Stalking made her sound bad, when really it had been out of... concern, whether it be for him or for her pack. Spirane had been under attack numerous times, so you could not blame her for being so concerned about an unknown wolf on the borders, right? His youth had been what had quelled her suspicions, for no wolf that young would dare take on a seasoned Alpha such as Alcide or Moonglow. Instantly, she went from suspicious to aiding, though a healer should heal no matter the instance and no matter who the wolf. All wolves deserved to be tended to when they found themselves injured, and besides, what harm could come of it? The boy seemed almost pleased to see her now that their initial contact had been resolved! For that, she was glad, and she bounded down with her tail bouncing and waving behind her.

When he spoke of Meryl, she perked up, her ears flickering forward as her muzzle broke into a broad grin - oh, he had been such a sweetheart! She doubted anyone could resist being won over by the boy who had fretted so much about being a bother; such a worry wart, but an absolute pleasure nonetheless. It helped put her mind at further ease, too, for surely any wolf that knew the boy had to be just as kind spirited as he, right? Besides, it meant Nootau had truly come from Diveen - all the more reason to help him!

"Oh, I am most flattered that he talked about me! That boy needs to come back here some day, you know? He's missed around these parts!"

She grinned down at Nootau as she shuffled closer, eyeing down the quills that stuck out from his tail. She lowered her nose to the area, sniffing wearily as the scent of blood crept from the wounds - she could see the entry points crusted over, though he was lucky really. The tail was a thin appendage, protected by a layer of thick, long fur that made the quills unable to dig in too deep - if it had been his mouth or body, that would have been a different story. For now, though, they could deal with the quills, then she'd hush him off to her den for proper care. Quills, after all, had an additional risk of infection and an infection in any part of one's body was a dangerous thing, particularly if it adversely affected his ability to hunt. A wolf's tail was his rudder, was it not?

"I won't lie, Nootau, it's going to hurt. I need you to try refrain from, well, biting me though, okay? I won't hold it against you if you do, though. These things are no fun to remove."

She tried to force a smile, though her eyes still radiated with a kindred warmth. Being a healer sometimes meant having to heal one's self, for a wolf in pain was always unpredictable. Still, it was her job and she understood the risks involved; she'd just need to get it finished quickly and keep anything vital far out of reach from him. Once she had his consent, she shuffled around and sat by him, hoping that if he did need to lash out, he'd hit nothing but her scruff or the thick skin of her back. To be safe, she placed a paw over his flank, glancing back constantly to ensure she was pushing no boundaries - it would at least help keep him from rising too quickly or kicking out.

"And don't worry - boys are allowed to cry, okay? Your secret will be safe from me. Ready?"

She flashed him one more smile before she waited for him to reply. The moment he did, she lowered her muzzle to the quills, biting down at an angle so that she might grip closer to the tip rather than the end. It made it easier to pull and, hopefully, lessened some of the pain as she ripped away in an instant, pulling the needle with her and placing it off to the side. Quickly, she looked back to him, ensuring he was doing fine before she moved to remove each one, working as quickly as she possibly could until they were each removed. She hated causing pain but sometimes, it had to be done for the greater good - she just hoped he would not hate her for having to do so!