Dragoncrest Cliffs Bloodsport

Truthfully, they weren’t very interested in healing. But Masquerade could not deny that it fell under their purview more than anyone else’s, as the resident caregiver. There was no one in the pack who could teach them, so that left them with two options. Trying to teach themself seemed like a patently bad idea, so they would need to seek counsel from an expert outside the rise.

Recalling their alliance with the pack on the other side of The Tangle, Masque decided to try inquiring there. Before they ever came close to the borders, they felt very discombobulated and out of place. They were neither an ambassador nor a medic, yet here they were to barter for knowledge.

Staying much further outside the borders than was probably necessary, Masque sent up a brief howl requesting the ears of any resident medics. Afterward, they dropped their head and licked their chops. Feeling cagey, they began to pace.

grabby hands

A call, just beyond the border. Maleah was not yet the one who should be guarding — if ever at all — but still, curiosity seems to overtake the newly-appointed seawolf.
On shadow-weaver legs, she flits well into the forested tangle. A newcomer waits, cloaked in pale silvers and adorning a russet mask. The stranger smells of cedarwood and of foreigners, and is definitely no one she's ever seen before.
Her eyebrows crease, a wary expression worn as she decides to keep her distance. Who are you? a rather blunt ask, head high and shoulders back. This is Sapphique. Can we help you with something, or...?

While they waited, it suddenly occurred to them that the call might be interpreted as a cry for help. Masque froze, hissing through their teeth. They couldn’t unring that bell, however, so they prepared to apologize if anyone showed up expecting to render aid.

Their eyes caught on a swarthy figure coming this way, sylphlike in her movements. There was a wary look on her face, which the Caru expected. As she came closer, they made a point to bow their head, tail dangling limply behind them.

My name is Masquerade. I’m from Redtail Rise. I came here to see if there’s a healer here who might be able to provide me with some basic training. I’d be happy to repay by hunting, or…

Well, Sapphique could name its price. Hopefully Masquerade could meet it. They shifted their weight and swallowed, silent as they waited to see how their words would be taken.

Oh, Redtail Rise sounded awfully familiar. She knew she'd heard that before, although the time and place seemed to escape her. How... odd.
I'm Maleah. You're in luck, calmly, she raises a dainty paw and places it upon her chest. I'm the new healer of Sapphique.
If she had to guess, Redtail Rise could not be far away, and presumably not so full of themselves that they wouldn't request assistance from the oceanwomen. Even as nervous as this kid seemed to be.
Straightening up further, she decides she is the one who is meant to take the initiative here. I would have to speak to Chacal or Mireille about that, but, I personally wouldn't be opposed. I will warn you that I'm no expert, her ears twitch, panning out to the sides of her head. but, hey, eye for an eye, right?

Their pack’s name seemed to mean something to the black she-wolf, which boded well. She introduced herself as Maleah, saying she was Sapphique’s new healer. That really was lucky, the Caru thought. But before she could agree to lend her assistance, she needed to consult with her leadership. Masque nodded their understanding, though they went very still at her last few words.

An eye for an eye? they repeated in bewilderment. Isn’t that phrase meant to be a threat? Masque asked frankly. I neither want to give nor receive an eyeball as payment, they added with a touch of wryness.

Is it? genuine confusion, at that. Has she accidentally threatened a peaceful stranger? I didn't mean it that way, I don't want your eyeballs, she blows a puff of air from her nostrils.
Padding forward with soft steps, she forms a semi-circle around the mask-wearer before trailing off further into the tangle. Neutral ground, she thought, would be best.
What I meant was I'll teach you what I know, and you teach me what you know. Worldliness is important with this line of work, she gives a swift nod in their direction, urging for them to follow. What sort of information do you seek, Masquerade? How to identify plants? First aid? Cures for sicknesses? It's a very broad subject. There's a lot to learn, and a lot I still don't know.

Masquerade couldn’t help it. The look of confusion on Maleah’s face made them huff a laugh, followed by another, louder one when she promised she didn’t want one of Masque’s eyeballs as payment.

Well, I’m glad we’re in agreement there, they quipped, falling silent and tracking the other wolf’s movements as she circled.

Maleah spelled out her terms much more succinctly. Masque did not interrupt, ears cupping forward to catch every word as they moved a little further from the sea cliffs.

I don’t know anything about healing. I think learning some basic first aid would be a good place to start. But you should know that I’m not worldly. I’m not sure what I could teach you, the Caru said truthfully. That’s why I offered to bring you meat. That’s something I know how to do.

First-aid, they say, and their lack of knowledge — and seeming general disinterest — rings the alarm bells inside Maleah's head. Masquerade, her head swivels over her shoulder, steps coming to a halt. do you really want to learn how to heal? Or is it some kinda obligation you feel? a genuine question, albeit a bit pointed; one eyebrow raises. If you really want to learn, I won't ask anything from you personally. I'm happy to help out beginners, but you shouldn't force yourself.
The mask-wearer implies they are more of a hunter with the offering of meat. Not that someone could not be both, but typically, from what Maleah knew, healers would pursue counseling or toxicology alongside it; perhaps become botanists. Healing is, like, a constant thing, y'know? There's always more to it than you think. It gets overwhelming. There's a reason not many stick with it. her head tilts in a thoughtful manner. What do you do at home? 

The way she suddenly spoke their name made Masquerade freeze in place, brow knitting in consternation. They met Maleah’s sudden interrogation with a puzzled squint. The Caru didn’t understand the distinction, nor why it mattered; what difference could it possibly make to her? Their lips parted as they deliberated how to reply, only to press back together again when Maleah insisted the field could be overwhelming.

I don’t follow, Masque answered frankly. I’m interested because there is need of such skills in my pack. I’m the only caregiver there, so I consider it my duty to learn, to help protect and serve the rise. It may not be my true calling, but I’m happy enough to do it, to learn.

They blinked, wondering if that made any kind of sense, then thought to explain further, I’m the Caru, which is my pack’s title for a sitter. I’m responsible for looking after the pups. I want to make sure I can render first aid should they need it. When they get sick, I want to know some essential remedies. That sort of thing.

But was that sufficient for Maleah?

So they are a caregiver already — a sitter. They claim it not to be their true calling, but their duty — this, Maleah figured, was at least respectable. Alright, she says, plainly, offering a nod.
When it comes to the basics, she begins, a paw waved for emphasis. there's a handful of important most-purpose herbs. Poppy seeds, chamomile, nettle; first lines of defense, if you get what I mean. Poppy seeds are for pain relief, chamomile calms you, and nettle reduces irritation, if you're dealing with a wound or a fever. The seeds can counteract poison, she raises a brow, making sure the mask-wearer is following before she continues.
When you're dealing with kids, they get a lot of bumps and bruises, cuts and whatnot. Prone to colds, too, as I'm sure you're aware. For that, one paw raises to meet her chin. you wanna use cobwebs to stop bleeding, and bay leaves or marigold to fight infection. Poppy seeds for pain, nettle for swelling.
And then, she adds, with sickness, it can be several things. How you handle it depends on the severity, but kids, y'know, they get the sniffles. Lavender and honey, if you can find it; get 'em to eat it. It'll soothe their throat. Nettle, too.
She pauses, eyebrows creasing. Is there anything more specific you want to know? Believe me, I could talk about this stuff all day.

Evidently they’d passed the pop quiz, for Maleah’s next words concerned basic first aid. Masquerade listened raptly, taking mental notes. They sucked in a sharp breath when the list of plants kept growing.

You weren’t kidding when you said it was a lot, they said on an exhale. I appreciate you going over all this with me. It sounds like nettle is one of the most useful; you mentioned it in several contexts. Could you identify that one for me, assuming there’s some around here somewhere?

Poppy seeds, they recited in their head. Chamomile. Marigold. Lavender. A few of those were familiar. Masque felt fairly confident they could find some of those on their own, though if they saw any of them growing, they would double check with Maleah.

Cobwebs and honey aren’t plants, they thought aloud. How do you gather those without getting bitten or stung?

And while they were asking all these questions, it occurred to the Caru that they should ask something else, a question that had been lurking in the back of their mind for weeks now.

This isn’t directly related to medicine but since I’m the sitter in my pack, I would like to know: at what age are pups considered more or less self-sufficient? How old before they need less direct supervision and training?

A lot of questions already. That was good, however — a knowing smile flits across her expression.
Cobwebs are simple enough, her head tilts to the ground. Slowly, she raises up on shadowstilt legs, weaving through thorny shrubs as she examines a nearby tree. A silkweb lies just between roots, and crawling along its edge is a little black spider. you just gotta pick up a leaf, or, like, a twig, she snuffles at the ground before landing on a little mauve oak leaf, nipping it between her incisors. an' wait fo' it to climb on. sure enough, the spider falls into the trap; she places the leaf down a yard away, arachnid attached, and weaves a chunk of the sticky web around a small stick. See? Honey's not so easy though. Usually, you gotta have somebody with you as a decoy to distract the bees. Oooor, if you're brave, you could find some rhododendron and try to lure 'em and poison 'em.
Still carrying her cobweb spoils — because it'd be stupid to waste such perfectly good material — she pads around the sea of spikes and rocks in search of a particular little green plant. Nettle grows beside streams and trails and stuff. Wooded areas. Solid green, pointy, and the leaves have little barb-y things. They get tall, too, so sometimes you might need help harvesting it. There should be some here... in a patch of soft brown soil near a pathway, there lies exactly what she's looking for — a small nettle bush, tiny white blooms bursting from between the jagged-edged leaves. like this. This here is nettle. See how it's got the, like, little stabby leaves? she points with an extended paw. That's how you know you've got yourself a nettle plant. They bloom in the spring and summer, and the seeds show up in the fall. They're all useful.
And then, the age-old question: when are pups no longer pups and more like teenagers? That depends on who you ask, to that, a breathy laugh. most people would probably say six to eight months. They grow, like, super fast though. Like little beanstalks.
Leaping up onto a nearby log, her legs tuck up into a sit. Moss and fungi eat away at the darkened wood, and she brushes a paw against it. I'm slowly learning how to identify this, too, a pointed look to the mask-wearer. fungi.

Masquerade probably wouldn’t recollect much of what they were told today in any great detail, though not for lack of trying. They paid rapt attention to Maleah’s explanations and demonstrations, marveling at what struck them as pure innovation.

It made the Caru tear their gaze away to ascertain all the different fauna and flora surrounding them at any given time. Did it all have its uses? Masquerade suddenly felt completely overwhelmed.

They refocused in time to catch the she-wolf’s response about pups. Masquerade wanted to point out that she knew just how fast they grew, as the pack’s sitter, but they didn’t want to belabor the point. They truly hadn’t known about this particular threshold and already began trying to do the math in their head.

They started somewhat when Maleah suddenly leaped onto a log and took a seat. She brushed one swarthy paw against something growing on the old, damp wood. Masquerade ventured closer, sniffing. There was something strangely palatable about the earthy odor.

Are these edible? they wondered.

Well, all fungi technically are, she snarks, a wrinkle to the skin of her nose as she traces the tendrils with a darkling paw. it's just a matter of figuring out whether or not they'll cure you or kill you. But if you're smart, you won't learn the hard way.
She eases into a lay, then, keeping her chin held high as one paw neatly rests over the other. I've been thinking of pursuing toxicology alongside my work with healing. It's all kind of the same thing, isn't it? Knowing poison from medicine, she blows air from her nostrils. Chacal and Mireille have been gracious in allowing me to pursue my studies while I find my place here. Not that you asked or really particularly care, but, y'know. she gives a lift of her eyebrow; testing.
You said you're a sitter, right? We've got a ton of kids here. Maybe you could get some extra practice in.

They heeded the thinly-veiled warning in Maleah’s words and resisted any impulse to nibble at the fungi. They took a couple steps back and reclined on their haunches, still paying close attention to her every word.

Masque stiffened at the last few. They had no interest in sitting another pack’s pups. They couldn’t even say why, it was simply overwhelming on an instinctual level. They would hunt for them—especially to repay their debt for Maleah’s time and teachings—but not in this way.

I already have six pups to look after, they said a little tightly, but I’d be happy to hunt for them—or for you—as I said before. I truly appreciate the time you’ve taken to go over these things with me, though I don’t need to keep you any longer if you need to return to your pack.

Six! To that, her lips curl into a bow as a snicker comes from the back of her throat. Oh, that's rough, she waves a paw. we have... hm, let's see-- Mireille has four, Chacal has four, and there's a handful of yearlings. Same boat as you. her expression softens knowingly. I'm sure you've got your hands full with 'em, huh?
She does not move from her post atop the treebark, but her collection of cobweb is now toyed with using the tip of her nail. Tell you what, honey-lemon gaze flickers upward to meet the mask-wearer. we'll make this a habit. We'll meet here in the tangle. You bring us meat, and I'll teach you what I know. Deal?

Maleah snickered, the sound causing a puzzled expression to drift over the yearling’s ruddy features. She repeated the names she’d said a moment ago, tallying up their pups, as if it was some sort of pissing contest. Masque’s spine stiffened.

Their mother vanished when they were younger, Masquerade said after a tense silence. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to take some time to consider your terms. I’ll leave some meat at the borders for you for today’s time. I’ll go get that now, as a matter of fact.

The Caru did not wait for Maleah’s reaction, springing to all fours and loping away. Our mother, they silently amended their statement, feeling the weight of Avicus’s absence as heavily as ever.

An interesting sort, this one. Abandoned children; a weirdly strict sense of professionalism and aloofness wafting from them.
Maleah doesn't move as Masquerade darts off as soon as they'd presumed they were allowed. Not that she'd blame them — she herself had grown quite tired of all this talking.
I'll be here, she calls; but it's of no use. She could only hope they would have heard it echo from between the branches.
She chuffs, turning instead to better examine the tendrils of fungus before her. Here, she would remain for a good while, whether or not the mask-wearer decided to return.