Aggie was on a mission, of sorts. She didn't know the precise nature of said mission but she was on it nonetheless. She and Ylva had concocted a decent plan of how they might best spend their time before winter fell down on the land with a fury, or at least Aggie thought so. Ylva disagreed because in her eyes, "I don't know, find some shit?" wasn't a plan at all... But no matter. They pressed on all the same. Aggie had been careful to navigate her way back up from the coast. She hadn't remembered this area being so heavily traveled by pack wolves but now it seemed like there were scents and borders every way she turned. Were they popping up overnight? If she wasn't careful perhaps they'd box her in when she wasn't looking. It wouldn't be the worst place to be penned in though, she could admit that much. The willow branches drifted in a slight breeze, bare of all but the most stubborn leaves. The morning had come and gone, taking a light frost away with it, and the day was warm enough that the forest's small streams had not yet frozen. "It's probably too late for mushrooms, don't you think?" She asked Ylva, who as usual was perched on her shoulders. "I was hoping it had been wet and mild enough for the last of autumn's crop to still be around." The red panda ran her clawed fingers through the fur of Aggie's scruff, pondering. "What were you hoping to find? Or is that goal as vague as the rest of your 'plan?'" Aggie hummed, long and drawn out, even as a smile curled onto her lips. "Fly Agaric, perhaps." That gave Ylva pause for a long moment, both quiet in their thoughts as Aggie continued to walk. She leapt across a small stream, not even a bodylength wide, and continued on. Finally Ylva said, "I'll keep an eye out," and... What's this? Did Aggie hear the hint of a smile in her voice? She'd almost begun to think her friend had forgotten how. "Talk" "Listen" Think

Winter was coming and Iolaire had decided that her gardens needed a bit more protection from the cold and snow that she knew would be coming in full force. The spring, summer and autumn had been so mild. Oddly so. The little healer just had a gut feeling that winter was going to unleash on them with unbridled fury. The larger garden would have to brave the elements. She didn't have the time or patience to protect it as well as she would her other garden. Her personal garden. The plants on the steppes would get wrapped against the cold, but they wouldn't gain the safety that the other plants would have. The branches of the willows were perfect for fence building. Iolaire had been collecting them all morning. The long wisps of young willows were sturdy and fit together tightly if done correctly, which she would. Ila chewed bits of grass here and there, musing over whatever reindeer thought about. The dwarf was hitched up to the small cart and pulled it along mindlessly. Iolaire had a soft spot for the little caribou even though she was dumber than a box of rocks. While snapping off branches with knife and paws, Ila released a low call, warning her of approaching strangers. Or danger. One of the two. Either way, Iolaire stopped what she was doing and looked in that direction. Coming her way was as light colored woman being ridden by a stripey red panda. It was an amusing sight and Iolaire couldn't help but smirk as the little creature held tight while the wolf leaped one of the many streams. They were coming right for her, so there was no choice but to say hello. Clearing her throat, the small woman placed the branch that she was holding into the cart. "Hello. Fine day, isn't it?"

She had only taken a few paces after crossing the stream before an odd shape stuck out from the rest of the foliage up ahead. It was unusually square, the hard lines so different from the dangling branches and cluster of grass and shrubs, that she spent a breath pondering it before she realized that there was an animal beside it as well. Now, being born in northern lands, Aggie was no stranger to caribou. She'd never seen one like this though, and none of her past encounters had included caribou hitched to contraptions. She would forgive herself for being too distracted to notice that the caribou and it's contraption were not alone, strange as the sight was. The woman's voice was polite and clear, and led Aggie's gaze towards its source. The stranger was smaller than herself, her coat a mix of mostly darks and grays. She was still too far away for Aggie to pick up any scents so she didn't know whether or not the other wolf was from a pack, but if she had absentmindedly wandered into someone's territory she would kick herself. Ylva would never let her live it down. Then again, the shewolf seemed friendly enough, so she'd try not to jump to conclusions. Aggie came to a stop a respectable distance from the woman, close enough to be respectful but not so close as to press in on the stranger's space, and sat. "A fine day indeed for this time of year." Aggie let her eyes slide sideways to the diminutive caribou and the contraption, or rather what she now saw was meant to haul goods. Nifty, that. She clearly needed to up her own game. Er, sorry. I don't mean to pry, but..." Uncertain whether or not the beast could understand them, she let the 'What the fuck?' go unsaid but implied all the same. Monkeys who struck fires, caribou who would deign to be hitched, what next? Were wolves now riding bear into battle as well? It seemed like the whole continent had gone mad in her absence. Not that she was complaining of course, it was starting to seem like perhaps this was exactly the sort of madness that suited her. "Talk" "Listen" Think

It didn't take long for the woman to approach and take a seat. She seemed amicable enough as she reciprocated the thoughts of the weather. Iolaire could see the confusion on her face though as she looked towards Ila and the cart. The dark woman grinned. "This is Ila. She followed me home one day and never left. Most pleasant caribou I've ever met." The caribou didn't respond in the slightest other than to huff through her wide nostrils as she sniffed at another patch of grass. "I figured if she was sticking around, she should help out around the place. And, just so you're not surprised..." Iolaire motioned to one of the larger willows. Between some of the large, gnarled roots sprawled a big snow leopard. Enki was on his back, just snoring away. Bringing her attention back to the larger woman, Iolaire gave a nod to the panda. Ila couldn't speak, but Enki could. She imagined that other non-wolves could learn their language as well. It would be interesting if the creature could talk. It was nice meeting someone new. Her days had been nothing but training others as of late and caring for her debilitated mother. "I'm Iolaire, Ambassador of the Ashen Armada. " She shot her title just in case strangers were looking to join a pack. "So what brings you two to the wood?" With the snows approaching and the chill temperature, there wasn't much in the name of herbs left.

The woman had an explanation for her beast of burden ready at hand, which alleviated a good portion of Aggie's curiosity. What a marvelous this that must be, she mused, quietly considering all the possibilities. Of course it did create twice as many questions as it answered. Where had she found Ila? Aggie knew caribou to be large and cumbersome, so was she of a different species or just unusually small? Where had she come by that cart? If she made it how, and if she did not, who did? Each of these and more sat perched on the tip of Aggie's tongue, but she was polite enough to show restraint. Perhaps if this woman did not send her on her way for disturbing what was clearly a job of some sort, she might be able to slip in a few over time. Aggie was about to introduce herself, both to the woman and to Ila when the shewolf gestured off to the side. Aggie followed her gaze and was shocked, but at this point not necessarily surprised, to see a large snow cat snoring and by all appearances dead to the world. She couldn't help but chuff out a quiet laugh. "Spirits! Let me guess, there's also an eagle up in that tree as well, and six field mice hidden in your scruff? I don't think anything could surprise me at this point." Aggie grinned, shaking her head at the wonder of it. "And to think, my only companion is a surly panda. I must have been very poorly behaved in a past life." Said surly panda reared up and cuffed one of her ears, none too gently either. "Spirits only know what I must have gotten up to, to be saddled with the most ill-mannered, ungrateful wolf this side of the ocean." Ylva sulked, clambering down from Aggie's shoulders before scrambling up the nearest tree. She knew Aggie wouldn't leave her, at least not for long, and often enjoyed making a game out of waiting for Aggie to appeal to her more stubborn sensibilities. Aggie just sighed, and shook out her fur before turning back to Iolaire. "It's good to meet you Iolaire, Armada Ambassador and woman of many talents." She dipped her head, in part out of due deference to her position, and only a little bit to be cheeky. "My name is Aggie, or Asgeira if I'm in trouble. My traveling companion is Ylva. Once-tutor, now she patches me up when I get in over my head and helps with projects here and there." Aggie might have once expanded on that, but given the skill sets of the wolves she'd recently been encountering, none of her past exploits seemed terribly worthy of note. Ylva took it upon herself to chime in and answer the rest of Iolaire's question. "Asgeira decided that the onset of winter was the prime time to hunt for mushrooms, instead of wandering south where we might actually find something of use." This was also accompanied by a scoff. Aggie turned back to the other shewolf with a grin and a shrug. It had been worth a shot, hadn't it? "Talk" "Listen" Think

The woman's reaction wasn't exactly what Iolaire expected and when the exclamation and remark was given, the dark woman chuckled and gave her dainty head a shake. "Not today, no." She made a show of patting the thicker fur of her ruff with her odd, dexterous paws. "No mice, but there are times when I'm accompanied by a giant vulture or another leopard. My pack is full of odd creatures." Each played their part in the pack as well. Some were lookouts. Others were babysitters. They all helped to hunt with the pack. That's just the way things were in the Armada. Speaking ill of the panda seemed to have been a bad idea, for the creature cuffed the woman, spat out a nasty retort, and scampered up a tree. Again Iolaire found herself laughing softly. What a purely amusing pair! The fae went on to introduce both herself and her temperamental companion. She jokingly mocked Iolaire's title and the dark dame couldn't help but grin. In turn she replied, "And so very good to met you, 'Asgiera If I'm in Trouble.'" Turning her gaze up to the panda hidden in the branches, she continued. "Good to meet you as well, Ylva." The panda spoke of mushrooms and Iolaire raised one silver brow in interest. "A little out of season for mushrooms. Plus I've picked this area pretty well clean over the past few months." She gave her head a little tilt. "Might I ask what kind of mushrooms you were looking for?" She couldn't say that she wasn't a little excited. The majority of wolves in these parts weren't keen on the side of herbalism that was less that savory. Iolaire, however, had a love for poisons.

Aggie couldn't help the grin that overtook her when Iolaire patted down her mane. It was good to know she had a sense of humor. Took a bit of weight off. Social interaction was never something that daunted her, but Aggie was keenly aware that not everyone appreciated her particular sense of humor. Still, to hear that there were other beasts that often accompanied her was... interesting. To say the least. She quirked her head sideways, fascinated by the concept. She was keenly aware that other creatures had their own unique skill sets that could be applied in a myriad of ways, doubly so with pointed training. To know that there was a pack out there that had decided to capitalize on this was certainly food for thought. Iolaire further cemented herself as a wolf who could handle a bit of humor when she gave Aggie a title of her own. Aggie couldn't help but tilt her head back and laugh. From her perch Ylva grumbled, "You ought to heed her, at least someone on this forsaken continent knows how to be polite," once she was greeted as well. Iolaire remarking that mushrooms were almost certainly out of season drew another shrug from Aggie, and knowing that any lingering effects had likely already been plucked was just another blow. Oh well. "It was a long shot," Aggie conceded. "More just trying to pass the time and hoping for luck than a pointed attempt." As to what she had been seeking specifically... well. She shuffled her paws absently, hedging as she tried to work out how best to answer. She didn't want to lie to the other woman, and took no shame in her work therefore didn't feel the need to hide her true intentions. All that said, there were plenty of wolves who would form a poor opinion, and form it rapidly at that, if you let on that you were looking for any plant that harmed more than it healed. "Anything I could find, really," she began. "But in truth I had been hoping to find Fly Agaric mushrooms. Red caps, white spots. I've found them... useful, in certain situations in the past." Aggie was a healer, even if her methods were untempered and her call to heal less an act of benevolence and more an interest in puzzles, unlocking the secrets to those puzzles that others could not solve. In her opinion life and death was up to the whim of the spirits which surrounded them. If she could do something to prolong a life worth living that was a gift she had been given. The mirror of that was the numerous individuals who walked this earth with evil in their hearts, and poor intentions itching to be done by their paws. If they came to her for help, whether or not they received it was up to her discretion. So yes, certain plants proved more useful than others in certain situations. Not that she expected Iolaire to understand or appreciate those certain sentiments... "Talk" "Listen" Think

Asgeira won Iolaire over quickly. It seemed as though both ladies shared a similar sense of humor. Usually her snark and wit was lost on other wolves and, honestly, sometimes things felt a little dull with her packmates. This exchange though... it gave the woman life. Ylva shot another quip at her companion and Io chuckled again, shaking her head. The pair was quite charming. When the pale woman admitted what she was looking for, Iolaire's green and gold eyes lit up with interest. It seemed as though they had a lot to talk about. She couldn't help her grin from widening. Poisons. She actually found someone that wanted to talk about poisons. Behind her, the dark fae's silver tail swished back and forth languidly. It wasn't a full on wag, but it did show her complete pleasure at the thought. If they were going to have a lengthy conversation, then they might as well get comfortable. "Come," she spoke as she rose to her paws again. "Won't you both join me for lunch? We can discuss wondrous fungi while we eat." With a pull of her skull, Io motioned for Asgeira to follow. She stopped to grab her hefty pack from the front of the cart before scanning the area for a suitable place. Not too far was a flat of grass beneath one of the expansive willows. That would do just fine. Opposable thumbs made unhitching the caribou a cinch and the woman released Ila to graze before heading beneath the willow. Once beneath the hanging branches, Iolaire settled down and opened her pack. She removed some dried, seasoned meat that she'd sliced into bite sized pieces. She also removed one of her treasures; a sealed clay container filled with preserved strawberries. In addition, there were dried apples and figs. With a little feast spread out before them, Iolaire shot a mischievous glance at the pale woman. "So, poisons interest you, eh? Meeeeee too." She didn't hide her pleasure. There was no need. "Speech"

Iolaire's response was possibly the last thing Aggie had expected. Most wolves would have blinked in confusion. Some might have passed her off with a polite 'Oh, well.. that's nice.' A few might have left her presence in a hurry. But this woman seemed delighted... Aggie grinned. This was turning into a fortuitous day indeed. Of course the first words out of Io's mouth made a brow quirk. "Two women express a mutual interest in poisons, and one invites the other to a meal. Should I be concerned?" But of course she followed the other woman anyways. If she was going to be murdered, it might as well be by someone who knows what they're doing. By accident would just be embarrassing. She watched with poorly concealed fascination as the woman's unusually deft paws freed the caribou and retrieved a satchel of goods with ease. Spirits! Would she sprout wings next? Aggie kept her comments to herself, made easier by a goods Iolaire produced. Fortuitous day indeed. Aggie was quick to scoop up a sliced bit of meat, chewing thoughtfully while she pondered. "I fancy myself a healer of sorts, though in recent seasons I'll admit to being more preoccupied with traveling and seeking out unusual herbs more than actually practicing the craft." She watched as Ylva, bold as a bull left her perch, sauntered up and plucked up a strawberry for herself. Looking back at Io, Aggie continued. "I was raised to look at the art of healing a bit differently than most natives here, or at least it has seemed so thus far. It's not healing every bruise and scrape you come across but rather the art of protecting life, and honoring the spirits of the land. Making use of every tool the Spirits have granted us. Should an opportunity arise to protect many lives at the expense of a few, it would dishonor the Spirits not to use the gifts they have given us to keep the balance." Aggie shrugged. It seemed pretty straightforward to her. She really didn't understand why so many others found the concept abhorrent! It just made sense. Nodding towards Ylva, who was very much enjoying her fruit and not terribly keen on contributing, Aggie added on. "Ylva used to assist an old sage woman that I was apprenticed to as a pup, and after the woman passed she took me under her wing to finish my training. Most of what I know comes from her, and a bit of experimenting along the way." She paused for another piece of meat. It truly was delicious, but she didn't want to be rude or take more than had been offered to her. "That's the short version of my story. What of you? I doubt I need to tell you how rare it is to find others who are interested in pursuing these practices." Not if her eager reaction had been anything to judge by, anyways. "Talk" "Listen" Think

Iolaire chuckled aloud at her companions apprehension. "Of course you should be concerned. Caution keeps you alive." She set about collecting her things. "I solemnly swear that I'm not going to harm you, however." Having set out her meal, she popped a piece of meat into her maw to prove it. Obsidian ears perked as Asgeira spoke of herself, her past and her beliefs. It was impossible for Iolaire to keep from grinning. Their similarities were uncanny. While Iolaire was primarily a healer, she didn't blink twice at the darker side of herbalism. In fact, she was responsible for the loss of many lives and she wasn't the least bit ashamed of it. The only difference was that Asgeira believed in spirits like many others. Iolaire only believed in herself. It seemed as though the woman had been found and adopted somewhat by the panda. It was a charming tale. At least Io thought it was. Though outwardly at odds, she had a feeling that the pair truly cared for one another. At the smell of meat, Enki the snow leopard rose, stretched, narrowed his gaze for a moment at the newcomer, then came to shove a few pieces of the dried meat in his maw. He found his place beside Iolaire, bumping his forehead against hers as though he was greeting another feline. He promptly closed his eyes once more. When asked about her own background, Io smirked. "Oddly enough, it's similar to your own. I practice things outside of the norm. I was forced to flee my family at a very early age. I was taken in by an old herbalist. She taught me all that she knew, including the less savory parts of herbalism. I took a shine to those parts and became quite adept in their use. I've traveled the world, offering my services. Only recently have I settled in one place." Again she laughed softly, maw splitting in a grin to flash pristine white teeth. "And you're correct. It's very rare to find another with the same interest." "" "Speech"

Iolaire solemnly swore not to harm her, so Aggie supposed she would take her at her word. It wasn't that much of a leap, after all. Despite the subject matter that had brought them together, Aggie felt at ease in her presence. She had the sense of a knowledgeable soul, one filled with interesting anecdotes and experiences which were largely different than Aggie's own. Such meetings were hard to come by, and she would be a fool not to try and learn all that she could from this woman, whether this be the last time they met or the first of many. She watched as the snow leopard rose, riled by the appearance of food. She didn't blame him; it did look positively delectable. The feline remained wordless, even as he expressed his admiration for her dining companion, took his piece and fell directly back asleep. Aggie could respect that. Still, she broke her focus away as Iolaire began to answer her question. The meat and bones of it seemed clear enough: both of them recognized that just because a certain plant was toxic didn't mean it was devoid of any use whatsoever. Everything had its own time and place, depending on circumstance. "Well wherever it is you've settled," Aggie began to reply as soon as it seemed she would not be interrupting, "It seems well-suited to those of more creative dispositions." She gestured vaguely to the cart and caribou, the trappings which had delivered them their meal, the snow leopard beside them. None of it screamed 'conventional' and Aggie had to assume that was just the way this woman liked it. An unusual meeting to be sure, but Aggie hoped that perhaps it would be fruitful as well. At the very least she might find a scholarly partner, someone to compare notes and discuss discoveries.. Perhaps even a friend. Time would tell. "Are you working on any projects currently? I'd be glad to help if possible." "Talk" "Listen" Think

Asgeira's words made Iolaire grin. "I'm the lead healer of the Ashen Armada. Our lands border this one." If the woman was surprised at the strange things that she'd seen here, then she would be amazed at the things she would see on Iolaire's own turf. "You should come visit some time. We could talk shop. I could show you my extensive gardens." Green-gold eyes glittered mischievously. "And I could show you my special garden." A little place that was all her own where she could cultivate poisonous plants and mixtures. "My brother is the warlord of the Armada, so I pretty much do whatever pleases me." Then she added with an amused snort, "Not that I wouldn't do that anyway with someone else ruling, it just makes it easier that he's family." When asked if she was working on anything currently, Iolaire nodded. Rising, she moved to the cart and took up one of the many spindly willow branches that she'd been collecting. "Currently I'm crafting a fence. These little guys, while pliable and rather weak alone, make a strong wall when woven together." Iolaire was all about preparation and already she had damn near everything ready for winter. There wasn't much else to do, and if there was, she would most likely get it done quickly. She was a hard workin' woman. "If there's anything that you had in mind, perhaps I could help you instead. Unless you'd like to return to my home with me and help build a fence." Again Iolaire chuckled. She could put the woman to work and show her the little corner of treasures that she'd amassed. They'd just met, however, and so Iolaire would understand if the woman was leery. "" "Speech"

Hearing that Iolaire was in fact the lead healer of their pack was not entirely surprising. She seemed to have extensive knowledge and ability to provide whatever her pack might need. The offer for Aggie to come visit was a bit surprising, however. It was, as far as she was concerned, uncommon for any pack to allow strangers in just to pop in and check the place out. She quirked her head sideways and allowed Iolaire to finish. If she was careful not to step on her paws before the instinct was doubled now. A garden, a secret garden, and a warlord brother? Spirits, what else would this woman pull out of her ruff? It would seem she had underestimated her by assuming field mice. Aggie blinked, considering. "Iolaire, you might be the most fascinating woman I've met in recent memory. A warlord brother? That must make things interesting." She flashed her a wry smile. "I'd be delighted to see your gardens and to help you with your fence. But... not to question your judgement, are you sure that's alright? I certainly respect anyone who does as they please and damn the consequences, but I would hate to make any of your packmates uneasy. It seems in my experience that strangers snooping around, even for a day, can raise hackles." Aggie was unaligned to any one group or band and had no intention of doing any harm, but that was sometimes a hard thing to convince others of. To live life without an agenda seemed an unfamiliar notion to most. In truth, the prospect of having friendly, albeit neutral, relations with several packs intrigued her. It seemed like the best way to share and disperse knowledge, but then you'd find yourself treading the thin line between education and sharing secrets of the trade. It was hard to voice those words because her curiosity was running rampant at this point. She wanted to see further into Iolaire's fascinating existence, but she hadn't lived this long by running headlong into unusual situations. Sure, Ylva had played a large role in that, but for now the red panda was unusually quiet. Aggie looked sideways and found her companion still heartily enjoying the strawberries. She shifted and swiped a paw sideways, nudging Ylva away and sending her tutor a 'Really?' look. Back to Iolaire she tacked on, "The only project I'm currently interested in is learning and exploring what Boreas has to offer me. So please understand, I would be delighted to visit. It seems absurd, having only known you for less than half a day, but I trust your intentions." She did not add that it was significantly harder to trust other wolves she had never met, worried that it might be construed as thinking poorly of her brother's pack. She could no more think poorly of wolves she had never met than trust them implicitly outright. Iolaire had shown her nothing but kindness, so she supposed she would have to work off of that. "Talk" "Listen" Think