Tuktu Hinterlands Pretty Lollipop

Skylaris just nodded with a slight chuckle. "Haha, whatever, It depends what you mean by 'fun'," The silver wolfess flicked her tail with a little amusement but continued on with an cheerful smile. "That sounds so cool! I love stars, they are awesome!" One day she hoped to be able to do that - to read signs and all that on stars and constellations. It was all so magical, at least in her mind. Stars were fascinating and to be able to read signs from them was totally cool.

She twitched and ear and added, "Was she good at it? Do you know how she did it?"

"Well, I think that, what she did was total bullshit," Birk had heard stories about her, not the actual practice. Plus, why play with perfectly good guts, wondering, what their alignment might mean at a place, where food was already scarce? Chances were that, while you stood over them deep in thought, someone would beat a crap out of you and steal the valuable morsels. 

"Though she did a good job at scaring her relatives. And... though I am a very, very practical and rational man to the core - I do think that there was some truth in what she did. In small amounts though," he shrugged. "What have you learned about medicine so far?"

"Well, alright then," Skylaris chuckled and shook her head, "I guess it's just a matter of whether you believe it or not." It was true, some wolves refused to believe such assumptions, but others put their whole life into working out the signs of stars or animal organs. The latter was rather gross, but Sky had no doubts that she'd do something like that if it was necessary to find out a certain thing.

"I haven't learnt much yet - I know a few herbs and some methods of treating sicknesses or wounds,"  What did she know? She knew that Alder Bark was used to treat toothache, Borage leaves were used to treat fevers and could help nursing mothers, and she knew that Cherville was used for bellyache. Chervil root was used to keep away and treat infections... what else?

"Well, that is more than most people know," Birk nodded. "Speak from my own experience," he was amazed, how many people here actually knew about medical plants and stuff that could help you, while, where he came from... well, either you healed yourself or you died. There was not much vegetation there. And until coming here he had thought that this was the way nature worked. 

Remembering his latest ailment - a bad case of cold - and how he had heard one opinion about it, he decided to ask for a second - just to compare. "So, what do you know about runny noses, constant sneezing and coughing?"

Skylaris noddd in agreement, quite proud of her little amount of knowledge. She was still learning and any positive feedback was more than welcome - however, Skylaris had a lot more to learn about. When she heard his question, she furrowed her brow, trying to remember.

"Er..... oh! Um, you should use Lavander, for the cough," she remembered that much. Then.. what? Lavander for coughs, but what about running noses and sneezing? Wasn't sneezing treated with... honey? Wait, no, that was sore throats. "Eeep, I think I forgot! Oh wait... uhh... Nope, nevermind, I don't remember. I'm sure I have some lavander for you if you have a cough?" She hadn't learnt yet about sneezing and runny noses - but she knew that they were the symptoms of a cold or a fever. The wolfess also had a secret stash of a couple useful herbs that she had gathered before winter. Maybe they could come in handy now? 'Course, she'd have to go and fetch them. But she buried them on the way to Silver Creek, didn't she? The could be somewhere around here? "And they are typical signs of a fever or a cold."

"Lavender?" it did not ring a bell to Birk, but then again he had never been much of a botanist anyway. It had been "grass" and other plants always for him. He found it a little disappointing that none of the two or three aspiring healers he had met so far had mentioned any cure that the patient could find on his own. Like now, where there was snow all around. What about now?

But he decided not to ask, not wanting to confuse her, therefore instead he said: "I will know what to look for the next time I get a cold. I had one few weeks back, but got better." He had little to add to the medical subject, therefore he decided to move to astronomy, because he now recalled yet another girl, whose name began with an "O", who had told him about edible constellations in the sky. Crab had been one of them. 

"Any luck with star reading so far? A useful trick perhaps?"

"Yup - lavender. Also, you should rest. And drink water - like lots of water." she added, still attempting to think of that other herb she could use. Thoough, unfortunately, it didn't come to her. But, according to Birk, he didn't have a cold right now. "Well, I don't think it grows in winter. That's why I kept some." 

Then she shook her head. "No, not really. I have little-to-no experience with that at the moment, I've only just started studying it." She replied, flicking her tail. "But what about you? Anything you want to be?"

"Myself," Birk had a ready answer. Unlike most people he did not have any aspirations to learn a specific trade or become something. He knew a little bit of everything and, what he did not deem useful, he did not care to remember. 

"Conceited, huh?" he added then laughing. "But I want to be the best version of myself and I try to work on it or stick to it every day."

"Well, yeah." It was true that many wolves didn't wish to seek out a trade, nor a specialty, though Skylaris couldn't really understand why. However, she respected their own opinions and to be honest, working on a trade or specialty - even a mastery - could be very difficult and tiring, so she understood that at least. 

"I guess that makes sense." She did understand it, especially if you didn't know what you wanted to do. Sometimes it was best to stick with what you knew.

"Speaking of that," Birk said after a moment of silence, "I totally forgot to ask you, if you wish to share the shelter? There is enough room. And the storm is probably going to last quite long too." He shuffled to the side, freeing a spot next to him, if Sky decided to take his offer.

"So the Silver Creek pack sounds interesting - care to tell a bit more about it? For starters - is there really a creek full with silver running through it?" what other reason would there be to name a pack like that.

"Sure, thanks," she replied, eyes flashing with gratitude. The shelter wasn't the best, of course, but it was a shelter and any shelter was decent enough right now. "I do hope it ends soon. I can't get back to Silver Creek in this weather," she gladly took the spot next to Birk and began to explain the name of the pack. 

"Well, not really, but the creek definitely looks silver! It's really beautiful." 

"Probably as frozen as an Eye-bee at the moment," Birk chuckled, shuffling a little more so that the nearest needles of the particular branch were not pricking him in the eyes. It was not an easy task, given the fact that there was not much space, but after a bit more of fidgeting he found the perfect equilibrum that worked for him.

"How many of you are there? I mean an estimate, if that is a secret," he asked to keep the flow of conversation going. "With the founding family at the core, I guess no more than six or seven, am I right?"

"Hey!" The wolfess jokingly nudged Birk's shoulder, then rolled her eyes. She doubted the joke about Ess-lees and Eye-bees would die down for a long time yet.

"Hmm... about 10, if you include me and the pups." there was Sunspot, too, but she wasn't staying so Skylaris didn't feel the need to include her in the pack's numbers (since she technically wasn't a full pack member). "Actually, make that nine, 'cause Mawk's leaving to join his girlfriend in the new pack."

"Now you totally crushed my world domination plans. Outnumbered by ten - that would be a suicide mission," Birk pretended to be disappointed by the news, but really he was impressed. Ten people - that was a force to recognize. His family pack had always stayed small, except for one particularly harsh winter, when they were forced to merge with a very large group of many, many individuals. There was no real leadership or hierarchy then just the mutual tolerance of each other and the need to bring down a bigger game. And bring down they did. 

"Who is this Mawk guy?" he asked, noticing that this was the first other person Sky had mentioned by name.

"Aw, man, sorry." she chuckled, then replied. "Oh, Mawk?" she blinked, then thought for a moment. How could you describe a giant scruffy wolfodg? Well, like that I supppose. "Mawk is a wolfdog. I found him like two years ago - he had run away from man and I taught him how to survive in the wild. He's like one of my best friends now." The silver wolfess cared for Mawk greatly, not in the way that would be assumed. She cared for him like a brother, and she knew they'd always keep in contact. "He told me earlier today that he was leaving Silver Creek to go and join these three lone wolves - Gwen, Knew, and Noor, I believe. He said that Illecebra was going with him - that's his girlfriend. Apparently Gwen and Knew are starting a pack. I've never met either of them, nor the other one, but he said they were nice."

Skylaris was, undoubtedly, curious about this pack and she planned to ask her friend more about it.

Gwen told the tale of Mawk the wolf-dog (which Birk, having never seen dogs in his life, imagined being something like a cross between a Lauren and his great aunt Fala, a big scruffy monster) and proceeded to name the rest of her friends and acquaintances. Gwen's name should have rung a bell to Birk, but several weeks had passed, since he had first and last met her, therefore he did not. 

"Seems kind of un-friendly to ditch you - after all you have done for him," he concluded after little contemplation. "Have you been part of Silver Creek long?"

"No, I mean, he's fallen in love - I'm not surprised really. I offered to take his place in Silver Creek. And besides, Mawk promised to come and visit me. And he better," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Else I might have to dump a snow-lump on him."

"Not long. I only joined a day or so ago, and I don't plan on leaving any time soon." The silver wolfess replied simply. She hadn't been there long but it already felt like home to her.

"And out of curiosity - why did you join? What made you choose this pack over the others or any at all?" Birk asked, being genuinely interested in the subject, because so far he had met many people, most of whom were part of packs and some of them had attempted to persuade to join them. And he had not felt the need. Maybe out of fear from the unknown - he had been part of a family-centered group and he had no idea, how would it work for an outsider coming into the group. 

"I mean - there are quite a few packs around. And I haven't felt an inclination to join them so far."

"I joined partly because they were low on numbers at the time, and partly because Mawk was there. Even though he'll be leaving soon, I've met some great wolves there and Spring is going to teach me more about becoming a medic. Besides, I'm more of a social wolf and it already feels like home." It did, truly. She felt a connection with the land and the beauty of it amazed her.

"Well, I suppose some wolves aren't meant to be in a pack - some prefer the loner life I guess." She shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps one day you'll find a pack you like, and perhaps not."

"Yeah... maybe..." Birk was not so sure about that. He found it weird/unnatural to get in a group of unknown people and care about puppies that shared none of your blood. Work for them, show loyalty, take orders? Nah, at this point in life he enjoyed his freedom and independence. Something very life-changing should happen for him to be inclined to take the next step. 

"I never thought of myself as an unsocial creature - I enjoy talking quite a lot, as you have probably learned by now," he countered. "Yet... seeing the same faces over and over again... well, I am afraid that either they would get sick of me or vice versa." He chuckled - usually it was so that he annoyed people. Rarely the other way around.

Skylaris just shrugged again. "I didn't have a pack for a year, y'know. I thought I'd be a rogue like you for the rest of my time - though I didn't. I joined a pack, and I like it there. But I know plently of wolves that never once joined a pack."

"Nah, I'd never get sick of you, snow-lump. You're pretty fun, minus when I fall over you." the wolfess let out another chuckle and gave a small wag of her tail. It had been fun so far, she had to admit. Besides, it was nice to feel a little like a rogue again, living out either alone or with a companion or two. But, she knew she'd return to the pack later on. She had duties, and besides, she wished to speak to Spring to see if she could learn anything new. For now, though, she savoured the feeling of freedom.

"You must believe in the good in people then," Birk assumed, because Skylaris knew him for approximately an hour and a half, perhaps, and already considered him her friend. Or something close to it. "But I will know, who to look for, when the world gets sick of me," he chuckled.

"Being without a pack for the rest of my life sounds like quite a long time. I think... or I rather hope that I will find a suitable group of snow lumps sooner," but then again he never planned his life further than the next two days. The "rest" could be either that or even something longer.

Eeep sorry for the super late reply!

Skylaris smiled and chuckled softly at the man's words but said nothing in reply. There wasn't really anything that needed to be said.

"A pack of snow-lumps, huh? Sounds fun, as long as they don't melt. I don't think that would be the greatest start to things." Planning a future was not something the dove was any good at. Rather, she tended to go along with whatever was thrown her way. Once she discovered her passion for herbs and stars, she decided that she wanted to have that as her trade. Other than that.... nothing was certain for her. "But I'd surely run if I saw a snow-lump army heading my way."

"That's a good thing. People should respect snow lumps more," after saying this Birk let out a big yawn and only then did he realize, how very tired and sleepy he had become. 

"I don't know about you, but I will settle for a nap," he explained Sky, while getting to his sleep and beginning to dig the snow until he had created a small, comfortable hallow to curl up in. "It was nice talking to you though," he continued, after finding the best way to fit himself in the makeshift den. "We should repeat this sometime."