Coriander yawned, laying stretched out by the healer's den, the bones from her meal lying picked clean in front of her. The sun was setting behind the hollow, and between the warm summer air, her full belly, and the quiet chatter of the other dogs, she was starting to get sleepy. Ranger lay next to her, cleaning the last scraps of meat off of his deer haunch. "You didn't tell me much about your training today," she said to him. "What did you do? Ward off a Night Pack invasion all by yourself?"

He gave a humorless laugh. "No. Lightning wouldn't let me even if I tried." He growled. "He's so annoying sometimes, and so strict. He yells at you if you even get one inch away from what he thinks is the proper way of doing things."

"And you yell right back, I assume?"

"It's not my fault if he doesn't know what he's talking about," Ranger retorted. "Like today, we were practicing attack strategies if we catch Night Pack on our territory again. He says to strike suddenly and stay on them so they'll be intimidated. I told him it would be better to use our speed to duck in and out of the long grass, staying out of their reach and attacking quickly so that they're confused. He wouldn't even listen to what I had to say!"

"Well, there's validity to both strategies," Coriander said evenly. "You're smart, Ranger, but you don't know everything. You need to listen to the other defenders. Contrary to what you might think, they do know what they're talking about."

Ranger muttered something indiscernible and went back to chewing on his bone. Coriander sighed and rested her head on her paws, watching Katrina and Russell play on the other side of the hollow. They were playing tag, and so far Katrina was significantly outpacing her brother.

"What about you?" Ranger asked. "What's new in the world of smelly plants?"

Coriander gave him a good-natured glare. "Plenty, although I doubt you'd be interested. I did just learn from Louis a new way to gangrene. It was a very stimulating conversation."

Ranger smirked. "You know what, you're right. I'm not interested."

Coriander rolled her eyes, looking back across the hollow. Russell was finally catching up to Katrina, and as he drew close to tag her she swerved to the left and tripped, laughing. Coriander smiled, but then she realized that the puppy hadn't got back up. She jumped up and ran across to her, where she saw that her eyes had glazed over and her legs had begun to paddle. Russell began whining fearfully. "Katrina?! What happened, did I do something wrong? Is she okay?"

"Yes, Russell, calm down," Coriander said. "She's having another seizure. She'll be fine in a few moments."

By now Minette had run over and was hovering around anxiously. After just a few seconds, however, Katrina stopped shaking and the dazed look vanished from her eyes, replaced by confusion.

"Katrina?" Coriander asked softly. "You just had another seizure, but you're okay now. How do you feel? Can you see me?"

She nodded slowly, saliva starting to drip from her mouth. Minette drew closer, giving her a nuzzle. "Are you all right, sweetie? I was so worried!"

"Here, bring her into the healer's den," Coriander barked. "She's still disoriented, she'll need a little while to adjust."

Minette began to gently guide her daughter over to the den, cooing words of comfort. As she got settled in Coriander picked out some valerian that she had in store. Crushing them so that they'd be easier for Katrina to eat, she set them in front of her. As she began to lap them up, Ranger came in behind Coriander.

"So that's what it looks like," he commented. "I heard Eleazar talking about it. That's freaky."

"Well, fortunately, she doesn't feel any pain," Coriander replied. "I'll keep her in here for the night. She should be just fine by tomorrow morning." This was the first big seizure Katrina had had since her first incident. Coriander had noticed brief periods of her shaking, looked dazed and licking her lips excessively, which she knew were indicative of seizures, but nothing this bad had happened for a while. She hoped it wouldn't become a regular occurrence.

After the pack's inquiries as to Katrina's health had all been answered everyone began to settle down for the night. Ranger lay down in his usual bed while Katrina and Russell curled up together in another one. Minette reluctantly left her pup's side and went out to wait for Eleazar, who was on the night patrol. He would undoubtedly want to be informed of what had happened as soon as he got back.

Coriander laid down in her own bed, keeping her ears pricked for any sounds of trouble from her patient. As she began to drift off, thoughts sprang unbidden to her mind. For a reason she wasn't sure of, she was struck by Minette's maternal tenderness and started to wonder about her own mother. She couldn't even remember her face. She could barely recall curling up against her or playing with her or being comforted by her. All she remembered was that last confrontation when she was driven from the pack.

She frowned, trying to remember what was said. Her parents were arguing... over Coriander herself. She vaguely recalled the sound of her mother's voice. Oh... now I remember. She wanted to take me with her.

Briefly, Coriander considered what would have happened if her mother had succeeded. She wouldn't have grown up in Wind Pack, and she never would have become a healer. Perhaps she would have lived with those strange "human" creatures that her parents talked about.

Maybe it would have been easier. Maybe I wouldn't have had to go through so much grief. I was never given a choice in the matter. If I'd known what was going to happen, would I have gone with her? Would it have been worth it? I never would have had to suffer through losing Dad, because I wouldn't remember him. I wouldn't have had to grieve over Gideon, or Sadie, or Grace.

She rolled over and looked at Ranger, sleeping across from her, that arrogant, annoying ball of fur that she loved with every beat of her heart. But then I wouldn't have Ranger. He wouldn't have me. Wind Pack wouldn't have a healer.

Russell's voice suddenly reached her ears. "Coriander! Katrina started shaking! I think she's going to faint!"

"Russell! I just twitched! Calm down!"

"She's panicking! Come quickly!"

"I'm fine!"

"Coriander!"

No. I'm happy here, right where I am. They need me.

With a smile, she got up and went to her patient.

Ayyyy two new chapters, how 'bout that?! Hopefully some more will roll out over the next month... Keep your fingers crossed! I hope you enjoyed!