Otatso Wetlands curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back

@Grezig

The dedication of Invictus to her craft had put her through quite a lot of experiences and brought her to quite a few different places. Currently, after traveling as far north as Duskfire and being forced to stop on account of the glacier wall, she turned right back around and trudged back towards the south, along an eerily barren path of silver and through the ever abundant Herbalists' Cache, until she was brought to this... intriguing place. A marshy, swamp-like land where her paws sunk into the soft, vaguely moist ground with sickening splurches each step she took, and the stench of brine and wetland threatened to shrivel her sinuses. The sweltering heat of summer was also a heavy burden, not only boiling her alive within the confines of her dark pelt, but also making the wetland stench even worse. Water bugs lazily buzzed and zipped all around, some coming too close for comfort and earning an annoyed snap from the female whilst she continued to forcefully trudge along, vaguely regretting the life decisions that had brought her to this point.

Honestly, the only reason she'd even bothered to venture beyond Herbalists' Cache was out of curious to see how far the herb abundance stretched. Invictus wanted a firm layout of this land to be imprinted in her mind; maybe not all of Teekon, as that was a bit much to task herself with, but of the few regions she traveled through thus far, at least. That meant she wanted to know where the herbs were, however unexpected the location, and what the herbs were... which sometimes just required going places she didn't want to go, this being one of them.

It wasn't all bad though. Towering willows provided more than enough shade, blocking out the suffocating rays of the summer sun and giving her dark coat a much needed reprieve, though her tongue still lolled from the heat that remained. After sludging a few more feet through the squishy environment, she huffed with relief when the ground hardened a bit more beneath her paws, the underground roots of the tree nearest to her likely the cause. Additionally, not only did the ground become more solid, but her experience gazed was quick to spot a patch of herbs growing nearby, encouraging her to lower her head and swiftly trot to the tree's far side, where they lay nestled.

What do you know; even in a sodden place like this, herbs could still be found. The medic contentedly made a note.

Sorry for the wait.

Grezig wasn’t entirely sure what she was doing in this swamp. It stank, it was humid as hell, she was covered in mud and… other questionable things. Surely there was no one else here. No one would choose to live here, right? The only reason she was in here was because she hadn’t been here yet and she was determined to scope out all surrounding areas of Overture Downs and Jade Fern Grove. This is where the group had been spending a lot of their time recently, so, for lack of anything constructive to do, Grezig had taken to exploring. 

But now she was here. In this shithole. Luckily, it seemed the ground was dryer as she continued. She’d found higher land—and another wolf, up ahead. Her head was bowed toward the earth, as if she were praying, or looking at something. Her body was blocking whatever it was she might have been looking at. Grezig hauled her soaked and tired body up onto dry land entirely, chuffing as she did so. “What are you doing?” she asked, curiosity clear in her voice.

The not-so-subtle sound of very laboured trudging and a quiet chuff alerted Invictus to the approach of someone else, causing her introverted heart to do an annoyed thud and the heat trapped in her dark pelt to feel that much more bothersome. In her limited experience, most wolves were either annoying, rude, or not worthy of trusting, so aside from doing her self-assigned duty as a medic, she tended to avoid them, and much preferred her own company to anyone else's... Ah, but maybe it was just some other creature, like a deer...? She tossed a lackadaisical glance over her shoulder, eyes half-lidded with evident irritation and ears perking. Nope. It was a wolf. Awesome.

Huffing, she turned back to her herbs and just hopped whoever it was might only be passing through, or was only here to lay in the shade and catch a break from the squishy, sodden earth around them, not to strike up conversation... yet, as the pessimist in her had privately suspected, such were not the case. The other did speak, curiously inquiring as to what she was doing, and it took a great deal of effort from the ebony woman not to sneer or growl in response... but, she supposed, there were worse things to talk about. At least this wolf was asking about a topic she had no issue educating on, and didn't consider to be a violation of her privacy. If there was anything she was ever willing to talk about with a stranger, it was her life's work.

Without even giving the other female so much as another glance, Invictus answered in her typical, monotone voice, "Taking note of the herbs that grow here." She then nudged said herbs - celandine, chickweed, and mallow - with her leathery nose. "I'm a healer."

“A healer,” Grezig repeated. She had never understood those wolves who seemed to have an affinity for plants. She had no idea how to treat anything, really. She knew enough to eat grass if her stomach was upset, or to stand on three legs if she hurt one of them, but that was about the extent of her knowledge. She huffed and found a dry spot to lay down, glancing around the woman’s body to look at the plants. They just looked like any other plants to her and she couldn’t give the name of them if she were threatened with death. “How much do you know?” she asked, curious to see if this wolf could tell her anything useful. 

She had taken note of the woman’s bored tone and would probably leave soon if they were not able to establish some kind of conversation. But she figured she’d at least give it a try. Liri was a healer, so they didn’t need one, but maybe having another one around wouldn’t be a bad idea. But she remembered the disaster that had been recruiting Thorleif and was reluctant to recruit again unless she could tell that the wolves she was asking were one-hundred percent sane. That required more conversation than she’d had with Thorleif.

"Mmhm," she distractedly hummed, still continuing to observe the plants as if there was more to see than just what they were and where they were located, but there, ah... wasn't, though. She was kind of done now, but didn't stop what she was doing or turn her attention to the stranger out of "fear" the other might take that as a sign of willingness to keep this conversation going, which was not the impression Invictus ever wanted to give. Even if it was rude, she'd much rather come across as rude and be honest than pretend to be sociable.

"What do you know?"

Obsidian ears flicked and she slid the other a narrow-eyed glance, a single brow perking. Did this stranger doubt her claim, or was she merely just curious? Invictus chose to go with the latter, if only so as to not give herself more reasons to be annoyed.

Matter-of-factly, she snorted, "Enough to give myself the title." Smart-assery aside though, as formerly established, she had no issue with giving a real answer and flaunting her medical knowledge. The dark-furred woman moved her body a bit so the plants could more easily be seen, then gestured to the first.

"Celandine. Primarily ingested to treat pain, though it can also be used to treat ailments with the eyes."

Then, the next one.

"Chickweed. Eaten to reduce coughing and the production of mucus during a cold."

Finally, the last.

"And mallow. Used externally to fight infection and treat insect stings, like that of bees and wasps."

Though her tone was still relatively flat and void of emotion, an observant wolf might notice the faint widening of her eyes and the sheen of interest that came to them when she spoke, the boredom fading from her silver gaze, even if just for a moment, and being replaced with the closest thing to passion she would ever experience, herbology being the one thing that could tarnish her irritation.

"Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg."

The woman’s bored tone and sarcastic remark were not lost on Grezig, who simply chose to ignore them. They were on no man’s land and she didn’t even know this woman. They were not packmates, so Grezig did not feel the need to challenge the tone of voice. It wasn’t worth getting into a scrap about. On the other hand, had someone like Elixir taken that tone with her, you can bet she would have kicked the mutt’s ass. But that was beside the point. 

She listened as the woman explained what the three herbs were and what they were used for. And Grezig had to admit, the wolf’s knowledge was sound, if she was telling the truth, and Grezig had no reason to assume she was lying. This is where she, herself, would be lost. She could see that the herbs looked different, and if she were close enough to them, she could probably tell them apart by smell. But there were so many different plants. Grezig had no idea how anyone could tell them all apart! She nodded when the woman stopped talking and said, “I am impressed. I could never learn such a thing. Throw me into a fight or tell me to make a decision about something and I can do it. But memorizing herbs… I would go insane.”

Seeing how this was turning into a conversation and Invictus couldn't stand around pretending to observe non existent herbal qualities forever, she gave a silent sigh through pant-parted lips and turned away so as to take a seat in the shade, body now partially turned towards the other instead of completely shutting her out. As far as most wolves went, this one wasn't really irritating- she did nothing to offend the ebony woman's pride and didn't bombarde her with a series of stupid questions or off-topic comments, rather just a sparring, practical few that she had no trouble with answering, and at a cool, casual pace. Though she wasn't too keen on being a social butterfly, if she had to lay out what an ideal conversation with someone else was, this was it, so... she supposed she could amuse the other, just for a few minutes more.

"It's not for everyone," she languidly replied, shrugging obsidian shoulders. "It takes a lifetime to learn. Even I still make mistakes with proper identification and prescription, and I started learning young."

Her argent gaze thoughtfully wandered back to the plants, resting on each individual leaf and stem, though not truly seeing them, as her eyes had become distant, now looking at something that wasn't really there: the past. She recalled all the way back to her neglectful childhood, remembering how, due to the absence of her depressed mother (whom preferred to spend her days sulking in a den than actually providing for her family) and the absence of her older sister (whom, because of their mother, was charged with doing all of the hunting and such), she was virtually left alone to her own devices, left to find her own ways of being entertained. One such ways, after being shown its magic during the brief time before her mother became a shut-in, was that of healing and herbs. So, not only finding it fascinating but also having nothing better to do, Invictus had spent all of her time, both as a child and young adult, learning the ways of a healer. She'd always thought it neat how mental or emotional wounds could take months to heal or not even heal at all, and yet physical ones could be fixed with a simple leaf and cobweb... Boring to others maybe, but positively fascinating to her, then and now.

She blinked, pulling herself out of her memories, and looked back to the other. "You like to fight then, eh? Then you at least know basic wound care, I presume?" She quirked a brow and faintly narrowed her eyes, taking on the appearance of a scolding mother almost.

Invictus herself wasn't one for fighting, as she was a pacifist. Not out of the kindness of her heart, but rather because she thought such actions to be barbaric, especially when one could solve issues using their wit (something she felt plenty of wolves needed far more practice in) instead. Not to mention the fact that she simply didn't have the body or experience for it. You certainly wouldn't find her putting her life on the line for something she knew she'd probably lose anyway... As for other wolves, she could take up a "live and let live" policy if someone else chose that as their lifestyle (provided they didn't attack her, of course), but if they were foolish enough to get into fights and not even know how to take care of the wounds they sustained afterward, then of course she would disapprove.

Sorry for short post. I'm having writer's block.

Grezig grunted at the woman’s comment, not really having anything to say about it. Everything took time to learn. But when the dark-furred wolf asked if she knew proper wound care, she shrugged one shoulder. “I know to lick it if I can reach it, or have someone else do it. I know not to get anything in it if I can. I know not to move a muscle around too much if there is a healing cut there, in case it reopens.” These three basic nodes of information had served her well in her two years of life, but she was sure already that this wolf was about to tell her there was so much more to it then that, and probably scoff at her “ignorance.” No matter. Such things did not bother Grezig.

it's fine <3

Ebony ears flicked nonchalantly as the stranger listed off a series of the most basic, instinctual kinds of wound care known to wolf, and the medic's eyes narrowed scrutinizingly for a moment, as if she intended to voice her disapproval or go on another herb-related rant... but it didn't last long before she relaxed into her usual, dull-faced expression, wiping away any notion of such in a sort of "not my business" manner. It may have been basic, but it was good; you'd be surprised how many wolves she'd encountered (of whose intellectual capacities she'd definitely had to question) that didn't even know to do that much! It was a start, at least, and really, knowing her companion had little to no interest in herbs, there was little else she could offer that she trusted the female to actually retain.

"Fair enough, though I'll recommend the use of cobwebs to seal a wound, so as to keep from losing too much blood and getting it too dirty." That was simple enough, right? Everyone knew what cobwebs looked like, and they were quite easy to find. She supposed the other might roll her eyes or find this advice to be unwanted, but Invictus prided herself on the image of this wolf one day sustaining a horrible injury that just licking and walking off wouldn't fix, yet, remembering the medic's word about cobwebs, she would use the spindly, silky substance, and save herself the danger of severe blood loss/infection.

Another wave of heat rolled through her then, forcing the woman's mouth to part into a pant and an annoyed sigh to huff past her lips. "Too bad there aren't any herbs to beat this blasted heat," she lowly rumbled, mostly to herself, and proceeded to give a harsh shake, as if she could shake off the heat.

Have my 100th post!

Cobwebs? Grezig’s brows drew together. She would never have thought of that. In her mind, it sounded stupid. How would you even apply them? Probably needed someone else there to get them onto the wound. She didn’t have anything very nice to say about cobwebs so she said nothing. As an afterthought she finally remarked, “Thank you for the information.” It was the best she could come up with.

This woman had ended up being quite knowledgeable. Grezig flipped a decision around in her mind for a moment, and then made up her mind. “I am Grezig,” she said, finally introducing herself. “I am part of a group in the process of becoming a pack.” She paused. “We could… use a competent healer—although one of the alphas already is one. But I am sure she would not mind another.” She left it at that. She had put the ball in the other’s court now. It was no longer up to her.

sorry for the wait!

"Thank you for the information." To this, the ebony woman gave a scoff-like "hm" of amusement, one side of her mouth briefly flicking up as she did so, unable to tell from her companion's neutral tone if that had been sarcasm or not. Either way, it didn't matter. She should be thankful; it could save her life one day. 

Then, ears perking, she caught the other's name, and duly noted that yeah, they hadn't traded names yet, had they? She didn't really care much for pleasantries, so it was an easy thing for her to forget, though she did like giving her name so others could find her if they ever needed medical assistance. "Invictus," she flatly returned.

After that, the other went on to explain that she apparently came from a group that intended to become a pack, the mere mention of which already had Invictus quirking a brow, her cold, analytical gaze sliding over to the other inquiringly. She considered it, just for a moment, mind swiftly running through the idea of accepting the offer, following this wolf back to who-knows-where, and merging her life with that of... others... for an extended period of time- potentially until the end of her days if all went well... and.... needless to say, it didn't appeal. Truly, she'd only even given it a thought because of the soft, perverted voice in the back of her mind saying it was wrong to live her entire life alone, void of any contact with others outside of treating patients, and that if she had any hopes of healing the wounds of her past or just overcoming her issues in general, she needed to merge with a community... but, Invictus was stubborn, if nothing else, and had no plans of giving up the comfortable, solitary, and free life she built for herself just so others could muck it up.

Disinterest evident, she turned her muzzle away, her expression akin to a bored cat that had just been offered the same ball of string she'd been toying with since her birth and knew full well by now that she no longer wanted it.

"Intriguing, but I'm not interested. I prefer to live alone."

With that, she drew a hind leg up to lightly scratch her ear, as some tiny swamp gnat had landed on it. "At any rate, if it is as you say, it seems you'll be just fine without me. "

It was her assumption that any pack just starting out must be pretty small, so unless they liked to foolishly charge into battle or didn't have the common sense to give their diseased members a wide berth, one healer ought to be enough. Of course, if this healer also doubled as one of their leaders, perhaps that made things a little more complicated... oh well. Her mind was made up; it was not her problem. She only had one more thing to say about it.

"However, should something go awry, I don't mind being sought out and brought pack to lend a helping paw. I'll likely still be around this region for a while."

“Invictus,” Grezig repeated, committing the name to memory.

She watched as the woman turned her face away. ’Intriguing, but I'm not interested. I prefer to live alone. At any rate, if it is as you say, it seems you'll be just fine without me.’

“Mm,” Grezig grunted in return. She did not care if Invictus did not want to come back with her. She had offered her a place among their group because she thought the woman could be useful, but she would not force anyone to join their band. Force was not a good way to go about doing anything, in her opinion, unless it was truly needed. Having grown up with forceful parents, she could attest to feelings of rebellion from such treatment. This is why she liked Liri and Kavik as much as she did. They felt as she did and wanted this new pack to be a democracy. Everyone had a say; no one’s voice would be drowned out—if they were telling the truth, that is. She’d just have to wait and see how it panned out once they had settled down.

’However,’ Invictus continued, drawing Grezig out of her thoughts. ’Should something go awry, I don't mind being sought out and brought pack to lend a helping paw. I'll likely still be around this region for a while.’

Grezig stood. “Thank you,” she said. “If we have need of you, I will seek you out.” She dipped her head. “I must return to my group now. It was nice to meet you.” Without a backward glance, she turned and left. Since Invictus had no interest in the group, Grezig had no reason to stick around. 

[Exit]

thanks for the thread!

The ebony woman dipped her head, nodding slowly to the other whilst she offered a second thank you. With that, Grezig took her leave, claiming she needed to return to the group in mention, and promising that should they need her, they would seek her out. Another nod was given, followed by a droning and indifferent, "Farewell."

Invictus continued to follow the she-wolf as she left with her eyes, just mildly curious about the direction this alleged pack was in, then drug her gaze back to the herbs at her paws with a sigh, feeling the weight of social expectation lifting from her shoulders. With the other now gone and the herbs in this area thoroughly taken noted of, there was no reason for her to stay either, so she only lingered for a few moments in the shade before rising to her paws, shaking her pelt, and begrudgingly setting herself back upon the marsh to take her own leave... hopefully to never come back, she thought as her paw sank into the sodden earth and a disgusted scowl crossed her features.

[ exit ]