Hideaway Strath and you will never unbecome it.

hoping for @Maiken but i can open this thread up if you're busy, danni! :D

when he returned from his trip out into the world, it was with two bulbs of garlic. also a particular pep in his step. exhilarated with what he had brought back. as the night gave way into the first light of day, he slipped deeper into the strath.

he knew who he wished to share this new wealth of knowledge with immediately. along with perhaps seeing if she cared for a bulb of the garlic.

he wondered if it would grow, if planted as is!

I will always make time <3

Maiken traveled along the pack lands. Thoughts on far reaching things. She wanted to finish her trades. Though truth be told some of them, she couldn't do until it was a time for a new season upon them. When babies were born and mothers needed the help of a midwife. She briefly wondered if she could ask to travel, if Fury would even allow her leave.

Though also heavy on her brow and tongue was the promise given to Arashi, whom she had no doubt would train her as a warrior, because that was what they needed. Though she knew to do so and she had offered it in good faith, and she would stay on her word. The promise felt heavy.

A brown figure caught her eye and she moved towards it. Anticipating already whom she might meet. The pungent scent of garlic met her next and she tilted her head and moved forward.

A smile on her maw.

she was easy to find and he felt grateful for that.

although he quickly forgot himself as he tried to speak —

ah funh 'ers— his voice muffled around the bulbs before he glanced away. embarrassed, too excited to be proper! quickly he set the garlic bulbs down between them.

i-i found herbs. he clarified with an awkward clearing of his throat. i found a woman who knew plenty and she-she-she —! he was immediately overwhelmed, but his body language and voice conveyed it was all good things.

Maiken eyed him with gentle amusement lacing her downy features. She held up a paw, and slowly coaxed it downward. Telling him without words to take a breath and try again. She knew how excited one could get and as far as she was concerned should get about herbs.

She sniffed at the bulbs on the ground. Garlic. That is a very good find. Foul smelling stuff to most, but right useful. It can kill and cure, though more kill than cure. You can use it to induce diarhea and vomit.

She touched it with gentle paws, And still in bulb form. We can plant that.

She lifted brown eyes to his face. What did this herbalist tell you of?

he sucked in a sharp breath of air, near frenzied by it all now that he had somebody to process it with.

it can thin blood, he told her softly. as if he was sharing some grand secret. the look upon his face was clear as day. that he had not gone in search of healing.

there was this grass, with nettles. good and bad — the bad is burning. there was also yarrow, bear berries— he paused as he offered her a look.

did she understand any of what he said?

Lol so as Tala pointed out and i briefly forgot i was writing a canine. I changed my other post lmao.

Maiken listened to him and the more he spoke, the more she realized. It was not healing he had gone in search of. All the things he was voicing. They were poisonous. yarrow and Garlic both could cause diarhea and vomiting.

She tilted her head. Do you mean Bear Grass? I do not know of Bear berries? Perhaps it is another name.

She licked along the seam of her muzzle unsure what to say. She had opened this door for him. Had told him it was possible to harm as easy as it was to heal, almost more so.

Did you find any tulips they are also poisonous.

they were berries on a little bush. i guess they attract bears, so i didn't bring any to plant. or so that was what he had been told.

and then she asked of tulips and he shook his head softly. uncertain when such a thing would even grow. where it may even grow in a place like this.

no. the place was a floodland. he informed her with a sheepish smile.

Maiken listened and nodded her head. There are many poisonous and dangerous things in wetlands and marshes. I must take you to the one nearby. You will find many of what you want.

Maiken smiled and nudged him. You have found many things. Your knowledge grows. Tulips grow in fields. They are a flower. Beautiful and deadly.

She seemed to like those kinds of plants. The ones that were full of beauty, but could kill you instantly.

What was her name? I would like to meet her?

he felt seen.

in an entirely knew way. he did not feel small and looked down upon with the knowledge he held now. although he very much was still a meek boy. something about all of this instilled a very tiny sense of confidence.

only to have something uglier coil around it when maiken wished to meet her.

magda.

he worried what she might think, if he brought another along. especially somebody who had not been part of their agreement. there was also no guarantee she would answer next time he called!

so selfishly, he wished to keep the outside woman his own for a while.

i don't know if i'll see her again. he admitted again with some hushed voice. it wasn't a lie, and that made it all the easier to say.

she seemed like a wild woman, knowing all of this and traveling through the muck. it was...odd. but his voice conveyed his joy for it all.

Maiken was unsure what to think of this new boy and for a moment, she was felt a brief flare of panic. Had she made monster from a meek mouse. Surely not. What was the harm in knowing herbs and toxins. She herself did not worry that he would utilize them on her or any others. She and Arlette were too well versed in such things, that he would not be able too.

Maiken dipped her head. AH I see. I have met a few like that through my life. Perhaps someday when I am old and bent. I'll be such a wolf as a swamp witch myself.

Her culture spoke of such women in hushed voices, with fear and awe and an ugly thing too. They were too strange. Too different and like all culture's they feared what they did not understand. Maiken knew this to be true. It was one of the reasons. She bore the scars from teeth and claws, her father did not understand her and thus he had made his fear known with physical marks.

Muck hides many things. It is one of those, you must look deeper than the surface.

he was pleased when no more questions about magda came his way.

why not be one now? he asked, genuinely curious. if there was a swamp closer to the strath, why not fulfill such a thing? she seemed as if she truly wanted it.

although he supposed living nearby would not be the same as living with the saints.

Maiken laughed. Trying to take my position as healer and spot in the hierarchy so quickly? She teased him gently, kindly.

She smiled at him, and spoke softly. Because i am comfortable in my position as Medic and I promised Warchief Fury my loyalty. I do not make such promises lightly. And she gives me freedom to learn and roam and hone my craft, whilst taking care of me.

ANd she was content in her place, happy to have a home to call her own. Whilst still being able to learn and share.

he felt suddenly embarrassed, realizing how it indeed may have sounded. carefully his head hung and he adverted his gaze for a moment.

i didn't mean it like that. he assured her softly. but i figured...you said there is a swamp close. i bet if you traveled there and met others, they might...think you a swamp witch too.

his shoulders shrugged.

i'm not saying leave-leave. i just meant...

he sighed, feeling like he had accidentally dug himself a hole.

Maiken moved boldly forward and nosed his chin. She didn't care how he would take it. What she needed to say, must be heard.


Veran. Her voice heavily accented, but soft and kind. She smiled at him, the warmth laying across her eyes.

I was merely teasing you. I know you would not do such a thing. At least not in ways of backwards dealings.

She settled to her haunches. Perhaps someday you will surpass me simply because your knowledge is growing in leaps and bounds.

A gentle loll of her tongue. I assure you it has crossed my mind of the witchy variety. But i am not ready yet.

she was kind. this was not a new realization but it dawned on him heavily now, as she touched him and spoke to him. it soothed something in him, but all he could feel in the wake of it was shame.

i'll support you when you are, he admitted, still soft and meek. he had quickly latched onto her. grown attached to her and her knowledge.

just like he had magda.

tentatively, he reached out for her a moment longer.

She chuckled at his offer of support. Thank you. I appreciate that.

She knew that he was a good egg, mostly. There was a growth he needed to attain in order to fully realize his full potential and unlike the confidence she was certain lay under the surface.

She allowed him to touch her. She was not one for much physical affection, but as a wolf she was also a social creature and sometimes. It was what you needed. She closed her eyes softly.

just as quickly as he had reached out for her, he shrunk back into himself. minding her space and his own.

one's for you. he mumbled carefully as he rolled a garlic bulb towards her. i want to try growing mine. please do whatever you like with yours.

a tentative wiggle of his tail and feeling like he had kept her too long already.

Ash Paw watched as he retreated further into himself. What horrors had he seen to kill such a young wolfs confidence. Even she who had seen terrible things far more than seh should have. Had a healthy dose of confidence, but she had also had her mother's love. Though scarce and sparing, it had been enough.

She lifted the garlic carefully into her mouth. The bitter taste causing her to wrinkle her nose. I pwan to pwant mein too. Her accent thicker with her tongue tucked against the garlic bulb.

She lay it down one moment. Come i'll show you the garden beneath the ground. SHe weaved her tail as she picked it up again and motioned him towards the one cavern.

fading! if u want a gardening thread, lmk <3

he nodded eagerly, prepared to follow her towards the garden she already had.

it was not his own but he could still learn there. work there. they had to each help one another in these endeavors.