Dane stood, patiently watching Ace's response. He was nearly ready to ask a second time, sure that the man knew he was in need of help and simply hadn't heard him, before the curt reply finally came. With a nod of his head, he came to stand in front of Ace. The big man knelt down and leaned in close to get a better lay of the wound. As his head bowed forward, the ugly color that had started at the base of his neck made it's appearance. He hadn't escaped his tango with the tree unscathed.<br/><br/>While that placid gaze stalked the tear in the flesh, he brought one hand over to the side of his leg. Careful to move slow and not disturb it, he leaned in all the more. What looked like just a careful study of the structure was a good bit more, and his brow furrowed in concern and concentration.<br/><br/>"Need any help in holding him down?" Caine called, smirking as he looked between them.<br/><br/>"No. He'll be alright," came the idle call over his shoulder. "But it'll save time if you fetch the horses."  Caine gave a nod and, with one last look between them, took Dane's suggestion.<br/><br/>Back to the task at hand, Dane focused his attention. The first manner of business was to check for poison, which was easier done than most might have figured. A small perk, he supposed. He'd discovered the ability years ago on a field mission. Though most would have guessed the viper was poisonous, the tang in the scent of the wound had tipped him off. Ever since then, he had found an undeniably similiar odor to all poison tainted wounds.<br/><br/>A breath drew in past parted lips to drag the scent over his tongue. The pungent scent of blood came untainted, but there was something far worse to Dane than poison lingering there be found:<br/><br/>Fear.<br/><br/>His hold on Ace's leg tensed. A second later, his jaw.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Stop it.</span><br/><br/>The crease in his brow smoothed, gaze raising up to Ace. He studied him for only a moment.<br/><br/>Pain could do strange things to men, and he let it slide as that. Ace was more than likely concerned that he'd sustained a wound that would drop him out of the game so early.<br/><br/>Despite all that had gone on in his head, Dane's expression had stayed sermon straight.<br/><br/>"It's deeper than I'd like" he began in a calmer and quieter tone, "but I should be able to pack it with the powder. If that doesn't work, we'll burn it shut. Neither will be comfortable, but it isn't life threatening. You've nothing to worry about. It will heal fine. I promise."<br/><br/>He hoped that helped but, for his own sake, he didn't dwell on the man's emotions lest they become unpleasantly distracting. For the both of them.<br/><br/>Leaning back, he had to fish through his cheap armor in search of the hidden sachets within. Dane had a few various concoctions, most for wounds or for worse, and it was a practice that had always come in handy. Quickly enough, a small leather pouch dusted with a soft yellow powder was produced. The big man frowned at it, the contents having been flattened thanks to his intimate encounter with the tree. He weighted it in his hand and deemed there to be enough.<br/><br/>Once it was open, he set it down on the tree beside Ace and looked back up to him.<br/><br/>"This will hurt in action alone, and the powder will burn and sting. I do not envy you." He was making a clear point. "It would be wise to bite down on something and you are welcome to hold onto my shoulder pauldrons. You won't crush them, and it will help." There was a gentleness to that upward stare, something so genuine in his eyes. He truly did feel empathy for his pain, having used this on himself and a great deal of others before. Above all, however, was the fact that Dane never liked to see anyone, or anything, suffer.<br/><br/>He didn't wait too much longer before he was reaching under the leather of his armor and ripping free a chunk of white cloth. He used it first to dab gently around the wound, careful as he could be. For someone so large, his touches were surprisingly tender. Once he had cleaned up what he could, it was discarded. One hand came to spread around the wound, holding it open, while the other took a hearty scoop of that thick powder.<br/><br/>"Deep breath," he warned him before he shoved the powder in.<br/><br/>The second it came in contact with the torn flesh, it instantly hissed and bubbled. Soaking through the blood, Dane pressed it in deep enough for the tips of his fingers to disappear. The pain was an unfortunate side effect, but the wound instantly became tacky and he was quickly pulling his hand back for another scoop. Working as fast as he could manage, he pressed it in as much as he had to before he was back to the cloth. He rolled it up and stuck it over the wound, pressing it tightly and leaning over it. The pressure itself was uncomfortable, but he needed to keep it. He looked back up to him, brow now furrowed again but this time in concern. Dane almost looked sorry, an apologetic gaze scanning Ace's face.<br/><br/>"The worst's done. Deep breaths. Just breathe. You'll be alright, I promise. Just breathe."<br/><br/>-<br/><br/><br/><br/>While Caine moodily stalked the parameter- the two of them having gone to gather supplies and scout the area to return with some unmentioned tension between them- Dane sat leaned forward carving a spike for a trap. He'd stuck close to keep an eye on Ace despite not outwardly making a show of it, lest the man become self-conscious about needing to be watched. Despite how well Ace seemed to be handling the wound, even an unsuspecting little scrape could turn foul in the field. Dane simply wouldn't take that chance. Not on his watch.<br/><br/>Scraping off one chunk of wood, his gaze rose slowly over to the other. While his hands kept at their work, he was quiet for a few beats. He had his own reasons to be suspicious as well.<br/><br/>"It's Dane," he answered. "Dane Thedan." Which was a part truth, or at least it was as close to his real name as he'd ever given anyone. It was only after he gave it that he worried that it was too close. He soothed himself with the thought that there was no one out here who was going to know that Thedan was a chantry in the northern kingdom right on the border with Ohlan. He looked back down to the spike. After another few moments, he finished it and set it aside before picking up a new piece of wood to start again. You could never have too many.<br/><br/>He used it to motion to his leg and said, "The wound stop throbbing yet from the ride? It's an inconvenient place to take one." Anything requiring weight to be on his leg was going to irritate it. Another reason not to envy him. "If you sleep tonight, I'd kick your leg up on something. Keep the swelling down. The colder the air gets, the better it'll feel by morning. Powder should keep any infection down. Might want to dust it again tomorrow."<br/><br/>Apparently he'd laid out a whole plan of care in his head. Realizing he might be spending too much time on his wound, and therefore bring up questions about his own, he quickly switched the subject again.<br/><br/>"That was quick and good work, wound aside. I'm guessing you're accustomed to hunting beasts?" He'd do his best to keep the focus of any conversation on the other man, lest he start asking too many uncomfortable questions.