Page 55 of Tears of the Wolf
She followed the girl outside to the goat shed attached to the cottage. Inside, a white nanny goat with magnificent horns waited, refusing to put weight on one hoof.
Immediately, Brynn saw the accumulation ofkain the goat’s fetlock. “It’s broken,” she muttered. “Can you tie her for me so I can get a better look?”
Fern did as she was asked. She grabbed the nanny’s rope collar and hooked it to a notch in the wall.
Brynn knelt in the dirt, trying to sense as much as she could without touching. She chewed her lip, thinking.
The bones were misaligned, or at least she thought they were. So muchkahad swelled around the injury, it was hard to be sure. She’d have to make sure the bones were properly set before she fused them back together, or else the goat would always walk with a limp. That could be life-threatening since most animals grazed on open pastures.
“Esa, hold her against the wall.”
Esa handed the pup to Fern and stepped up to obey.
Motion at the entrance to the shed caught Brynn’s eye. Rowan’s father stood at the door, leaning on a cane. Sadly, Brynn had no way to repair a severed limb.
“Papa, you shouldn’t be outside,” Fern protested.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Don’t let me interrupt.”
Brynn looked to Esa to make sure she was prepared. The girl gave a short nod.
No point in waiting, then.
Brynn carefully reached out to touch the goat’s leg.
The nanny writhed, head snapping from side to side against the rope.
“Sorry, girl,” Brynn crooned. “Hold on. I’m going to fix it.”
The nanny goat let off a wail, still thrashing.
Brynn grabbed the foreleg and slammed the goat’s shoulder sideways with her own. She locked the animal into a steadying hold as best she could. Not waiting for the goat to stop thrashing, she grabbed the injured fetlock.
The goat screamed again.
Brynn focused. She’d worked on uncooperative subjects before, mostly animal, but a few human. Brynn guided thekain the animal’s body, forcing the bones back into place. She felt something snap—it was a soft sense of something sliding into place. Barely there. Bones did not align in straight lines unless helped. It took skill to recognize the correct positioning.
Brynn got the bones as close as she could and clamped her hands around the injury. She pouredkainto the animal’s limb, feelingkasear the broken pieces like molten lead.
The goat wailed, kicking and flailing. The puppy whined from across the shed and Brynn had to fight not to be knocked over. The rope snapped and Brynn had one instant of seeing the nanny’s horn swinging toward her before her head snapped back and she sprawled on the dirt floor.
“Lady!” Esa shouted.
“Lady Brynn!”
Brynn pushed herself onto her elbow just as the nanny wrenched free of Esa. The goat hopped awkwardly for several steps before putting weight on her injured foot. The goat flicked her tail indignantly and sniffed her fetlock, then trotted to the far side of the shed.
Esa was at Brynn’s side in a moment. “Lady?”
“I’m well.” Brynn felt carefully at her cheek. The goat’s horn had just missed her eye, thankfully.
“I’m so sorry, lady!” Fern was at her side the next moment. “I should have tied her better. I’m so sorry!”
Brynn patted the girl’s arm. “It’s fine.” She took her puppy back. Brynn looked to the goat, now pacing back and forth, indignant and wholly ungrateful, but using all four hooves now. “Make sure she stays inside for a few days, alright? That leg is set, but it will be tender for some time.”
“Yes, lady. Thank you so much.”
“I think we need to be heading back to the longhouse, but send word if you need anything else, alright?”
