Wild Berry Meadow One for the Money

He moved as thought he had a destination. Always precise in step with his head lowered, his muscles turning with raw power, and his tail maneuvering as thought it were directing him. There, truthfully, was not purpose to this particular adventure. He just knew that he needed to know the lands a bit better than he presently did. If this was going to be a home then he needed to make sure he could map it out in his head to get where he could someday be needed. 

 There was a task then, afterall; wasn't there? His pace eventually began to slow to a crawl as he realized the terrain had changed exceptionally. There were fruits and unknown flora decorating the land. Collision found himself quite curious to be honest. He had always been a meat kind of guy. There was little interest in anything else for consumption. It had done him well thus far. He knew there were those of his kind that ate berries. Which there were plenty of and variety of around him. Maybe he would pick one and try it? He shrugged his shoulders and picked his specimen. A tiny thing--but one couldn't hurt right? 

 A new thought occured to him. Weren't some of these things poisonous. Ah, but didn't healers also use these to remedy certain ailments and wounds? It was decided. He would consume a single berry. One couldn't do so much damage; could it? Perhaps he would inspect it first...and so he did. He began nosing through the berries in the particular bush he had chosen to see if anything smelled particularly off. It was beginning to look as though he were in the clear.

“Do you wish to die?” Her rather blunt call revealed her presence only a few feet away. 

Scylla had not intended to sneak up upon the other, but she had a penchant for lurking and observation was a hobby. To see a wolf with their head in a bush of berries that she identified to be of the poisonous variety had piqued her interest, and she had waited a few moments to simply assess whether or not she was going to speak up. When it looked like he was going to digest one, she weighed the scales. On one hand, it was a rare opportunity to witness up-close what a poisonous reaction would entail but on the other… she was not her father. Had Maegi not once told her that the infliction of pain upon the innocent was deplorable?

Perhaps she would give light to the side of her which understood basic morals and see how it went. 

The yearling slithered closer, wide yet almost blank eyes staring with intent. “If so, you are going to need to eat more than just one.” 

Well. This was particularly embarassing. As he had selected his choice in edibles his ears would ring with the impressing question issues by a woman. Ears rocked back against his head and he moved to face her. It was a fairly immediate reaction and Collision took up the look of a child feigning innocence. It was rare for him to be in audience with another. It was even more rare for him to feel shame. He would have thanked her for not watching his slow demise had the thought occurred to him. 

 "No," His answer seemed almost non chalant. As though he were answering a much lighter question. There was an onset gravity for him as he tried to press the furthering of embarassment away from him, "Thank you for the information. That wasn't my intention," Damned things. This was why he was designed to eat meat and nothing less. You could always tell when that was going to put your ass six feet under. "Perhaps a thank you is in order," Ah, there it was. A final admittance of his very-close-to-a-mistake. Deduction brought him to consider she was probably a healer if she was able to identify something as odd as the use of a berry. Or was she too dark hearted to be a healer? In the case; why would she have saved him? "How do you know this?"

it wasn't lost to scylla that she had perhaps saved his life, causing a slight (proud) smirk to grace her lips as he spoke words of gratitude towards her. the question he had not asked was something she could not give an answer to, even if the query had tummbled from his mouth.

it was not exactly melonii fashion to do what she did. perhaps that was why she did it.

the dark-haired girl flicked her tail almost cockily as he spoke next, ”i'm an educated woman.” a half-lie. she had garnered her fair share of knowledge on herbs and toxins under the guidance of her more twisted relatives in the aftermath of fleeing from the quakes. but neither had she been in their company long enough to complete a full education. there was still much she did not know. pacing towards the bush, she inspected them before returning her gaze to the stranger. ”phoradendron leucarpum,” the common name for it escapes her memory.

”likely would have caused you to dispell all the contents of your stomach before convulsing into death. quite the show, hm?” her cold, yet amused eyes did not waver from his.

There was something quite off about the girl. Perhaps it wasn't anything of serious note, but there was a certain aloofness about her. Jaded? Perhaps. He retired the thought. Her life was not his to inquire of. She revealed that she had been well educated, and though her scent did not perpetuate the thought she hailed from a pack--it were entirely possible. Or at least previously true. 

 "I'm sure you have someone to thank for that," His voice still a classic baritone delivered words that could be derived, easily, as offensive. He didn't mean it. But maybe he did? To be educated one must learn from another. But to be innately intelligent--ah, that was the best gift. 

 Before she started spouting off black magic Collision had intended on trying to hold a conversation. That wasn't something he understood. Had he just been hexed? That was likely and not totally unexpected. "well, that's great," He chimed in as enthusiastically as were possible for him. He hadn't done very well. And to be clear he chimed her words up to a language he didn't understand, but didn't claim to be further curious about either. 

 "That's the last thing I would prefer to incur upon myself," Properly spoken as though he had recalled his social graces. This was where he would become most stuck on the icy glare. Was she alright? He didn't look away either. There was a budding curiosity within him, "I'd rather not anyone have to face such a poorly concoted death. By fruit; fails to really illicit sympathy. To be frank I decided to try one thinking they were edible fruits. I'll stick to what I know now."

the stranger was right in stating that she had someone to thank for what she knew -- but speaking on that subject was a can of worms she refused to willingly open. such knowledge had come at a price; a debt left unfulfilled.

on another note, scylla could not help but to agree. oh, indeed. to die in such a way is not exactly the honourable warrior's death many would prefer. the girl does not voice that she would have felt little genuine remorse in watching him succumb to the natural toxin, for in doing so, he would have aided to the very education he spoke of. nevertheless, death was not something she took lightly. he had been undeserving.

yet that was the thing that had left her captivated with the particular field of study. a plant was a plant to the untrained eye; the veil of visual appeal masked the vice beneath. she did not blame him.it is almost a trick, isn’t it -- they look quite innocent. one would never suspect their true nature to be so lethal. the girl's naturally vacant stare did not falter, unknowingly studying the other. eventually she shakes it, nodding away as she moved her optics. "yes... stick to what you know. it is safest.

She either had her own conflict with what he had said or chose to see that there was no ill intent behind it. Regardless, he would be pleased in the fact there was little explanation for him to give. He was equally challenged with explaining his actions. There was right and there was wrong and that seemed to be all the sense he needed to have about much of anything. 

 He reflected over her next word. No, it wouldn't be an honourable way to die. In fact he began to think it quite dismissable. How would he react if one he cared for were announced dead at the taste of a berry? Unfortunate. Ultimately he didn't know that he could feel anything for such an immediate dismissal. But, he didn't have anyone to feel such a way for. To be honest, there were none to feel dismay at his untimely demise either. It would have been chalked up to the circle of life, "You saved me," a verbal admittance of what she had done. Perhaps she could feel good about herself. 

 "I would have thought the dangerous ones would have some tell," Though, rarely did the truly dark ever tell. It was in the nature of the truest evil to appear without any malignant intentions. To exacerbate their will without coming across as evil. The sociopaths. Those were the true delinquents, "You could share some of your knowledge," He spoke almost matter of factly, "Show me what is okay to have. What is not..." His eyes bore into hers with potency, unrelented vigor. It would be a silent challenge of her character--his life now converged into her hands. Would he meet an untimely demise or learn something new?

as his eyes bore into hers, scylla recognized a challenge rested in between the words the other spoke; an undercover investigation into her character.

perhaps the metaphoric choice of words and general talk of death had caused alarm to the other, she considers wordlessly to herself. but the girl was of nothing sociopathic -- not in truth. any mannerisms she gave off that indicated she was, was simply learnt behaviour; unknowingly immitating the ideals and ways of those who raised her. 

on the matter of her saving him -- it was taught to the girl that sometimes others perished for causes that exceeced their worth as an individual. something honourable and not to be treated with remorse. if indulged, it was a line of thinking that might have left the man to eat the poisonous berries without contrition. and she would have...

but in observing Collision about to take the lethal bite, she found there to be nothing honourable about it. arguing that perhaps he deserved it produced no conclusion other than the one that said he was guilty of being nothing but hungry and stupid.

it is as if the sentiment is confirmed as the girl squints at the lack of logic behind the idea of his question. why risk your life eating something you are unfamiliar with for no apparent reason? she retorts with a roll of her head; a sour stare developing in her eyes as if to ask 'did you not hear what i said before?' perhaps they could have left the matter of eating berries at stick to what you know...

...but it seemed this carnivore was extremely set on eating fruit no matter what she said.

however if you find you can't help yourself, the girl draws out for her own entertainment. in general anything with spurs, spikes or thorns, white yellow or green. do not stick in your mouth.

Collision would watch her, observe her, and wait. A call to question of her character had been made, and while it wasn't exactly made a secret she didn't bother to comment direction on it. Instead she asked him another question. One that Collision actually had a decent answer to and so it rolled from his mouth with ease, "I'm not very fast. I'm built strong. If it comes down to having to catch prey that's faster than me or having a dietary supplement to back me up--I suppose the choice is obvious," 

 Berries and flora were used to treat ailments and at the end of the day they provided things that the body could use to function. It did not necessarily mean he was going to seek them out, but some sustenance was better than none? It wasn't something he had really needed to think about prior, however, now he was surviving on his own. There was no one around him that could make life easier, unless he happened upon the occasional person with less 

 She gave him a tidbit of information that he would remember to file away for later. It was important that he note that if he had a change of directive. There was another budding question on his mind though and he rolled his legs backwards and fell into a seated position. She didn't seem to be a threat. Perhaps a bit conniving if it were to actually matter, but there was nothing she could gain from a vagabond like himself that had nothing to offer. He was meaningless in this place for now. 

 Still, more than just the apparent need to know how to feed himself in curious-to-their-species ways he needed information about this place. Did she even know anything? She was not riddled with scents like a pack wolf would have been, but alas, he supposed she could've made her rounds, "What do you know about this place?" Any spark of information could be utilized. He supposed he was coming off as abruptly curious.