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Authors: Lilo Abernathy
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far
worse condition than I am.”
Alexis’ eyes flit to the wolf and then back to me. Then she
immediately springs to action, her healing nature taking over.
She squats down and informs the wolf, “Now, I’m going to
touch you gently by your wound, and you are going to remain calm and stay
still.”
She tentatively parts the bloody hair on his left flank, and
he abides by her orders, standing still through her ministrations. I watch
carefully for signs of aggression but see none.
Alexis looks up at me, and I can feel her relief as she says,
“Thankfully it is not that bad. His fur protected him a good deal, and the rain
seems to have helped. It looks like the knife nicked some surface blood vessels,
but the wound isn’t deep.”
Then she looks at the wolf and starts cooing, “You poor thing,
you look so starved! Let’s get you something to eat and take care of that cut.”
This is not an unexpected response. Alexis does two things
very well. She can cook up herbal potions like no one’s business, and she also
does her best to feed everyone in sight. I personally agree that feeding him
before taking care of the injury is a wise idea.
Alexis leads us to a back room equipped with a small
commercial kitchen decorated in a mix of stainless steel and country charm. She
does most of her potion mixing in this comfortable and efficient space. Alexis’
assistant, Penelope, is busy ladling some mixture into bottles with a funnel.
She turns to say something to Alexis and immediately drops the ladle back into
the pot with a plop when she sees the wolf.
Alexis smiles and says, “Penelope, we have a patient today.
Do you want to mind the front while I take care of him back here?”
Penelope is a pretty, young girl with rosy cheeks and curly
hair that frequently escapes her bun. She is usually hardworking but a little
silly. Right now I think the term slack-jawed most adequately describes her as
she stares, mouth agape, at the wolf. The wolf, in return, is utterly ignoring
her. Eventually Alexis’ words seem to penetrate Penelope’s temporarily addled brain
because she wrings her apron in her hands and promptly runs up front.
I hop up on the edge of the butcher block island as Alexis
starts pulling things from the cabinets. She opens a purple bottle and pours a
green substance on some gauze pads. Handing them to me, she instructs, “Dab
this around your injury while I care for the wolf. What are you going to call
him, anyway? ”She turns her back to me and starts pulling things from the fridge.
I consider her question for a minute before replying, “Well,
the only real memory I have of my mother is of her telling me a bedtime story
about a wolf. It’s hazy, only a wisp of a memory really, but I think she called
the wolf Varg. So that’s his name.”
Alexis turns around to look at me as I tell her that story.
Her eyes go soft and warm. Then she turns around again and starts briskly heating
things in stainless steel pots on the red porcelain stove. “Varg is the perfect
name,” she says.
“So, do you have any remedies for fleas and worms handy as
well? I think he’s been traveling a long way without any care. I also need a
strong soap for his coat.”
Alexis looks up thoughtfully. “I usually don’t sell
veterinary supplies out of the store. I do make them, but I make them in
batches when I get requests. I’ll have to make some from scratch.”
“Do you mind? I’ll pay you, of course.”
“I don’t mind. In fact, I insist. But it’s going to take a
little time.” She turns to me with narrowed eyes. “And I’m not going to let him
go wandering around town with you when he’s full of potions. Even though they’re
natural, they do take a lot out of a body. He’s hurt, and he’s going to need
protection against viruses and diseases as well. We don’t know where he has
been, but here in the city with the dog population, he’s at risk. And good Lord!“
She sniffs. “He needs a bath.” Alexis
worse condition than I am.”
Alexis’ eyes flit to the wolf and then back to me. Then she
immediately springs to action, her healing nature taking over.
She squats down and informs the wolf, “Now, I’m going to
touch you gently by your wound, and you are going to remain calm and stay
still.”
She tentatively parts the bloody hair on his left flank, and
he abides by her orders, standing still through her ministrations. I watch
carefully for signs of aggression but see none.
Alexis looks up at me, and I can feel her relief as she says,
“Thankfully it is not that bad. His fur protected him a good deal, and the rain
seems to have helped. It looks like the knife nicked some surface blood vessels,
but the wound isn’t deep.”
Then she looks at the wolf and starts cooing, “You poor thing,
you look so starved! Let’s get you something to eat and take care of that cut.”
This is not an unexpected response. Alexis does two things
very well. She can cook up herbal potions like no one’s business, and she also
does her best to feed everyone in sight. I personally agree that feeding him
before taking care of the injury is a wise idea.
Alexis leads us to a back room equipped with a small
commercial kitchen decorated in a mix of stainless steel and country charm. She
does most of her potion mixing in this comfortable and efficient space. Alexis’
assistant, Penelope, is busy ladling some mixture into bottles with a funnel.
She turns to say something to Alexis and immediately drops the ladle back into
the pot with a plop when she sees the wolf.
Alexis smiles and says, “Penelope, we have a patient today.
Do you want to mind the front while I take care of him back here?”
Penelope is a pretty, young girl with rosy cheeks and curly
hair that frequently escapes her bun. She is usually hardworking but a little
silly. Right now I think the term slack-jawed most adequately describes her as
she stares, mouth agape, at the wolf. The wolf, in return, is utterly ignoring
her. Eventually Alexis’ words seem to penetrate Penelope’s temporarily addled brain
because she wrings her apron in her hands and promptly runs up front.
I hop up on the edge of the butcher block island as Alexis
starts pulling things from the cabinets. She opens a purple bottle and pours a
green substance on some gauze pads. Handing them to me, she instructs, “Dab
this around your injury while I care for the wolf. What are you going to call
him, anyway? ”She turns her back to me and starts pulling things from the fridge.
I consider her question for a minute before replying, “Well,
the only real memory I have of my mother is of her telling me a bedtime story
about a wolf. It’s hazy, only a wisp of a memory really, but I think she called
the wolf Varg. So that’s his name.”
Alexis turns around to look at me as I tell her that story.
Her eyes go soft and warm. Then she turns around again and starts briskly heating
things in stainless steel pots on the red porcelain stove. “Varg is the perfect
name,” she says.
“So, do you have any remedies for fleas and worms handy as
well? I think he’s been traveling a long way without any care. I also need a
strong soap for his coat.”
Alexis looks up thoughtfully. “I usually don’t sell
veterinary supplies out of the store. I do make them, but I make them in
batches when I get requests. I’ll have to make some from scratch.”
“Do you mind? I’ll pay you, of course.”
“I don’t mind. In fact, I insist. But it’s going to take a
little time.” She turns to me with narrowed eyes. “And I’m not going to let him
go wandering around town with you when he’s full of potions. Even though they’re
natural, they do take a lot out of a body. He’s hurt, and he’s going to need
protection against viruses and diseases as well. We don’t know where he has
been, but here in the city with the dog population, he’s at risk. And good Lord!“
She sniffs. “He needs a bath.” Alexis
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