JP - The Keep - Helping Out

“Thank you.” Ila said to Miyuki, grateful for the help.

“You’re welcome,” Miyuki replied with a smile. “I don’t want to be a burden and figured the best thing to do is help out.”

Ila rolled her sleeves up to her elbows, revealing the red dove tattoo, before carefully pulling the sleeve down enough to hide the tattoo again. “There seems to always be more dishes.”

“Well, there are a lot of people here,” Miyuki commented with a soft laugh as she kept washing the dishes. She made sure to wear the gloves from her bag so she wouldn’t leave fur on everything.

Ila nodded. “Almost all of the survivors from the village ended up here.”

“At least it keeps the place lively, right?” The kitsune asked.

“Yeah.” Ila agreed, though she wished the place was less lively sometimes.

“Did…did I say something wrong?” Miyuki asked as her ears twitched.

“No…” Ila shook her head. “Sometimes I just get… tired.”

“Do you ever try to find a private place to rest?” Miyuki asked. “I understand being tired…”

“I can usually get plenty of rest between meals… It's just crazy busy a few times a day.” Ila said.

Nodding in understanding of that, Miyuki rinsed off the last plate. “Will the healer want to have help? I know a lot about herbs and medicines…” She spoke softly.

“She probably will. I know she lost a lot of her herbal stores during the raid… I heard that the raiders deliberately burned and destroyed them.” Ila said. “It’s been months but she is still trying to replenish her stores.”

“I know a lot of herbs and plants that can be used, so maybe I can help her out with that.” Miyuki pondered. “Where would she be at the moment?”

“If she’s not in her rooms she’d be making her rounds.” Ila said. “Pinja had her babies last night, she will probably check on her.”

“Where would that be again?” Miyuki asked, a bit embarrassed that she couldn’t remember the layout yet. “I’m still figuring out where everything is…”

"Pinja is sharing a room with Millie on the third floor of the dormitory." Ila said.

"Got it," Miyuki said. "Thank you." With that, she left to go find the healer. She wasn't too keen on seeing what could possibly be herself in a few months, but maybe she could help Pinja too. Her healing and medicines had always helped with post-labor pains and exhaustion.

Difyr was speaking gently with Pinja in her room. “I know you don’t want to have anything to do with them, but breastfeeding could actually help with-”

“No.” Pinja said sharply.

Difyr repressed a sigh. “Okay. Then we can try warm compresses.”

Miyuki grimaced at what she had just heard. What kind of mother rejects their children? Keeping her expression neutral, she stepped up to the door and knocked, not wishing to intrude.

“Just a minute.” Difyr said. A moment later she opened the door a crack. Behind her Pinja had most of her face hidden in a scarf. “Hello Miyuki.”

“Hello, Difyr…it is Difyr, right?” Miyuki replied. “I was wondering if you needed any help with medications, herbs, anything healing related. My fox magic can heal people a little, but I prefer to use natural herbs…”

Difyr nodded. “Yes. The raiders destroyed my stores. I try collecting more when I have the chance but I have been kept busy. I need healing herbs of all kinds.”

“I have some with me if you’d like to have them,” Miyuki offered and dug into her bag. “Is…is Miss Pinja doing well? I could heal her a little…give her some of my herbal tea leaves that I have. They work wonders with a little of my magic in them.”

Difyr pondered for a moment. She had seen some of Miyuki’s herbal blends last night and could tell that the kitsune knew what she was doing. She also knew how helping others can be healing. Difyr nodded and opened the door. “Miyuki, this is Pinja. Pinja, this is Miyuki. She knows a lot about herbs and childbirth.”

Pinja looked at Miyuki with scared blue eyes. Her hair had grown out, but was still short, Miyuki might have remembered the bloody locks in the seamstress shop. Most of Pinja was hidden, covered in clothes and blankets. She was sitting on the end of her bed, but it was clear from her posture that she was in discomfort.

Difyr and Aalyssa had done what they could for Pinja, but as Difyr said, her herbal stores had been destroyed and still not replenished. What Difyr did not add was that the usual suppliers from Portside had been bought out shortly before the raid, probably by the raiders. Even places in the forest where Difyr would normally find a lot of wild herbs had been picked clean. Of course her herb garden back in the village had been destroyed during the raid. The raiders were thorough because they were more than just raiders.

“Hello,” Miyuki said in a soft and kind voice, giving Pinja a smile. “Are…are you in any pain of any kind? I can tell you're in discomfort, but I don’t want to assume it’s because of pain.” She pulled out more of her supplies, gently setting what would help down on a table. “Everything I have is labeled, so you won’t have to worry about being confused.”

Helping people made the kitsune happy - it was why she had worked so hard in her studies over herbs and medicines. If this could help Pinja just a little, it was better than nothing at all.

Pinja nodded slightly. She was in pain. She had hoped her suffering would be over after giving birth, but no such luck. She hugged her blanket to herself.

Nodding, the kitsune grabbed up a few of her herbal leaves and the pain medicine she always made. Looking around, she found a cup and got some water, mixing it all in together. “It usually tastes better hot, but you need to be able to rest…” She gently and carefully offered the cup to Pinja. “It should ease your pain and help relax your muscles a bit.”

Pinja reached for the cup with a shaking hand, her hands and fingers were scarred as if she had grabbed knives by their blades. She accepted the cup, but just looked at it. Drinking would require lowering the scarf.

“Would it help if I look away?” Miyuki asked. “I’m not going to judge you, Miss Pinja. I just want to help.”

Pinja nodded slightly. She was very self conscious of the scars on her face. They were deep, went from the corners of her mouth to her ears, originally her face had been torn all the way through.

“Just remember that we’re here to help,” Miyuki said and offered her a kind smile again before turning away so Pinja could drink.

Pinja lowered her scarf, and drank. She could see what Miyuki meant about it tasting better hot, but it was not too bad. After finishing the drink she set the cup down and raised her scarf again.