Aralyn

A young girl maybe 20 walked up the steps to the ladys front door. She knocked even though it caused her much pain. Her arm was bleeding, blood running down it and dripping onto the front porch. Her hand on the other arm was dripping blood also. One from a broken glass, the other from- never mind. Shed prefer not to think about it. A bruise was starting to form over her left cheek and she though she had a broken rib but she wasnt certain. All she knew was that she hurt. She needed help and by chance had found this road. 'Please God let someone be home' she thought

Lady, Starlit Eyes, & Spark

Around the corner of the house came sprinting a mostly black hybrid, looking like a perfect cross between a black lab and wolf. Her eyes were strikingly blue, hence her name. Her ruff was speckled faintly with some white hairs, but it did not make the fur seem silver. She stopped next to Aralyn and cautiously sniffed at her, whimpering slightly at the scent of blood. Her tail gave a slow wag as her ears went back, still sniffing at the young lady. It was common for injured animals to come here, but this was the first human!

It wasn't a long wait before the door opened and the wrinkling face of an older woman peered back at the girl. Her hair was mostly gray with some white in it as well, easily showing her advanced age. But she was not so old that she couldn't care for herself or the other animals. "Oh! Come inside, please! What happened, dear? Oh, you poor thing!" Being very adept at assessing injuries, she could tell the young girl was not attacked by some wolf or dog. Experience told her just what might have happened.

Putting a hand out, she started to guide Aralyn into the kitchen where she could tend to her injuries and hear her story.

Starlit Eyes entered the house as well, very curious about what was happening. She listened carefully to how the lady spoke and noted the different tones in her voice. Alarm, concern, hurried.

Another canine, much smaller than Starlit, sprung down from the couch in the living room. A spaniel with a stump of a tail and long, silky brown ears. His stumpy tail waved at first until he scented the blood. Then he whimpered as well, standing close to his master's side.

Aralyn*Malon

Malon slipped through the door following his master. He wouldnt listen to any of them when Aralyn was like this. He sat next to her as Aralyn sat herself gingerly into a chair.

"I...I need....Some help..." she was trying so hard not to cry. Why had she done it? She just had to push Bryant over the limit. She had just had to see how much he loved her. Why had she accused him of cheating?

Because of the lipstick on his shirt. How he came home smelling of cheap perfume. Face it. He had been seeing someone else behind your back Aralyn

she thought to herself bitterly. A tear of rage and pain slid down her cheek but she wouldnt allow herself to break down. She remembered how she had gotten all these cuts and bruises and whimpered to herself from the memory.

She jumped when she felt Malon lick her palm gently. He knew....He had basically seen what had happened. He had tried to stop it but had failed. He blamed himself for what happened to Aralyn. He hadnt been there....He had been on the other side of the door. Why hadnt he just broken through a window....He should have helped her. He wanted to attack something. Take his rage out on someone else. But he was to worried about Aralyn to actually go through with it. He glanced at the cocker spaniel but didnt move away from Aralyn.

"Please...All I need is to be bandaged up...Then I'll be on my way...I dont want to bother you" she said to the lady her voice strained and cracking from trying not to cry. Her green eyes showed her pain and the bruise on her cheek was getting worse. If the lady looked past her dark hair she would see a hand print around Aralyns neck. that was a bit strange though....Bryant hadnt really held her neck...at least she didnt think he had....Had he?

Lady, Starlit, & Spark

She retrieved some things and hurried back to help Aralyn. "My heavens, it's no bother!" she assured, dabbing a wet cloth over the wounds to clean them. "It's not offen that I get visitors that are people." She smiled faintly, trying to make a little light of the situation. As she began to bandage the cuts, she went on, "Why don't you stay a while and rest up? It's so peaceful out here, you know. No one to bother you." she had noted the bruise forming on the girl's cheek, as well as the print on her neck now. It made her sad, knowing, or at least guessing how she had gotten hurt like this. "If you need to talk about anything," the lady went on, "you can trust me." She finished with the bandages and stood back, "There, all done. Is there anyting I can get you? Perhaps a little something to eat, or drink?"

Starlit watched Malon unblinkingly for a moment and saw that he seemed to be a loyal guardian of this stranger. She could smell the scent of a male human on Aralyn and ventured to question Malon about it, "What happened to her?"

Spark shuffled over to Starlit and lied down, gazing up at Aralyn. He wanted to jump up on her lap and lick her face, but Malon intimidated him. A lot of things intimidated Spark, especially Galar.

Aralyn*Malon

Aralyn looked at the lady a strained smile on her face. "Thanks....A glass of water is fine if you wouldnt mind...." she winced at the cloth on her hands but said nothing else. Aralyn had never been a talker. Talking always got someone hurt. She had found this out the hard way.

Malon turned his sharp brown eyes to Starlit. "He hit her" it was so simple. Malon didnt know if he should tell Starlit. Deciding to trust him he said softly "Aralyn came home and Bryant wasnt there. She didnt think anything of it until he came home. He smelled of different woman. They got in a fight. He hit her. She hit him back. It surprised them both. Somehow she cut her hand on a piece of glass" he shook his head and lay down.

Aralyn saw the cocker spaniel and gently said "Come here boy. HE wont hurt you" she doubted the dog understood her so as gingerly as possible she patted her lap

Lady, Starlit, & Spark

She nodded with a smile and headed for the kitchen. A moment later she returned with a glass of water and handed it to Aralyn, "That's a beautiful dog you have there." she pointed out for conversation, and also for the fact that she genuinely liked Malon.

Starlit sighed, "I see. It's too bad." she sook her head and thought of something else. "Would that Bryant fellow be likely to come here?" she was worried for her own master now too, like usual.

Spark's tail wagged furiously now, hearing her tone of voice as he cocked a floppy ear at it. Seeing her hand gesture, he knew what it meant and eagerly jumped up on her lap. Sticking his blunt muzzle in her face, he showered her with licks. "What a nice human!" he yipped, forgetting about Malon at the moment.

From outside came the voices of two wolves, howling and calling, "Please excuse me!" she said appologetically, "Wildlife just seems to know where to come when they're hurt. I should be very long; you're very welcome to stay here if you wish." the old lady grabbed a medical kit and headed outside.

Starlit stood up, "Those aren't familiar voices. I'd better go with her." the hybrid glanced at Aralyn then Malon, "You two can come if you want, I suppose." she headed outside after her master.