Phoenix Maplewood tongue-clicking

Esaro gave a puzzled. How can moss be different if it does the same thing? He felt that it was easier to call any kind of moss just moss.  Of course he did notice a slight difference but that never changed what moss was used for. He never thought moss could be used to soak up water. He figured that Spring was just using it to clean off the blood on his paw. Apparently eating moss wasn't a good idea.

"Spring didn't use saliva to clean my wounds though." He said wondering why she didn't use an more effective way. Of course if he had known it was actually effective he could have done that himself. "But, wouldn't we need lots of moss to give enough water? How would you get the water out of the moss?"

She elected to not try to explain why Spring hadn't licked his wounds for him, because it was none of her business. There were various possibilities. Perhaps Spring had assumed that he'd do so himself, or perhaps his wounds were of the type that would be hurt by a tongue more than the soft dabbing of moss. Alternatively, perhaps Spring simply didn't want to lick his wounds, knowing that moss would work fine. This would all have to be something for Esaro to work out on his own.

As for the moss's abilities as a sponge, Shreya replied: sometimes even a few drops of water can save a parched tongue or bring someone back to consciousness. Carrying water with moss is not ideal, but sometimes it's necessary. We have no useful alternatives. Why don't you take a bit of the moss here and see how it absorbs the water and lets it out again. It's okay, she added, theorising that Esaro would want to save the moss rather than pick it for experimentation, there's plenty.

Esaro understood more or less what moss was used for. He decided to do what she told him. He started poking at the moss in attempt to get it to stick out a little before going lightly with his teeth. He managed to pull off a small chunk and then dipped it into the stream before placing it back onto the rock it was on. It was soaked with water that's for sure but is it really enough to help someone? What if someone was far from a stream?

He looked at the moss for a little while before coming up with a better idea to transport water. He happily turned to look at Shreya and then jumped into the steam, getting himself a bit wet. "Wouldn't it be faster this way? My coat can soak up a lot more water than that moss." He said while looking at the old wolf. It was like, why use moss when using yourself was easier and more effective, or so he thought.

The elder blinked, momentarily surprised by the ashen wolf's action, but then her face broke into a smile. Given her yellowy, gapped teeth and the laziness of one side of her face, the result was rather ugly, but it was a genuine smile nonetheless. In all her eight years, she hadn't actually thought of this. Probably because she couldn't do much healing if she was wandering around water-logged and resisting the urge to shake her coat. She was a very honest wolf and would have stated this outright if she didn't think it would do more harm than good. Esaro didn't only need to be taught skill, he needed to be taught self-belief.

I'd never thought of that, she decided to go this route of honesty. You sure know how to think outside the box, eh?

He was a bit surprised to her that the old wolf never thought of using her own coat to carry water. To Esaro it felt like it was normal to do this, It was just more convenient in a way. Of course he never thought of the temporary side effect that comes from being complete wet. In any case it would be worth the sacrifice if that meant he only had to do one trip to a water source.

"Did you really never use your coat to move water around?" He asked wondering if there was a possibly that it was a bad idea. "I kinda thought it was something normal. I mean it's very easy to do." He started to doubt himself little, wasn't there a reason for it to not be a normal thing to do? If there is, what was it? He stood there in stream trying to figure out why this wasn't done before.

If it's an easy way to help others, it's a method worth trying, she said, but also evened this out with a reply to his concern. But staying damp for an extended period of time can make you very cold, even lead to pneumonia, which is why you have the instinct to shake your coat. It's also pretty awkward. Say you have a lot of water in the fur on your back, how do you get it into a patient's mouth? Moss is just a lot more convenient.

So if you do experiment with this method of bringing water to an immobile wolf so you can quench their thirst or clean their wounds, she continued, make sure it's only a short distance. Then be sure to shake your coat out thoroughly.

Esaro ended up looked down into the water. Of course it wasn't that simple, which could explain why no one really tried it, it was a silly idea. "I guess it was a silly idea." He said as he stepped out of the water. He wasn't that wet so he didn't feel the need to shake the water off. Maybe moss really was the best choice but it did feel like it would take more work to use.

He looked at Shreya and gave her a question. "What is newmona?" He asked. Before there was time to answer his stomach grumbled. It reminded of the food he brought over and now he wanted to eat it. But he decided to wait and listen before making a move to go get it.

There is no such thing as a perfect idea, she replied at once, quietly unimpressed by Esaro's desire to give up on it the moment he found a flaw. Yes there is something silly about using your fur to carry water, but it is also a clever idea. Don't be so quick to give up on it, Esaro.

With that said, she continued on to the next question, which was quite inevitable. It's an illness you're more likely to catch if you get very cold and wet, she stuck to layman's terms, but was open to requests for elaboration.

"Sorry." He said instinctively. Esaro was getting used to being wrong somewhere and has taken the habit of apologizing for it. He wasn't too sure of what to think about his idea. Was there really no perfect idea? Did everything come with a negative side? He sighed, He felt like there was nothing simple out there. No matter how much he learns there was always more to it. He didn't even know he could get sick from being wet and cold. He decided to shake off what water there was on him.

Right now he felt hungry and told himself that he might have learned enough for today. "I learned a lot, thank you for teaching me. I'm getting hungry, do you mind if I go eat the meat I brought over?"

Shreya nodded at the apology, not accepting it on her own behalf but on behalf of the kid's self-worth. It was, in a way, good that he should feel bad about putting himself down. And she did genuinely hope that he'd try out his water-carrying technique to good effect.

You're quite welcome. And yes, you've deserved a meal. I'm off for a roam, she said, nose twitching away droplets of water he'd splattered on her, Be sure to call on me if you have any further need of a mentor... and bring something to eat. She made to leave. Okay m'boy?

He nodded and happily responded "Okay!" Then proceeded to fetch the beer meat he brought over.He picked up the meal and then he gave Shreya one last little look before heading off to a place he could eat comfortably. He was happy to have learned a few new helpful things even though it was difficult to understand. He didn't feel like it would be hard to remember but he wasn't sure if he would be able to remember everything.

Even if some subjects could be a little confusing he didn't mind learning from Shreya. She seems to know a lot, maybe she could give him some answers on other plants later. But for now he needed a little break from all this learning. He should trying hunting a little in order to repay what he took. He might not be fully healed but maybe he could at least try to catch something himself.

I guess you wouldn't mind another 'lesson' in the future :P Teaching sure does take a lot of post!

I'd love another teachy thread! Pls tag me any time~

It had been a good little lesson, and she'd gotten a good little meal out of it too. So off he trotted, this curious Esaro, and Shreya went on a walk along the stream, thoughts still half on him and half on who else might be interested to share in her knowledge.