With the caches dug at last, it only made sense that the aspiring Lady's next goal would be to fill them. Piling them up with game would take time but her focus today was to begin stockpiling herbs of medicinal properties.
The afternoon found her within the confines of the Isle's forests, pattering to and fro as she weaved amongst trunks and undergrowth alike. Occasionally, something drew her attention - leading her to bend as a dark crescent, sniffing and snuffling as she clipped the foliage.
A particular bunch of celandine had drawn her attention, trimming a few leaves and flowers for her purposes before admiring the delicate yellow blooms fondly.
The dread had seeped into her soul the closer they ventured to the island. The sand and ocean called to her in ways that she had never wanted. Strand was long gone, and that stung Padma. She was hurt by her friends disappearance and the way they had left things. Strand has saved her life. And now she was gone.
The Island was hers now, or at least her to protect. But she didn’t want it. That’s why she left, but now.... we’ll now she was back.
Padma spent as little time on the island as she could. Instead of being a refuge she found it to be painful lingering for to long.
She still lacked the base she had found in Strand. The only rock that could have held her together. Her sister was gone. Yet another lose in her life.
As usual a distinctly foul mood encased Padma as she stood on a precarious rock overlooking a river. The summer had shrunk the but it still supported life, as all water did. Her aim was fish. Her favourite prey.
A keen eye tracked the rippling water looking for something to catch her fancy. So focused, she missed keeping track of her surroundings and any within it.
Botany gathered betwixt ink jaws, the Lady continued on - star-dusted crown swaying with each step as lilac danced over the blossoms seekingly - only to stop at a cluster of horsetail, gently extracting the plant roots and all. A soft croon hummed from her throat, tuneless, a jumbled melody thrown together.
The soft sound, beginning to take on hints of Lirean ballads, died in her throat as the wind carried the scent of female to her. It could only have been Padma, who was the only other woman upon the Isle. (Her quip to Rosencrantz was quickly cementing into a true idea - upon foundation she would need to take to the Coast in search of women, unclaimed and willing to join.)
Rhæ slipped closer, realizing the russet girl was in the midst of fishing and not wanting to disturb or startle her. She rested the bunch of plantstuff at her paws, straightening to watch Padma fish with a curious eye.