Firefly Glen frosty the snowman

He squinted, but not because of the light for once. No, he squinted as he cleared away a spot by his den, deep in thought. Grumbling under his breath to himself, he mused about the potential of a garden. The sun did not touch the herbs here much - he could clearly predict that for spring - so he would have to prepare accordingly. Holland could dig up plants from other ecosystems and bring them here to grow. He could do lots of things to preserve them and tend to them.

The important thing was to start prepping for spring. Winter was newly made in the Teekons, yet an old thing to the natives here. He was the new thing. New to the Glen, new to the Teekons... He knew only a handful of wolves so far. And Holland did not care if he knew more. Digging at the patch of snow, his head down and almost to the cold earth, he continued to mumble. His den was beside the patch that he was slowly clearing away. Convenience at its finest. It'd do for now until he could plant and harvest. The earth was bare but he did notice some sprouts and seeds.

Good.

Stealing <3

It seemed like a number were starting to join the glen, and Lunaria would assume this was because winter was near it's peek. Not that she had any particular problems against it -- It was a good thing that the glen was growing nicely since its founding -- but with growing members meant more mouths to feed. She thought momentarily about discussing how they'd go about stocking up the caches, how she would be able to contribute in the hunts, and if the newer members would be willing to help to.....

Speaking of which: while she took her stroll around the glen's grounds, her eyes trailed upon an unfamiliar figure digging at the snowy flooring -- must be one of the new members, 'But what's he up to?' she wondered with curiously twitching nose.

Wouldn't hurt to find out for herself, so the dame would call out with a soft chuff and start walking towards them.

He glanced up at the woman's arrival, an ear swirling back to press against his head. For a split second he looked almost annoyed at the interruption. Just a second though. His face dropped back to neutrality quick enough. "Hello..." was that wariness? Might be. He hadn't been around a community in so long.

Nor had he been particularly involved with one. The realm he traveled to before the Teekons, well, the first pack he encountered he tried to join. But it fell immediately under the lack of experience the new leader exhibited. Holland sat, his tail curling neatly around his paws. From the Glen's scent to her confidence, he assumed this woman was part of the pack.

"Hello there, I don't believe we've met yet..." she approached the male with a soft wave of her tail, though there was a split second where she could've sworn he seemed.....annoyed? Strange, perhaps she was interrupting something.......but what exactly?

"Digging something up? You won't find many rabbit burrows here that haven't been smothered by snow." She commented with a casual smile while walking over to the he-wolf. Clearly, the raven had no real way of knowing what the sire's motivation was in digging the snow, but her intentions were to give him an opening to actually explain himself. Ecspecially since she'd already took the time to stroll over, sit down infont of him, and stare down at the holes till he gave her the answer to her question. Not very subtle about sticking your nose in another's business aren't you, Lunaria?

"We haven't" he would quietly affirm, glancing away. Osiris made it clear during meeting him that lower ranked wolves had to show fealty. He didn't know what rank this woman had, but he was slightly annoyed that he was expected to submit himself every goddamn time. Best not keep eye-contact unless he wanted to provoke an unintentional fight.

"No... I am preparing a garden" Holland corrected, glancing at the ground now. It was almost cleared away - not of snow but of various weeds that had cropped up. There was a small pile to the right of him. His forelegs were covered in cold earth, his dark muzzle splashed with dirt. "someone told me the Glen did not have a healer" he added, scowling lightly "until I showed up, that is."

And tending to this patch of dirt made him less grumpy, more work oriented. Busy, if you will. He liked to be busy. "I am called Holland."

Lunaria always found it easier to make eye contact to the people she talked to regardless of who they were -- and despite the endless scolding she used to recive on how this was considered a 'Threat' to elders and higher-ups alike, the habit never seemed to break. So when she noticed Holland's gaze turning away from her, she assumed this was the case. 

Ah, Luna hated that....

She wanted to feel comfortable enough to speak with someone on a casual level regardless of 'Rank' -- Titles like these should not be something used to make others feel wary of who to respect, they should only be signs of another's dedication in their pack. "Am I that unsightly that you need to look away?" She jested with her usual childish grinning, hoping the small joke could clear the thickening atmosphere around them so he'd be able to actually look at her....

Luna's teal orbs rounded with vast curiosity at the mention of gardening. It was not a subject she was very educated on, but that did not mean watching him in the process didn't spark the raven's interest. Ecspecially now that he introduced himself to her as the pack's new medic. "Ahhh, that's incredible! Our pack has been due for one for a while, its great that one has taken interest in our ranks!"

She stood back to her feet like a spring with the spike of energy to match, and begun again to make her own introduction. "Holland; you can call me Lunaria, I am a huntress..." there was no official title for a hunter in the glen (or at least, she didn't think so), but Lunaria wore the title like a badge she'd happily take to her grave regardless.

Some others would balk, fumble and be embarrassed. Holland glanced back at her with a light scowl. He tried to find the words. "No" the man said "I am just mindful that some wolves do not like to be looked at if you are a lesser rank than them." he had no idea how hard 'rank climbing' was in this pack. Keres and Osiris both suggested it was a family-oriented pack. He hadn't been blessed with being in their family unit. He hadn't been born here, in the Teekons.

So while he was blunt, he was also regretful. Mayhap this had been a bad idea after all. If they could not accept him as he was, family or not... The woman seemed quite happy - like Keres - and available to speak though. She chattered like a bird. Introducing herself as a hunter and as Lunaria. He gave her a curt nod before pausing - trying to crane his neck lower. But old nerve damage made him wince. Especially in the cold.

He chose to ignore this. "So if I'm hungry, I'll go complain to you" he remarks idly. What was that? A joke?

Her little quip was returned with a light scowl from the male, to which she'd close her eyes and sheepishly grin as her own little way of apologizing. "Ah, force of habit? Sorry, the opportunity was just too tempting..." she just couldn't let the moment slip without adding another shitty joke. And while the joke wasn't recived too positively, at least Luna was able to make him look her direction -- and that satisfied her enough.

When the laughter finally quelled, something a little softer graced her features when speaking up again "Wolven blood makes us do strange things, doesn't it?" the huntress didn't know why it was the way nature flowed, but it was -- sadly.  "Still, I just hope you'll feel more comfortable looking at me from now on when I come to bother you. Even if it is one of annoyance..." A strange way to say "welcome to the pack", but one she meant genuinely. Perhaps one day, if Luna was lucky enough, she'd be able to gain another freind.

Another round of soft laughter to what seemed like a dry joke, nodding in strange agreement. Complain was definitely one way to put it. "Why yes, my kind sir, you may complain to me all you want; I am an open menu. Though In return, I should approach you after I get flung in the air by an angry elk bull, yes?" Terrible formal tounge to add a bit more zest, though maybe the 'Angry elk' part was an exaggeration....hopefully.

"Speaking of which, mind telling me more about the garden you'll be making?" She said while plopping down on her rump, tail swaying lazily in the crisp snow. It looks as though he'd just began -- perhaps she'd be able to help?

"It isn't" he replied flatly, breathing a sigh "I have been a vagabond a long time - this submissive shit is annoying." Holland knew how to behave - he just didn't feel like he should around much younger wolves. Inexperienced wolves. It was a chain of seniority when it came to many things in his life. The kingdom gave him experience as a soldier, therefore rising above his fellows and younger wolves. The little pack he had been part of for a month... they had err'ed to his history as a healer. But he didn't expect respect. He didn't expect rank.

He hoped for common decency. Wolves helping and holding gazes out of mutual decency. He was used to looking others in the eye. He chose to do this because it expressed how exhausted he was at them through a look alone. In a small way, it showed he was respecting them by glancing. "I'll keep that in mind..." What was with these wolves? Did the females in particular just naturally chat one's ear off? Did they not care about being submissive or not let others be submissive around them? He chose to let this go.

"Mm..." the subject came back to the garden. He didn't look at it, nor the pile of weeds. "I will be clearing the weeds first" Holland explained to Lunaria "this patch is fertile - I can tell from the budding sprouts under the earth" his tail flopped behind him, as if patting his find "when spring comes, I will find other plants outside of the Glen. Dig them out, bring them here. Plant them. Make sure they are cultivated. The pack will have a steady supply of available plants."

The topic of budding, sprouts, fertility; these were all new subjects to her. She'd never met a wolf who specialized in such a feild of knowledge and she was rather impressed by it, taking in every word he said like a student to their mentor -- a sponge to water. Medicine and agriculture was not something she planned on specializing in anytime soon, for her heart belonged to the hunt and the hunt alone; the marks on her chest signified that. Still, it was always fun to be taught something she'd never knew before. And she appreciated how Holland took the time to explain it.

Luna took the time to plop down on her stomach, placing her head between her paws while that celestial teal stare remained fixated on the plowed ground. Her brows would then furrow as it suddenly occurred to her that yes, winter had come. So how would this affect his process of growth? "So will you be coming back every now and then to shovel away the snow?" The raven questioned, lifting her head back up to look at him until he answered.

He craned his neck toward the den right beside the patch. "If I ignore it so close to my sleeping quarters" Holland began with a lifted brow "the pack would think I am quite a lazy healer." Which was his way of saying yes, he would come back every now and again to clear the snow. Check the soil. Make sure the buds were going to grow correctly come spring.

He noticed she had a penance for sitting still and listening. Also good, but he didn't think Lunaria would be a student for him. She seemed into hunting and while she was a good listener he didn't think she had but a passing curioisity. Would he ever find a student? Holland had been one before, and had liked the experience and knowledge it brought. And he supposed outside of hunting, he knew nothing about the woman before him.

"Aside from hunting; what other things do you do?"

She blinked slowly as her vision trailed towards the den that was, indeed, right beside him. Ah...had that always been there? Well, this was akward. "Whoops, guess I hadn't noticed it up until now..." Another abashed grin, then a moonstone gaze turning back to him as if to pretend the moment had washed over her. Maybe If we pretend like that didn't just happen, then he'll forget about it...

Now there were questions being aimed at her, and she was a bit surprised to be put on the spot suddenly. It was still to be expected though -- the only thing Hol knew about her was her name. "You'd probably die of bordem to know that hunting is my only skillset......well, not really..." Talking like a motor engine was also a distinctive talent of hers, but Holl probably got the gist of that ever since Luna arrived. All jokes aside, there was one thing besides hunting that caught the dark femora's attention. "I wouldn't really call it a skill as opposed to a hobby or current intrest until I start learning more about it, but something about nature seems to have a pull on my attention, you know?" 

Lunaria's smile returned as she spoke to him -- she enjoyed talking about her interest with other people. Maybe in hopes that they share a similar passion to her own. "I want to learn more about plants, the types of animals that I hunt, the different ecosystems I have yet to roam -- and most importantly--" Her slender muzzle tipped towards the sky, a few snowflakes landing on her nose in the process. "The nightsky; I practically live and breath in it." The stars and moon that Luna cherished so much were not out at the moment, but they will be soon. And she'd be there to study them as per usual...

He had an amused huff at last. Boredom, eh? If he talked plants with her, she would surely die of boredom. "Have you been in the Glen long then?" she remarked on breathing night sky and this pack lived in mostly nocturnal conditions. Perhaps if she had... she would know the best places to gather moss. Holland was at a disadvantage so far. He didn't know where the herbs grew best - hence the garden. He felt he could control the lack better if he dug one.

He shook his head, slightly shocked he would find a scholarly wolf here. "Do you know where moss grows here?" so she wanted to know everything about nature? She wanted to know plants? He'd teach her some tricks. It was better to have two wolves than one with knowledge about such things. Holland went on quietly. "and - I... consider the night. A friend. Of sorts." he glances away, raising his neck to the sky. The canopy blocked out the moon here. "I have a light sensitivity. I walk under the moon often."

"Long....I guess you can say that. I was here when it was founded..." Luna said in deep thought of what she really meant, lowering her head from the sky to peer back at him. "Although I wouldn't technically call it a long time. You see, the glen was founded little over a month ago as an extension of Moonspear." Ah moonspear; such a looming presence it had over the glen. The raven could only recall meeting a few from that mountainous castle,  really. What were the others like? "Almost makes you feel overwhelmed to be in the presence of such a tightly established family. Hell, I still feel a little out of place even now. Though I kinda miss the vagabond lifestyle....." Being in a pack had it's ups and downs -- a lack of freedom being one of them. Still, the thought of keeping herself busy, feeding hungry packmates, and forging new relations was the only thing keeping her going now.

"Moss? Mmmm, I think I know a few places! Roaming around a lot has its benefits..." She was more than willing to help, ecspecially if it meant observing the work of a healer too, though Hol's words did not stop there.

At the mention of his sensitivity to light her, Lunaria's head tilted a bit. That was not a condition she'd ever encountered in another before, and the thought had her curious as to how long he'd suffered from it. "I see. I suspect you prefer finding shelter during daylight hours then?" Lunaria did not share a history with light sensitivity like Holland did, but it seems like the both of them were more active after the sun had set -- something she could relate to. It could prove to be beneficial for him though -- seeing as though he didn't seem like the socially hungry type, a time where most would be sleeping away could give him more time to his work rather than being bothered.

Other than this, it seemed as though Hol was doing quite well despite the sensitivity, so she found it unnecessary to add anything after that question was answered. Though...there was one thing the dame wanted to ask Holland."If you'd like, you can walk under the moon with me every now and then? I don't think I have many here in the glen I can share my knowledge about the night sky with, but maybe you'd be interested?" The only other person she felt comfortable talking about her fascination with was Atlas, the younger boy she had met not too long ago. The thought of showing someone else the beauty of the night was something that made her tail thump against the ground in excitement. "Besiiiides, I can teach you a thing or two about cracking some clever jokes like me. Irresistible offer don't you think?" That was assuming he actually found humor in Lunaria's words, but she already knew he'd be unamused by the jab -- she was just having a little too much fun messing with him at this point.

"I have been... a pack wolf before" if Lunaria was going to blurt out her life, he might as well try to match it. Holland felt she didn't mind the one-sided conversation, but he felt a bit terrible with giving nothing in response. "the Glen was not so different than my last." however brief it had been. The wolves in that particular pack had been family-oriented, with a deep religious system to back up their actions. They had been raiders before the new leader took over. Her inexperience cost the pack.

"I am used to being an outcast." was all he gave in reply to likening his situation to her own.

He gave a nod. "I would appreciate you showing me" Keres would probably attempt to help him again as well; three heads were better than one. Her question, however, was direct but not unkind. It was full of wonder. Holland would wonder if she just had a penance for knowledge of any kind. She was interested in what he had to say about his garden, for instance. "in exchange, I will teach you about some things I know." It was a fair trade.

He'd even give her a tidbit about moss. "For instance, moss binds wounds like a cobweb can. It is also used to soak in water and apply to cleaning cuts. I assume it will grow... in dark areas" Though Lunaria had the same idea. She wanted to talk under the stars, walk under the moon with him? He didn't know what to think about that. "I do, yes. It is... uncomfortable during the day. More so in the summer season. The Glen is thick, little light comes through... It was perfect for me."

He gave a soft snort of amusement. "Fine. Fine. I will walk with you when I am not tending to this garden" Holland vows quietly. Perhaps she'd help him lighten up a bit...

'The glen was not so different than my last.'

A pack wolf from the past, huh? What was Holland's previous home like, was it somewhere he enjoyed being? Luna assumed the opposite at the mention of him supposedly adjusted to the life of an outcast, but was that all to his tale -- or were there missing pieces to the puzzle she wasn't putting together? "I don't know very much about you, don't I?" A retorical question that indirectly asked if he'd be sharing more about himself in the future. It her mind, it would've been better to let such information flow naturally rather than to force it out. Still, 'What's in that head of yours that I don't know, Holland?'...

A star-like gleam in her eyes and a smile on her face when the medic not only accepted her offer, but offered to teach her what he knew as well -- it was a trade that elated Luna to a new form of knowledge yet to be discovered. Something to keep her mind busy and know more about the world around her. "I have seen healers from my birth pack use cobwebs, though I never thought moss could be useful in the same way...If thats the case and you need more of it, I can bring you bountifuls! Ecspecially when we do a little exploring when the moon has risen." He was right; a place such as the glen was perfect for someone with his condition. Plus, if he needed someone to assist him with his work at night, Lunaria would be more than delighted to help.

Then there was a pause; and a look of dramatized suprise.

"Was that a laugh I just heard, Mr. Holland?" She drawled in question, leaning in to peer at him with the hint of a mischievous smirk on her face. That was the first hint of amusement she saw from him! "Seeee? I still have it in me, don't you think?"

He would stare, lifting a brow but saying nothing to her indirect question. No one really knew him. Not here, not in the pack, not in the Teekons. Holland did not like to talk about himself much. If a wolf asked him a direct question, he would ruefully respond. When the subject moved to cobwebs, he grunted. At last giving a response. "Spiders are quite hard to find during winter" he utters slowly "yet their webs remain - true. I would have to travel a long way to find them, though." Not that he minded.

But if he was gone, he was also the sole healer of the pack to his knowledge. He couldn't leave for long periods of time. Not when the Glen needed him. "If you see cobwebs near the Glen, let me know" he adds. Come spring, all the foolish wolves would prance around looking for partners... he could work in peace if no blood riles up. Fighting over women was never something he wanted nor liked to do. Point was; wolves got aggressive. He'd be quickly overrun with patients in the spring.

And he doubted this spring would be peaceful. He went back to scowling. His brow furrowed and his frown flashed back. Perhaps this was his way of joking. "Yes, yes. You, ah, still got it" he groans almost at his sarcastic words. "just let me know if you find moss or cobwebs - perhaps I'll give a pretty smile."

If you'd like, I can tag Holland in another thread soon?

As she pulled her head back, soft laughter erupted from the huntress' mouth. She wasn't expecting him to actually agree with her, even if it was by means of sarcasm. Though, as her laughter quelled, she started to wonder if she was probably taking things too far? Luna wasn't too farmiliar with Holland, so she didn't know if the way she talked to him actually made the brute feel uncomfortable. "Just tell me when you get tired of me, okay?" The dame said simply, her jovial expression now replaced with something much softer. A paw was raised to her chest as if her words were an oath. They were, at least to her, because she wanted to be genuine. "I promise, I won't talk you 6 years closer towards you grave if you don't want me to, just say the words."

After a few seconds of trying to brush snow off her cranium, the ebony female would slowly rise to her paws and shake any other snow to have clung on her midnight pelt. She'd be leaving the he-wolf for now, but not without saying a proper goodbye. "Tell you what, the next time we meet, I'll fetch you any moss and cob webs I find back from one of my hunting trips." Though if what he said was true, Luna couldn't exactly promise finding cobwebs. Not that it would stop her from trying. "--and when I do, you'll have to keep your promise and let me see a pretty smile on that face of yours, got it?" She jested once more with a grin.

After that, Lunaria turned her tail and went to leave Holland to his own devices, but not without shouting; "The next time we meet, be prepared to begin learning about constellations! We'll start from the basics!" As she left. There was so much for her to teach him, and she was excited to do so...

There was not much left for them to exchange. First meetings were always difficult for him. He found himself falling silent, awkward and unable to laugh as easily as she was. A nod was given, him trying - key word trying - to crack a smile. It looked like he was constipated somewhat. It fell off his face, keenly aware of how it might look.

"I... look forward to it" Holland would say at last to her remarks about learning constellations. He actually was for once. Though his expertise was herbs, he did not mind listening to the other things in the world. He watched as the woman marched off before returning to his task. Perhaps he felt a bit lighter now that he spoke to some pack mates.

sure go ahead! thanks for the help/thread!