Mint and Honey

[KieranSoares]

"He's alright... For now," Alex chuckled. "I'll get him back in a few years." He ruffled Ruari's hair and drew the boy close to his side.

 

[heartofcourage]

The family spent a long time reuniting until Valentina declared that it was time for the youngest members to go to bed. After all of the children were safely tucked away, Valentina started a walk with Alex and Yasmine towards the keep. She knew that Alex would want to see Kate and the newest family member. She told him as much about the cub as she possibly could, explaining his traumatic birth and his issues since then.

Kate had fallen into an exhausted sleep in her rooms, rocking Brogan in front of the fire. The little cub was peacefully asleep for the moment, his covered little hands clenched tightly next to his face as he pressed his nose to his mother's throat. The three of them were greeted at the door by Kell, a silent plea from him to be quiet for the sake of his wife and cub.

 

[KieranSoares]

Yasmine would see the change come over Alex and Valentina instantly as they stepped into Kate's room, from concerned family to focused professionals. Alex delicately drew Brogan from Kate's arms, hardly disturbing the cub at all. Kate wasn't doing well, having not recovered well thanks to her constant stress and exhaustion that no one could seem to alleviate. Kell wasn't doing well either, struggling to stay healthy as he focused on his family.

When Alex brought the cub to another room just to avoid waking Kate, he took a good look at Brogan. His ear hadn't healed yet, something Valentina had noticed but couldn't explain. It looked as if it had only been healing a few days versus the many weeks since his birth. In the middle of the checkup, the cub woke with a pitiful whimper, too exhausted and too hoarse to really make much noise. He still struggled half-heartedly against Alex, not even calming as Kell entered to soothe him. The look of pain and helplessness on Kell's face was a bit jarring, considering how he was always so in control or at least steadfast and ready for anything.

Finding no telltale signs of any sickness he knew save the lack of healing, Alex wrote everything down and helped Kell dress the cub once more. "I'm going to do some reading... Until we can figure out what's wrong, well... Just keep doing what you're doing." He shared a long look with Kell before the exhausted father returned to his room with his cub.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate didn't even stir as Brogan was taken from her arms, too exhausted to even register that someone was moving the tiny cub. Little Brogan stayed asleep longer than expected until he woke with a whimper and started to squirm. He whined, whimpering as his Da came to hold him still and calm him down. Once he was clothed again and in Kell's arms, the little cub started to cry again, hoarse sobs against his father's shoulder as Alex dismissed them all back to their room with the orders to simply keep doing as they were already doing.

"Poor little cub." Yasmine said softly as she heard the bedroom door close gently behind them. "I can make some of the herbal tea mixture that I made for Kayla. It won't help the baby, but it would make Kate feel better.

"Kate just needs rest. As much rest as anyone can give her without the worry or strain that her sick child is causing her." Valentina said softly as the hoarse cries from behind the door suddenly stopped and all was quiet again.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex listened for a long moment in the silence to make sure it was just the cub calming. When Kell didn't return for help, Alex sighed and relaxed slightly. "If you could put together a blend in a jar, we can have Kate try it tomorrow," he murmured to Yasmine. Looking to his mother, he kissed her cheek. "You look just as exhausted as everyone else around here. I'm going to comb through the old journals a while. But it may be that this is unique to werefolk... In which case I'll get hold of Mariko."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I just wish that we could give her some peace of mind. She had tried her hardest to work while the cub has slept, but that has been so extremely rare.” Valentina said as Alex mentioned how tired she looked. “Your Uncle Brogan takes care of him when he can, but he’s just as busy. Julia has tried, Aunt Emma, Aunt Marri, that little cub has the best support he can get. It just doesn’t seem to solve the problem.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sometimes love isn't enough. That's what we're here for," Alex murmured, an old saying Vincenzo had kept since before Valentina was born. "We'll do everything possible." He kissed his mother's cheek before sending her off.

 

[heartofcourage]

Yasmine watched as Valentina left for home before she turned to Alex. “So, what are we looking for or in these journals?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Do you want to help?" Alex asked, escorting her to the library where a shelf stood full of journals and old sketchbooks and notes from Vincenzo's career, now joined by some from Valentina and Alex. "Anything to do with infants crying in pain and not healing properly."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Do you really wish to do it alone? It would take you a long time.” Yasmine murmured as she took the books that Alex directed and took a seat to start her search.

It was quiet as they both read until about two hours later when an exhausted Kate stepped into the room with a fussing cub cradled in her arms. She paused as she saw both of them, both too tired to be surprised and a little confused as to why they were in the library at that hour.

“We come in here when he fusses late at night so Kell can get some sleep.” Kate said softly as Brogan squealed and cried hoarsely.

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex set down a journal he was looking over, and rose to come to Kate. "We're looking for some leads on what might be wrong... Though considering Mariko is here and hasn't figured it out, it could be difficult." Glancing to the cub, Alex could see him both trying to claw at his unhealed ear, and curling uncomfortably inward like an adult might double over. "Has he been eating well...? It doesn't seem like it."

 

[heartofcourage]

“No. My milk never really came in so we’ve been giving him what he’ll drink of goat’s milk from a skin. He always fusses.” Kate said softly as she moved his mittened hand away from his ear. “And he will tear at his ear until is opened and bleeding again. He’s been wearing these mittens nearly all of the day every day.”

“Little one, it’s alright.” Kate murmured, kissing his little cheek as she struggled to calm him down.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Go sit down, love," Alex took Brogan for her. "Get some rest while you can. I can manage." He returned to the journals, his line of work making him able to handle the crying until his patience outdid the cub's energy. Little Brogan didn't have it in him to last longer than a few minutes before he fell silent in exhaustion but couldn't sleep for pain.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Think through it logically, Alex. Could his wounds be causing this?” Yasmine asked as the little cub sniffled, looking up at his cousin in absolute misery.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's not an infection. And there's no sign of poison from the blade... I have some suspicions, though... I'll have to talk to Kell about his family health history just in case."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Poor little one can barely stand it.” Yasmine said, taking the tony cub from his arms and cuddling him tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

Little Brogan squeaked pitifully at being in a new person's arms, but he didn't have the energy to resist or feel nervous very long. He simply fell limp against her shoulder, only whimpering occasionally. Alex's brow stitched in deep concern. "We'll do anything we can for him..."

 

[heartofcourage]

“If he doesn’t survive...” Yasmine said softly, pattting the cub’s back as gently as possible. “Your cousin would not be strong enough for that. She very well might fade away.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know there are many more lives on the line here than just his. Kate would fade, and Kell would be a husk. So would Uncle Brogan, and it'd shorten his life considerably. And in the midst of a war... It'd do damage that time and love just can't fix, to many people."

Alex stacked the journals he'd been reading neatly. "There's nothing here... My grandfather would've found it first. I was just hoping he might've overlooked something... Mariko Varno is still here, which means he hasn't figured it out either... It may be up to some experimentation... And Gods forbid, some risks." He came back to stroke the cub's fur soothingly. "He may get worse before he improves... But improvement will be worth it."

 

[heartofcourage]

“What do you think it is?” Yasmine asked as she held the little cub a little tighter, seeing him relax a little bit the tighter she held him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"My first guess is an immune system issue. Considering he's not healing and he may not be eating because he can't process anything well... He was born a bit late, but being so small, he may not have developed completely. If that's the case... All we can do is keep him healthy and wait. If it's multiple problems, we'll have to find them one by one."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Goat’s milk might not agree with him. Perhaps switching him over to something else. His mother’s milk might be the best if you can help Kate with that.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Hm... I hadn't thought of that." He drew out his own journal and jotted something down. "I think I could manage that. But I'll have to make sure Kate starts getting the sleep and nutrition required."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You might find that next to impossible." Yasmine said as little Brogan nuzzled against her neck with a soft whimper and actually fell asleep shortly after that. "Go and do your research. I'll sit next to the fire with him so he can sleep."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It won't work if she doesn't," he muttered before going further into the library, leaving once to look over what stock of herbs and medicines were at the keep.

Alex was up til nearly dawn and prepared some things for Kate before turning in to his room in the keep where Yasmine was welcome too. Kell took over looking after the cub then to let Kate sleep.