life is short, enjoy it while you're young It was time for her young student's first lesson. The girl's mother had done well to tell her tales of the gods, and of their history. Now, it was time to learn about herbs. It had taken a while to scout around the eastern lands, but she believed that she had a plan in mind for today's lesson. The young Lunashka had been plagued by sunburn since they had come to the more temperate areas, without any cold to soothe her skin. She had sought out a specific herb, and believed she had found it. While it wouldn't prevent the ailment, it would help soothe her skin for now. "Your lessons will be taught in the common tongue, Divo." She explained, glancing over her shoulder at the lanky youth. Already the girl was beginning to climb taller than little Dominika. However, she was awfully skinny. The burly healer made a note to keep an eye on her weight. "To better your use of it, over time." It seemed foolproof. Two birds with one stone, and easing the burden of Mr. Morningstar. He had been teaching them actively, and thus they knew a fair amount of the tongue. "Today, we are looking for an herb called Earth Smoke. My teacher preferred that name, though I usually call it Fumitory." Her easy, meandering gait kept the youngster from falling behind. Rather, it was intended to. Divo wandered towards a patch of yellow blooms, clumped together near the base of a tree off the path. "Divo!" She barked, frowning. "speech"

Dawn had come and gone, but not by very long. The sun was above the horizon now. A hint of blue lay around its edges, while much of the sky was still purple. They'd been walking for a little while now. This is lame! Divo lamented internally, kicking a pebble from the path. So far, she liked Olya. She liked to tell stories even more than mama, and she laughed a lot. No one laughed as much as her, in the whole family. Except, maybe, Yaya and Dom. Maybe. It was a tight contest, between the three.

All morning they followed the river, going the wrong way from its flow. Apparently that was the way to the sea. Except that the sea was on the other side. Divo had already been to the sea, and it had been cold. And back home, not here. She wasn't sure what Olya intended. "Your lessons will be taught in the common tongue, Divo." The shaman said, after a long time without saying much. Her strange, dual toned eyes locked onto Divo's own mismatched pair. She always seemed so dreamy, and lost in her thoughts, when they walked. Dom was like that, sometimes. The girl whined, low in her throat. "Whyyyy?" She asked, but Olya was already talking. "To better your use of it, over time." She said, looking away again. "Oh."

Oooh pretty. The sunlight made it easy to see the bright yellow flowers to her right, near the trees. They looked soft, and fluffy. She wanted to eat them, and see what they tasted like. Would they be soft in her mouth? Or like when Dom had convinced her to eat the thistle? That was not fun. Vaugely she could hear Olya talking, but she wasn't invested in listening anymore. "Today, we are looking for an herb called Earth Smoke. My teacher preferred that name, though I usually call it Fumitory."

Jaws parted to enclose one of the blossoms in her teeth, and pluck it from the earth. The stem oozed onto her lips, and she nearly dropped the flower altogether. Were they supposed to drool? She'd never seen a plant drool! The tiny yellow bloom was soft. "Divo!" Olya snapped. Whoops.

Whirling to look at her teacher, eyes wide, the girl couldn't defend herself. What was there to say? Chewing the flower wasn't as fun as she thought it would be. The little bits got caught in her teeth, and didn't taste all that great. A lot like grass, actually. With a strange, milky part to it. Was that the plant drool? Did plants make milk? "Sorry Olya."

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life is short, enjoy it while you're young A sigh managed to escape her throat, bubbling past softly hued lips with the lightest frown. Divo had a small dandelion in her mouth, and was in the process of munching on it. Well, perhaps that would benefit her, in the end. An increased appetite might help put some meat on her bones. A light smile rested now on her lips, and she took a step forward. "Look at that, you've found something all by yourself." She announced, beaming down at the young wolf. Cranium cocked to one side, brow lifting inquisitively. Pop quiz! "Do you know what kind of plant that is? It's rather common, so perhaps your mother or father has told you its name." Their father had professed some knowledge of herbs, so perhaps he had taught the children some of the local plants already. "speech"

Anxiety tightened its grip around her lungs. The look on Olya's face wasn't a very happy one. Did she do something bad? Oh no, she was going to get in big trouble. She gulped down the small flower, which was still pretty soft going down her oesophagus. Auds tipped back nervously, looking balefully up at her teacher. Suddenly, the shaman's expression shifted into a small smile. Was she.. happy? That she'd eaten the flower? Was it a good flower? "Look at that, you've found something all by yourself."

Her tail began to wag softly, excited to have found something all by herself. She was a great shaman! Look at that! No help or teaching necessary! Mama and Da were going to be so proud! Yaya and Dom were going to be so jealous! Olya turned a questioning look upon her. "Do you know what kind of plant that is? It's rather common, so perhaps your mother or father has told you its name." Uh oh.

Wracking her young brain, the child came up empty. No one had ever told her what that was, had they? She didn't really recognize it in the first place. All she'd wanted to know was if it tasted soft. And it did. What else was there to know? "Ahmm..." She buffered, looking back at the plant. Perhaps she could bluff her way out of getting into trouble. "Yellow." She announced, daring not show anything in her face.

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life is short, enjoy it while you're young She had to give Divo credit for trying. However, it seemed pretty obvious that the youngster had simply been doing what pups did best- putting things in her mouth. It was no matter, most of the dangerous herbs didn't look all that tasty. At least, none that she had seen lately. "Ahmm..." The child muttered, and stared rather intently at the patch of dandelions. Perhaps she had overestimated her. After all, she was barely into her third season. Divo and her sister's were young, and it was easy to forget. They were all large children. "Yellow." Divo said, with a startling amount of confidence. Don't laugh at the child. Don't, Olya. Your mother would never forgive you. It was so hard not to laugh in the face of such an answer. Granted, Divo wasn't necessarily wrong in her answer. With a broad grin, she shook her head. "Not quite, dear." She murmured, stooping to nuzzle at the top of her head. "Those are called dandelions. Some say they resemble the mane of a lion, though I can't quite see it, myself." She explained, using a paw to pat her student on the rump and get her moving towards the delta. The lesson could be given on the move. There wasn't much time to find the fumitory in the morning, if they didn't hurry. Further damaging Divo's tender skin was not on her list of priorities today. Opting to keep the child within her peripheries, she maintained a slow pace. Allowing the child momentary distractions, without derailing the trip entirely. "Dandelion is one of the easiest herbs to find." She began in a gentle voice. "We use it to boost the appetite- to make someone want to eat more food. That, or to ease their gut if they're having some indigestion- tummy aches." She had never taught a child so young before, in her limited experience. It was hard to make all of the information so easily digestible. A soft smile played upon her lips at the pun she'd just formed in her own mind. "If you grind up the roots- the little stringy bits in the dirt, you can use them to help with small skin problems." The water was rushing quite a bit faster, a little ways away. They were getting closer to the delta. "speech"

Seeing Olya's smile always made her feel good on the inside. It was always so bright, and she never seemed to fake it. It made her want to smile. However, she was still super bummed to find out that the flowers weren't, in fact, called Yellow's. That was a good name. Simple, and straight to the point. What have you got there? Oh, just some Yellow's. Want some? They taste soft. A genuis name, really. She accepted the gentle nuzzle of affection from her teacher. "Those are called dandelions. Some say they resemble the mane of a lion, though I can't quite see it, myself."

Dandelions. She committed the name to memory, and made sure to give them one more look. Soft, yellow flowers and dark green leaves. Olya patted her butt, and she started walking in the direction they'd been going before. Apparently it was a long walk. Olya walked beside her this time, occasionally glancing at her. Her eyes were neat. She'd never seen anyone with eyes like that before. "Dandelion is one of the easiest herbs to find." She said. Awww. Divo thought. I thought I found something awesome. Which, she hadn't, really. Not if they were easy to find. The big meanie could probably have found those. Which reminded her- she hadn't seen him lately.

"We use it to boost the appetite- to make someone want to eat more food. That, or to ease their gut if they're having some indigestion- tummy aches." Wow, she'd eaten something that would make her tummy hurt less? Great, because she was hoping to find something neato today to eat. Maybe Olya would find her a cool snack after they found the... she'd already forgotten what it was. A plant, of some kind. Not as cool as her dandelions, though. Those were the coolest. They made her tummy calm, so she could eat. She should tell Da, so he could keep some around for everyone. Just in case someone ate something funny. Yeah, that was a good idea.

"If you grind up the roots- the little stringy bits in the dirt, you can use them to help with small skin problems." Wow, dandelions were pretty useful. She looked up at her teacher, taking a moment to wiggle her nose. "Like my nose? And.. all the other bits?" Her elbows hurt the most, at the end of the day. Should she go back and dig up the dandelions for her nose? They hadn't gone too far yet, if she ran, she could get there and back before too long.

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life is short, enjoy it while you're young Yet again, it seemed she had underestimated the child. She listened quite well, once Olya set her on the right course. Perhaps she would have to alter her lesson plans, to accommodate for Divo's short attention span. The pale pup listened well, and seemed to soak it all up like a sponge. At least, that was what she'd hoped. If, when she asked about it at a later date, Divo couldn't recall a dandelion, the entire venture would be rendered moot. That would definitely put a strain on the promises she had made, to her fellows and their mother. The youth piped up suddenly, looking rather intent. "Like my nose? And.. all the other bits?" It was a good question, but it was hard to answer without crushing her. No quick answers. A noncommittal sound was all she could manage, first off. "I think your skin needs something stronger. That's why we're coming here," She explained slowly, gesturing to the broadening river up ahead. The delta would spread out across the landscape before them, soon enough. "I think some fumitory would be far better for your skin." A quick glance at the sky, and it seemed the sun hadn't climbed as high as she would have thought. Fantastic, they had more time to search for the herb she'd intended to teach Divo about today. Perhaps we should gather it for now, and then teach her about it another time. One lesson per day would be better. Then, she'll have time to digest the information in between. She thought to herself, gaze lowered to her paws. The rhythmic thump of her necklace against her chest kept her grounded, before she started to plan all of her lessons for the next several months to come. "speech"

Olya didn't seem to think so. Just that little, wordless hum had been enough to tell her that. Aw, she'd guessed wrong again! The girl's pale ears drooped. "I think your skin needs something stronger. That's why we're coming here," just like that, Olya revealed a fantastic sight. The river was getting much wider, and she could see its sandy bottom rising up as they walked. Woah. She'd never seen a river do that before. "I think some fumitory would be far better for your skin."

That's what it was! The plant Olya'd mentioned while she'd been investigating the dandelions. She followed her teacher's gaze upwards, and saw the stars had all disappeared. Dang it! She hadn't even said goodbye to them! How lame. "How?" She asked now, looking around. It smelled... stinky. Not like the big meanie, he smelled like old, dead stuff. This was... weird. There weren't words for it. No way to describe it, in her young mind. "What's that smell?" She exclaimed, face screwed up in disgust.

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life is short, enjoy it while you're young It seemed as though the youngster was beginning to get the hang of lessons, already. Asking questions was half of learning, if her own experience had been anything. Clarification was important, from a teacher. No better way to achieve such things than by directly communicating with the student. "How?" the champagne youth questioned, recovering from the defeat of earlier. "We're going to crush up the leaves to make a paste, and rub it all over your skin." She replied, looking down at the child. She smiled lightly. "It ought to make you feel better right away." "What's that smell?" Divo cried all of the sudden, as the delta began to widen. Laughter bubbled up from her throat, chin tilting up as a smile spread across her face. There was nothing like the smell of rotting seaweed to begin the day. Such a stench was rare, in the motherland. Usually she came across it on her trips to visit the other kingdoms and clans. "It's seaweed and kelp, it doesn't like being out of water. The sun makes it smell bad." She said with a grin, tail flicking to the side to tap against the child's flank. "Don't worry, eventually you won't notice it very much." "speech"

The delta seemed to grow wider and wider with every step she took. "We're going to crush up the leaves to make a paste, and rub it all over your skin." Olya told her, which sounded like no fun. Gooey paste all over her? Ew. "It ought to make you feel better right away." Well, if it was going to make her feel better... then maybe it would be okay...

Olya was laughing at her question. What was so funny about the stinky smell? She narrowed her eyes at her teacher, frowning just a little. She couldn't stay mad, though. The mirth so clearly displayed upon Olya's face made her want to laugh too. But she wouldn't. No way she was going to give her the satisfaction. "It's seaweed and kelp, it doesn't like being out of water. The sun makes it smell bad." There were weeds in the sea? Did that mean there were deers and stuff in the sea? Were they yummy too? The gentle thump of her teacher's tail against her rump wasn't as reassuring as she would have liked. "Don't worry, eventually you won't notice it very much."

"I don't like it." She announced. How was she supposed to get used to that king of stink? "How long until we find fum.. fumitory?"

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life is short, enjoy it while you're young Divo was not impressed by her assurances, apparently. "I don't like it." A small laugh huffed through her lips, and she shook her head lightly. Fair enough. Before long, the child was growing impatient. "How long until we find fum.. fumitory?" Divo questioned. Don't roll your eyes, Olya. She chided herself. It would be wrong. The child was still young, and full of boundless energy to explore. She couldn't be faulted for that. "Soon enough, little one." She promised, smiling down at the girl. The delta opened up before them, and soon enough they would be able to see the ocean. A vast expanse of glittering aquamarine, going on forever. Her expression swiftly turned wry, as she lifted a brow at her student. "For now, how about you tell me what you have learned about dandelions?" A quick quiz of her knowledge would help to cement the information into her young mind. "speech"

Pale eyes drank in the sight of the delta, and its strange vegetation. Only a few months ago, she had been completely unaware that plants like this ever existed. Broad leaves and delicate flowers. The wonders of this world never seemed to cease. What else could possibly be out there? A lifeless lump of green stretched across the sand, and the stench of rotting came from it. Was this seaweed? She paused, stretching out a paw to touch it. Almost immediately, she recoiled and stumbled back. Ew! It was slimy! Like a big green tongue with no mouth!

Shaking the phantom sensation from her toes, she looked up to Olya for help. Why hadn't she warned her about how gross it was? Her teacher hadn't even noticed. Instead, she was wearing a rather mischievous look. "For now, how about you tell me what you have learned about dandelions?"

"They're yellow, and poofy and soft. And they have milky stuff in them. They're really easy to find. They make you hungry, and... make your tummy not hurt. The roots are good for skin, but you gotta.. grind them up. They're not good for my skin, though." She rattled it all off, staring up at Olya with a triumphant gleam in her mismatched eyes.

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