Hideaway Strath hidden with a photoreactive ink

Six weeks had passed since Turmeric had felt the cool touch of the world. How different his world had become!

The growing boy mosied around on paws too big, happy to spend the day outside. Happy, every day, to spend the day outside, and if not outside, then shuffling around in the chambers in search of the new and novel and potentially bizarre. He hadn't found much to shelve into the most latter category, but he had plenty of the former. Every day was an adventure, and every day brought a new discovery!

And today, surely, would be no different! He'd spotted a strange collection of flowers nearby that screamed of wonder or danger. He still wasn't sure which - but he was sure of this: that they must have a reason for being there, and being here, alive, like he was. A thought too big for him to fully process and grasp, but the inklings were there.

Turmeric stood an eager pace away and reached out a tentative paw to perhaps flick one. See how they reacted, how they felt. And all the while, the hum of some working song lifted from his throat. Though he still didn't talk much, a smile and a hum accompanied Turmeric most places he went.

Aerin had originally intended to head to the Chambers in search of better herbs to treat Vein's wounds but her plans were pushed off when she spotted the oak agouti of one of Arlette's youngsters playing in the woods nearby -- detouring on her slow, waddling path to go check on the pup and maybe play with him for a moment. 

She recognized the boy as Turmeric as she padded closer, forced to move slower these days in order to accommodate her bloated belly. A smile greeted him, and a soft, curious sound, as the mother-to-be settled nearby on pale haunches. 

"'ello, Turmeric," she greeted warmly. "Vhat are ye doin'?" It was then she saw the clusters of yellowish-white blooms, rising to her paws to move closer and inspect the plant a little better. "Oh dear, ye probably shouldn't play vith zat. It is poison ivy."

"It vill make ye itchy an' angry about it too," she chuckled lightly, hoping he might let her nudge him away from the plant a little bit and back towards the general trail. "Maybe we go find somezing else to do today, hmm?" 

Turmeric found his investigation interrupted by the soft footfalls of another. Goofy ears swivelled and directed the turn of his head to meet his company with inquisitive eyes and the glow of a grin.

He knew this one!

"Hiya!" he chirruped, with one of the words he knew he knew. At her inquiry, he shifted his bright-eyed gaze toward the flowers he'd since pulled his paw away from.

Before he could hum out another sound, Aerin had shuffled forward, like mama sometimes did when he found something new. Turmeric leaned his weight to one side to peer around Aerin's round belly, now that she had swept into the space between him and the plants.

He tipped his head, and even as she ushered him away, he remained quite transfixed upon the plant she seemed to think was dangerous - at least, this is what he thought, from the gentle nudges she gave in encouragement for him to turn away.

"Poison?" he repeated slowly, having never heard the word before. Even though he turned with her, Turmeric wasn't keen on finding something new to do, not until she gave him answers.

The hart slowed as the pup did, not intent on herding or ushering him away. Children never responded well when faced with aggression or force, Aerin couldn't say many adults did either though this was often a last result for most parents at their wits' end -- sadly. Instead, she nodded seriously, her moonstones imploring the boy to take her words to heart. "Aye," she confirmed, struggling to speak as normally as possible so Turmeric would be able to understand her jilted speech. "It's poison, vhich is something very bad fer volves."

"Poison vill make ye sick, make yer stomach hurt. Sometimes, it makes ye so sick zat ye go to sleep an ye do nae vake up again." She didn't want to frighten the poor child but she did want him to understand the dangers of strange plants, for she'd heard more than one tale of a pup's death being caused by accidental ingestion -- the children wandering unsupervised and eating poisonous plants ignorantly. She only hoped @Arlette wouldn't be too sore with her for telling her son such a thing.

"I know!" Aerin exclaimed suddenly, excitedly -- with as much enthusiasm as one of the pups that had been charged to her care. "It is nice an' varm out today. Vould ye like to come swim vith me?" Even if he hadn't learned how yet, The Priestess thought the youngster might get a kick out of playing in the shallows along the banks and chasing the schools of minnows that frequented the ankle-high waters. At the very least, she hoped it might distract him from the poison ivy he'd been so intrigued by.

Her words were difficult to understand past the thick accent that cushioned otherwise familiar words, but Turmeric's interest in the topic at hand was enough to keep him riveted, despite the sometimes struggle to figure out just what she was saying.

Her eyes and voice served as a two-fold warning.

The excitement that followed jarred the young mind. He was still transfixed on the plant - wanting to know, but Aerin seemed keen to move away from the thing, and Turmeric... hmm. His instincts said to stay away, but some deep and prodding curiosity wanted to see if everything Aerin said was real.

"Okay," he said, though the look on his face was not fully present. He wasn't really sure what swimming was, not really on his mind to ask. Even as he set on to follow after the new mother, he remained riddled with thoughts far from whatever swimming would bring. "Why's there poison?" he asked. If poison was so bad, why was there poison around at all?

With the boy's slow agreement, Aerin gave another smile before gesturing to the west. "C'mon. It's a bit of a valk." They would have to cut through the heart of the Strath, past The Gathering Rock, and through Moonshadow Clearing before they reached the river that ran through the territories. It would be close to the western edges of the claim but the Strath's walls bordered it and Aerin figured Turmeric would be safe enough with her. Even if anything, or anyone, had managed to find their way to the middle of the stream where they were going, The Priestess would rather lose life and limb than have to go home and explain to Arlette how she had let her son get hurt. 

The dark agouti seemed intent on unraveling the mysteries of poisons, his question drawing the healer's pale gaze back down to him as she let out a considering hum. "Hmmm. Vell, I suppose it is ze plants' vay of protecting zemselves. Volves 'ave claws an' teeth to protect zemselves from bears and ze like. Deer 'ave 'orns an' 'ooves to protect zemselves from volves. An' ze plants 'ave poisons to protect zemselves from being eaten by ze deer."

The curious boy was always game for any place that took "a bit of a walk" to get to. And all the better now, for this gave him ample time to ask questions, and ample time for Aerin to answer. She didn't seem to mind his curiosity. After all, no one would offer to take him to sooo far a place if he bothered them with his company, right?

Absolutely right. Turmeric flicked his ears about to latch onto every word she offered, despite his difficulty understanding all the words she said.

"Oh," came his simple response, then, "my claws dig and itch scratches," and he tipped his head, thoughtful, "can poison do good things too?" An easy smile graced his face as he continued to hop along at her side and crane his neck to watch her. Aerin had mostly listed off all the bad so far, but surely there was at least a little bit of good in everything.

His next question brought her some pause, though Aerin tried not to let her hesitation show -- feigning intense interest in their surroundings, as if it took great focus to guide them to the correct spot. In truth, she probably could have found the mossy beaches blind, familiar as she was with their claim. Still, this provided her with a moment to think and ponder the best way to word her response.

"I suppose so," she answered at last, almost reluctantly. "It can be used to...stop...bad volves. Zose who 'arm or try ta 'arm our loved ones. Or it can be used to kill predators zat come onto our land an' might 'urt us." The Priestess' moonstones slid down to him discreetly as she nudged a long branch out of their path, trying to gauge the youth's reaction.