The Heartwood I whistle a happy tune

@Ivev :)

Wandering through an area she had never seen before, Vienna gazed at the massive trees surrounding her, steps meandering and on no particular path. She thought perhaps she had passed through this forest on her path to meeting Fox (unintentionally), but she could not be sure.

Summer's disappearance had just now begun to frighten Vienna, a bit more than she would care to admit. All she could think of was her friend out there injured and unable to return. It was unlike her to be so pessimistic, but when she looked at the world now, she had begun to comprehend the dangers it possessed. And it was not like him to just disappear without a word for so long. She knew him to be loyal to the spire as well as his friends. She knew for a fact that Ty was still on their land, though she interacted with no one. He would not leave her so long alone.

She had therefore, against every fiber of her being, once more passed by the location of her attack. She had almost asked Sumayl to accompany her, but in the end she had snuck out alone. When she got there, though, she had found nothing. No trace of any danger, no sign that anything had ever occurred. A strange feeling had entered her then, passing quickly but leaving an impression. While the incident was burned into her mind for good, the world around moved on and forgot. It was odd but comforting.

Now it had been two days she had been away, traveling south. She did not intend to be gone so long initially, but as long as she was in the area, she thought it would be a good time to seek a pack. She had meant to approach BDP first, but changed her mind. She would head there next, but for now she would give this area a good shot.

hi!

Where did all the fireflies go? Ivev could remember the flitting little lightbugs in the midsummer, where the nights were humid and warm, slowly cooling with a pleasant whiff of air. But just like during the day, winter had seemingly stolen the golden bugs from the air and replaces them with an atmosphere that seemed to nip at the female's heels. With her present wounds, it was making it even harder to continue about her duties, for Ivev was left with a permanent limp.

Although her movements were beginning to smooth out, Ivev still stopped, limped, and painstakingly meandered her way through the landscape. Every time she put her back right leg in full contact with the ground, Ivev's jaw gritted against her molars, sucking in the air and making her throat burn with the feel of icy cold. But as her tail swung limply behind her, the arcticborn's opal eyes were trained straightforward. She was determined to familiarize herself with the land, and seek out some medication for the wound her leg.

Ivev held no problem with making noise whilst moving through the wood. With small paws, Ivev had a certain grace to her, but her injuries didn't allow her to afford moving quietly. It was between the trees her ears picked up a sound and the healer came to a stop, biting her lip. She was vulnerable while going on outing alone, and hopefully the slight timber figure that appeared before her would be no enemy. She had made enough of those.

At first Vienna was clueless to the stranger, but as she came in closer proximity, her attentive ears caught the woman's uneven gait. Quickly she turned, gaze traveling through the trees to land on Ivev, posture defensive. Though she relaxed some, she was still hesitant to approach too quickly. She had found that even kind wolves got leery and aggressive when approached too brazenly, for a forward greeting could sometimes be seen as aggressive.

Instead she simply called over, tentatively. "Hello." As she did, she tried to assess the other. She looked to be just as wary, and possibly injured, though too far away to see the extent.

sorry for delay >.<

Rather than be skittish or defensive, the female simply remained still and allowed her ears to perk up with the same amount of curiosity this stranger seemed to exude.

Hey, to you too, Ivev called in response, swiveling her blue eyes to see the lean, tan and agouti female standing a few body-lengths away. She seemed to be out wandering just as Ivev was, although the arctic wolf had a bit of a purpose. She could only hope that the smile on her face was humble enough that this oaken stranger had little choice but to respond. Perhaps this wolf was a native, and could point Ivev in the right direction to what she was looking for.

There was no hostility, only a genial greeting, so Vienna's tail gave a gentle, happy wave as she relaxed. "My name is Vienna. Are you out here looking for something, or just enjoying the day?" The lands were unclaimed, so they surely couldn't be a home to this woman. Unless she was a loner? That was a rough break if so, at least from Vienna's standpoint. Some were suited to that life - she was not and would never understand.

If she was looking for something, maybe they could help each other out. After all, Vienna had her own goal in mind

Pleased that the female was of a similar calm, but slightly more gregarious nature made Ivev relax slightly, her body loosening and her tail letting out a wave. The stranger introduced herself as Vienna, and didn't seem defensive or uptight about guarding the land she stood on.

I'm Ivev. I think I am looking for something, actually. Are you from around here? The arctic wolf threw a quick gaze at her surroundings. There was snow on the ground, underneath the trees, but it wasn't thick and Ivev could easily walk up to a pine and inspect it.

I'm trying a gully or wash with willow saplings, she began to explain.

Ivev. She committed it to memory, then shook her head. "Sadly, no. I've not been down this way often either." Her curiosity was sparked, though. "Are you from around here?"

She was looking for a plant, a very naturalist or healer thing to do. Both were subjects she had a heavy interest in (currently), so she pursued it regardless. "Any specific reason you need it?" She asked as she began to look around as well. She could probably guess from the limp, but didn't want to assume. Maybe she was fetching it as she so often had for her own packmates.

She had wandered a quarter of a day's journey to this spot, making little gains in the way of distance than this stranger probably had.

Some ways south of here, at the Spine. When Vienna asked about the willows, Ivev smiled. She hadn't met many wolves who expressed an interest on why she was out wandering for things when she could be back socializing. Ivev wanted to help, but in ways she knew how- she was useless when it came to fighting or patrolling, for harming another wolf intentionally was not on her agenda.

The bark or fresh twigs help with pain when chewed, she explained. But I hope I find ones that haven't been damaged by frost.

Her news, when delivered, brought a bubbling sort of excitement to the outrider. A healer!? What were the chances!? She'd not really hoped to find one so far south, though part of her did wish. Instead she had been planning to swing by the plateau on her way home. She still would, but if she could learn something here? All the better!!!

"You are a healer then!? That is so neat! I'm thinking about becoming one myself, though our pack doesn't have anyone skilled enough to teach me above the basics." She looked hopefully at Ivev, getting straight to the point. Would you mind showing me a few things? I know some of the more basic plants, but things like sprains and really bad gashes... Stuff that you can't use herbs for? Yeah no idea." Maybe you could use herbs and she was wrong even in that. It wouldn't surprise her too much. "I'll help you look for your Willow in the meantime!"

we could always branch this thread out and do a couple different healery topics? sorry for late reply!

This was one of the more eager souls Ivev had met in quite awhile- and she could say it actually felt good to meet one. There had been no one to share her blooming craft with, and the secrets of medicine she had learned so long ago with her grandmother. The arctic wolf smiled, enthused, grateful for the outpour of interest.

It's been awhile since I've met another person with the same interests, Ivev confessed. All from a simple adjunction to her statement, explaining her wanderings, and Ivev had found that Vienna likely possessed some of the natural healer curiosity and spirit.

Come on- let's see what we can sniff out.

She began to limp off in the direction where the land naturally sloped downwards, hoping that there would a river nestled in its crook.

sounds good!!!!! Across different threads or all in one? Doesn't matter to me :) she can always come visit again also!

The other wolf didn't seem to hate the idea of dragging a newbie around, Vienna was glad to note, and instead seemed genuinely pleased with the interest. She'd met so many who balked at her enthusiasm that now, meeting one who enjoyed it, filled her fit to burst with happiness. What good luck she'd come this way! Now she would still have the plateau, but also someone down here who could show her the ropes!

"We have our fair share of naturalists back home, but no one with much healing knowledge. It's a fairly new interest for me too, but I am enjoying it more than I thought I would!". It was true. She'd thought that she would balk at the difficulty, lose interest. But instead she found herself enjoying the challenge of drilling herself and remembering things. What left to be seen, though, was if she still felt that way after having to apply the knowledge. That was a test she could do without for a while, though, thank you very much.

"Right behind you." Following behind, Vienna too cast about, hoping for a clue. Plant gathering was one thing she knew very well, her eye practiced in the task. This made identifying easy. It was applying that was difficult. "Does Willow have other uses besides pain? And would frost-damaged ones still work, or do they lose some of it?" She asked as they walked, an easy starter for a conversation between the two like-minded individuals.

we could do different threads c:

The trees here thinned out, their trunks slender and white. Birch, and then eventually oak and willow, replaced the aspen-pine forest of which Ivev had encountered the buoyant Vienna. The female noted that her pack had some naturalists, and Ivev flicked an ear in reply.
It's hard to group naturalists and healers into categories, sometimes. Everyone has their different passions.
Their path had wound further down through the bare winter trees, towards a creek that rested at the bottom of a slope. Small icy slips covered parts of the rocks that jettisoned out of the water. When the cold ground sank into choppy mud, the wolf stopped at the base of one of the trees sticking out of the winter ground. It was particularly tall and had swooping, downward facing branches- a willow.
I hope frost hasn't damaged it- I usually collect this when its warmer and the trunk is softer, Ivev explained. But I need it now. I don't know any other uses for it besides helping with pain, but some other plants have multiple uses. The arctic creature glanced up the length of the tree, before tentatively scraping at its exterior with her canids.

sounds good! Mind if we make them all happen pretty close together timeline wise? Sorry I'm a little slow also but since she's back home now it'd make sense ^^

Unless she comes back, which she can do :)

"I've kinda come to realize that. They are really connected.". It was part of the reason she was finding she enjoyed both so mich. She'd always known of her naturalist inclinations, but the healing was new.

In a seemingly short amount of time they found what they were looking for - a Willow tree, it's trailing branches impossible to miss even in the winter. Stepping around the skeletal skirt of the tree's limbs, she approached the trunk alongside Ivev, gazing up at the branches above before focusing on what was being spoken.

In a roundabout way they did answer her question... Frost was damaging to the bark. She supposed it was possible that there were no other uses, but it was unlikely. She would perhaps learn eventually if not now. Lifting a paw, she too began prising at the bark, attempting to break off some of the looser exterior pieces. To take too much, she knew, could harm the tree.

"Is it better to simply chew the bark, or should it be swallowed?" either way had to work, but was the bark dangerous to ingestion? Or stronger that way?

The energetic, gray hued female sidled past the bare branches of the willow to inspect the bark Ivev was gnawing at. The white wolf stopped, her ears perked to the side as Vienna spoke.

It's edible, Ivev said. Once we take it off the tree, the bark kind of softens and curls up, so you can eat it then. Willow sticks work the same way. You just chew on them. The Sunspire wolf started to clip off some of the willow, and after a few tries, it began to pry away.

The willow tree is interesting in that it sheds- just like we do in the spring, the arctic wolf continued. Her nose touched the scrappy bark. Its trunk is always sort of flaky like this, versus and aspen or a birch, which are very smooth. Many wolves have theories as to how this happened into the willow- stories and lore and such.

Vienna had seen enough willows to know the bark's unique property, but still she listened spellbound, for the second part she had never caught wind of.  "Really?" she asked, obviously intrigued.  "Do you know any of them?"  She might have traded in her chronicler hat for healer, but that didn't mean she wasn't up for collecting every story she could get her paws on.

Her family told stories, some of them origins, but many of them dealt with the sweeping and sorrowful branches of the willow.  She had never heard of one that explained the fragile bark, and excitement filled her at the prospect of the unknown.

Her tail wagged happily. I think I have some, Ivev replied, stepping forward to scrape some bark off also. It curled, then loosened from the tree and fell to the ground at her paws. It left an earthy, unique scent that was associated with willow.

Well, the story goes like this. The willow has always been regarded as a tree symbolizing wisdom- but for her, it wasn't always so. For a long time, the willow grew on harsh mountain faces, where it was very window and her leaves were often stripped. One day, however, a raven flew up to land on willow's branches. Raven promised to give willow a new home by the river if she could give him something in return. He wanted willow's bark so he could heal himself. Foolishly, willow said yes, and her bark became easily pliable under a bird's beak. However, when willow began to grow next to the river, she found she couldn't protect her bark from raven's greedy claws, who took lots of her bark and traded it to his friends. That's why her branches hang down- so she can protect her trunk.

Ivev glanced upwards, where the thin branches intertwined with neighboring trees. Spring was coming, and soon they would sprout with green shoots. I've actually not seen many willows in my time- I grew up around pine, more than anything else.

since I am dropping vienna we won't get our other threads :( and if we can wrap this that'd be awesome.  Sorry dear!  I haven't been in nearly the mindset to keep her up :(

Vienna listened with rapt attention, loving that it also described the sorrowful boughs of the tree.  It was a sad story, but there was beauty in sadness too, and she loved all stories regardless.  "A wonderful tale," she said when Ivev had finished, beaming appreciatively.  "And one that would definitely make one think twice before stealing more bark than necessary.  For now we could very well be that raven."  Stories that taught such lessons were treasures, and this one she would remember and pass on for sure.

"My homeland had more maples, and pines as well." She cocked her head, looking now up into the branches.  "We did have some though.  It is hard, moving.  Learning the new plants.  Luckily though there are kind souls willing to help in most places."  She cast a grateful look at her newfound friend, truly appreciative of her tutelage today.  She hadn't needed to take the time and Vienna was aware of that fully.

They spent a little more time gathering and conversing of herbs and uses before parting ways, Vienna determining she should probably be on her way.  She marked her for future lessons, though, happy to have found a friend and mentor so close by and hoping they would cross paths once more.