— healing skill thread, collecting meadowsweet

teach me gently how to breathe

This was a strange place indeed. Solveiga slowed her steps dramatically as she came upon the new land, cloaked in a thin blanket of fog that seemed never ending. And, underneath it all, the heady smell of herbs. There was no turning back now. Her curiosity was piqued.

Solveiga had spent a lot more time lately thinking about what she might like to make of her life. As of now, she was all alone, no family or steady friends. There was Jendai, the woman she had briefly traveled with. So perhaps she had one sort-of-steady friend. Something might come of that, something might not. She wanted to know what her plan was going to be in the long run. Many times the possibility of joining a pack had crossed her mind, and eventually she had made up her mind to do it, she just needed to find a place that felt like home to her. Then, when she found a home, she needed a job of sorts.

And this was it. Herbs, healing, all of the things her mother used to do. As a pup, Solveiga had watched her, and had learned a few very basic things. But she was a curious soul, always wanting to learn more. And this was what she wanted to learn more about. This could be her trade, and it would be the perfect trade for her because she had always had a passion for healing, and a natural talent for it. And so, Solveiga walked confidently into this new land in search of any herbs she might recognize from her childhood.

-::-

He’d been sent out again to find more herbs. It had been one or two days, plus several hours, and he was on his way back through the Moor with his bounty; wrapped in the deer hide and tucked into the space under his necklace with the help of Cinder - who had come with him today and now balanced easily on his shoulders, front paws holding the bundle in place – were various plants, roots, and tubers. Even a few mushrooms from all the way to the east in the mountainous foothills of Mount Volkan. Maitake Mushrooms? They were a surprising order from Kavdaya, who said they were good for fighting cancers, easing pain and nausea, among other things. Since it was new and unheard of by the vibrant Archangel, he remembered most of the conversation of what they did. Also in the bundle were several bushels of Pinkroot. Kavdaya had said that the plants were good for treating intestinal parasites. Calendula, he had located for her, though with the plants not in bloom, he carried none of the flower heads to take home and dry. He wasn’t worried about being gone for so many days; Creed was a trustworthy Secondary, and in any case, he would be gone even longer when he went out to meet with the other Alphas at their borders. He had taken a few detours to investigate some borders, and had been shocked to find that Imperium was gone. The scents were barely there; maybe a few lone soles still lingering, perhaps clinging to the hope that it would reform… Was the Imperialis family okay? Thus far, he had only really met Valentine, the king, and his… unusual daughter. Hopefully they were okay somewhere out there. Donostrea was gone as well. Both things that he needed to announce next time he called a meeting. He’d been thinking through several ideas he wanted to bring to light with the pack; they’d never had the festival his mother had planned to hold last Summer, and there were a few customs he wanted to suggest to them. Ultimately, it would be down to them what customs stayed, and which wouldn’t be set into place. He was thinking of laws, as well. Movement ahead broke him from his reverie, and he slowed, steps growing lighter as his fathomless sapphire eyes sought the source, catching sight of a lightly dappled pale sandy tan rump before the mists swirled briefly to veil her frame. It was a brief glimpse, but enough to tell him that the female ahead was another tiny one. His head lowered, nose questing for her scent, which he’d missed as he was lost in his thoughts. Young, no pack scent, and not in heat, thank the gods. He slipped after the stranger, noting that her path, if she continued straight on from here, would lead to the border of Celestial. So he gave a friendly bark, announcing his presence and allowing his steps to land heavily instead of the near silent traipsing he’d been doing seconds before. His posture was friendly, openly wagging his tail over his hips; a sign that he was an Alpha, but a friendly one. All in all, he was a striking figure, as large as he was, and as brightly hued as he was with his fierce crimson coat. When he felt he was close enough to speak without shouting, he called out in the gentle, carrying baritone voice he’d used with the pack, greeting the female cheerfully as Cinder leapt from his back, heading for home ahead of him. “Good day, miss. Would you mind some company? I’m Regulus Anatolii Adravendi, by the way; I’m the Archangel – or Alpha – of the pack just west of this land; Celestial.” He paused to check the bundle on his back, ensuring it was secure before he smiled warmly at the female, though he kept a respectful distance, waiting for her to either accept his company, or tell him to sod off.

teach me gently how to breathe

Solveiga walked with her nose lowered, searching for any familiar scents that might trigger an old childhood memory. And even if no specific scent made itself known, keeping her head closer to the ground would make it easier for her to peer through the faint mist at the herbs scattered throughout the area. There were several kinds of herbs here, she was sure of that. However, she did not know most of them or what uses they might have, so she stayed clear of them in case they might be poisonous. Deep in concentration, she in no way noticed the male coming up behind her until he made his presence known, a friendly bark pulling Solveiga from her train of thought as he approached. She stopped in her path and turned to see the stranger, her eyes widening slightly as she took in his bold figure and his vibrant coat. He was an alpha, she knew that before he spoke, and quite the dazzling one at that. She couldn't help but look for a moment at the pendant hanging around his neck, and then at the creature which was perched on his shoulders. His presence gave her a lot to take in, but she managed to smile politely at his words, even though his status made her want to tuck her tail and make herself even smaller than she already was.

He introduced himself and made it known to her that he was indeed an alpha, of a pack near here called Celestial. Solveiga perked her ears a bit more to show her interest. "My name is Solveiga, your grace, it's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a humble bow of her head. "and I wouldn't mind your company at all. I came looking for herbs, but it seems I do not know enough to identify them." She paused here to look around a bit, still not seeing anything right away. Were the herbs here just different than the ones back home? How could she not recognize a single one so far? She looked back up at the crimson alpha and noticed the little package of herbs he was carrying. "Any chance you might know enough to help me?" she asked, a bit shyly.

-::-

The stranger’s reaction was unsurprising to the Archangel; after all, how many bright red wolves of his height did you meet in a day? The fact that he was an alpha seemed to catch her interest as he introduced himself, and he felt a tiny glimmer of hope that maybe this female might choose to join the pack and help boost the numbers. Her response to his introduction was a polite, formal introduction in return, and he smiled easily down at her, tail waving amiably. “And you, too, Lady Solveiga. You can call me Regulus is you like.” It was a pretty name, and he wondered briefly what it meant, but turned his attention first to her request for help. “Well, I’m no master healer, but I know a few. My Master healer and sister, also one of the healers in Celestial, sent me out with a sort of gathering list, as it were. We’re short on numbers right now, so I’m happy to help.” The Crimson Archangel’s jaws parted in a relaxed grin as he started forward, pace slow enough to allow her to set the speed of their stroll. “Any herbs in particular that you were hoping to find?” His fathomless sapphires cast a sweeping look across the misty surroundings, with his lofty vantage point, and he thought he could pick out a few, among all the heather.

teach me gently how to breathe

The man seemed very friendly. Though he was an alpha and displayed his dominance, he did not force it on her or act pompous in any way. She appreciated that, and appreciated his warmth. It made her feel more at ease with him as she smiled and bowed her head gratefully when he said he would be happy to help. "Thank you," she said softly, walking beside him through the mist. They both scanned the area for herbs, but she was sure he could identify more than she could, especially from his vantage point.

"Well, to be honest..." she gave the man a self conscious smile and stopped to look up at him. "My mother was a healer. My only healing knowledge is that which I gathered from her, when I was young." Her baby blue eyes looked about once more, and this time she saw something that looked vaguely familiar. She started toward it slowly, examining the small white blooms sprouting from the damp earth of the area. "This," she said softly to the man. "I know this. My mother used to use it to relieve pain, and I think she gave it to my brother once when he had the flu." Here she trailed off and looked up at Regulus, her tail swaying gently as her eyes brightened with curiosity. "Do you know the name of it?"

-::-

He was glad to see her relaxing out of that initial subservience she had been showing at first. That she could relax was a good thing, and as she thanked him, he nodded cheerfully. As they moved along, and he swept his eyes about, he listened to her words, pausing to meet her eyes with an encouraging smile in return, tail waving slightly behind him in contented relaxation; honesty was good. Her story sparked a grin, and he answered happily, “My Grandmother was one of the best - perhaps even the best –healer on the continent in her time, and she did her best to teach myself and my siblings all she could before she had to go. My sister Zuriel took to her training the most. I picked up a bit, too, but I’m more adept at fighting and hunting.” He smiled fondly at the memories, a wistful note to his voice, before he added, “Kavdaya, our cousin, is almost as good as my grandmother was. They had a lot of the same early training.” He followed, ears perked, as she approached a plant, bending to examine the plant with her. A few sniffs and listening to her memory, plus thinking back to the more recent lessons Kavdaya had been giving him and he grinned. “I think I could. It might be Meadowsweet. Kavdaya said it’s also good for stomach pains, infections, and headaches…” His head tilted as he spoke, eyes lifting as he pulled the information from his memories, his gaze returning to Solveiga’s with a grin as he admitted, “And that’s as much as I can remember about the uses. Did you want some?”

teach me gently how to breathe

The occasionally reassuring smiles she received from Regulus kept her insecurities at bay. Every time she spoke with someone new she felt a bit shy, and expected those feelings to be even greater around someone of such authority. But the way he carried himself made her feel like they were equal, and she smiled warmly back at him as he told her about his grandmother who was apparently the best healer in the land when she was alive. "Your grandmother sounds amazing," she said, still listening politely as he said that she had taught him, but he was more suited for fighting and hunting, which did not surprise her considering how big and strong he seemed to be.

The male examined the plant she had pointed out and sniffed at it as she felt herself get butterflies at his closeness. She was tempted to move away, but resisted. Her ears twitched as he called the plant meadowsweet. "Yes," Solveiga said, grinning as well. "I remember now. Meadowsweet." She looked at the plant and tried to commit its names and other uses to memory, and then she nodded at the man. She did want some. Perhaps she could keep a small store of herbs somewhere, or find a way to carry them. She wanted to learn as much as she could about healing.

-::-

Her smile and comment about his grandmother brought a fond smile to the crimson Archangel’s face, and he nodded. “I wish I could have had more time with her; she was old when I was born, and I wasn’t even a yearling when she had to say Goodbye. She and my mother taught me just about all I know, with father and my cousins and uncle. From healing, to history, to manners, right on down to our family’s language; The Old Tongue. She was a wonderful teacher.” So was Kavdaya; the two were eerily similar, in a way. Both white, both healers of exceptionally brilliant skill and innovativeness. He was oblivious to the butterflies in his new acquaintance as he bent near to peer at the plant, beaming at her nod of affirmation that she would like some. He bent, carefully nipping stems and leaves, the gentleness and delicacy at extreme odds with his larger than life size and masculinity, and continued until he had a nice pile that he could split with the little female if she decided to part ways at the end of their conversation. “Kavdaya could tell you all about these plants; from the best time to pick them, to where to find them, and how to ensure gathering will still leave enough to keep the plant growing. I do recall that she said Autumn and Spring were the best times for Meadowsweet..” He craned his head around, grasping the bundle of herbs in their deer hide roll and pulling it carefully from under his necklace, spreading the hide to reveal his bounty. He smiled down at Solveiga, expression cheerful. “Do you have anywhere to go?” He already knew she was a loner, by her scent; she carried none of the pack scents on her coat, but he felt it was a good way to break the ice and see if she was maybe seeking a home.

teach me gently how to breathe

The crimson man leaned forward and, with the most delicate of movements, began harvesting the plant they had found together. She watched, a bit entranced at the way such a large and powerful man could be at the same time so careful and precise. Then he finished, a neat little pile of the meadowsweet successfully collected, and he smiled at her again as he talked of this woman in his pack. Kavdaya. She sounded like she was quite the expert healer, and a wonderful teacher as well. All Solveiga wanted right now was to be taught. She really wanted to meet Kavdaya. Her blue eyes widened a bit as Regulus told her all of the things Kavdaya could teach her, about meadowsweet alone. Then he laid down his satchel of sorts and her eyes widened further at the sight of all the herbs inside. So much to learn. So much she wanted to learn.

Solveiga wagged her tail lightly at the excitement of it all and looked up into the sapphire eyes of the male before her, thinking about what he might mean by the question. No, she did not have anywhere to go. If she told him that, what then? He was already talking of the things Solveiga could be taught by the healer of his pack, did that mean that he perhaps wanted her to join? The idea made her heart race. She might finally have a home, if all went well here. "Well," she began softly, a shy smile on her lips. "No. I don't have anywhere to go." And now, she licked her lips a bit out of nervousness and waited for Regulus to respond.

-::-

Oh, how her eyes widened at the sight of his haul, and he saw in her eyes a light of interest; the thirst to learn. It kindled a smile as he let her look at them while he halved the portion of Meadowsweet and added his half to the pile on the hide. Her excitement widened his smile into a grin. It was a lot like he was when he was about to learn a new fighting technique as a pup. Her soft voiced answer had his full attention, fathomless sapphires watching her as she went on to say what he already knew. He smiled gently down at the little female. “How would you like a home in Celestial? We aren’t very many at the moment, and we do have rules, but we hold healers in the highest regard of respect. They are the ones that keep us healthy and patch up the injured, cure our illnesses. A pack would struggle horribly without even one.” His tail waved, just the slightest hint of hope entering his posture and expression as he gazed down at her face, gauging her reaction. She had the drive and will to learn about healing, which meant she might strive to be a valuable asset of a pack. Not only that, but she was pleasant, polite, which said she was unlikely to cause trouble. She was honest, thus far; his intuition hadn’t caught any sign of deceptiveness in her demeanor. And, quite frankly, he felt like this was the first step in a very good direction for Celestial.

teach me gently how to breathe

Her heart raced a bit as she awaited his response. This could be it, the future that she had wanted for herself. Her eyes were trained unwaveringly on the brightly colored alpha as he did exactly what she hoped he would, offering her a home in Celestial. Solveiga grinned up at him, still listening closely as he told her of the value they placed on healers. It was perfect.

"Yes, your grace, I would love to have a home in your pack." She knew he had insisted on Regulus, but she had been raised to always respect authority and even if he didn't demand the title of her, she still wished to give it to him. He deserved it more than anyone else she had ever known. He seemed like a good, gentle leader. "May I go back there with you now?" she asked with hope in her eyes. There had been a time when she was not sure whether or not pack life was right for her. She had wanted protection and a purpose but had not wanted to give up on exploring from time to time. But already she could see that she would not have to. She could relieve Regulus of his herb collecting duties, do all of the traveling for the healers in Celestial, seeing as she was skilled at navigating. And then the alpha would be able to focus on alpha things instead of running errands for the healers of his pack. She smiled a bit at the thought. "Take my half of the pile and put it in with yours," Solveiga said. "If I am to join your pack, what is mine will be yours anyway."

-::-

He read the hope growing in her eyes, and he thought he could hear her heartrate jump. As she gave her answer, he decided not to nitpick on her use of ‘your grace’ in reference to him. If it made the female happy, may as well let her go with that until she was comfortable saying his name. A wide grin bloomed on his face, tail beating the air for a few strokes. “Then welcome to Celestial, even if we are a ways outside the border.” He chuckled lightly, sweeping a brief bow to the healer. “Of course. I can tell you about our various laws and customs as we go, if you like.” He smiled easily, adding the rest of the meadowsweet clipping to the bundle as she suggested and folding the hide carefully, making it so that the ends of the roll would be closed off to keep the gathered herbs from falling out of either end. He rolled the hide up slowly, letting her see the procedure. Lowering to his stomach in a crouch, he grinned at Solveiga. “If you could tuck that under my necklace chain, between my shoulders, that would be great; that way both of us can talk as we go.” His tail swept side to side behind him, guileless as a pup as he waited for her to get the bundle squared. “Speaking of sharing, you can have one of the Alcoves in my den. It’s really more like a communal den; it’s a cave system in a hill in the plains. My Grandmother made the system her den back when a pack called Valhalla ruled the lands I rule now. She was the Lead Healer of the pack, and was pregnant with my mother when she found the den. It’s perfect for healers. Most of my family lives in there; we each have an alcove to ourselves, and there are still plenty left over for anyone sick or injured that needs watching over by Kavdaya.” The crimson Archangel grinned with a hint of brotherly pride as he explained, “If you don’t mind pups, you can certainly have one of the ‘coves. My mother recently birthed another litter this Autumn. I have two new sisters and a brother, and they are a pawful.” He chuckled wryly. Baine and Tornach had been relatively easy; there’d only been two of them. There were three of them this time, and two were the adventurous type. Kieryn was the one who was happiest to stick around and watch, which suited his mother just fine. It meant less chasing after children and setting time outs. He added with a smile, catering to Solveiga’s clear drive to learn more about healing, “Kavdaya has an alcove with us, so you wouldn’t have to go very far for her lessons.” Unless of course the snowy Nomad decided that the lesson was to be a gathering tour for paws on experience.

teach me gently how to breathe

Solveiga smiled up at the man as he welcomed her to Celestial, and said that they could go back there now, with him telling her about the customs and rules of the pack on their way. She nodded eagerly and smiled at the man again. "Thank you, Regulus," she said quietly, using his name this time. She took a deep breath and let it out, still smiling a bit because it felt like she couldn't stop, she was just so happy about this turn of events. She watched as the crimson male put the second half of the meadowsweet in with the rest of his herbs and rolled the hide back up slowly and carefully so she could watch.

Then, when that was done, he lowered himself down to his stomach and asked Solveiga for help in tucking the bundle back under his necklace and she nodded meekly, stepping closer to him and lowering her head, nudging the bundle under his necklace with her nose and then between his shoulders and she pulled away again, smiling as she met his eyes and her tail swayed gently, mirroring his own. Then the two of them were prepared to leave and they began walking in the direction of Celestial territory. She walked with lighter step now that she felt like her future, her near future at least, was decided upon. As the pair walked, the kind alpha talked of Solveiga sharing an alcove in his den. He said it was great for healers, and she was free to one of the alcoves as long as she didn't mind pups. The small woman grinned at that and her tail wagged behind her again, accidentally brushing the thigh of the alpha as it strayed to one side.

"I would love that," Solveiga said. "I adore pups. Partly because I still am one myself in some ways." At this she laughed shyly and looked away again, at the heather they walked upon. Two new sisters and a brother, Regulus said. And they were a pawful. To Solveiga that sounded like nothing but fun to be had, and now she was even more excited to be a part of this familial pack. It all sounded perfect, and she already knew she would be very happy in Celestial.

-::-

He was glad to have been able to make someone so clearly happy, and as she thanked him – using his name, he noted with a smile – he dipped his head. “My pleasure.” As the bundle slid into place he waited until she’d stepped away then stood, turning westward and starting off, his new member at his side. The brush of her tail wasn’t met with any displeasure; it merely helped to add his scent – and thus that of Celestial – to her coat. And besides, he came from a family that generally was happy to touch and snuggle when time allowed. That she adored pups was a good thing, both as a member of the pack, and a member of the denhold. Another set of eyes to keep watch over his littlest siblings never could hurt. “They love everyone, so you shouldn’t have trouble making friends among the youngest folk. My younger sister Baine is another who loves meeting new wolves. She’s our only Emissary – messenger – and she’s white with pink skin; albino. Pretty little lady. Loves to talk. Zuriel is our other healer, and my father, Falk, is also a healer, though that’s not his main skill. He was a fighter, but he was taken captive by a pack when we were still a loner family, and they blinded him before he could get away.” He frowned slightly, then moved on. The past was the past, and nothing could be done to change it. He grinned sidelong down at her as they walked. “Celestial is mostly neutral, but we like alliances and peace agreements; we leave them alone, they leave us alone, and vice versa, and if they want to be friends, the more the merrier. I’d like the pack to be as my mother had hoped; a family, but strong enough to fight off anyone who wants to mess with us.” It was quite true. He wanted to see more pups running around under the watchful eyes of their parents, and to see his pack sleek and healthy from good hunts and good training. All in time. Smiling sidelong down at her again, he went on, tail wagging amiably. “Now, I suppose I should tell you our rules and ranks, eh?” He thought back then said, “Rule one is that I am the Law, and I am at liberty to change the laws and rules as seen fit. Any changes made, I’m to tell the pack about in a meeting. Those who break the laws face consequences. I won’t like punishing someone, but I’ll have to do it.” His voice was serious as he met her eyes briefly before he smiled encouragingly and went on. “Rule number two is that any meeting called by myself, my secondary – or Right Wing as Celestial calls it – or by the Shields – We don’t have any right now, but they are what some would call betas. A male and a female, Shieldknight and Shieldmaiden – everyone is required to attend unless they’re too sick, too badly injured, or a newborn young, young pup.” He fell silent a few paces to let her absorb the rule, then started the next. “ Number three is more for fighters, really, but Challenges for a higher rank, while not discouraged, should be really well thought out, and you’d better be sure you want the responsibility that comes with that high rank, because there’s a lot more. Whomever wants to challenge for a rank needs to have Celestial’s best interests at heart, and to make me aware of their intentions before they challenge, so that I can be present to see the fight and the outcome.” He smiled at her, knowing it was unlikely that she would be challenging for a high rank. And besides, Healers need only work hard and be actively there plying their Craft to be eligible for promotion. ” Rule Four is in regards to Trespassers. If someone not of Celestial crosses the border into the territory, and you run across them, first, ask them politely be firmly to turn back and leave. If they do that, everything will be fine, but if they refuse, anyone that intercepted them is allowed to engage in a fight, but call for a high ranking wolf before you jump in; maims are allowed. And if they still refuse to leave, they run the risk of being force claimed and made a prisoner. If they behave, they have a chance of being released within a season.” He took his time walking toward the territory, the better to lay things out to her as they went. He cast a sidelong glance as he paused, ears perking. “Sound good so far?” There were more laws than that, but he wanted to make sure she’d gotten everything so far.

The two walked side by side away from the area, leaving the mist and heather behind as they made their way toward the border of Celestial. Her mind wandered as she thought about what the territory might look like. She envisioned it being very beautiful. Her attention turned back to the crimson male as he began telling her of some of the members in the pack. His youngest sister Báine who was an albino, a pretty little lady, he said. Solveiga smiled at his description and continued to listen as he mentioned a couple of healers as well, Zuriel and Falk, the latter of which was his father. She hummed softly to let him know that she was listening, and after that he launched into an explanations of a few rules she would need to know. She listened closely and absorbed every word. Regulus was the law and was to be obeyed, he made rules and delivered punishments when those rules were broken. Solveiga did not think this would ever be an issue for her; she respected the man a lot already and would never want to disobey him. And she wasn't exactly the type to cause trouble anyway. She kept listening, a gentle smile on her lips as her new alpha told her that any pack meetings called by him, by his secondary, or by any future betas — which Celestial called Right Wing and Shields, respectively, and she committed that to memory as well — would be mandatory. She nodded immediately. "I'll always be as punctual as I can, I promise," she said with a light wag of her tail. All of this was very exciting to her. She would be grateful to have some routine in her life again, to have someone ruling over her. She was a dependent creature, it was in her nature. This would do her some good. Rule three pertained mostly to the fighting ranks, but she listened attentively anyway. Next he told her the protocol members of Celestial were to follow when dealing with trespassers. This part made her a bit nervous; she wanted to be able to protect her new pack to the best of her ability, but the little sand colored woman wasn't exactly the intimidating type. "I'll try my best," Solveiga said meekly. "If something like that should happen, I'll call for help right away. I'm not really much for fighting." This she said as if it were a confession. Of course, Regulus could probably tell at a glance that she was not a fighter. But still, she hoped that the knowledge did not make him disappointed in her. After a moment he gave her a sidelong glance and she met his eyes with a nod and another shy smile. "Yes," she replied. "You can continue whenever you'd like, I'm still listening." Up ahead, something was different. It at first made her wary and she paused for a moment in her stride, only to remind herself that it was the pack border, which she normally would have avoided but this time would not. This was her pack border. She was not trespassing, she was a member with the alpha himself at her side. She took a deep breath, let it out, and continued across the line. -exit Solveiga, continue inside pack territory-