Wild Berry Meadow I will never disappear

Though there was not a single green stalk left in what had once been a meadow, Hedda's nose worked well enough to trace down roots of a very special plant. She called it the "eye-opener", providing both visions and pleasure at equal doses. And for a long time it had been the closest thing she could call a friend, but, when it turned out that it had the undesirable side-effect of poisoning her liver, she had stopped using it.

Now, however, when the clock was ticking for her, it did not matter anymore and she desperately needed something to lessen the pain in the chest. Therefore, once she had located the right spot, she began to dig and finally pulled out a muddy, gnarled root. After shaking the excess dirt from it, she lied down and with her miracle drug between her paws, she began to gnaw on it.

Kendra, who normally loved her tunnels, decided to leave them for once. She was used to the darkness of the forest but now all was barren, no green was in sight, no plant had survived. For the girl who loved her plants it was a depressing sight to see. Everything was so barren, that when she was walking she realized she had crossed the border. Now she was over that scent marked line anyhow she might as well step a bit further into the world and see if there was anything worth seeing.

It didn't take long for the girl to spot another wolf, a dark female. The younger one watched her though not very well camouflaged in the barren lands. The female was digging, and clearly found what she sought. Curiosity got to Kendra and she started to approach the other with care. She was not sure what the other had dug up after all. She let out a chuff to signal her approach, seeing that the female was chewing on a root of some sorts. "Are you interested in plants too?," he asked curious, not even bothering with a formal greeting.

The taste was bitter and the mud did not help to make it any better, but Hedda was so wrapped in the excitement about a release from pain, that she did not notice it. Bit by bit the gnarled root disappeared, while strands of drool, mixed with dirt and blood, streaked down from each side of her mouth. It would take a little time for the drug to work, but already she felt better.

And then a sound to her left, made the elder alert and her head snapped to the side to see, who had dared to disturb her. The only seeing eye fell upon a young wolf in the color of dark gray. Beautiful, healthy, strong - all of the characteristics that in Hedda's "good kid list" were considered as flaws. Therefore she did not like the stranger, though there had never been anyone she had learned to like.

"What do you want?" she snarled, putting emphasis of "you".

Kendra watched the dark female, maybe as strange as her. She was chewing on a root, or had been before, there was drool and blood around her muzzle. Such a thing did not scare the girl and her curiosity. The young female watched the other with great interest and kept her pale eyes on the other. There was not a lot of dominance in her eyes, genuine curiosity. Kendra just asked her what she wanted. "Do you like plants," she repeated herself, watching the other.

"What are the uses of that root you are chewing on? Care to tell me?," she questioned her. Kendra wanted to know more, she intended to be more. She wanted to become better with poisons, but also other plants and botany. So she would know what flower or plant was which. She might be a as good as her sister one day.

The girl was not deterred by Hedda's unfriendly attitude, she watched the broken shell of a wolf without much emotion (or pity for that matter) and went straight to business, asking about plants. The "cure". The elder's eyes narrowed as her eyes scrutinized the young wolf's face for a long time, while saliva that kept accumulating in her mouth, began to drop down and form small disgusting pools around her paws.

"And you think that you can just come here and take what you want?" Hedda finally asked with a nasty sneer. "All things cost something and at the moment I don't see, how I benefit from the bargain."

Kendra watched the female lower herself and was not sure how to read that. Yet she was still curious about the root, not that she wanted it for herself what the female might think of her. Kendra moved her tail a bit before the youngster decided it was best to copy the other and lower herself too. The saliva seemed to come more out of her mouth, which was curious to Kendra.

"I'm not here to take your root," she stated in return. "I want knowledge about that plant? Can you tell me what it is called and what for effect is has on wolves?," she asked. Clearly it made a wolf drool but the young female had the idea that it did more than that. "What would knowledge cost? Is it free?"

"I had no intention of giving it to you anyway," Hedda growled, moving so that she was partly lying on her find and thus making the other impossible to take it, should she decided to try. When the girl asked, whether knowledge costed anything, the old hag rolled her eyes and let out a theatrical sigh. How dense could one be?

"Knowledge costs. Quite a lot," she nodded. "So, if I tell you what it is, what is that you will give me in return?"

Kendra ignored the first comment, because she was not really focussed on taking the root for herself, so the female pressing on that matter did not bother her. It seemed her question at least sparked up a reply from the dark female. She seemed really attached to this root which only made Kendra even more curious about this all. She really did not have a clue what it could be.

She let out a soft sigh, because of course that would cost quite a lot, though in her pack the wolves gave it away for free. This female was not in her pack so she could have expected this. The youngster nodded slowly. "I do not know what you wish if you tell me then I might be able to arrange getting it to you. I have a while cave will all sorts of herbs and plants," she commented. Technically it was her mother's , but alas, she was not alive anymore.

"A healer then, eh?" Hedda's interest was sparked, when the girl mentioned having herbs and plants stashed somewhere. Most people learned only the very basic stuff about the plants during their lifetimes and therefore it was no wonder that in times of famine they died of hunger just because they had been ignorant enough not to see the other means of food lying just around them. For this reason the old hag had sort of respect to those, who showed skill and knowledge in the field.

And she was offering a trade - still undeterred by the elder's horrible appearance and bad character. Which reminded her of the very last task her master had given her, before he claimed her soul. Tell the story, pass on the knowledge... and she was very much aware of the fact that her time was running out. Not dead yet, but nearly there. 

"Plants won't heal me and the won't feed me either," she finally replied. "Let's make a deal - for every piece of food you bring me, I teach you something. The more often you bring, the more likely the lesson will be longer."

Kendra slowly shook her head. "I prefer Botanist," she corrected. Her mother had been a healer and even though she wanted to be like her mother she did not see herself as a healer. More like a wolf who knew a lot about plants and what she could do with it. "No, better. Poisonous Botanist," she then commented to the dark female. Who was kind of weird, but who was she to judge she was pretty weird too.

She instantly grew more cheery when the female gave her something to work with. She could provide food, yes, this was perfect. "Deal!," she instantly spoke, seeing that the girl was terribly hungry for knowledge. Always had been. "However, could I get the info of that root, so I know for sure that you are the real deal?," she spoke. Kendra was persistent too, and even though she could never find out if this female was the 'real deal', Kendra could always try and provoke more information till she had the food the female wished.

"Poisonous botanist," Hedda repeated and began to laugh in a cold and cruel way, suggesting that neither did she believe the girl's skill, nor did she consider it in any way equal to hers. "What can you possibly know about true poisons, child," she said and continued laughing, until a coughing spell broke it mid-way and she cleared her throat with spitting out tiny pieces of root, saliva, blood and mucus - a rather unappealing mash. 

"But we will find out, how good you are, won't we," she then said, getting to her feet and stretching. The newfound purpose of passing on her knowledge giving her a bit more strenght than before. "And the request is fair, but you can't possibly know, if the root is "real deal", unless you try it yourself," Hedda remarked. "An immature body as yours can't take it all. Though the proportion is, what matters the most... Small piece will take off pain - a bigger one will connect you to the spirits, that is, if the root chooses you to be worthy enough. If not, you will most likely end up with a horrible head-ache somewhere in the gutter." She finished her explanation.

Kendra's ears fell backwards when she heard the cold laugh. The girl disliked it and instantly determination was shown on her face. It didn't seem like the other was going to hurt her though. Kendra kept herself a bit on guard. The dark female did speak of valid points, though the dark witch seemed to underestimate her. She knew quite a lot, at least she liked to think that. But Kendra knew the way of secrecy so she was not going to tell the female anything.

Kendra looked curiously at the root and then stepped closer. "So can I try your root thing then?" Kendra knew Cicero tested the poisons on himself. So maybe she could be a bit like him. The girl was at least curious though she also did not want to cross a line with this female. "What is the name of the root?"

ooc: I am sorry for the wait!

"Here's the trick, kid, you can't try mine, you have to find yours," Hedda explained, retreating few steps with the remnants of the root in her mouth. She then bit it in half and put it down, whiteish-yellow inside of the root exposed. And with it a bitter smell rouse in the air. 

"It has many names, but from, where I origin from, it is called Jötunn's claw. Because of the shape," she explained. "Have a sniff, take the scent and find yours," she told the girl.

Same!

Kendra was used to getting things, this was normally not how things went, she would get thinks. She didn't know how spoiled she was. Yet she was not showing that too much to the other. She wanted to prove herself.

The girl stepped closer with care when the other bit part of the root in two and she was allowed to sniff it. Thankfully the girl was young with a good memory, and a keen sense of smell. She had not expected for it to smell bitter, but more sweet since the woman was chewing on it.

Kendra nodded. "I will find the Jötunn's claw and test if your information is true," she spoke. If she was right Kendra might come back for more information.

ooc: since I am retiring Hedda for good, this will be her last post. Sorry that the plot I promissed did not work out.

"Do so and tell me, what was it like," Hedda told her, finishing her sentance with a protective growl, telling her that time for "sniffing" was up. She then chewed and followed the rest of the cure quickly, in case the girl would decide to trick her and steal it. 

Hedda had got to her feet, when another coughing spell came, splattering the ground with blood and saliva. She stared at the disgusting discharge from her lungs then lifted her gaze up and regarded Kendra with a rather nasty smile:
"You will find me, while following the trail of blood and smell of a walking dead. Shouldn't be that hard." 

Without waiting for her response, she turned around and left.

Not to worry <3 Though I was curious how this was going to end up! :3

Kendra watched the female, who clearly wasn't healthy. Still the female had learned something new about another piece of Botany and for that she was rather grateful, if the female spoke the truth she would never know, she could only find out. Maybe she would ask Cicero if he would try the root for her. He was not afraid of taking it.

She didn't wish for blood to come from her own mouth if that was something that was an side effect of this root. The girl nodded shortly. "I will find you," she spoke, not realizing that she would not find the female ever again. With that she turned back to Black Feather and ran back home. Quite exhilarated.

- end-