"Shh." Ann whispered, stroking Riala's forehead. "Shh. Don't speak. Just rest."
He looked at Ortec, trying to reassure the stallion with a gentle expression and smile. He didn't know what else to do for the dun in this moment, nor could he really help Riala until Ma'akéné returned with the needed supplies.
So he sat beside her, stroking her forehead and cheeks, hoping the touch would chase away her fear and pain just for a little while, his eyes on the dark plains around them, waiting for his four-footed sister to return.
When she did so, it was with a flurry of thunderous noise. Ma'akéné slowed her pace before she could run upon them and circled around her two-legged brother and the stallion and his two-legged sister, coming to a stop beside Ann. She dropped her head then, depositing beside him his bag, along with a gourd of water, and another satchel. She whickered softly and backed away, moving around to Ortec to push her nose against his, as if to tell him everything would be okay now.
Ann opened his pack and pulled out a length of cloth, tore a piece from the main body of the cloth, then pulled the cork from the gourd to wet the cloth. Gently, he dabbed at Riala's head wound, carefully cleaning away the dried blood and dirt and debris. When he was finished with that task, he used the rest of the cloth to wrap her head to cover the wound. Then he used the damp cloth from before to run it across her visible skin, removing more dirt and debris to ensure that no more of her skin was cut or bleeding anew.
It was her shoulder that concerned him the most. He would have to manipulate it to see if it was truly dislocated or broken, which would cause her pain. Either way, he would have to set it, and only then he would be able to move her somewhere safer.
He leaned low over her then, uncertain if she was conscious or not. She had spoken before, but hadn't since he'd started caring for her, so Ann wasn't sure if she would hear him.
"Riala? Riala, you're safe... You're safe now. I need you to trust me, okay? I need to check your shoulder... It's going to hurt, but I need to make sure it isn't broken. Trust me, Riala."
Ann shifted to put both his hands on her shoulder, trying to keep his touch as gentle as possible.