Porcupine Ridge If it's any consolation, I've taken your advice

@Heloise

With the sun's arrival, Liri rose and nudged the titan to whisper words of departure knowing he would worry unneedlessly should he awaken to find her gone. 

They'd begun to settle into the Vale - albeit slowly. Liri could not raise her eyes to the bowl of blue above her head without being reminded of forests she had once claimed. It seemed her companions were as haunted, Siqsa by the Plateau they had called home and Sorin by a place Liri had never known. Dens were dug, stones laid into the shape of caches and cairns, borders marked but the place had yet to feel like home. 

Siqsa's injuries called for concern; which explained why she need make such an early foraging excursion. As spring flushed gently over the Wilds so came with it the beginning of the earth's great renewal. A few brave shoots dared spring up, pale green and newly born, and the earliest bloomers spread their petals to the sun. The healer had swept as far north as Porcupine Ridge in search of the familiar orange flowers but could find no trace of the marigold plant she searched for. 

By midmorning, the aspiring tracker had reached the summit of the Ridge - despite the limited mobility of three legs. She paused here, settling on her pale haunches as a cool breeze stirred the treetops. Her mocha gaze was drawn south, to the Vale sprawling pleasantly below - thoughts of the future buzzing energetically about her mind. 

as a being of slight thickness in coat, she welcomed the colder climates. mountains were always chilled in some way. the air did not circulate properly and therefore it did not grow as warm as flatter landscapes. though it was spring, the winter had yet to completely let go of the area. this is where she tread now. among the ridge. among the cooling weather. the sun would rise and lighten the area, perhaps even bringing some warmth. the ivory woman would walk quietly. some would have a tune, a small whistle but she did not believe in alerting everyone around her to her presence.

the Teekons were still foreign to her. having met only a handful of individuals thus far, she was playing cautiously. some of the beings she had come across had tales of violence and blood. as a lone being, Heloise was more at risk than community wolves. forgive her for being safe. climbing the ridge, she would catch sight of another ahead of her. this one a being of white with a thin strip of ebony along their spine. the scent was female, though others accosted their coat. Heloise had yet to notice the limitation the other woman had, approaching from the back. it was only by a few feet away she spotted the lack of a fourth limb. no matter. it did not really concern her.

she admired strength; if this individual had made it up the ridge with three legs, well... "greetings" the ivory woman would speak now, pale gaze fixed on the stranger.

Pale auds tipped back before sound reached them, for the healer sensed someone at her back before she heard them. Perhaps it was a habit learned after the trials faced amongst Teekon's worst residents or maybe the fae was simply sensitive to the proximity of others. Whatever the case, her head followed suit - turning so that her dark optics could drink in the sight of a similar looking femme. 

She was a northern creature much like Liri, though not quite as scarred and slender where the healer was stocky. Her eyes too were different - a pale color like moonlight on ice. 

"Hail, " the former leader chuffed softly as she turned to fully face the pallid woman, words slightly effected by her accent. 

She could smell no pack or even a travelling comrade of sorts upon the girl and a twinge of concern echoed in her hollow chest. The Wilds could be a dangerous place. 

"Are you new to these lands?" The northron asked softly, the open, kindly expression on her face displaying that she harbored no malevolent intentions towards the stranger. 

Heloise had a sense for reading others before they even spoke. though obliviously hardened by life, this other woman bore her no ill will. her eyes were creased with kindness and she did not develop a threatening posture. she felt her skull dip to wordlessly greet the other. perhaps the scent of the outside was still upon her coat, for the other would ask after her status in Teekon. "I am, yes" for there was no use lying about such an obvious thing.

still, she stood where she was and made no approach. her own body language was non-threatening. calm even. "are you a native here, perchance?" though 'native' was just as good as former foreigner settled into these lands. she had no way of knowing who was who and did not make many assumptions. or at least she attempted to not. sometimes they were made. sometimes it was beyond her knowledge. Heloise attempted to give everyone the benefit of the doubt until they so cruelly assaulted or harmed others.

Liri nodded slightly, pressing no further on the issue. Who was she to gauge the capability of the girl before her? 

"Something like that, " Liri answered, a wry grin dimpling against her cheeks slightly as she thought of her on and off again residence within the Wilds in the previous years. 

"Have you happened to see any orange flowers nearby, marigold in particular?" The fae asked, uncertain if it would be rude to change topic so suddenly but her curiosity winning out. 

"They're a bit frilly with long stems and clusters of leaves that grow near the base of the plants. I've been searching for some for a friend of mine," she explained with a tilt of her freckled crown. 

Heloise would remain neutral in expression as the other gave a grin. she did not press for answers, leaving well enough alone. it was up to the woman to give more information and she was not the type to fruitlessly assault another with queries just to satisfy her curiosity. it was enough for her to have met a 'native'. it meant not all she had met were foreigners. there was some semblance of settlements. families. enough to make her intimidated by such prospects.

topics would change eventually. she was not bothered by such a thing. "marigold" her tone was curt, though not dismissive. she knew of it. useful for bites. pale gaze would leave the other's face as she glanced back down the way she had come. the flower had medicinal use and she recalled seeing it down the trail. "is your friend injured?" Heloise's skull whipped back to the woman, though unreadable concern would be present. "I saw it bloom further down there." she would gift the other being.

The woman was reserved, stoic to the point of being expressionless, but seemed benevolent enough. Liri followed the woman's gesture, planning to search the referenced area and gathering some of the buds before returning to the Vale. 

"I thank you, " she answered with a grateful bow of her peppered skull. "He is, we were hungry enough to attempt bringing down an elk some days past though our group appears to be recovering." Liri saw no harm in revealing this - the stranger did not appear to be a troublesome sort, nor had she quite given up how small their band of nomads was. 

"It is customary where I'm from to return a kindness in full. If there is any information about Teekon that I could impart on you, you need only ask, " the former leader dipped her head slightly, as if waiting to see if Heloise had any questions. 

as far as she was concerned, the marigold was an obvious sight. it would have taken the other a small fraction to search down the trail and she felt no pride in giving the location. Heloise assumed the other's group was quite small if they attempted to bring down an elk and someone was injured by it. larger groups bore less harm. though it could be that the friend was merely reckless or unlucky. "I need nothing" the ivory woman replied at last.

she really did not. it was unspoken that she was gladdened to have aided in some way. "though permit me to assist you in gathering" practice was required. skills needed to be honed. if she was to survive until the point she was desperate enough to join a community... her tasks needed that experience. the other woman was an obvious dabbler in herbalism. though how much, Heloise did not know. very few would turn to the marigold plant to treat things. it was not known aside from being a pretty flower.

Perhaps she was sometimes a bit daft to the ways of others, but the hidden subtle side of her understood that in some way to show the woman about healing would be the best way to repay her. She nodded silently, shooting the other a small but friendly smile before turning and gesturing for the pale femme to follow. 

"I'm Liri Blackfoot, by the way, " the fae murmured by way of introduction as they padded along the path in companionable silence - suddenly realizing they had never quite gotten around to exchanging names. 

Once at the base of Porcupine Ridge, Liri set off in the direction that Heloise had indicated from the peak. Once close, she inquired to the exact location in low tones - expecting another precise, but detached answer. 

At the sight of the vibrant flora, Liri's gaze flickered to the side for she assumed the astute she-wolf had also noticed it. The healer paused as she reached the plant, expecting Heloise to follow, and extended her pale neck to gently snip at the verdant stems with her canines. 

She placed three of the blooming marigolds to her left, to take back to the Vale, before resting on her haunches and turning to her pale counterpart. 

"I'm certain you know that marigold is used to keep wounds from festering, given that you asked if my companion is injured, " Liri started matter-of-factly, having made this assumption earlier. She paused for a moment, allowing the pale sprite to refute it given that Liri was wrong. 

"It has similar properties to the cherville or burdock roots - or even horsetail. But it is particularly helpful for clearing up flesh wounds and sores much like the mallow plant, " the sylph continued after a beat, feeling the familiar joy that came with practicing her chosen craft. 

"Do you know anything about the preparation of herbs, about how to store and maintain them?" She asked after a moment, gaze lifting to Heloise's curiously. 

Liri. a name to a face at last. "Heloise cel Mare" the ivory being would add her own introduction, falling in step with the other. she said little else, enjoying the comfortable silence between the two, and simply followed after. upon reaching the flora, her eyes were trained on the way Liri snipped the foliage clean and precise. after that was done, she would recline and turn back to her. perhaps she should ask if she could gather more, carry it for the other at least. though she felt impolite doing so. this was, after all, none of her business. she did not want to impose.

though if the opportunity arose, she would indeed ask. "depending on the plant, dry them?" Heloise would respond, though she lacked the information of where to store them. her tone suggested she did not really know, only what she heard in passing. but she was more than willing to learn. her own hind would recline upon the cool earth. "though I do not know where to properly place them" she would also say to suggest keeping the herbs on ice if handy. freezing foliage preserved the natural oils. though winter was never a year-round subject.  it would be hard to find ice in the middle of the warm months.

The name was unlike any she had heard before, but then Liri had been raised in the close-knit community of the north where names were of similar origin. Since leaving, she'd known only the wolves of Teekon - who were from anywhere and everywhere, if not born here. She nodded, for it was not so unusual to come across a stranger with an exotic name, wondering silently to herself where the ice nymph hailed from. 

It did not occur to her to ask if the woman might want to cut some flowers nor did she consider that Heloise might want to simply hold the bundle. The healer did not think of herself as restraining the other woman - she was free to clip her own buds or examine Liri's chosen blooms, the fae would not have stopped her. 

"Yes, most herbs require drying to maintain their abilities, " she agreed with a slight nod, "though some are better used fresh."

"This flower in particular will be shredded very finely, chewed to a pulp and applied to my friend's injuries. Then, I'll pretty him up with some cobweb bandages, " the Blackfoot continued, explaining how to use the medicine, with a small grin at the thought of the prickly dragon wrapped in spider webs. 

"It's best to store them somewhere dark where they won't get wet after drying. Caves or dens work though some prefer to store their medicines in caches, whether dug in the ground or an arrangement of stones, " the northron answered, nodding along slightly before pausing to see if Heloise had any more queries. 

she would soak in the information as best she could. it was decent enough to know such things, but she would enjoy applying her skills in practice when possible. healing was a useful art to have, and very sought after in real life. she would provide to be more valuable to others. not that she really cared what they thought of her, though. valuable in the sense her words would be taken and her advice given freely. Heloise would nod to Liri's words, seeing this woman as wise for her age. she must have honed her craft through practice.

"I see" she replied to the tip about storing them in a dry place. she had no land to store things in, no constant state she could collect and receive. as a wanderer without purpose, Heloise would have to carry such items by herself. a trying task. Liri explained herself well enough so she did not have many questions to gift her. her ally was injured and she did not want to keep the woman from assisting them. the most she could hope to do was ask to join her. albeit briefly. her jaw dipped down to the marigold. 

the information had been a blessing and she would use such a thing in her travels. the only way to repay Liri was to offer help further. "would you like me to carry that back to your comrades for you?" Heloise was in no way saying that merely because the woman had three limbs that she was useless. she genuinely wished to assist.

The white lady before her soon ran out of inquiries and Liri offered only a tiny nod in response, gaze drifting to the flowers even as her thoughts turned to Siqsa. 

The fae glanced up, dark eyes surprised, and her lips parted to insist politely that the light bundle would not be too much burden for the healer to bear. Yet, the words halted on her tongue as Liri assessed the vaguely hopeful undertone and tactfully came to the conclusion that Heloise seemed eager to offer her assistance. To show the young woman the ways of healing was surely adequate repayment for her help in locating the flowers; besides, she didn't seem dangerous and would be outnumbered on the off chance that she turned out to be. 

"Alright, " she agreed softly, nudging the marigolds to Heloise with her speckled muzzle, "thank you for your help."

"We're a ways to the south, " Liri murmured, gesturing in the direction with her crown as if to ask the girl to follow once more. 

I was gonna go ahead and make a thread for the four of them if you'd like to wrap up with your next post?

ooc; thread end! 1/5 botany, learning of marigold

she did not have much in this life, the life of Teekon. her goals were hidden, sparse outwardly, though she did not mean Liri or her comrades any harm. she merely wished to help the injured beast out of her group. it would provide invaluable experience. Heloise did not have a plan, content to allow it to go free as she went along with life. whether she remained with the group or parted ways... that remained to be seen. the other woman was amicable enough. she had no doubt the rest of the group would be too.

plucking the marigold from the ground, she was careful not to damage the stock with her teeth. a gentle grip was given and she'd nod to Liri, following after the woman. Heloise did not do this out of disrespect for the woman's disability. she hadn't helped because she thought Liri couldn't handle it. it was not sympathy or compassion for the three limbs. that would be highly disrespectful; the other had gotten along just fine without the ivory woman so far.

south... her skull craned to it as the two women made off.