Northstar Vale betray the moon as acolyte

sickness had settled upon her swiftly, as if the simple act of resting within Courtfalls borders had allowed some dam to break and disease to come rushing through. she burned beneath her pelt, so much so she was surprised that snow fell all around when she woke early in the morning, trembling. squinting, remembering vaguely something she'd seen her mother use, she set off into the vale, pausing every so often to heave whatever bile dared remain in her stomach into the snow. 

the fog had just begun to waver when she found it, half-buried in the snow. it was different then she remembered, yes, but she could not expect it to look exactly alike, right? confident, except not at all, she settled down next to it and began pulling the leaves into her maw, chewing them carefully. did she make a paste, or eat them? she'd cross that bridge when she come to it; for now, the simple act of chewing was a distraction from the rolling of her stomach.

was it the smell of illness that drew her, or the fact that the duck felt she must meet others in courtfall? it was little matter to the young healer, who shyly followed the young girl's tracks. she had no name for many of the herbs that could be found in the vale; she catalogued them by appearance and resemblance to the ones she did know.

shoulders wrapped as always, this time with a grey hareskin, kukutux hurried forward as the younger wolf paused. "this woman greets you," the duck murmured when she had drawn closer, legs weighed by the deceptive lightness of the katiksunik. "you are ill. i offer help."

i am so sorry for the wait on this <3

she is interrupted fairly swiftly by the arrival of another. the girl blinks, shifting in the snow as she tries to spit out the plants as casually as possible, half burying her muzzle in the snowdrift. "hello," she murmurs through the snow, finally lifting her muzzle when she'd almost certain she's spat out most of the bitter greenery. 

"yes, I—I'm not feeling good," she murmurs. if she squints, imagines a different voice, a different pelt, a different scent, she could almost imagine her mother standing in this woman's place. "um, yes, please. thank you, miss." she offers, adding then, "I'm clementine." 

no worries!

she was thanked, appraised. the girl was young, distress lacing her figure and scent. "what ... symptoms do you have?" she began hesitantly. the spirit whispered, brimming in her heart: iliniksiglanguliksuk.

"you were right to start with this," kukutux commented softly, indicating the soothing little plant the girl had sought out.

symptoms. the girl considered, heart fluttering. there was nervousness in trusting another with her ailments, no matter her kind she seemed. and yet she was more concerned about lasing into some worse sickness, and so she allows her tongue to sweep over her lips a worried moment before replying. "I, um, feel warm. hot. and my stomach feels like when it gets stormy over the sea." worried gaze seeks the woman's for a fleeting moment, hoping this will suffice. "and I ache, all over, like when I've been climbing all day. but I haven't." 

kukutux's comment brings a certain degree of satisfaction to the girl, but not quite pride -- she hadn't known enough to name it, or know exactly its use. still, she smiles softly, the curve of her muzzle ebbing quickly when her stomach rolls again.

kukutux blinked. to hear it said aloud reminded her of what she had told cupid in regards to love. cheeks flushing with pale rose, the young healer nodded in her patient's direction. "it sounds as though you have a stomach-sickness," kukutux murmured. "it is good to purge out the bad spirits."

"i will make you a tea?" she suggested softly, shy jadestone eyes traveling toward the girl.