The moor's mist always made Elizabeth feel muggy. She still was taking time to adjust to it, though the healer supposed it was perfect paired with the plains. It was easy to protect and the fact you could store herbs in this misty area was perfect. Liz could see how Aurielle and her family would have chosen a place so scared with the ancient stones. Today though she found herself standing in the moor just staring up at the sky. Blotted lightly out by mist from the early morning.
"Wonder what I should do today Ben?" she thought out loud to the cockatiel perched on her shoulders. Ben was still only slightly awake, the bird snuggled down into her fur his head hidden in his wings. He mummbled a bit and Liz laughed - the bird was not one for early mornings. She did admit she was less lonely with the cockatiel around since she had found him and that thought was comforting.
Learning to hunt was an important thing for any wolf and Coran knew that included him. The small pup already knew his goals in the pack and while hunting was not the job he plotted for himself, Coran knew it was still a thing to learn. It was also just fun to practice by sneaking up on unsuspecting pack mates and surprising them. Admittedly it rarely worked on the adults, though this was the perfect time and place for it.
The pup's coat helped him stand out in the dark of night in most places, but here in the misty area was another story. Being short still where mist would be thicker also helped. He had woken up early planning to practice his fighting abilities against whatever unsuspecting prey he could find. This included any unsuspecting morning animal he might find. It was important he grow strong fast to support Ardyn when he became the leader.
How could he resist this chance though? Liz was talking to her cockatiel and the mist tended to be thicker in the morning. Coran was trying his hardest to not make a sound. There was still the problem of his scent and potential for his movements to be noticed, and he really wasn't totally invisible in the mist even if he imagined it so. While she was talking to the bird he ran at Liz, "Gotcha!" called out at the same time he attempted his mock attack at her back leg.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think
Elizabeth never really could let her guard down. Since the way she was raised and the old habits in grained in her pack lands weren't even a sanctuary even if the moor and the plains had felt like such. However when the scent hit her she reckognized Auirelle's scent it must have been one of her pups! She grinned as Ben flapped his wings taking off as the little thing jumped on Liz's ankle. Her back leg felt the onslaught of a puppy attack. Liz feigned a soft yelp as she fell onto her side and then exposed her belly to Coran.
"Oh no you caught me!" she exclaimed with a laugh, stretching her paws out in an attempt to touch him on the nose with her front leg. "Though it'd be best to stay downwind from prey and enemies if you want to sneak up on them better." Elizabeth rolled around back onto her stomach. Inching closer to the cute pup. "My name's Elizabeth Adravendi, though most people call me Liz. I'm a relative of yours!" she grinned wagging her tail back and forth.
He got her! Oh how proud he felt of sinking those pup teeth into the fur on her, his tail was flagging high and proud at her agreeing he had succeeded in his attack. But then he got a tap on his nose and a bit of reality as she told him how to do better at it. Oh well, it had still been fun and she’d been good enough to play with him.
Coran let go of her leg, moving around to her stomach and hopping up so his back legs rested along her side, “I messed up huh?” For a moment there was a bit of sadness in the tone but it only lasted the drawing of a breath before his tail started wagging again, “I’m Coran! Are you good at fighting Liz? I bet you could show me how to fight real good if ya are. Then I could surprise mom and dad with how good I get.” Then he could do an even better job of supporting his family as he got older.
“So what do you do for the pack? I’m gonna be a great warrior someday.” This seemed an obvious fact but he’d still share it since they hadn’t met before.
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Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think
She looked at the boy with a bit of endearment, she'd love to have pups of her own one day. Though there just wasn't any male's in her life since they had taken to Boreas. She wasn't even sure if anyone in Valhalla would ever take interest in her - but she couldn't be bitter when she got to hang out with pups like Coran. Liz laughed as Ben let out a small tweet the cockatiel jumping onto Liz's head. "Actually I'm only well equipped in self defense, I'm a healer." hopefully this didn't disappoint him as she stood up. "This is my companion Ben, he helps me looks for herbs... plants that help you feel better whether it be sickness or wounds." She looked at Coran and wagged her tail back and forth.
"A flame is what I'm called. I help the pack stay healthy and heal those who are injured on the battlefield. A warrior you say! I bet you'll be strong just like your ma and pa. Although I haven't met your dad." She wasn't even sure who the father was. Liz had heard his name in passing but this made her realize she should get out more and interact with her pack. How was she supposed to get a higher rank if she didn't try. Liz had never really felt ambitious but as an advravendi for some reason she felt the urge to be a good influencer.
She wasn’t a fighter? For the same time as it takes the heart to beat he was disappointed, but it didn’t last long. She offered up other information that might be useful in some fashion. Coran tilted his head up, sniffing at the little cockatiel as he was mentioned then sitting down on his rump. “Elba told me sunflowers are good for upset stomachs and making people hungry,” this was cheerfully stated even though he still didn’t understand why you would need to help make someone hungry. Naiche also recalled her saying they were good for a lot of other stuff but he couldn’t remember all of it.
The little tail was swinging fast, “and yah, all of us, Ardyn, Laoise, Aoife and I are all gonna be great fighters!” Amorielle would be great too of course, but she wasn’t going fighter route. “But we got a looong way to go to be as great as mom and dad, they’re the best!”
“So, have you been a flame for long? Are you planning to try and reach the Cure rank eventually?” It wasn’t just for her he asked the questions, it was reminding himself some of the things he’d been being taught in all the lectures of pack ranks. Cure was a rank that was healer but not adding in fighting ability. Not everyone would get to be a Cure though, only so many would be cures? Coran had to admit he forgot that detail but he was trying to remember it all!
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Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think
Elizabeth nodded her head as she listened to the boy. Elba was right, sunflowers were excellent for such a thing. However, she didn't want to bore the boy so she would save the plant talk unless he had any questions. In honesty he only needed to know what dangerous plants there were. She believed even non healers should have that basic knowledge. The difference between nightshade and another plant could be life and death for a pup like him. Liz decided it would be best to congradulate him and his siblings. "I'm sure all of you will become great fighters when you're older and I'll be here to heal your wounds." She stood tall and proud it was more like a promise.
It was surprising that he was so knowledgable. Then again it wasn't as if Liz had been a mother before - the only pups she'd been around had been her siblings when they were younger. Their pack rarely had pups, they took in strays or otherwise. Yet it made sense he would have a grip on the ranks. "Not long really, maybe a few seasons since I came here. I.... do want to be a Cure reallly bad, but it's a lot of work and I feel like I haven't been living up to it." she frowned. She'd tried to be a bit more active but it felt like some members of the pack avoided her at moments. Ben stayed quiet the bird mildly shifting on Liz's head.
Of course Liz got a complete beam of joy as she agreed with him on Coran’s siblings and himself would become great fighters. It was a good sign that other wolves believed it also. “yup! You heal us and we will make sure you’re safe.” An agreement set, she had a job to do but so did he.
Coran continued in sitting there as he spoke with her but it was hard, sitting still. Even if he wanted to pay attention to the conversation there were lots of other things to pay attention to, like the itch he hadn’t noticed until trying to count off all the other things distracting him, like counting off. Coran’s back started to raise as if to scratch but then lowered again.
“Well, if you’re new to it then its plenty of time to do better. No one’s good right away. I’m faster today than I was just last week!” That was meant as an example but yes a hint of pride showed through in puppyish fashion, “Well you know, so I don’t get about not living up to it? If you want to do it then you just go ahead and do it. Sure, I slept a bit late a time or two and ended up being the last to a lesson from mom but that doesn’t stop me from planning to do better and be the best there is, or close to it.” Maybe not the most eloquent speaker but he was truly trying. That mysterious itch made him use his back leg to scratch at his neck. Yup, that felt good.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think
She chuckled at the pup, look at her getting advice from someone so young! It was refreshing mostly, but as much as she loved pups she honestly didn't know how to keep them entertained. Her childhood had been filled with harsh training, there were rare moments when she and her siblings had been able to play or when their mother would sit them down to tell stories. Yet at the end of the day their father was there to "whip" them back into shape again during the war. Yet maybe that was why she wanted to do better. To provide Coran and his siblings with a proper place to live and so peace could be achieved.
"Well thank you Coran, I needed that today you are a very good advice giver." She leaned down to his level as he scratched his itch a wide smile falling on her face as she wagged her tail. "You say your a little bit faster than you were last week? Why don't we play a game! Have you ever played tag before?" she asked with a tilt of her head. It was time to forget about her worries. Let her play with Coran a bit maybe then she could ease up a bit.
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