Kaecious was not sure where he was, but at least he liked where he'd ended up. They days were cooler here, amidst a range of rocky mountains and valleys. The sun was setting over the distant ridges, bathing the land around him in golden light and deep, violet shadows. Bits of white stone scattered about him stood out in vivid contrast, and occasionally teased him with a glint of something shiny. Whereas most creatures were moving to hide away for he night, he named himself among those who were just getting their day started. He bid farewell to the sun, and turned his muzzle skyward in search of the moon. Mother Moon, he thought fondly, repeating the alliteration until he grew tired of it. The first mosquitos of the season hummed in his ears, drawn to what little water was left trickling down the riverbed he was traveling in. Before long the air would be thick with them and their spawn, but for now it was entirely bearable. He paused to nose amongst a thicket of young growth, searching for anything noteworthy, but coming up with nothing. Oh well, the night was still young, after all. "Talk" "You" Think

Navigation - Marble Wash

But you'll never find the answers, until you set your old heart free

Lydia continued to linger in the north where winter still stubbornly clung to the land, leaving piles of slowly melting snow but the contrast of the chill earth beneath her feet and the sun on her back was wonderful. Although now, the sun was setting but the coolness of the air did little to dull the beauty of this place. Lydia eagerly awaited the chance to see the bright, star-filled sky and wondered if tonight she might catch a glimpse of the northern lights dancing through the celestial sea.

Paws gingerly eased her down into an ancient riverbed and she walked along this natural highway, claws clicking along the stone, with no real direction. For now she was just wandering but also keeping an eye out for any herbs that she might wish to gather. She'd started a temporary storage den until she figured out a permanent residence or a better way to carry her herbs though in truth constantly carrying them around wasn't necessary in the spring anyway. As long as she had a good idea of what grew in the territories she wandered she was pretty sure she could manage.

Lydia skittered to a stop, ears forward, eyes gazing down at rivulets of sparkling rock that reflected the setting sun and flowed like veins through the marble. Oh! How lovely, they were just like stars! She was so transfixed on the ground before her she didn't realize that someone else was traveling the same path.

Kaecious was more than happy to continue snuffling along the dried bank. He was hoping to find something to eat, but something to hold his interest would be just as well. What he found was another wolf. He had rounded a bend in the ancient stream's course, sharp eyes picking her out quickly amongst the boulders, still with a healthy distance between them. Typically this was cause for discontent, but this female seemed intent on something all her own. His ears pricked upwards. He was equal parts curious to know what she had discovered and miffed that she stood in his way, now unable to discover it himself. Kaeci wasn't sure if he ought to call out to her an announce his presence, or try to sneak off before he was seen. Avoiding confrontation sounded lovely, but navigating the thick brush as opposed to the easily-traversable  riverbank did not. He sighed. "Hello?" he called out, insecurity turning what should have been a statement into a question. He winced. First impressions weren't usually his strong suit. He looked to the wood line on either side of him, figuring that escaping into the brush was sounding more attractive than ever. "Talk" "You" Think

But you'll never find the answers, until you set your old heart free

Lydia reached out a dainty paw and tapped with her claws at the veins of gold shimmering in the marble. She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting. It didn't feel any different and she knew she couldn't pry any out with her claws alone but there was something almost magical about simply touching something that seemed so out of place in its surroundings. Rivulets of gold in a bone dry river bed. Lifting her head she was about to carry on her way when a voice called out causing her to jump slightly, her fur standing on end like a startled cat and she cursed herself silently. Don't make an idiot of yourself, honestly!" She quickly shook herself and took a few moments to smooth out her fur before turning to see a handsome young man gazing uncertainly at her. She glanced around. "Oh, um… hi."

Her gaze quickly shifted to his paws as she found herself uncertain what to say and she started to fidget. "I uh… hi." No, no, no, no…. you just said that idiot. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be from around here would you? I was wondering what sort of herbs grow in this area." Decent recovery… Maybe if she just stuck to the task at hand she could get through this conversation in one piece.

His presence startled the woman. She jumped, coat puffing out a tad. A wave of guilt rushed through Kaeci and his ears pressed backwards against his skull, tail swishing nervously. "I, ah- Sorry. I'm Kaecious. I didn't mean to startle you." She seemed taken aback, and he cleared his throat nervously, unsure what else to say. Thankfully she broke the tension, asking what herbs might be around. He wilted a bit. "Er, no, sorry." He didn't know much about the area at all, in fact. He... couldn't remember. He scrambled to recover, coughing to clear his throat. "But if you're looking for something I could help?" He was sure why the offer spilled out of his lips, but there was no taking it back now. Kaeci was just too eager to make up for his broken mind, why couldn't he remember these things like everyone else? He forced the thought from his mind with a small shake of his head. Negativity would get him no where, right? He didn't know what this woman might be able to teach him but he didn't see why he shouldn't try. He looked down at his paws, frustrated that he didn't know what else to say. A glint of gold caught his eye. Distracted at once, Kaeci bent down to get a better look. He pawed away a larger rock that sat on top and gasped. The smaller stone below was a mix of dark gray stone and brilliant white quartz. Strung throughout it was a richer vein of gold than any he had seen so far. "These stones are beautiful," he commented, half-addressing her and half now thoroughly distracted from the idea of searching for herbs. "Talk" "You" Think

But you'll never find the answers, until you set your old heart free

Lydia tried to find a place for her eyes to rest but she found she kept glancing at the man's feet until she finally got up the nerve to meet his eyes but it seemed he was just as flustered as she was. "Ah… no, don't worry about it. I uh, I should have been paying more attention." She really should have. Lydia's mother would have scolded her severely for being so unawares in a new territory but there was no helping it now and the man didn't seem to be much of a threat. He introduced himself as Kaecious and she responded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lydia."

Kaecious had no knowledge of the herbs that grew in the area and Lydia just smiled softly in response. "That's okay, it was worth a shot." She'd just need to do the legwork herself which was the original plan anyway and it wasn't as if she was unused to the idea of doing everything on her own as she now had to be. However, the man surprised her by offering to help her in her searching. "Oh! That would be lovely, two can cover much more ground. I guess in particular I'm looking for dandelion but I'm sure I can find that. I was hoping to find boneset here but I just am not having luck. Are… are you a healer to?" She immediately wished she could take her words back. She wasn't nearly skilled enough to actually call herself a healer.

She nodded quickly at his mention of the stones. "They really are. Even if I don't find the herbs I'm looking for, I think it will be worth the journey to have seen this place."

The woman's imld personality was starting to put Kaeci at ease. He smiled a bit more often, more freely as well. She called herself Lydia, and he nodded in greeting, swearing to himself that he wouldn't forget this one. I won't, I won't, I won't, he said over and over in his mind. Lydia's excitement about gathering herbs brought Kaeci back into the moment, that they had been considering such an activity at all. The name she used, dandelions seemed familiar. His memory was loose sand, slipping through his grasp. He saw bits of yellow, he felt the edges of some sunny summer day in his pup hood, but there was nothing more. "I, erm... I'm afraid I don't know much. Could you show me?" He was embarrassed to ask, but her truly did want to help the woman. It was nice to think he was putting his day to use, instead of just aimlessly wandering. She agreed that the place was marvelous, which again made Kaecious smile. It was enchanting, and he had no idea that a place like this could exist. He hoped, perhaps somewhat in vain, that he would not forget it. Kaeci would love to return some day, if he could. He took a deep breath and a long look around. He pulled a deep breath into his lungs, embracing all the brisk spring air had to offer him. It was a wonderful evening, and he hoped it would stay with him. "I'm ready if you are," he said to Lydia with a firm nod. He was not quite confident enough to lead but he would happily trail after her. If he kept the woman in sight he would have no trouble keeping track of things. "Talk" "You" Think

But you'll never find the answers, until you set your old heart free

Lydia found it so easy to get lost in the glimmering veins of the stone around her as if it were some hint at the pulse of the earth upon which she made her home. She glanced back at Kaecious as he spoke. Her head tilted slightly to the side as she picked out the meaning of his words. It seemed he was something of a healer but hadn't taken many lessons. She smiled gently at his question. "Sure I'd be happy to! We should be able to find boneset in low meadows, it's a tall plant that can grow up to 4 feet tall, it'll have long leaves with toothed edges and the easies part is it's flowers. It should be blooming now so you'll see the tops covered in little white flowers." She paused as she tried to think if there was anything else helpful. "It has an aromatic smell if that helps. I was headed down toward the valley when I ran into you. Here, follow me, we can start looking this way."

Lydia maneuvered herself to the edge of the marble river bed and gazed out at the rest of the valley which was rich in color with summer in full swing. She scampered out into the grass and started her search.