Swiftcurrent Creek Good men are not like buses. There won't be another one 'round in ten minutes.

The medic inquired about her limp, which was to be expected, perhaps. 

"An accident, two years ago now," Ruenna imparted, her eyes reflexively tracking south towards the Hinterlands, where the disaster had occurred. "I was caught in a landslide. It took me a full year of physical therapy and treatment to regain this much movement." Perhaps if she had remained in the Outer Wilds under the care of the Vitale medics a little longer, she would have improved further. But Ruenna had no been able to resist the call of the Teekon Wilds, once she became mobile enough to return to her former home. 

Aquene was happy to help. Perhaps a bit selfishly, Ruenna wondered if Aquene was capable of helping not only the auxilia of Mereo, but also their Matrona with injury-induced, chronic lower back pain. 

Aquene explained the difference in the treatments, and Ruenna nodded along. She would do her best to retain the information, but she didn't have the sharpest memory for herbs and ailments, and her knowledge of the body and organs was limited-to none. Aquene mentioned treating the "lungs," and Ruenna was embarrassed to admit to herself that she wasn't entirely sure what the lungs even did for the body.

"Yarrow sounds like it will suit our needs in the Redsand Canyon," Ruenna noted thoughtfully. After a pause, she explained, "The canyon is home to Mereo, a military outpost that controls passage between the eastern valley and western flatlands. The soldiers have a near-constant need for a topical antiseptic. One auxilia has infected wounds upon her face, presently." This would likely explain why Ruenna was so concerned about the length of the trip to the marshlands-- it was a long way to journey for an antiseptic that she would need to collect with regularity. The discovery of yarrow in the canyon would be a game-changer for her and for the soldiers of Mereo. 

"This way," Ruenna would direct Aquene into a passage concealed behind Arrow Falls. It would lead them through a rather drippy cave system that wound directly underneath the upper portion of Arrow Lake. It was funny to think that in all the time Ruenna had lived along Arrow Lake with Diaspora, she had never known the passage existed. When they reached the end of the wet, narrow passage, they would arrive within the Canyon.

Let's fade here and pick up where we left off with a new thread in Redsand Canyon, since they've changed territories.