Two Rivers Isle Work is what you are when you're breathing in and out

For @Eshe! Setting this before the Calahan thread to make it simple

It wasn't ideal, settling with another couple — but above all else, Ingiullik's safety was Winterbourne's priority. So he set about making himself useful without delay. Hunting, walking the borders, tracking scents of other predators to be sure none of them led to the heart of their territory. In time the other creatures would learn to avoid them.

Until then, Winterbourne scarcely allowed himself a moment of rest. He paused to mark along the borders, gaze drifting out to some vague spot in the distance. For a moment he thought of Morningside. It'd been so long since he had.

Then he discarded the thought and moved forward.

Eshe was feeling nauseous due to morning sickness and had used up all her watermint the previous day. Instead of asking @Ingiullik for more, she decided to avoid bothering her and set out to search for it herself. She headed through the territory towards the lake, convinced that was where the herb would be, all the while trying hard not to throw up her breakfast.

She came across Winterbourne in her search, and she slowed as she approached him and greeted him with a shaky chuff and a wave of her tail. Despite needing the watermint more than anything at the moment, she believed it would be rude to disregard him. H-Hey, she called, licking her lips as her mouth flooded with saliva. H-How's it g-going?

The first thing he noticed when Eshe crossed his path was that she seemed — off. Winterbourne was no midwife, but he'd seen enough pregnancy in his life to know that it was a difficult time for women. His gaze lingered on her in searching silence for a moment.

You good? He asked finally in a hesitant voice. No midwife, no medic; no use at all here. But he could try.

There was silence between them until Winterbourne spoke, and Eshe did her best to maintain her composure as they looked at each other. Still, she struggled, and licked her chops every so often to try and prevent anything from coming up. 

I-I'm okay, she tried to re-assure him in the most unconvincing way. I was l-looking for some watermint to help me with my morning sickness.

Morning sickness. Ah, he knew that one. Winterbourne offered a sympathetic half-smile. Alright. What're we lookin' for, exactly? I don't know plants, He moved to her side with a gesture for her to lead the way as he made the decision to abandon his task at the borders. Maybe Eshe would join him when they'd found her watermint.

For now, he brushed his shoulder briefly against hers in silent support. Think of Texas, Winterbourne added encouragingly. Or was it England? Eh.

She appreciated his willingness to assist, and her smile brightened slightly as she described, Watermint is a purple flower that grows near waterways i-in clusters. Pausing, she steadied herself against another wave of nausea that churned her stomach. I was thinking o-of looking around the borders, around the river ... I don't think that I-I've seen any around the lake. 

His next sentence puzzled her, and she titled her head. W-What's Texas? she asked.

Gotcha, He nodded to her and took the lead further toward the river. At her question, though, he couldn't quite stifle his snort of amusement. Some place, I guess? May or may not be real. It's just a thing people say - distract yourself, more or less.

Think it's actually England, though. Think of England. Don't know where that is either, Winterbourne chuckled, striding up to the river's edge now with his nose low to sift through the plants. Nothing purple stood out to him so far.

Huh, she acknowledged, thinking of Texas and England and everywhere in between. I mean, I'm confused as heck, but I guess that's the point! And it was working—to an extent! 

While exploring the shoreline, Eshe sifted through her extensive botanist knowledge and then noticed her significant error, causing her to groan. Ugh... pregnancy brain, she complained to Winterbourne. I meant to lead us to the lake, not here—watermint prefer calm water ... not running water, she explained, pressing a paw against her forehead and shaking her head.