Larksong Grotto Home Sweet Home

This is especially for everyone who hasn't met Zaavier yet. However, I'm not going to tag anyone just yet, so just join on your own time if you feel like it!

Zaavier mumbled to himself as he padded through the small, dense forest of the Larksong grotto. The songbirds - one of the only animals inhabiting the place chirped, screeched, and sang in his ears. He shook his head as if he could clear the ruckus. Some days, the sounds were pleasant, but others they were just annoying. Today, they were just annoying. 

As he made his way slowly to the lake, he figured he should probably fix up a den for himself. Normally, he would make temporary camps for the night, but his lone wolf days were over. Finally, he reached the lake that made its home in the middle of the grotto. He lowered his nose to the surface of the water, jumping back in surprise when a stabbing pain pierced him. How could be be so stupid? This lake consisted mostly of snowmelt, of course it was cold. Delicately, he finished his drink, finally able to refresh his parched throat. 

Once he was satisfied, Zaavier turned around, pondering for a moment. Where should he go next? He eventually took a random direction. Hopefully he would find a place suitable enough for a den somewhere. He reached a large oak tree. It was half dead, with moss growing all along its trunk and branches. The trunk was beginning to hollow out, but the tree stubbornly clung to life. There was a gap it the base, partially hidden by roots and grass. He stuck a paw in, then his head. His shoulders fit half way before he got stuck, wedged halfway under the tree and halfway out. Damn. Sometimes, his large figure really got in the way. 

His tugged until he was able to get himself free, mumbling once again to himself before glancing back at the hole. Even if he tried to dig, making it larger, it would still be no use. With chuff of annoyance, he continued on. Maybe he'd multi-task and do some of what Reek wanted him to do - find some herbs to enhance their cache. He sighed. Something should turn up, den or herb.

Eslani was still choked by the fact that Tavi had left, and she had done so much, nearly started a fight, to get the blood goddess away from him. How terrible! Her muzzle twitched into a sneer at that, and she decided it would be best if she calmed a bit. Her long legs carried her to the nearest tree, which she pressed her forehead against. Despite her attempts, the femme fatal could not settle herself. So she began to dig. Dig, dig, dig, for minutes or hours she was not sure. Eslani dug till' her limbs grew sore and her paws grew raw. She then stepped away to look at her fine,fine work. A circular den was carved out of the ground just below a tall tree. Eslani had no knowledge of plants, so she could not identify it by its roots, but she was sure any healer could. The roots draped down like curtains in the cave, grazing the back of any wolf who entered it.
  Eslani then moved to the nearby lake, finding the scent of another. She chuffed in the direction that the smell was, but moved back to the den, as her paws stung to walk on. She panted lightly and laid down in her den, smiling and resting her head. It was not a common sight to come upon, Eslani so peaceful and content, but here she was now, and any wolf lucky enough to see her now should be very grateful indeed.

Zaavier kept on wandering after he did his best to rid his pelt of dirt left from the oak tree. He sniffed around in the undergrowth in hopes to find an herb, but none turned up so he continued on his way. Eventuall, the scent of another female made its way to his nose. It was strong, and he knew she was close by. He followed the scent a couple yards and main found her lying in a den - probably her den.

"Ah, now you've got a good looking den." He teased. He really was in no hurry to find one of his own, but her den seemed to be freshly created so why not praise her on her work? "It's quite comfortable I'm guessing?" She did look to be quite relaxed.

He kept walking though, wandering a couple feet towards a patch of grass. There, he spotted a tall plant with wide green leaves and a couple burs perched on the stems. Burdock! "There ya are!" He exclaimed, readying his paws to dig for the roots. He scraped away at the earth until the greenish browbeat lots began to show. Then, he used his teeth to break them from the plant and pull them from the ground.

Once the brute was satisfied with his pile, he turned back to the female lying in her den. He waited for her to respond to his comment as he gathered his roots together and picked them up in his mouth. He would bring them to Reek later. Hopefully he could used some to help his leg and maybe stock up on his herb stash.

Eslani snorted back playfully and turned her face to him, still laid on the ground. "Thanks, it's not mine, though, I just dug it out. I sleep outside, I just like to get out of the sun sometimes. But yes, comfortable if you're into dens, eheh.  " She watched as he continued on, and she scented Reek on him. "A good thing I can smell you, wolf...what is your name, anyway? I am Eslani Perilous Aponi; a warrior and huntress of this pack." She flashed a tiny grin as he pounced upon a plant. "Healer, are you? You can store those here if need be, I don't mind. I've never had a mind for plants, but battle strategy." She smiled and let her head back down to the side. "From where do you come, newbie?" She gave a swish of her tail whisking away a cloud of dust.
The only reason Lani had not risen to her feet and challenged the stranger was because of his scent, but he should be more careful in the future. She would let it slide without warning this time, though, as it was a nice day. She stretched out her long legs, curvy body flexing and muscles rippling as she released the tension from her back and shoulders. With a large yawn, she threw her silky head back to him, while the plumes on her cheeks whisked softly.

Zaavier rolled his eyes at her sassy tone. "The name's Zaavier Armanda, but call me Zaavier." He pitched back at her with an equally sassy expression. He was not intimidated by her. Plus, he wasn't doing anything to challenge her, so there was no reason to get hasty - at least in his opinion. 

"Not excactly a healer," Zaavier explained. "More like a healer in training. I'm gathering these herbs for Reek." He added as if to prove he wasn't that useless. "Also, I can fight fairly well." He did have some of his own battle techniques that especially came in handy a couple years ago with that bear... No! He's not going to think about that anymore! 

He quickly changed the subject, hoping to keep his anger and grief from welling up too far. He did a better job at masking his emotions than the first time when he was on the stroll with Reek. They were hardly noticeable at all as he began speaking again. "I might as well take you up on that offer, thanks." He said as she offered up her den to him. "I come from a place a long ways away from here." He said, deadpan. He wasn't in the mood for more of this.

Eslani was surprised, as the male seemed to be defensive. She had not meant to be snarky, but it happened once in a while. "Eheh, I wasn't trying to be a dick, my apologies. I respect healers, they're very...exciting," she snagged a look at him and winked. He seemed quite stoic, much like her, so she stepped aside respectfully and let him store the herbs away. "Megh, I'm not one so keen on bonding either, but you could blink an eye.(Just FYI, Eslani is a bit like Sans from undertale, but aggressive, XP)" She shrugged and closed her eyes, giving a teensy flick of her tail. She had attempted friendliness, and he had left her in the dust. So she was the poker-faced beauty once again and simply yawned.

Zaavier chuckled. "Don't worry, you weren't being a dick." He replied. He squeezed himself into the den beside her. Setting the herbs down at the very back. Her strong scent made him freeze., and a rush a hormones flooded through him. Nope! He told himself, backing back out with a neutral expression. 

Zaavier chuckled once again at her comment as he sat down a couple feet away. He turned to lap at a patch of dirt on his shoulder. It itched. "Where do you come from?" He questioned in a thoughtful tone. Did everyone in this pack have a troubled past? If so, he definitely picked a good pack. He smirked at the thought, turning his attention back to her.

Eslani snickered. "Well, I come from a completely normal pack if you ignore the murderous mother, fallen-from-the-stars sister that I have never met, oh yeah, and the fact that my pack turned on me--despite the fact that I was their beta--on the words of a scumbag who murdered her mate.Yep. My life story." She shook her head with a tiny smile. Eventually, though, she took notice that he had been infatuated by her scent and masked a grin. He seemed smart and useful, so she wouldn't be against trying to get to know him better. It would be good to have another companion around. She stretched her legs, curling her toes, and sniffed the herbs. "The only plant I can identify is...Yew."

Zaavier listened to the girl's story, clearly seeing she was angry with her past - just as he was with his. "I see. I come from a similar background - minus the murderous mother and fallen-from-the-stars sister." He commented. Ears twitched as a fly buzzed around him and he snapped at it with annoyance, successfully driving it away - or eating it - he couldn't tell. 

When the she-wolf mentioned that the only herb she knew of was Yew, he laughed. He only knew about two or three when he first started teaching himself about herbs. "Yeah, I understand. They're hard to memorize, and even though I've been teaching myself for about a year now, I can still only identify about thirty." He sighed in frustration. The lanky brute knew many of the herbs by name, but like he said, could only identify thirty from the smell or looks. And, he was yet to refresh his memory on many of their uses. Even though this posed a problem, Zaavier pushed on, continuing to drill the information into his brain. He wasn't one to give up.

Eslani had quickly taken a liking to this male, and was thinking deeply...friend? No friend? "From what I have heard, my angelic half-sibling apparently has expertise in healing, but maybe we could learn...together?" She asked him, casting back a chill look and giving a yawn, as she herself was too embarrassed to admit that she wanted to hang out with somebody. Eslani had never been keen on making friends, but he resembled her in ways that she could respect. Wry at times, yet humorous and charming, plus smart. More than anything, Eslani wanted somebody who had the same level intelligence as she. Lani could hold her own in battles, so she wanted somebody who could converse properly. Eslani turned her neck, her gorgeous amber eyes questioning him.

Oh, Eslani...

Tee hee

Zaavier slowly raised an eyebrow, his face showing no expression what-so-ever. She didn't strike him as that kind of wolf, but you never know, maybe he was wrong. "Uh.. Sure?" He said, deadpan. He wasnt completely against the idea himself, he has just never done this before. "I mean, I'm primarily teaching myself, but I guess I could teach you too." Zaavier shrugged to himself. How hard could it be? He usually picked things up pretty quicky, and she looked as if she did too. Plus, it would be fun being a mentor a sorts.. he could get valuable teaching expirience. Aww shit. Now I'm starting to sound like Laika.. He thought to himself with a small smile.