dry, he set about the stitches that would be needed, enlisting both the young man and the vet tech to ensure that Sage remained absolutely still, since a false move could very well cause him to unintentionally drive the needle into her eye. "This is a more delicate area, and will require more healing time - we'll see if we can get that pretty face cleared up without a scar, eh?" That was half an informational statement to Tahmores, and half a comment to Sage as the hybrid began to relax some as the pain disappeared. It didn't really matter that Sage wouldn't understand his words - the point was to keep her calm as he delicately moved the needle through her flesh and stitched up the gaping wound, and then reached for bandages and another couple of shots to finish up the job. "There, now - good as new."

Timber & Sage

Unable to decipher anything of their garbled noises, Sage listened to their tones alone to figure out what they might be saying. Whatever it was, they were being encouraging and soft-voiced, and with that and the occasional petting she was getting, Sage thumped her tail a few times against the metal table. The odd sensation of them working on her numbed head, and the scent of blood wasn't all too pleasant, but her resilience and temperament held out until the end, making Sharon and Tah's job much easier, and the treatment for her wound easier to deal with than Timber's despite it needing more care than his. When it was all said and done with and all of the various hands moved away from her face, Sage turned and planted a lick on Tahmoreh's arm and gave him a nudge, "Does this mean we're done? Can we go?" Sitting below them on the floor, and watching the group of humans warily, Timber's low voice spoke in a tone that was too low for the ears of all but the most attuned humans to hear, "We've got to wait for Rih."

Tahmores*Others

Giving a low, deep chuckle that vibrated a little through his chest, Tahmores acknowledged the little lick he'd received with a thorough - but gentle - scrubbing of Sage's ears, even though he had to be careful not to stretch the stitched skin in his movements. As he thanked the doctor and shook hands with everyone - in the midst of taking a bag in which had been placed the various medicines that would keep the dogs' woudns pain free and healing well - he caught wind of Timber's quiet words. Not clearly enough to understand just what had been said, because he'd been distracted by his multitasking, but he distinctly heard Rihanne's nickname, and that sent the message home anyway. With that in mind, he told the vet, "I believe it might do better to take them into the waiting room while we wait for Rihanne - they'd be a little less tense in there, I believe." He might have suggested taking them back to the truck, but he knew perfectly well that Timber was not going to leave here without the cocker-mix, and would be likely to put up a fuss if Tahmores tried to take him out of the building. So instead, he nodded to Sharon and Dr. Swearingen as they left the room, bound for the one next door with the sedated dog, and scooped Sage off of the counter, clicking his tongue to father and daughter. "Come on," he murmured, and began to lead them toward the waiting room.

It took little time for Dr. Swearingen to cross the hall and enter the room with Martha, giving her a friendly 'hello' before he settled down to digging the glass out of the coppery coat and stitching up the cuts left behind by the shards. He left her face for last though, and it wasn't until he'd done everything else and pumped a shot into the mix's ailing shoulder that he prompted, "Here - let's have that muzzle off and take a look at her face."

Martha & Others

When vocal words weren't always needed, particularly in the canine world, Sage took Tahmores' laughter and the scrub of her ears as answer enough, and that really got her tail to waving - not just the tip this time, but the whole fluffy appendage, swaying merrily from side to side. Until the reality of the day could hit home again on their return to the ranch, she could find peace in the usual joy of knowing she was now done with her check-up. Both father and daughter went straight for the door when Tah gave the command to follow, and proceeded out into the waiting room with him, where Sage began to sniff around and edge her way as close to the exit as her lash would permit. Timber stood uneasily at Tah's feet, not looking at the exit, but towards the room he'd seen Rihanne disappear into before he himself was led into a separate examine unit. Past the doors, he could hear the voice of Dr. Swearingen and Martha, and judging by the lack of whines and snarls, he knew Rih was already out.

Martha returned a greeting to the vet, and waited there patiently, watching him dig out bits of glass that were left behind when Rihanne leaped through the window. "I hope they didn't give you too much trouble." Her remark was only half-joking; as much as she'd tried to curb Timber's unfriendly manners around certain strangers, he'd never been broken of that bad habit. "While I'm here, I need a refill on her medication. Spring should be better for her when all the rain passes, but I don't think I've got enough pills left to last that long." The medication she'd purchased for Rihanne's shoulder was used as sparingly as possible, but Martha never failed to give the cocker-mix a pill whenever she spotted even the slightest show of discomfort. As she lifted the dog's coppery head to undo the muzzle and take it off, she knew that Rihanne would need additional help to keep the pain in control after this latest stunt.

Rihanne*Others

"Timber's just very determined about letting me know he doesn't like me," Dr. Swearingen answered her, though he sounded more faintly amused than anything. "He's a fine defender, but he's a one-family dog, for sure. It's something one gets accustomed to, in this business - that and having every patient I see dreading their annual visit." He offered a small smile with that as he watched Martha finagle the muzzle out of place, and then turned to carefully examining the bite at the base of her nose, which was so close to her eyes that she was lucky to have both of them intact. With his goofy-looking, square-rimmed glasses propped on the very edge of his nose, Dr. Swearingen moved his face in so close to Rihanne that it looked like he was trying to kiss her rather than examine the wound - and it was something that would have gotten him a mauled face, if she'd been awake. But after a moment or two, he shook his head, and drew back. "It's just a flesh wound - I'll give you an antiseptic to take home, to wash it out with a couple of times every day. Other than that, nature should take care of it more quickly and with less irritation than anything I could do. Here-" He paused, and took up a notepad that was laying a few feet away, scribbling on it for some time before he tore off the top two sheets and handed them to Martha. "These are the medicines for Timber and Sage, and these for Rihanne... the pain pills are on there, too. And I think that just about wraps it up."

Martha & Others

If her urge to get back to the ranch wasn't so strong, she would have insisted on bringing the rest of the gang out of the trailer for a quick look over. As it was, none of them had more than minor wounds, all of which she could treat as she usually did with the supplies she had at home. "Thank goodness." Martha breathed out when the verdict came back as only a minor wound. The proximity to her eyes would make washing it out a delicate task, but she at least wouldn't have to deal with a snarling, snapping Rihanne like the vets would if they had to deal with her. Back at home, working with the canines was an entirely different story. "We're all set?" She took the prescription papers from the Dr, and after shuffling Rihanne into her arms, she smiled at the man and thanked him before stepping out of the examine room and going for the front counter, "Tah, can you hold her for a minute? As soon as I get things signed, we'll be out of here."

Tahmores*Others

It took very little for Tah's keen hearing to pick up on the sound of the examination room door opening, and Martha exiting. It would be more obvious to Sage and Timber, of course, but then their ears were built for that sort of hearing. So by the time she finally wandered into the waiting room - with Rihanne limp and unresisting in her embrace, thanks to the drugs - the young man was on his feet and clicking his tongue to his two charges to draw them with him as he moved toward Martha and obediently reached out his arms to take up Rihanne. No sooner than he had her in his grip, he shifted her into a comfortable, secure position and knelt down so that Timber and his child would be able to see that all would be well with their friend, and with the three of them occupied thus, the woman should have no trouble filling the prescriptions and getting all the necessary papers signed.

Martha & Others

Once her arms were free, Martha went about the task of signing the papers and writing a check for the bills, while Timber and Sage were turning their inquisitive noses over Rihanne to see for themselves that she was alright, save for her unconscious state. "I hate when they do this!" He muttered under his breath, nosing a bit at Rihanne's face before turning his tongue against the fur to clean away some of Dr. Swearingen's scent. Sage adopted her father's actions, only she focused on the wounds from the glass, going over them despite the fact that they'd already been cleaned. For a few minutes, they were left to tending to their friend, until Martha finally turned away from the counter with a bag of the needed medications. She leaned down to take Rihanne up in her arms, then moved for the door, "Come one guys, lets go back home." And those words were bittersweet; leaving the vet was always a happy feeling, but arriving back at a house where the bodies still needed to be buried... it was a somber feeling.

Tahmores*Others

It pretty well went without saying that Rihanne didn't respond to the ministrations of her friends, but Tahmores left them to it anyway, knowing that it would let Timber and Sage feel psychologically a little better about her well-being if they'd been able to do something to make her feel better. And after a few long moments, they were mercifully free to leave the hated place, and Tah clicked his tongue again. "Here we go... home it is," he muttered, and headed for the truck again.