As his general condition improved, his personality changed.
The squirrel that had remained low on the intake towel began retreating whenever someone approached.
He became faster.
More alert.
More difficult to observe closely.
His healthy limbs clearly remembered that squirrels belong above ground.
His recovering limb needed time to catch up.
The swelling continued receding.
The wrist gradually looked more like a wrist again instead of an oversized mass beneath his chest.
The abrasions closed.
New skin replaced the rawest areas.
Fur would take considerably longer to return.
For a while, Oakley carried a nearly bare patch around the injured area even after he had started using the paw more normally.
We didn't care much about the bald patch.
We cared about what happened underneath it.
Could he flex the foot?
Could he spread and use the toes?
Could he grip?
Could the wrist tolerate weight?
Could he eventually pull his body upward?
Those questions would determine whether Oakley could return to the trees.
The first important answer came during feeding.
Oakley picked up a piece of appropriate food with his healthy paw.
Then the injured paw came forward.
For only a moment, he placed both front feet around the food.
The recovering paw wasn't gripping with full confidence, but it was participating.
He released it.
Tried again.
And held on.
That tiny movement told us more than simply seeing him stand.
Oakley wasn't only putting the foot on the ground.
He was beginning to use it as a squirrel's paw again.
The next challenge was climbing.
We introduced height cautiously.
His first opportunity was intentionally low enough that a mistake wouldn't mean another significant fall.