Silvertip Mountain bileflowers

merrick sought @Arielle.
there would be no one else like evien, but ursus needed a healer. in his mouth he carried sickly-sweet-smelling beige flowers, plucked from the edge of the icefield. he had never seen them before, and carried the stalks gingerly, hoping to pick up the girl's trail before long.
asperas was gone. merrick searched for her each day to no avail. 
he closed his single eye against that remaining ache.

A strange scent on the breeze coaxed her eyes open, and she sat up on the sunny rock where she had perched for a short nap. She stretched and yawned, not yet understanding what had pulled her from sleep. But the cool wind tickled her nose and the scent was there again. And in her more conscious state, she realized it mixed with Merrick's scent as well.

Curious, she hopped down from the rock and allowed the wind to direct her toward her king. It took no time to find him, and she picked up her pace until she slipped in right beside him, brushing her shoulder against his in greeting. Then her attention turned to the plants Merrick held in his mouth. She nosed them curiously as she walked beside him.

"i found these alongside ice and snow." merrick set them down before the aspiring herbalist, tilting his scarred features in an expression of curiosity. "do you know what they are?"
the desire to know the darkness within these plants had never left merrick. but the gods had not granted him the chance to explore such with their former bruin-leaf.
the man was silent, waiting, watchful.

Arielle studied the flowers, lowering her head to draw in their scent. Maybe she had seen them before, but she only had a vague recognition; she certainly didn't know anything about the plant or its properties. 

She wished she had an answer for him, but she could not form one out of thin air. Hmmm, she said softly, looking over the plant as if she would suddenly be struck with the answers she wanted. Then she shook her head. I'm afraid I don't know what these are, she admitted, taking a seat.

merrick was not dissuaded by the fact that arielle had no recognition of what he had brought. "trial and error," the man said cheerily, echoing her earlier words.
he looked at her now. "will you show me what a dose of these would look like?" it was clear what he meant to do, and the bearwolf would not be turned from his choice.

She frowned, her gaze lifting to study his expression, hopefully without meeting his gaze. Trial and error? Did he mean for her to ingest some of this plant to learn what it does?

Then he asked her to show him what a dose would look like. Her frowned deepened, but she would do as he asked. She studied the plant a few moments before taking her paw and swiping the petals from the flowers until she had a small pile. If it's like any other flowers I've used, then the petals should be ingested. Her heart began to race as a thought flickered through her mind. Was Merrick going to eat the the plant? Never had she included him in her plans to test plants out, not unless it was absolutely necessary. What if it made him sick or something? 

Quickly, she dropped her muzzle and drew the petals in her mouth. She gave only two quick chews before swallowing. I'll test them, sir, she said, clearly set in the decision she had just made. 

LOL i have no idea what plant this is. you can pp the start of symptoms if needed

i was winging it! <33 lmao ty

merrick gave a strangled snort of laughter as arielle disregarded his clear intentions. but the bearwitch was not angry. instead he feasted his single eye upon arielle, watchful as the plant surely began to take hold of her.
saliva began to pool from the young healer's mouth, and her pupils trimmed themselves until they were only specks.
"arielle," merrick whispered sing-song, breathless, wondering if even she was able to speak.

The instant the plant pieces dropped into her stomach, she began to feel an intense nausea. Saliva pooled her her mouth and dripped from her lips, completely beyond her control. She gave a hard swallow, which she realized immediately was a mistake; her saliva was thick and it clung to her throat as it went down, only making her stomach turn more violently. Suddenly the lights were bright—too bright. She closed her eyes against the painful sensation, swaying a little where she stood. 

It wasn't until Merrick said her name that her eyelids slowly opened. She squinted and opened her mouth to say something but then froze. She could feel her stomach contract as it forced its contents back up into her throat. Quickly, she turned from him. Her sides heaved as she dumped bile and plant bits on the ground at her paws. Three more times she vomited, the last time producing nothing but sticky, yellow fluid that burned her throat and nose. 

She slumped to the ground, awake but suddenly feeling very weak. She drew in a few deep breaths before looking in Merrick's direction. She wasn't sure what to say, so she said nothing at first. Then an idea jumped to the front of her foggy mind. Now I know, she said softly. Maybe it can be a tool we can use in the future—something to momentarily incapacitate someone. Vomiting certainly hadn't been fun, but she couldn't deny it was nice to learn something new. And she had spared the bear king from becoming sick himself.

arielle spoke only of this new knowledge. merrick smelled the acrid stench of her thin vomit and nodded with a slow admiration. "i will take you to water, and then the cave."
his tone did not invite another undercutting. merrick meant protection for arielle, and she could not have it without a great trust between them.
her transformation had been swift, fascinating.
he would not forget.

he seemed pleased with her suggestion, or at least he wasn't angry that she had eaten the plant when it was unclear, at least to her, whether he meant for her to do so or meant to ingest it himself. 

Water— Water was what she needed. It was all she could think about now that Merrick had said the word. Arielle nodded and shakily stood up. Her first few steps were wobbly but then she found her footing and walked gingerly to the bear king's side.

arielle was docile enough. merrick compelled the young healer to lean upon him. he was impressed by her; it showed in the way his face had settled and descended down toward her own.
"don't do that again," merrick said in soft warning. he was pliant all the same, and walked with her as far as bloodsport basin, where she could drink.
he watched her. merrick wished to ask the healer if she had feared death.

She gratefully accepted his offer and leaned against him, releasing a long, slow breath through her nose as he lead them to the basin. His respect showed in his face as he lowered it to hers. Arielle offered a soft brush of her nose to his chin in return.

 She was so desperate for water by the time they arrived that she pushed forward and began sucking in large mouthfuls of water. But she knew she could not take in a large amount if she wanted to keep it down. Besides, Merrick's words slid over her spine. They were not harsh but the warning was clear. 

She walked back and took a seat in front of the bear king. She was torn. She never wanted to go against his wishes, but neither did she want to see him hurt or worse. It was clear to her then that he had meant to test the plants out on himself. But, she said softly. I am just supposed to watch you take the risk? Her distaste of that idea was clear in her expression.

"i suppose you allow that to be my choice, arielle." he did not scold her. the cyclops'-gaze was a near-parody of something akin to affection.
he surveyed her figure and straightened. "how are you feeling?" merrick suspected after this that the girl might wish to rest, but she was determined and loyal.
evien; never far from his mind.

Arielle looked away, a small sigh leaving her lips. When she focused her gaze back on Merrick, her expression showed mostly acceptance. Okay, she murmured. I'll try. It would be difficult for her, but she would always try to obey his wishes.

I'm fine, she answered softly when he asked after her condition. Better now. The water had helped greatly with the burning in her throat and the taste of bile that clung to her tongue. Her stomach still protested a little, angry with her for taking in something poisonous. It could be easily ignored, though.

Would you like to see what plants I've collected so far? she asked after a moment. She had been busy, eagerly filling her days with the study of the plants in and around their territory. 

we can end here or keeping going if you'd like. i'm fine with either!

another couple rounds maybe? <3

merrick rolled his single eye but grinned darkly. "you must rest. but if you want to tell me of plants before you sleep, then i will listen and wait."
the bearking offered her his shoulder. he was not chilvarous. it was arielle's loyalty and return to ursus which had merrick enthralled so.
"what do you think of the bruin-jaw?" he asked at last, curious and cunning and watchful as their path wended back to the cave.

yes!

She wasn't sure how much rest she needed, but it didn't sound like a bad idea. So she nodded and stood, taking the help he offered. He had agreed to see her work, so she could do as he wished. 

When he brought up Aves, there was a familiar fluttering in her chest—it was always there when he was near or if she thought of him. What it mean, she wasn't sure, but it wasn't a bad feeling. But she wondered why Merrick was interested to know what she thought of the bear prince. 

She was silent a few moments, the sound of paws on loose stone seeming louder than it had before. Um, she swallowed, unsure what to say really. She wasn't really even sure what she thought of Aves. He is loyal to Ursus and has always been kind to me, Arielle finally offered. She glanced over at the bear king, silently gauging what he thought of her answer.

it was a good answer. merrick grunted, and a nod ended the conversation. there were many reasons to ask but foremost was ursus. he did not think his blackbird would bring forth children again. the fever after had sickened her, and merrick would not see astara suffer in such a way a third time.
but children must be born to the bear. 
he supposed such a responsibility might the following year belong to aventus.
"if he is kind to you then he sees something in you. my son is not far-reaching with his kindness."
they had come to the medicine den.

He seemed pleased with her answer, going as far as to inform her that the prince's kindness was not easily given. She wasn't sure what that meant for her, but she supposed that his kindness was offered because she had been kind as well. She gave a small smile anyway, his words filling her with a strange warmth she tucked away to examine later out of sight of his too knowing gaze. 

And they had reached her den. Arielle walked inside, looking around at the plants she had tried to categorize. There was one big pile of 'unknowns' she wished was smaller, but she tried to tell herself it was about progress, not perfection. 

She walked to one pile, glancing up a Merrick. These are for wounds, she told him. The next pile she nosed a bit before she explained: These are for pain. She pointed out the plant she knew to help nausea and the one she knew to help soothe emotional upset. Then she moved to the middle near a large pile of leaves and grass, smashed and matted together from use. It was where she slept. Arielle circled a few times before laying down. She looked over at a large collection of various plants. Those are things I'm unsure of for now. She looked back to the bear king, waiting for his reaction. Her gauge of how well she was doing was based solely on his approval.

wounds. pain.
merrick watched her with a vaguely paternal mien as she lay down in her bed. he crept closer, soothed by the scent of the medicine and how she seemed to recover from her experiment.
"these are for coughing." he pointed to a pawful of dark-dried leaves. "and this is to chew and put upon bleeding wounds." 
cobwebs and a small green plant. merrick recognized this well, for evien had used a great amount of the leaves in his time among them.
"you will learn the rest," the bearwolf encouraged, coming to sit alongside arielle's grass-mat.

Merrick picked out a few of her unknowns and explained their uses to her. Arielle nodded and committed the plants and their uses to memory. She knew the information would be vital.

Thank you, she offered as he came to sit near her. He assured her she would learn the rest, and she rested her head on her paws. I know, the healer replied. I just hope I learn it all quick enough to be of use if anyone in Ursus becomes injured or sick. She could help now, sure, but there were probably better plants and better ways than what she had learned so far.

"i know you will. and look, you won't have to learn on the wing. we have time now."
unlike evien, who had mended wolves directly before and after battle, a never-ending parade of slashes and bitemarks and maulings. ursus at its height.
what remained now was the loyalty to the core of the bear's chosen.
the single eyes closed in a blink.
"sleep now, arielle."

She wondered if learning on the wing might be a faster way, but it wouldn't be so helpful to whomever was her patient. Learning things before she needed them would better serve Ursus, and Merrick was right, they had time.

His request was easy, despite how she had told herself she hadn't needed rest. A yawn parted her lips as she nodded. Okay, she offered quietly, her eyes falling shut before she had finished speaking. Her breathing evened out soon after as she drifted off to dream of bears and plants and falling from a high mountain.