Her pups were nine months old now, entering their third season of life and nearing their adult heights. They were no longer children, and were well past ready to begin formal training. Though they'd received informal instruction in self defense and religion (Alfrun was hopeless in the first, though the other children seemed to have the knack for it) winter was fast approaching in the north. There was already snow on the ground, and life would only get more difficult for the small pack from here out. Pups in this life could not afford to be coddled. Yet, there were so few warriors and healers to train them. It was a frustrating conundrum, and one that would probably require her to coordinate with other packs in order to solve it. But that was a problem for another time. There was time yet before she need call the pack together for the vetrnátta blót, and the season's þing, time she would spend with her children individually to guide them towards choosing what they wished to do when the time came to choose a specialty. Instead of calling for her eldest pups first, she chose to call to her her next-youngest daughter Asvor. Of all of them Asvor had proven the boldest and most mischievous of the group, rivaled only by Raesa in her own boldness, and seemed inclined to find ways to amuse herself that were not always appropriate when she was bored. The rebellious one of the litter, perhaps you could say - taking more after her blood-sire's father and grandsire than any of the others. As she had once thought of Stori and Eisleif, competition was good to push pups and adults alike to excel, but there were times when an individual touch was called for. It would do the volatile Asvor good to not feel the need to compete so fiercely for attention for the time. So, moving away from main living area of the pack into the lesser used of their lands, the mountain at the southernmost edge of their lands, she lifted her sharp-boned face to the sky and called for Asvor to join her there. ""

It was surprising to hear a summons for her and her alone. At her mother's voice, she felt a swell of pride and joy fill her chest. Part of her, though, felt a bit inwardly panicked - had her uncle noticed some of her herbs missing and had told Katja? Or was Tau still mad about that stick she had stolen and hid in the woods? Still, she was not foolish enough to ignore her mother's call - and she was feeling hopeful about it as she made her way up the incline of the mountainside toward her mother. Her posture was a bit uncertain as she slunk toward her mother, as though afraid she might be punished for something. Her red-furred mask tilted toward her mother as she closed the distance between them, tail swaying lightly where it lay at her hocks. She had grown quite a bit over the summer, almost reaching her full height - close to her mother's height, though no where near her fat brother's Tau height either. "Mother,"  she'd greet her with a small smile, head dipping as she came to stand before her.

Asvor as she approached gave the impression of a young fox uncertain if they moved toward their own doom, though she greeted Katja politely and with a smile. Katja dropped her head to run her muzzle soothingly along her daughter's skull. "There is no need to look as though you approach your execution, Asvor," she rumbled. "I have not called you to punishment, or I would hope you would not consider it a punishment to spend time with your mother, hmm?" She settled herself down on her belly, inviting Asvor to her side. "Perhaps you would like to take a lesson today? Or would a story be more to your liking?" she prodded gently, seeking to reveal what Asvor might take an interest in that could be shaped further.

IF I HAD A HEART I COULD LOVE YOU

Her mother's facade was characteristically mysterious; or perhaps there was simply nothing hidden behind the soft, steady expression she wore for her daughter. Asvor was quite embarrassed when she realized her posture had been so telling of her thoughts, and she'd attempt to stand a bit taller as Katja embraced her. "I didn't mean to seem.. like that," the girl offered tentatively, not wanting her mother to know she felt guilty about anything. Her transgressions seemed minor enough to not warrant a punishment, and that was the last thing she wanted when given the time to spend alone with her mother.

'I would hope you would not consider it a punishment to spend time with your mother,' Katja would quip, her tone only half-serious. The young girl smiled easily in response, shaking her head quickly to assuage the very possibility of that being the case. "I don't," Asvor told her firmly. She shifted as Katja lowered herself to her belly, mirroring her movements eagerly, her demeanor brightening at the prospect of a lesson. "Stories are always good," she started carefully. "But perhaps a lesson might be better. I was actually wondering.." her voice trailed off as she wondered how she might ask. "..I was wondering if you knew much about plants. Ones that do more than just heal, like uncle Kapra's?"

IF I HAD A VOICE I WOULD SING

Asvor seemed to respond eagerly enough to the prospect of spending time with her, but her question made Katja cock her head to the side consideringly. Though it was common practice in the tradition of their family, she herself didn't choose to partake in mind altering substances, so she knew little of them or their effects. "I know very little," she spoke slowly. "Either of plants that heal, or plants like your uncle Kapra's. I do know that they are many, and will effect a wolf in many various ways. Some produce visions, or euphoria, while others will calm or entrance. Certain mushrooms will have these effects as well as plants. They can be very dangerous, though," she cautioned with the utmost seriousness. "Some are poisonous in large doses, and even used properly can still kill." She thought for a moment, silver eyes drifting to the distance. It could be nothing more than an idle curiosity from Asvor's observations of her uncle, or it could be a genuine interest, and she wondered how far this interest in herbs might extend. To healing? If so, she had Kassander or Lyndvarr to teach her. But if this interest swerved the... opposite direction, into poisons, well... she doubted not that Kassander would be horrified at the idea of teaching someone that, and she did not know if Lyndvarr had any experience in it either, so if Asvor's interest proved to lay in such a direction she would need to think about finding the girl a teacher, if indeed a trustworthy teacher in that arena could even be procured. She returned her attention to her daughter. "There are some who use plants like that and other poisons as a weapon, much as a fighter would use their teeth, and some who are godi who use them as tools to bring them closer to the gods. Some are even used in healing as well for pain or to induce calm. They have many uses."

IF I HAD A HEART I COULD LOVE YOU

Asvor was too young to know exactly what the herbs her uncle took did to him, but she knew one thing: they made the world different. They made him seem different to the world, too. She didn't really know if she was interested in anything that made her feel not like herself.  She liked being able to think clearly and to have control of her thoughts and her actions. Her head tilted as she gazed at her mother at her side, thinking for a moment about what she said with brows furrowed in concentration.

She didn't know much, and that both surprised her a bit and also didn't; she'd never seen her mother handle herbs, though Asvor was certain she was one of the most intelligent wolves on this planet and it was stranger to find something she didn't know about.  "I'd like to know a little about healing," she explained carefully, her words accompanied by a glance away as she gained her thoughts. It'd be useful to help her family if they ever got hurt, or sick. It seemed very practical to know that stuff. "But I mostly am curious as to how herbs can be used in other ways. Poisons, like you said, the ones that could bring you closer to the gods sound interesting too." She nodded earnestly. Her interest was innocent - as innocent as interest in poisons could be, at least. Though there was no one she wanted to harm, not did she enjoy the thought of someone suffering persay, but the thought of the herbs themselves doing both harm and good was curious to her.

IF I HAD A VOICE I WOULD SING

Asvor clarified herself a bit further, and Katja nodded encouragingly to her. "It is certainly a suitable path of learning," she told the girl, though experience told her that few packs here would agree with that. Healing, certainly, but she could hardly picture Bass having one of his young daughters learn to administer, rather than treat, poisons. She shrugged it off without another thought, instead applying herself to the problem at hand - a teacher. "You are more than welcome to study healing with Lyndvarr or Kassander when they are not busy with their duties, and your uncle perhaps can teach you to identify his sort of herbs and their uses." She would need to speak with Lyndvarr and see if he knew ought about poisons, and certainly would have to speak to Kapra to be certain that his teaching of the girl was not... hands-on. "If it is something you find of interest still after some study, it may be that I will find you a mentor who can teach you of such things in more depth."

IF I HAD A HEART I COULD LOVE YOU

It was an interest she hadn't fully actualized until now, when her mother gave her the opportunity to speak openly about what she wanted to learn and to do. Part of her had been a bit nervous about bringing it up - why, she wasn't quite sure, but she knew her interests were not entirely.. pious. She knew dealing with herbs was not something her mother was familiar with, and she hadn't really seen her father deal with them either. She still knew she wanted to eventually learn to find though, and defend her family, so it wasn't as though she would never need Katja's training. The girl's eyes were bright and full of energy as she watched her mother speak, eager to hear what she had to tell her.

"I'll seek them out," Asvor would agree, making a note to find them and ask if they could teach her something. The thought of asking her uncle was a less pleasant one; not that she didn't like him, but she'd made a habit of rifling through his stores of herbs and hiding them in random places and she wasn't sure if he might somehow find out or not, if she started to ask him about his herbs. "Hmmm," she started, as though thinking aloud as her gaze averted to seek something in the distance. "Were any of the gods interested in herbs? Both good ones and bad ones."

IF I HAD A VOICE I WOULD SING

Asvor agreed to seek out Yfir's healers, and Katja blinked slowly, well pleased that her daughter showed such interest, and still more pleased when Asvor asked if there were gods interested in herbs as well. "Certainly," she answered. "There are many among the nine realms who follow such paths. One among the aesir who is well known for such is Eir, the Valkyrie-healer. Even Thor the mighty, warrior though he is, can be called upon as a healer. The Vanir taught us much about the use of herbs to connect to the gods as well - it was Freyja who taught Odinn such magics when she joined the Aesir." Her muzzle curved in a rare smile to her young daughter. "Even poisons have an honored place in our stories. The eitr from which all life was created is said to be a poison, and even now flows through the fangs of the midgard serpent Jörmungandr, and indeed many lesser serpents." "Talk" "You" Think