Redsand Canyon trapper

@Aquene

he aches, but he is strong and well. tested by the imperator. he was eager now with a taste for soliderhood in his veins. there was a need to do more, to find the others he now would be brother in arms with.

except instead of a soldier, he comes across who he can only assume to be a plebian.

a woman.

some part of him is overwhelmed by her mere presence. stirred some sort of sensation in his bones, but he can not explain it and it only presents as an intense stare on her. he rumbled a low, deep sound of greeting to summon her attentions back to him.

Aquene had been minding her own business. She had been rushing to make sure she had all of the appropriate herbs ready for the Lady Ruenna for her tinctures to assist with conception. It was one of the grittier parts of medicine, and one she took quite seriously. She was carrying a small bundle back towards the stores when she heard a rumble, a deep sound that she did not recognize, her gaze turning to settle on the man.
 
He must be new. She had made an effort to learn all of the faces, especially those who had been there awhile… it seemed like more soldiers were flowing in by the day, and with it seemed to come more testosterone. Great. The thought crossed her mind. That was precisely what they needed. The sarcasm was amusing to her own mind.
 
She slowly set the bundle down, offering a kind smile in return. If Germanicus and Ruenna had accepted him into the ranks, then that was simply enough to appease her curiosity of his worth. “Hello.” She greeted as she made a formal introduction. “Are you a new auxiliary? My name is Aquene, I am Mereo’s healer.” If it weren’t obvious enough from the heavy scent of herbs on her pelt.

he inhaled her earthly scent, committed it to memory. along with her name that she so kindly offered. aquene.

am maxim. he offered with a deep grunt. chest puffed slightly. confident flowed within him as he examined the things she kept with her.

a healer.

i will help you carry things. it was said in a tone that implied he wouldn't let her not accept his help.

Aquene saved the name to memory. Maxim. She noted the way his chest puffed and the arrogance that she sensed around him and she felt a gnawing sense of familiarity from the action. She had been used to such bravado where she came from, but that was far from a compliment. She frowned when he stated that he would help her carry things and for a moment she considered turning him down and sending him on his way. She could handle herself and it was not far to the den… for that matter, it did not even involve exiting the safety of Mereo’s borders.
 
“Oh… thank you?” The tone came questioning at the end as her confusion over his strange behavior seeped into her spine. She reminded him much of the soldiers of home. No one else in Mereo had and she did not know how to feel knowing he resembled the Trail in this aspect… still, perhaps it was simply his way of adjusting to the times around here. “The tablinum is not far from here, just by the oasis.” She explained, not certain if he had the time to acquaint himself with the full depths of the territory. “And I am here to help. Some of the soldiers see me for soreness after spars, but any form of injury or ailment I can help with as well.” She offered in a more informative manner. “And if you cannot find me, I have an apprenticed named Malila, she currently knows the basics, and is the one most likely to know where I am in the event she can’t treat something.”

it would be hard to talk when he carried things, but he would try all the same. softly tinted russian voice deeply seeped through whatever she allowed him to carry.

what does she look like? i have not met a malila yet. he made sure to keep in mind that this was a woman who could treat the ache left with him after his acceptance with germanicus.

It was in that moment she placed the eerie familiarity from the man. His accent carrying through the small bundle of leaves that she had been carrying. Her accent had faded away with time and lack of use of her mothertongue, but she could still recognize it anywhere. She made no effort to try and speak in her mothertongue either. That was something best left buried in the past where it belonged.
 
Instead, she started to describe her apprentice. “She’s smaller than I, lanky… her fur is mostly an offwhite color with a more browned color around her muzzle and down her belly. She’s got one golden eye and one blue.” She introduced the woman’s features. “Often times I am here, and she is often running for more supplies or errands that need to be handled, but sometimes when the case calls for it our roles are reversed.” It was a good way to get her experience with patientcare too.

he wondered where this apprentice was now then. shouldn't errands involve helping her mentor move things to their proper places? ah, well. maxim was all too happy to fill in the role for the time being.

it is good for you to have apprentice. more healers always good. especially when the soldiers are plenty.

i am happy to offer guardianship if your errands ever require escaping mereo. offer for both of you, of course.

all of this mumbled around the supplies he held.

He spoke, and though mumbled through the hides she had precariously been carrying before his arrival, she still managed to understand his words. She hummed and nodded. “Aye. Mereo has not seen war yet, but with the nature of this pack, it is only time before a more serious fight calls for the paws of multiple healers.” It was part of the reason she had pushed so hard for Malila to train with her, even with Ruenna’s words that echoed in the back of her mind.
 
There would come a day with multiple priority wounds, and she wanted to be ready. She wanted to ensure the safety of everyone in Mereo. “Thank you, I appreciate the offer. I might just have to take you up on it.” She offered with a polite smile. She had asked for escorts before, particularly from Kallik when she first arrived though more of he had offered his services than she had asked, and then later with Arsenio escorting her to the farther reaches of the canyon.

They arrived at the tablinum and she hummed. "Here we are. This is the tablinum. Should you ever need healing, here is where you should come if you can. Calling for me works if you cannot move but it's easier to be closer to our stores." She explained with a motion of her head, inviting him in so she could place everything he was carrying.

they arrived sooner than he had thought they might. only because he had been enraptured by her, by their conversation.

but now his attention laid on the place around them as he settled down her materials.

of course. a soft nod of his head. olive eyes took in everything before they settled back on her.

it is lovely place, a compliment to her, veiled as one being one about the land. will you need me anymore?

A shy smile was offered because she was not sure how to take the compliment or respond. She missed the implications, thinking it was a compliment of the stores and treatment space she had opened up for herself. She was thankful he followed up with a question. The question brought a shake to her head though she found she could not resist the question any longer. “Your accent… do you speak the mothertongue?” She had to ask, though she had never met a wolf with the accent who did not speak it.
 
Perhaps if the answer was yes, she would relax a bit… then again, if the answer were yes, perhaps it would put her on edge a little more. What if he was a spy of some kind? She tried to push the thoughts aside as paranoia.

ah, he had been prepared to be shooed off but instead she asked a rather interesting question!

Эта мать? he questioned with the barest hint of a smile on his lips. these wolves here were full of surprises!

or disappointment, he supposed it would depend on how she answered.

The timbre was almost soothing… it lacked the harshness she was used to hearing from the language of a man who spoke the same tongue. Perhaps that was enough to soothe her worries and she offered a smile in return. “Да, этот язык.” She offered simply back in response. She had questions, but perhaps there was time for that later.
 
Would he be surprised? “Это язык, который я не слышал уже довольно давно.” She admitted.

he shined and shimmered in a way that was not brought on by womanly ways. this was genuine delight smeared across his features.

Это было некоторое время для меня тоже. he answered sincerely.

Никто из других не говорит на нем?

He seemed genuinely overjoyed at the fact that he had found another to speak the tongue. She would be lying if she said she felt the same way, but it was nice to be able to dust off the language with someone who wasn’t planning on murdering her.
 
The question fell and she shook her head. “Насколько мне известно, нет. Есть несколько человек, которые говорят на других языках, но никто не сказал мне, что говорит на нашем.” She offered almost apologetically. It was clear it meant more to the man than it might to her.

do we wanna wrap this up and they can have something new soon? <3

позор. he huffed, but still softly smiling for this moment anyway. По крайней мере, мы есть друг у друга. he offered with a soft puff of air.

it was nice to have somebody to stay fresh in his language with.

Sure thing! Fade here or with your next post?

She simply hummed in a non-committal fashion when he said that it was a shame. She did not mind, though in some way it was just a manner of her running from her past. She nodded, letting a soft and genuine smile fine her features. He did not seem like a bad man, and it gave her hope that perhaps she could find some positives to a language that had only caused her pain.
 
“Да.” She turned to start putting things back on the shelves before offering one last time. “Еще раз спасибо, за помощь.” She appreciated it much.