Honeyed Pasture but I didn't really care

@Holland  naturalist/ecologist

On the days that Huā was not plotting against her enemies, teaching her children or having complex lover's quarrels, she could often be found observing nature. Today she was doing just that as she smiled down at a small pond. Within it sat a few lilypads; a frog rested upon one or two. It was a strange creature, of whom she only knew the name in her native language. But she was charmed by its alien appearance, and most of all, the flick of its tongue to any unfortunate little bugs that passed by.

This stretch of water was welcomed. He found the winter was dry. His skin was dry. His mouth was dry. That's why he just walked to the pond, lapping up water with about as much elegance as he could manage. The man didn't acknowledge the woman yet; only that her pack scent was clear and she was from somewhere not in the Glen.

So a stranger. Did he have to be chummy? Not really. But he did lift his head, giving a curt nod to her. Appreciating she wasn't bombarding him. Why was he along the wilderness? Simple, he supposed. Finding more sprouts, digging them up and seeing if they'd fit into his garden. Unfortunately most coast-plants didn't grow in the Glen.

That's where he was headed anyway. To the Coast.

He nearly crept up on her, with how focused she was on the little critters, and she didn't notice him till he was already at the water's edge. But Huā blinked up to the dark figure, smiling softly to him. Hi, She breathed with a swish of her tail as she settled onto her haunches, I was... watching the little, um, qīngwā, She laughed, gesturing her muzzle to the frogs. Sorry, I do not know this word...

"Frog" he would tell her. His native tongue would only confuse the woman more. He suspected there was no true way to say 'frog' in his language. Only a very direct insult - xenca - which meant frog guts. Oh well. "you are not a native here?" Holland asked, slightly curious. He hadn't met many foreign wolves, though he wasn't ignorant to believe he was the only one.

Or did she speak the language of the Teekons and he wasn't aware? He craned his neck at the frogs, knowing their body could be ground up and used in various medicine. But their toxins were just as bad in poisoning others. He didn't really care to take a life - even a frog's - to grind it into medicine. But he knew some witches used their body in various rituals.

Frog, The mermaid repeated, and laughed, That is cute. It suits them... they are cute, with their big eyes, and hungry mouths, yes? She giggled lightly, trying to coax more words from him too. He was quiet. Her mind was far from his when she looked at the creatures, only thinking of them in their life. To his question, she shook her dark head. I come from far south. We speak a different language there, and live differently too. That was vague, but she didn't want to overwhelm him with a cultural presentation unless he asked after it.

He tilted his head somewhat. "They are also called amphibians" Holland drawled the word out slowly for the woman. "a type of creature that needs constant moisture to survive" He wasn't surprised to see frogs out and about in the winter. They were hardy little beasts. "newts and salamanders... toads, too." He drew in a breath, not wishing to overwhelm the other wolf.

So he paused before continuing. "They breathe water through their skin" Holland leaned down, pressing his nose against a rather fat frog who struggled to get away. The press was brief, the man feeling air from the frog's skin under his nose. When he recoiled, the frog hopped away. This woman... She had a healthy curiosity, it would seem. Not many wolves were curious about frogs.

"I am not from here either" he added, focusing upon the woman again.

Am-phi-bi-ans, She repeated in a slow drawl, sounding out the strange word. And then a nod, Ah, yes, I know they need the ah, moist-ness. I do know about them, just not common name. She explained, in case he thought she knew nothing of these critters at all. But it seemed she had opened him, if only slightly, for he was more chatty now. Fish breathe this way too, but with mm... holes, on the side of their body. She added quietly, and watched as the male pressed his nose to a frog. A breathy laugh when it hopped off. He was quiet about from where he came, not sharing more than he had to- should she ask? He seemed much more eager to talk about the animals, and she didn't want to pry too much if there was a reason for his tight lippedness. Did you also have to learn this language here, or did you know it at home? Huā decided to ask, finding that a good middle ground.

"I see" he remarks idly, not caring if she thought he thought she was a fool. Each wolf had their interests. He could respect such things, as long as they weren't going around and killing people in the name of it. "yes, gills." Holland remarks, in case the woman didn't know the term for it. 

The man squints lightly, shaking his head. "I learned it as I traveled." Because his people had not wanted them to learn the language of the lands they had conquered. It brought appreciation and that was uncalled for. Soldiers did not appreciate. They killed what others did.

Gills, he added, and she nodded awkwardly. Huā hoped he didn't take her for a fool, just because of her limited vocabulary. She was glad, at least, to learn new words from him, even if she already understood the concepts. And now he was quiet again, too- adding only that he had learned the common language in his travels. She was impressed that he seemed to know much more than her, but then again, for a long time she had purposefully put minimal effort into learning it. I see, it was her turn to say. She blinked down to the frogs. One croaked a low note, and a small smile rose to her maw. Um, I should be on my way... my name is Huā, it was nice meeting you, uh... She would pause and await a name before dipping her head to him, feeling he might be more of the type who wished to be alone anyway, before exiting.

"Holland" he replies to Hua. No, he didn't think she was a fool. At least she was willing to better herself through learning. That was what most wolves avoided. He grunts, giving a nod to the woman as she begins to leave. "safe travels" is what he gives her - which is more than most get from the medic.