what are you made of? [flesh and bone] The male was silent as the moon rose high in the air. With the oppressive heat of summer building, Altavro had taken to wandering the night as much as possible. The silvery light the moon offered gave Altavro a faint silvery sheen, washing out the tan color of his pelt, and making everything (himself included) look and feel a little surreal. The male liked it, he had to admit. There was a peace in the seclusion that the day could not offer, and the respite from the heat was all but heavenly. He certainly hadn't mind the cooling swim out to the island either. Once he had made the swim, however, Altavro found himself almost . . . bored. It was a foreign feeling to the wolf, one he wasn't totally sure how to react to. So, he had begun to seek out entertainment, his paws carrying him easily across the dry ground. His strides were wandering and aimless, but the golden wolf was alert, ears swivelling to catch every sound of the night. He seemed to be alone, at least for the moment, with only the nocturnal creatures as company. And most seemed to be content to leave Altavro alone, which was nice but still a little boring. What was there to do on a secluded island in the middle of the night? The answer seemed to be absolutely nothing. The thought made the golden wolf a little grumpy feeling, but then again, everything seemed to do that. Oh, why had this seemed like a good idea? Oh, right, the heat. Of course. Why did it have to be so warm? & i'm running out of timeA L T A V R O

Night was a beautiful time, and it helped give a bit of relief to the relentless heat of summer. The young woman walked along, nose to the ground, as she wandered, to her mind, alone in the moonlit lands. Ears would twitch at the sounds of insects singing their songs to the night, delicate paws stepping lightly upon the earth as she moved forward. When one wandered at night it could almost seem as if the rest of the world was gone, and only they and the night was left.

She had made her way to the island earlier in the day, an attempt to cool her coat and rid it, at least for a while, from the heat in the cool waves. The water churned and tossed the small female, but if anything, though not one to fight, the young woman was a stubborn creature, and refused to be lost to such a thing as the waves. No, fate had a much different path for her she was sure. Eyes would light up as she came upon a large leaf. She would sniff it a couple times, going over in her mind what it was. Burdock leaf.

So far Ellis had come across a couple different plants on the island, though most she had found elsewhere in Alacritia. Still, it never hurt to explore new places. On top of that any wolf scents she had come across on the island were faded... Though that wasn?t too uncommon for an island. Coming to a stop the white, silver, and brown female would sit, lifting one paw into the air as she tipped her head back, a sweet, beautiful song filling the air. In her homeland it was a song healers sang to the earth every now and then to thank it for it?s bounty... And it was a song that Ellis sang most every night.

what are you made of? [flesh and bone] The haunting song was familiar, in a sense. It was a wolf's cry, one that stretched towards the sky and reached towards the gods' realm. This was the kind of song that would stir the hearts of Altavro's gods, and draw them towards the earth that they ruled so distantly. The male twitched his ears, head cocking slightly to the side. It had not sounded like a summons, no, but Altavro felt drawn to the sound anyways. He stopped nosing absently at the ground and padded towards the source of the sound. Slowly, he moved slowly at first, and then began to advance more quickly, ears pricked curiously forward. As silence fell, the air seemed emptier than before, but Altavro remained silent, senses stretching forward as he sought to detect the source of the howl before she (for the voice had been distinctly feminine) spotted him. It didn't take him long to find his companion. The wolf was, as he had surmised, a female, and a young one at that. Altavro had never been much of a father figure, but he wasn't one to abandon a young wolf in need. Still, she seemed to be of an age that she could take care of herself. The male hesitated for a moment, mulling over his options, before he allowed his paws to move forward. "Hello," He called out gruffly, announcing his presence to the younger female. The golden wolf fell silent at that, tail flicking just slightly. It was a cautious wag, but Altavro still wasn't sure how he felt about this tiny thing. Would she be friend or foe or simply an annoyance? Perhaps the gods had plans for him. And perhaps this was simply a coincidence that would rapidly prove to be too obnoxious for Altavro. They were both equally likely, knowing this prickly wolf of a healer. Ears pricked in her direction anyways, and Altavro examined the female carefully. She didn't look like much, did she? & i'm running out of timeA L T A V R O

The night around her would wrap around her form, a welcoming calm washing over her figure. The world around her was so beautiful, even if she was viewing it alone. Part of her wondered about her family, if they still lived in their windy home. She did miss it from time to time... How the wind would howl, lulling her into a sleep almost as if it was a lullaby. The voices of nature were part of her, and Ellis loved each and every one. Teal-green orbs would lift skyward, looking to the stars as if she was seeking answers.

Then a stranger?s voice would be heard, and the young woman would turn her gaze in his direction. He bore a coat of gold, with a rather unique marking upon his forehead. He was older, too, and there was a scent about him that was certainly one she was familiar with. The scent of herbs. Ellis would dip her head in greeting, a small smile gracing her lips as she looked upon this man.

?A good night to you, my friend.? She would lift her head again, her orbs burning with curiosity as she looked upon him. She had thought she was alone, and yet her song would bring forth the presence of another. Perhaps fate would have it that she might have company, at least for a little while, tonight. ?You carry the scent of herbs on you. Would it be wrong of me to assume that you are a healer?? The words were spoken kindly, and showed her wonder of such a thing. If he was indeed a healer then perhaps she could learn something new tonight, and, just maybe, make a new friend.

what are you made of? [flesh and bone] His ears remained pricked in the other's direction as she spoke, though he didn't deign to respond to the whole 'my friend' thing. Altavro and this stranger certainly weren't friends - not yet, at least. Maybe this stranger would prove to be pleasant company. Stranger things had happened in Altavro's life, but he wasn't sure. "It's certainly better than the day." Altavro settled for saying that, which was neither particularly polite nor particularly rude. Usually, it was the best that the crotchety male had to offer. It was only when her next question reached his ears that Altavro looked her way again, letting his blue gaze sweep over the form of the other. "I am a healer indeed." The male would state simply, falling silent for a long moment after he spoke, and then, "Altavro of the Nomads, if that means anything to you." It was unlikely that she had heard of his wandering family of healers this far from where he had last seen them. But perhaps she came from lands that a Nomad had visited, though she probably would have recognized the scar on his forehead if she had had any experience with the Nomads. Politeness would dictate another response, and Altavro was curious anyways, which was what drove his lips to form the first question that he addressed towards her. "Are you a healer as well?" Altavro queried curiously, wondering if perhaps she would have some expertise to share. There was not a lot that the Nomads had not taught him, but these lands were unfamiliar and perhaps there were unfamiliar diseases that had been treated here. Or maybe they had some new, fresh way of looking at injuries, one that the many minds of the Nomads had not discovered. Okay, the latter was rather unlikely, but the former was certainly a possibility, and Altavro was vaguely curious about what she would say. & i'm running out of timeA L T A V R O

"Go and Wander." Said my heart.

...and so I would wander.

Better than the day huh? Perhaps in regards to the heat, though Ellis preferred the world being bathed in light rather than shadowed by darkness. But every wolf had preferences, and certainly this stranger would share views different than her own. But, in regards to heat, if that was the case, Ellis could surely say that she would have to agree to that. "The lack of heat surely makes things a little easier on the body." Though she would not be able to cross back to the mainland in this darkness... any wolf who would attempt such a journey would risk their life to the waves.

As she would guess this male was indeed a healer, speaking his name and a phrase that she was surprised to hear. "A Nomad... I have heard tales of them from other healers I've met on my journey. I didn't pause to think that the mark on your forehead was the one they might bear." They were regarded with high praise for being skilled healers, though Altavaro was the first wolf she had met that came from the Nomads. She recalled, in the back of her mind, the mention of the scars that Nomads bore on their heads. Sure enough he had a strange marking there, and she could only assume that was the marking they spoke of.

The female would smile, gently nodding her head. "The answer to that is yes, I am. Though I am still quite young so there is still more for me to learn. Through my journey that has been my main goal, simply to gain as much knowledge of the healing arts as I can." She would shake her head, the smile not fading. "I'm sure in terms of experience you certainly have more to ofter, though perhaps if you are looking for a certain herb I might be able to point you in the right direction at the very least. I've been in the lands of Alacritia for a little while and have come to discover some different ones and their location."




"Speech"

"Settle down." Said my heart.

...and so here it was I would settle down.

an empire's fall

Altavro's ears remained pricked in the other's direction, and he listened to her words. A simple nod was the only response that he offered to her first statement, but it was her statements about the Nomads that caught his attention more effectively than her bland comments on the lack of heat. The first part, at least, Altavro didn't really care about. He'd said what he had to say on that subject. "I have the mark of a full Nomad," Altavro spoke with a hint of pride to his words, which was, in his opinion, fairly warranted. He had devoted four years of his life to learning herbs and injuries and illnesses, unlike those who left their pack at two or three, with only half of their marking completed - and only half of their training as well. In his opinion, they gave Nomads a bad name by masquerading around with their mark and not enough of their training. And what wolf would realize that they were only half trained besides another Nomad?

Another Healer - lucky him. Altavro flicked his ears as the other spoke, examining her thoughtfully. She didn't look like much, but perhaps she, too, was an excellent healer. Perhaps Altavro could learn from her. The locations of herbs, at least, could be helpful. "I have mostly theoretical experience," Altavro spoke simply enough, shrugging slightly as he addressed the other. He had spent most of his life training, and while he had tended to many wolves in his time, there was a vast amount of illnesses that he had not experienced, Altavro was certain of that. "But I am curious - are there any indigenous herbs that you know of in this area? There must be some, but I wouldn't know of any." This much, at least, was something that Altavro was eager to know. What kinds of herbs would he be able to find here that he could use to replace the herbs that he wouldn't find here? The Nomads had wandered far, but as far as he knew, the tribe as a whole had not ever wandered these lands, which meant that their herbal lore would not touch upon plants found only here.



"Speech"

in just one day

"Go and Wander." Said my heart.

...and so I would wander.

The mark a full nomad? She hadn't been aware that there were different marks, though it was something she would make sure to note now. Like in general healing there must have been stages of training, and it would seem that Altavaro had completed his own. The delicate woman would then catch on to something, shuffling her ears a bit as a form of apology. "Ah yes, I've forgotten to give my own name. I am Ellis Cathal."

She would listen to him again. Theoretical experience. "All the same it you bear a lot of knowledge that many others would be lucky to bear." The more one knew, the more experience they had, physical and theoretical, could be the difference between saving a wolf's life and watching them die before their very eyes. She would give a nod of her head as he asked about particular plants that might be in the area.

"I know of some yes. Here on these islands horestail grows fairly well and marigold as well. Around where I live, Fontamo Bay, you can find a bit of marshmallow, alfalfa and earth smoke. There are all sorts of plants around Alacritia... was there a kind for a particular use you were looking for?" And if any of the plants happened to be foreign to him she would be more than happy to explain their uses.




"Speech"

"Settle down." Said my heart.

...and so here it was I would settle down.

an empire's fall

Ellis Cathal, huh? Altavro rolled the name over in his mind, testing it out curiously. She didn't sound even remotely familiar, but he had expected nothing less. To meet a familiar wolf in this strange land would have been all too much of a coincidence for it to have been anything other than divine intervention, and Altavro did not believe in gods that meddled so closely in their followers lives, for the most part.

Absently, he inclined his head in her direction as she continued, speaking of his experience, but there was little for him to add and so Altavro kept his maw shut, letting the other speak of the herbs that could be found in the area with only vague curiosity. "Is Fontamo Bay pack territory?" It was his own way of asking if this fellow healer had joined a pack. He was cautiously curious about the packs in the area, and though Altavro was thinking that this might be the land upon which he settled, he wasn't sure that he would join a pack. "At any rate, I'm not looking for anything in particular, but I am curious as to what grows here - and if there's anything that is indigenous to the area that has healing use." This was where she came in handy. Altavro was sure that Ellis had more experience with the local herbs than he did, and this was the kind of thing that a healer needed to know, more than anything. Knowing the local herbs could make the difference between a wolf living and a wolf dying, and Altavro did not intend to allow the gods to claim any wolves that he was responsible for.




"Speech"

in just one day

"Go and Wander." Said my heart.

...and so I would wander.

At the question if Fontamo Bay was pack territory or not Ellis would shake her head. ?Not quite... There are a group of us that live there... A pack in the making if you will. Our leader is still gathering the support and followers she needs to fully establish her pack. In the meantime, however, those of us who have pledged our loyalty to her and her mate have settled down in that territory... Just a larger ?family? group than a pack at the moment... But we?re on our way.? Ellis wasn?t one to push for others to join the little hopeful pack she had found herself apart of. Altavaro was aware anyway now of it?s existence... If he was hoping to join a pack he would likely mention it anyway.

The female would give a nod to the male, still racking her brain for more common plants she had come across. ?There are a couple other plants I recall seeing as well... Chevril, for one... A sweet smelling plant... It has fern-like leaves and small white flowers. The leaves, or rather the juice of them, are good for treating infected wounds... And the roots can help soothe a bellyache. It grows in more forest-like areas from what I?ve noticed. A poultice of goldenrod is good for healing wounds... I?ve seen some of those around the mainland as well...?

?...and there?s comfrey too... The roots can be chewed into a poultice to help mend broken bones and soothe wounds.? Finally Ellis caught on that she was more or less babbling to this other healer, and a bit of heat would rise to her face as she shuffled a bit in embarrassment. ?Ah... Sorry. I... Tend to get carried away when it comes to talking about herbs...? The female would look away for a moment, clearing her throat as if to dismiss the fact she was acting almost like an excited pup.

?If you ever need to find something with a particular use you can come find me... I?m combing through the lands to find as many herbs as possible so I should have an answer for you by the time you come with a question.? She would look back to Altavaro now. She was hoping she would get to meet this other healer again after tonight.




"Speech"

"Settle down." Said my heart.

...and so here it was I would settle down.

an empire's fall

Curiosity flickered in Altavro's thoughts at the mention of a family group - like the Nomads, perhaps? The thought was tantalizing to the male, but then again, he doubted that it would really be anything like the Nomads were. Not many were like his family. Wandering groups of expert healers weren't really a common thing. He hadn't run into any others, at any rate, and the Nomads had never had any stories of groups similar to themselves. So he was probably getting his hopes up. And if it was a pack in the making, then they probably had a territory in mind and... Well, perhaps. He would have to wait and see. "Interesting." Altavro settled on speaking noncomitally, letting Ellis turn her attention towards the local herbs without focusing on the pack thing any longer.

It was the herbs that Altavro was really interested in. His attention would lock onto her words and the male stayed entirely silent as she rattled off herbs and their uses. "No need to apologize. I found it useful." Perhaps not the most comforting thing that the crotchety wolf had ever said, but it was true and Altavro was not one for lies.

The male nodded carefully when Ellis spoke, his blue gaze flicking towards the multicolored wolf. "I will certainly keep that in mind. Thank you." His words were grateful, surprisingly so for the grumpy creature. But he really did mean it. Having wolves offer him help wasn't something he was totally familiar with, but Altavro thought he might be able to get used to it. It definitely wasn't a bad thing, to say the least.



"Speech"

in just one day

"Go and Wander." Said my heart.

...and so I would wander.

Ellis? warm smile would brighten as Altavaro said that he found the herbs useful. That alone was all she needed to hear, her tail wagging slightly behind her. ?I?m glad that you do.? His words sounded sincere as well. Honest. That was a gift in and of itself. He seemed to be most definitely the kind of wolf she wouldn?t mind hanging around. He may not have been the sort to speak a lot but his company was most certainly welcome all the same.

The female?s curiosity would continue to grow about the golden male, and the lands the Nomads often passed through... Well.. More like the herbs he was familiar with. ?What kinds of herbs are you used to using? Have you noticed anything so far in Alacritia that you?ve seen elsewhere?? Just simply keeping up the conversation, teal-green eyes bright. Oh how she enjoyed her talks with fellow healers.




"Speech"

"Settle down." Said my heart.

...and so here it was I would settle down.