[Setebos]

The newly-minted Medic lunged into his new duties with a vigor that he thought had lost. For too long, he had believed that he had lost his enthusiasm, that it had been bled out of him like everything else. With his challenge's success, he had been unexpectedly invigorated, like the winter that took root in Setebos's old and withered heart had at last receded into springtime.

Before Setebos started recruiting officially, he wanted to explore the Garden - and consider ways to capitalize on the resources that were available to him. Not far from the Garden was an often-overlooked crevice easily concealed by green foliage. He had used it during the war to hide precious medicinal herbs from Saboran plunderers -- after further inspection, he realized that same cavern could easily be expanded into a much larger chamber, one big enough for several doctors to convene in. If there was enough space, he could use it to shelter patients, as well; possibly dividing it into segregated pockets for sick wolves that needed to be quarantined. He didn't want to get too ahead of himself. They were doctors, not archaeologists. Even if the plentiful forests surrounding the Garden had been poorly utilized, he knew he didn't want to overextend himself, or overestimate just how much they could mold the environment to their advantage.

Setebos was pacing the Garden, his mind racing with thoughts for the future, when he heard soft sobbing between the raspberry bushes. His ears pricked. He had completely overlooked the presence of another wolf. Setebos knew it to be a child's voice. Brow furrowed in concern, he moved toward the source of the crying. He parted the branches of a raspberry bush. Huddled behind it, weeping quietly, was a small, white and red girl he knew very well.

Setebos was familiar with Leonora and her family. After Leonora's mother had washed up on Inaria's shores, he had assisted in escorting her to dry ground, and had been one of the doctors in charge of helping her recover. He was gentler around the Italian woman -- still undeniably a difficult man, but when he was speaking with her children, he was kind. It was so uncharacteristic that any doctor witnessing him would believe the curmudgeonly Medic to be possessed. As it turned out, Setebos had a soft spot for children.

Because Setebos knew Leonora, he knew her name, and he also was familiar with the details of her condition. Her other senses were powerful in order to compensate for her missing vision, but he still wanted to be careful not to frighten her, so he made his approach obvious. "Leonora?" he called out to her. He flicked his tail, steeling his expression into a firm look that she wouldn't be able to see, and calmly seated himself beside her. He nudged her with his shoulder; encouraging, playful.

"Hey," he said gently, in such a tender voice that anyone who overheard would scarcely believe the grizzled, wounded doctor was capable of it, "What's the matter, kid?"