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on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 11, 2022
@Malila -- birds and the bees talk, no mature content per say, just mature discussion as Aquene discusses topics of conception
It was, perhaps, an awkward conversation to have… she recalled when her mother had explained the mechanics of conception to her when she was younger. She had been fully horrified. Still, she was set up in the herbal den that she had moved into at Germanicus’ suggestion. It had truly been the perfect place. She had a few pelts from prey that had been laid out for patients and a small setup in the corner where she could find her own rest.She had let out a call for the other Plebian, intent on taking care of this conversation and any appropriate runoff conversations that morning though her work had pulled at her more than she was willing to admit. She created a mental map for the topics she wanted to address as she waited for the other woman to arrive. At least she was offering this talk to her, and not one of the male Auxilia who lingered about… she could see that conversation being far more awkward.
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 11, 2022
The talk she had with Ruenna, the Matrona, had left Malila with mixed emotions. She had been given a choice. But not one that she liked. The idea of being on display for a man, controlled and ruled by him, was not appealing to the young woman. Of course, there was more to being a wife than that. There was the baby making, too, of course, which Malila knew little of. Her idea of being a wife wasn't perfect, in that not all men would be controlling and domineering. Maybe it was what she expected, in a place like Mereo. Besides, who would want a woman who had no skills?
Hearing the call from the Plebian, Aquene, Malila was quick to heed it. Not only had she been instructed to apprentice her, but the very nature the dark woman emanated, drew Malila to her. She was the first to warmly welcome her here, and that warmth never seemed to fade. The scent of herbs radiating from her made the young wolfs skin prickle. A herbalist, reminding her so much of her very own mother.
Arriving to the outside entrance of her dwelling, she breathed in the scent of herbs deeply. Poking her snout in, she called out softly, waiting for further invitation like a proper guest.
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 11, 2022
Her heart ached for the girl, and she felt guilty for having to have this conversation with her knowing what her choices were. She was there when Malila first received the news, and it was difficult news to hear. She heard the soft call and she rose, meeting her at the mouth of the den and welcoming her in warmly. Tucked towards the back where the natural light still reached were two pelts, one for each of them to lay on as they had this discussion. “Thank you for coming so quickly!” She answered back cheerfully.
She took her own seat on her pelt, clearing her throat, a few herbs laid out between the pelts. “Lady Ruenna has asked me to talk to you about a few things in particular… about children and how they are made... I figured the best way to do that is through herbs. Do you know what a midwife is?” She wanted to understand the girl’s base knowledge before she got started. She didn’t want to overwhelm her and she was not sure where her experience reached to or which aspects it reached to either
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 12, 2022
A thread of relief and warmth spread over her, at finding she was welcomed into Aquene's den so openly. As her eyes adjusted, she was surprised to find that there were even two skins laid out for them both. She tried to ignore her clenching heart, to not think back of how terribly the meeting with Ruenna had gone. At the mention of her name, she couldn't help but wrinkle her muzzle slightly. She made no comment as she squeezed her body inside, curling up neatly on the pelt for her.
"About children, huh?" She echoed. "Alright." Malila didn't know much, but she did know little wolves came from bigger wolves. The aroma of herbs filling the air tickled her nose. Made her ache to be back at Speedy's side. But that wasn't what she needed. She needed to grow up. She shook her head. "I don't..." She sighed, looking guilty. "I feel so stupid for not knowing more, when I should. My mother...she was a herbalist..."
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 12, 2022
She saw the way she recoiled at the mention of the Lady, and Aquene’s eyes softened in sympathy. “Mereo is a pack that is… harsher than others…” She offered helpfully, though she had a feeling that the woman had already figured it out. It had the healer wondering, if she was so repulsed at the reception and choices she had… why did she stay? Either way, that was a conversation they could have in time if it was called for. She would not push it otherwise, not unless asked.
“About children.” She confirmed, listening as the woman expressed her frustration with her own knowledge. “It’s not something you can absorb from your surroundings, but something you have to dedicate to studying… my mother used to make me stare at plant stems for hours until I had fully memorized every small detail for identification. She used to quiz me at random times, wake me up in the middle of the night and expect me sharp and alert to treat an incoming soldier from the warfront.” It was an artform, and unless Malila had dedicated herself, she would not have retained much. “A midwife is a healer… but they focus on childbirth. They focus on safely guiding a mother in labor through the process of delivering and monitor a woman throughout her pregnancy.” He explained. “After conception, there are herbs that can be given to aid along the pregnancy, and herbs that should be given to a woman after she gives birth in order to lessen the bleeding that occurs.” She explained, nudging the herbs forward. “These ones in particular are given after birth… how familiar are you with the conception and birthing processes?”
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 14, 2022
She nodded, sighing a little. "Yeah, I figured that out already..." She agreed, in comment to the harsher nature of Mereo. Falling silent, she listened to how Aquene went on about how her mother made her study dutifully. Would give her pop quizzes in the middle of the night. Malila understood. "It is something that takes a lot of dedication to, I know that." She said, not to mean it in a snobby way, but as a fact she was hardly blind to. Somewhere along the way, she had just lost her focus.
Her brows pinched. She nodded, concentrating on the details while the older woman explained what a midwife was, and what their job entailed. Malila had not exactly been around any pregnant women in close proximity while in Rivenwood, but she had noticed the changes in their bodies. She lowered her nose down to inspect each and every herb laid out before her. Her observation in taking in the smallest detail was clear on her expression. "Well...I have seen puppies before. I know that it takes at least two wolves, a man and a woman, to make them. That the women...they carry them." The bare bones, really. Not the nitty gritty.
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 14, 2022
Aquene knew she was stating the obvious, but she meant to do so out of support and solidarity, that they were in things together… her bedside manner did not always hit the way it should truly. She hummed softly, knowing the other woman probably knew that as well. Either way, she left it alone. The woman seemed to be receptive to the information, filling in that her knowledge of conception as well was not very mass.
This was going to be an awkward conversation then.
Aquene breathed in for a moment, starting from the very beginning. “When a woman reaches her second year and becomes an adult… the spring and summer bring about a heat. It crawls in your fur and you’d do anything to scratch the ich you start to feel… a man can answer and resolve it for you through consummation.” She hoped she would not have to get into the nitty gritty of just how sex took place, but she would if it was required. “If the man finishes inside, a girl might conceive. Her scent will start to change and subtle changes will occur with her body. She’ll start to be fuller, hungrier, she’ll need more rest… there are herbs that can be taken throughout the pregnancy to assist with fetal development. Ginger, thyme, sage, cranberries, valerian root… they can all be used to assist with different symptoms and growth of the pups growing inside… I have none at the moment as the winter has settled in, and it will be some of the herbs I will go out to collect as soon as they start to bud. Raspberry leaf can be used to help strength the uterus, but it can also be used after the birth to increase milk production.” She rambled for just a moment, hoping that this answered quite a bit already. “Do you have any questions so far?”
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 16, 2022
Malila took notes as Aquene spoke, going into the details involving conception. All females, when they reached maturity, experienced heat. "That...isn't something I have ever experienced. I guess you can tell I am still pretty young..." She admitted sheepishly. "Although, I recall some of the women in my previous pack displaying the symptoms you described."
As far as the icky bit of how sexual intercourse worked, Malila didn't need any explaining. Raised mostly with her mother, another medic, she knew well enough about anatomy and how it worked. She got the general idea and needed no reminders. "What if there are...complications during the birthing process? I know it is uncommon, but I have heard of pups being born breached, or even prematurely..."
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 17, 2022
Aquene hummed and nodded. The woman was younger than herself. “You will experience it for the first time this year… and when you do, it’s important to remember in that frenzy what it is and what it means. It’s your body wanting to conceive, an innate behavior we all have that lingers under the skin.” She explained and cautioned, knowing already that there were others, though they were men, who had failed to control themselves with that urge. Kallik was an example though Ruenna had made it sound as though more than one had slipped.
The question came and she hummed. “It’s possible, though uncommon as you’ve stated. With a breach pup, it is possible to shift them using your paws, but very delicate work. It can be dangerous to the pup in the paws of the untrained. The goal is to locate their head and use what you know of anatomy to push in locations that will not harm the pup until their head is first.” It was a little known fact that often that late in the pregnancy, you could see faint outlines of the pups in the womb due to how the skin stretched. “Premature, there are herbs that can be used to help stop the labor process, including Valerian root, but the most effective manner I’ve seen is to have them lay on their left side. It helps take tension off the womb.” She explained. At that point the mothers usually ended up on den rest in order to ensure they carried to term. “Sometimes, premature labor is unavoidable, and you have to handle individual symptoms as they crop up.”
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 26, 2022
She listened quietly, intently. The news that she would almost certainly experience her first heat this year made an uncomfortable knot form in her stomach. "I guess I will have to control myself..." She trailed off. It did not need to be said that Malila, in her current state, was fit for motherhood. She had bigger things on her plate, like getting her ducks in a row. She didn't dwell on it long, more interested in the details Aquene gave in answer to her latest questions.
She nodded, brows knitting, picturing what she would have to do, physically, should such an instance arrive. "And if the pups do come early? What can be done for them? What if something happens to the mother?" Delicately, she nosed at the herbs Aquene had laid out. She noted their age, freshness and condition.
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 27, 2022
She hummed and offered a nod. Controlling herself would be key in the season, though she swore from experience it seemed easier for women to control themselves than men. “The more prepared you are for it, the easier it is… it is why in my home pack the younger women were sat down before their first cycle and given this kind of information.” Sometimes the urges got strong, and it usually resulted in the woman helping the girl isolate so she was not exposed to the men, and the temptation for seduction was not as strong.
The question came and she hummed. “There is an herb that my mother called Fenugreek… it helps with breast milk production. From there, the best thing that can be done is nurturing a strong relationship between the premature children and their mother. Their mother’s breast milk is the best medicine to give them a fighting chance. From there, it’s a matter of treating illness as it arises.” She explained. There was a frown on her features as the other question came. “The best practice if something were to happen to the mother, which is rare, is to quickly have the pups latch to another mother who is still feeding from her breast. It will be easy to nurture milk production… in the event there is no other mother, then there is a slim chance you could use fenugreek to instill breast milk production in another who is not carrying a child… however, it’s risky, and I’ve only ever seen it work once, in someone who had only recently stopped breastfeeding their young. She was already predisposed due to the recent nature of her production.”
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 28, 2022
So it would seem Malia's best option, when her heat came, might be to isolate herself until it passed. But could she really do that here, when she wanted to be productive? She had no idea what the future held and precisely how she would feel when her heat came. What her mood and level would be like. She would keep Aquene's advice in mind and prepare, if she could.
To her interest, a herb called Fenugreek existed, to help produce breast milk. She had never heard of it before, as the look in her eyes said. But, she was visibly very much interested in all the information being fed to her. When it came to plants and medicine, she had a mind like a sponge. "That all sounds like basic common sense. I just wanted to be sure, since I have never dealt with any situations like those before." She admitted softly. She switched away from childbirth and conception, believing she had learned enough. "The herbs you gather...would you be willing to let me assist you in finding fresh ones, come the spring thaw?"
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 28, 2022
The girl absorbed the information when she offered it. Aquene truthfully did not know if the herbs grew in these regions, and it was something she was going to seek out come spring once the plants started to grow again. She started to explain and she nodded in understanding at the woman’s words. “It is, for the most part… the most important part of healing is keeping a level head and not freaking out… that applies to childbirth to rearing children to dealing with amputated limbs or nasty wounds.” It had been the first lesson they all had to learn before they could continue their education. Her father had driven women out of the pack for not being able to keep their emotions in check.
The question came and Aquene hummed, remembering Ruenna’s hesitance surrounding the girl and also the fact that she very well might not have been there before the spring thaw. “If the Lady Ruenna signs off on it, yes. Ideally I’d have multiple wolves who knew of certain herbs to look for when they go beyond the territory… have you given thought to your options? I know they were quite… startling, when the Matrona presented them to you.”
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Malila - January 28, 2022
"Maybe this year, if there are any pups, I can observe." She quickly added. "Only if the mother doesn't mind, of course." She would never be so intrusive, even if she meant only to further educate herself. As for assisting Aquene in looking for herbs...that was up to Ruenna. Malila gave a small sigh, but not one of disapproval. "When I see her again...I'll ask of her opinion on it."
She shook her head. "Not yet, not really. I have been trying to settle in. Get used to the new atmosphere." She hadn't gotten off to the best of starts, she personally believed. That was largely her own fault, and she knew it. "But I want to try and keep my options open. So I am trying to have an open mind..."
RE: on this earth we are all the same [m] - Aquene - January 28, 2022
Fading here!
Aquene offered a smile and a nod. If the mother agreed, Aquene could use a second set of paws. If there were to be children in Mereo, an extra set of eyes to stay peeled on them would not hurt as well. Malila had a future here. She knew that the Matrona had expressed her doubts, thought that she might be happy elsewhere but the healer was still not certain of that fact. She saw more, though perhaps that was just her tender nature. “Yes, please do. An extra set of paws would be useful and you are a quick learner.” She had noted the way the woman had simply absorbed the information.She admitted to keeping her options open and Aquene nodded with understanding in her eyes. “I understand… the paths laid out might not have been what you had in mind. They were not for me either. Even now, I’ve begun to learn from the Imperator and spar with the auxiliary… considering perhaps another path to rest my paws on. This place, it can change your perspective on a lot of things.” It instill discipline but inspired loyalty, at least from what she had experienced. “For now, go rest, settle in, and simply reflect on what you’ve learned today as well as what options you might consider.” She dismissed the woman in order to rest herself. She had been on her paws all day, and the desire for a short nap to recoup her energy was strong.