Redsand Canyon If you must pay money, better to a doctor than an undertaker.

Ruenna is with @Aquene, all Mereo wolves are welcome. Set for December 19, directly after this thread.

Ruenna and Aquene squeezed out of a chink in the canyon wall, arriving upon the sands of Mereo a bit damp after their journey through the wet, drippy passageway beneath the upper portion of Arrow Lake. The passage was uncomfortably narrow for underweight and wispy Ruenna, and it would have been downright claustrophobic for Aquene, a wolf of normal proportions. 

No doubt they were both relieved to be standing beneath open sky once more.

"Welcome to Mereo," Ruenna spoke after a quick shake, turning to Aquene. "I can find us something to eat, if you like." Although they were here on a mission-- to locate the medicinal herbs called yarrow and prairie crocus-- it was only proper to offer refreshment when bringing a guest into one's home.

There were many new faces within the canyon as of late. Of course, he knew they needed more soldiers, but he could tell a few of them were anything but. It didn't align with the future the imperator described to the northerner in the beginning. Kallik found it confusing. So much so, that he had kept mostly to himself the last few days; he found things easier to process that way. 

He scented the pair long before he showed himself to them. He recognized the wet stone scent against fur from the many times he had explored the passageways. He could tell one of them was a stranger, as well, and it pulled the auxillary out into the open. Ruenna's presence here confused him, but he knew she was under their protection, so he felt obligated to check things out. 

When he came upon the women, Ruenna was welcoming the stranger to Moreo and offering her a meal. 

Kallik stopped in front of the pair, his shrewd, icy gaze immediately taking in things about the new wolf—the muscles under her flesh, the thickness of her coat; he could tell she was not soft. So his assumption was that she was here to be a soldier. He couldn't say the same for Ruenna, but he kept the judgment hidden behind the blank mask he wore most of the time. So when his gaze moved to the Matrona, there was only question on his face. Another soldier? he asked, though there wasn't much question in his tone.

Ruenna knew this soldier by sight, but not by name or character. He could have been carved from ice: there was no flame of life apparent inside him, no warmth behind his eyes. He appeared to exist solely to soldier, which might have been just fine by Germanicus, but Ruenna wanted more for the young men of Mereo. Becoming a solider should not mean that a wolf must sacrifice his own personhood. 

"Hello, auxilia," Ruenna's voice lilted softly. "We haven't been introduced. I am the Lady Ruenna Caeso-Redsand, Matrona of Mereo and wife to Germanicus." Ruenna tilted her muzzle toward her companion. "This is Aquene." Ruenna neglected to provide any commentary on the soldier's verbalized assumption. As a civilian, she was ranked in a hierarchy entirely separate from the auxilia, and the soldiers did not hold direct command over her. She was not required to answer their questions or follow their orders, if she did not wish to do so. 

She would wait for the soldier to give his own name, if he so wished, before she continued. "Thank you for checking in with us, auxilia, but Aquene and I have some business in the canyon to which we need to attend. Unless I can assist you with anything..?" The needs of the soldiers came first, of course, even if that meant she would have to set aside her important work with Aquene.

Wife to Germanicus? The imperator had not mentioned this, but then he didn't share much other than criticism and guidance. He was careful to hide the surprise just as he had his judgement of Ruenna. She was of importance to the imperator, and it did not require the auxillary to understand. His icy gaze moved to the stranger as the matrona introduced her. He offered her a curt nod. The woman held a beauty that would have once sparked interest in the soldier, but now he felt nothing. He had no time for things like beautiful women now, nor was it meant to be part of his life. He told himself it was better that way.

Kallik shook his head when asked if he needed assistance. Would you like a guard while you move through the canyon, he asked, his tone flat and all business. It is not yet fully fortified. Their numbers grew slowly, and they worked tirelessly, but they could only do so much.

Sorry for the delay! I was out of town for marching band and didn't have an opportunity to post

Aquene truly didn’t know what she was getting herself into, but she was more than happy to offer her assistance to the kind and peculiar woman with the heavy limp. She followed her, uncomfortable and cramped as they cut through the narrow passage and down into the canyon, her eyes surveying the territory. It did look like a place for yarrow to grow at the very least, likely prairie crocus as well though that would depend more on the weather seen during the non-winter months in the locale and how humid it was outside. “It’s stunning… and easy to defend I imagine? That passage was a tight fit. I think I just barely fit through it.” She could hardly imagine how wolves of larger proportions could fit through it when she had been so tightly squeezed herself.
 
Another wolf was joining, and she could tell he was sizing her up, her eyes widening at the questions as she shook her head though before she could respond, Ruenna was asserting herself, using a title that Aquene was mostly unfamiliar with and clarifying that it was not his business. He was a soldier. She knew that because Ruenna had associated the word with soldier and combat in their initial discussion of yarrow. “I’m not much of a fighter.” She clarified, knowing that she only chose violence when she had to. “I’m just helping Ruenna with some herbs in the canyon.” She clarified because she felt like she had to explain herself despite Ruenna’s disposition on the matter. The question came and she deferred by looking to the woman who knew her way around, unsure if it was necessary or if she was going to pass.

The canyon was pretty, albeit a bit chilly this time of year. The towering walls had a way of acting as a wind tunnel, and Ruenna often found herself retreating into the various nooks and crannies of the gorge for a bit of cover, when the weather turned particularly harsh. This was originally how she discovered the Spelunker's Squeeze through which they had just travelled. 

Ruenna tilted her head as Aquene commented on the defensibility of the canyon. Did the woman also have an interest in tactics? If she did, she could learn much within Mereo. 

Ruenna would not have the chance to inquire further, as they were interrupted by the arrival of the auxilia. 

Aquene offered him more information that Ruenna might have, given the tenuous nature of the relationship between the citizens and the soldiers of Mereo. Aquene could not be faulted for this though; she had no way of knowing the politics of the canyon. 

"Thank you auxilia, we would appreciate your protection." It was better to concede than to argue and risk driving further in the wedge between herself and the soldiers. Ruenna couldn't help but notice that he did not offer his own name to them in return. Perhaps he didn't have one, or didn't want one. 

"Yarrow and prairie crocus, wasn't it?" Ruenna asked, turning back to Aquene. She refused to appear anything other that business-minded and assiduous in front of the soldiers, who she imagined thought of her as little more than a burden to Mereo. She was determined to change their minds, in time.

y'all can pp him from here <3

The new wolf stated that she was also not a soldier, but a healer like Ruenna. More distractions. But he clearly had no say in the matter and would just have to adapt.

Ruenna accepted his offer to stand guard while they looked for plants, so he sank into the background. His gaze was watchful, and his ears were in tune with all the sounds around them. Regardless of how he felt, he would not let any harm come to them.

Aquene fell into the background and let the Matrona handle the auxilia and whether or not he would accompany them for protection. Once it was settled, her attention focused in, her mind set for details as she nodded. “We are more likely to be able to find and identify yarrow in the winter weather due to it’s stem, but it’s possible we’ll find prairie crocus. This is the right environment for it to grow in, it just doesn’t withstand the cold as well as yarrow does.” She explained, taking every opportunity she could to better educate. She was a firm believer that ever wolf should have survival knowledge and these kinds of plants could be gamechangers in a pinch.
 
Instantly, she started to analyze the ground in which they were walking, paying particular attention to ledges and crevices where plants might have clung to life within the protection of two firm walls. Thankfully, the fates had blessed her, and she was carefully plucking a stem from the ground, a small bundle growing within some loose soil within a crack in the canyon surface, laying it down carefully in front of the matrona. “It grows here, and it seems to have taken root in places that are more protected than the open soil which means it’s likely that there is still enough growing to collect for winter storage.” She nosed it towards the woman so she could see the distinctive stem that Aquene had mentioned earlier.

Ruenna did her best to listen intently to Aquene's lecture, but she still felt the need to keep half an eye on the unnamed auxilia, as he no doubt felt compelled to keep an eye on them. 

The pair walked, and very quickly-- thank the stars, Ruenna's back was already aching from the morning's excursion-- Aquene identified a patch of yarrow growing in a crevice. "Oh, Aquene-- well done!" Ruenna breathed, deeply impressed. It was almost unbelievable that anything useful could spring to life in such a harsh, cragged place. 

The stems that Aquene plucked were simple and nondescript, but with closer study Ruenna could see the distinctive little hairs that Aquene had mentioned. "You have a keen eye, Aquene," she praised, returning her gaze to Aquene's features. 

"I may be asking too much--" Ruenna ventured, "But as I've been listening to you, I've realized that you possess more important knowledge than I could ever hope to absorb through conversation. ..I wondered if you could be convinced to remain in Mereo for a time, as our medic." Aquene had already shown herself as observant, adaptive, and open to new opportunities. Ruenna thought it was likely she might accept, if not for the long term then at least for the present.

Aquene was thankful in that moment for the level of detail her mother had taken her education to. She recalled the hours of sitting in a den memorizing stem patterns, catching the smaller details other wolves were likely to miss solely because they had never spent the time like she had. It appeared it was paying off now, though there were certainly other skills she lacked, like the knowledge of how to fight and defend herself. ‘A man’s work’ is what her father had called war.
 
The praise brough a soft but proud smile to her features. She had done well, and for that she allowed herself a minute of pride. The shyness that came with her lack of ability to take a compliment arose at the woman’s continued praises, but she was quickly distracted when the woman started to speak of asking too much. Her head crooked to the side lightly as curiosity lit in her eyes, listening as the woman made her an offer that shocked her. She couldn’t help the way her eyes widened just slightly before she realized what the woman was offer.
 
A home. But could she? She’d spent so long on her own after her mother had passed… could she? But also, could she leave knowing that there was a pack that could use her knowledge and expertise? She pondered it quietly for a moment, the pensive look on her features clearly indicating that she was weighing her options. “I would be honored, Ruenna… I have been on my own for quite some time, but my knowledge isn’t useful when I’m on my own… I would love to be able to apply it here.”

Ruenna waited as Aquene considered. She expected the medic to have some questions for her, but much to Ruenna's surprise and delight, Aquene accepted readily. 

"Your knowledge will be treasured here," Ruenna assured her. If Aquene was truly as good as Ruenna suspected, she would be one of Mereo's most valuable members.  

"Let me show you where I've been storing medical supplies," Ruenna offered with a smile. No doubt Aquene would find her stores meager and wanting, but Ruenna could only do so much given the inhospitable season and her own lack of mobility. 

As they walked, Ruenna would fill in Aquene on the finer points of life in Mereo: the titles and roles, the hierarchy, the nature of their relationship with Akashingo, and their mission here in the canyon to keep the surrounding territories safe. She would answer Aquene's questions, and when the new recruit was ready, Rue would show her to her new quarters. 

Let's fade here, if you don't mind. Feel free to reply or just archive. <3