Finding her way to the seat of the sheltered valley had been more hassle than she had necessarily cared for. Tracing her way along its rim was really the only solution she had been able to arrive by herself, and while it had been effective method in finding the opening- it had been tedious at best. The narrow canyon she had to pass through to trail her way down to sea level had certainly been a difficult one in its own right. But she had hoped that through all the additional measures she took, perhaps her beloved stalker would have an even more challenging time tracking her down. In the end, the thought of it brought her enough satisfaction to keep her pressing on, and as she stood at the cusp of new ground, she decided the struggle had been well worth the endeavor.

The towering rock face did an excellent job at shielding the lowlands from the winter breeze that had ripped its way along the peaks. And while it wasn't warm by any means, at least she didn't have to fight the wind-chill in addition to everything else. Aurelia could feel her body weakening by the second- the tickle in the back of her throat, the fatigue in her muscles, the congestion in her head. Treating herself wasn't necessarily the problem. She was fully capable of caring for herself given that she had the supplies to do it- but that was just it. Could she find what she needed to treat a common cold? What terrible timing to fall ill!

As best as she could tell, she had a few hours to gather the things that she needed and find shelter before she would be at the mercy of her own physique. Her only hope was to find a cave or vacant den to tie herself over in, as she certainly wasn't in the condition to go digging in the hollow. As far as herbs ... for obvious reasons her selection would be limited.

With an airy cough, she stilled for a panning glance through her immediate surroundings. This was far from ideal.

354/1500 words
"Aurelia Veratti"

Traversing the Northern lands of Boreas wasn’t ideal in winter, but Rivin wasn’t known for always making the best of decisions, now was she? Sure she was trying to get better at that, but even she was questioning what she was doing here. What on earth was she hoping to even find? Well, that was a simple enough answer. While the selection of plant life was severely limited in the coldest season of the year there was one that seemed to prefer the harsher temperatures, and Rivin had gathered a small bit of it after descending the steeper terrain into the tundra below. That plant was holly, the leaves known for helping aid coughs, fevers, and chest congestion. With it being winter in Boreas, and the plant not growing currently in the island home of the Raiders, Rivin knew she had to collect what she could. She was worried for those she was closest to but, bit by bit, she was warming up to the others, like Scald… They hadn’t been able to find much feverfew in Auster that wasn’t completely drowned, so holly was the next best bet.

Rivin hadn’t considered how vast the landscape was however, and she had a few hours to not only find more of the herb she sought, but to find shelter for the night before the temperatures plummeted. It wasn’t like she could make her way back up the difficult terrain right now anyway. Getting caught within the cliffs when night came, or heavens forbid snow and night, it would lead to her death. She had been lucky enough the first time that Calico Jack had heard her. And while she had given him a heads up that she was heading North, she hadn’t been specific. They might never find her here. What a… pleasant thought. The yearling gave a snort, a burst of white air leaving her nostrils. She really was quite negative. It could be annoying at times, and since her talk with Gilgamesh… she’d become more conscientious of her negative emotions. Funny how having someone who cares about you could get you to shift your ways. She could only hope that she might be able to help Diablo too. While she didn’t necessarily frown on her brother’s actions, there was a part of Rivin who worried for him. Would he get in more trouble than he could handle?

A airy cough ahead would draw Rivin’s attention and her ears perked forward. Huh, that didn’t sound good. She hadn’t caught any other scents yet, so maybe whoever was here was trying to mask theirs? Without fear Rivin moves the scattered trees and foliage, letting her green gaze sweep the landscape before falling upon a femme. She was smaller than Rivin was, but then again she was a bit of a towering woman thanks to her father’s genetics. The antlered yearling wore a thoughtful frown, snow at her paws crunching as she stopped and let her weight settle down. “Pretty risky place to be pausing out in the open with a cough like that…” Rivin stated the obvious. Her thoughts shifted to the holly in her bag. It was for the Raiders but… well… if this female decided she wasn’t going to be hostile maybe she could see about giving it up to help her out. Didn’t smell like she was part of a pack or anything. “If you give me your word you’re not going to attempt to maul me, I’d be willing to give you a paw.” But would the other woman trust her? It wasn’t like the Raiders had the best reputation, even if this one was working on becoming a healer as well as a fighter.

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Words: 618
Total Word Count: 972

"Speech," 'Thought.'

As she surveyed her surroundings, her vision began to sway on an axis that left her a light-headed feeling. Reclining to the ground, she hung her head low for a moment in hopes the sensation would pass. Aurelia clenched her eyes tight, taking special care in the pattern of her own breath, and after she had lost count of the seconds past, she made an attempt at straightening herself up. When she opened her sapphire gaze, it was met with the strange manifestation of another girl, who appeared to be about her own age- just much larger. Before she could call attention to the unexpected encounter, the passerby beat her to it. “I’ve never been one to put much forethought into my decisions.” Aurelia admitted with a weakened, but amused, half-sided grin. While there may have been some close calls in her time, she had managed well enough.

She certainly didn’t expect assistance from a total stranger. What were the odds of crossing the paths of another herbalist in the tundra? As the larger, antlered girl struck the initial bargain, she couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her lips. It ultimately ended in a coughing fit, but the humor still carried. “I believe you’re the one that has caught me at a disadvantage. Though, you can have my word for whatever it’s worth.” She finally answered, pausing to clear her throat before continuing. “I’m gonna be honest though, it’s not much.”

As the gears in her mind began to turn, she noticed the bag that her newfound, wandering physician was carrying for the first time. Her mind raced for a solution as to how she would treat herself. But it would all simply depend on what was at her disposal. Left alone in a frozen snowscape, her options were limited for obvious reasons. “You wouldn’t happen to have some Echinacea or Thyme on you would you?” Realistically, the odds of the strange girl carrying around such wintertime commodities would be very slim. Though, she was certainly entitled to her own wishful thinking. However far of a long shot it may be.

1323 / 1500 words
"Aurelia Veratti"

Her statement caused Rivin’s lips to curl up in an amused smile. Boy, did she understand that all too well. Hell, even doing things she didn’t remember and nearly dying because she decided it was a bright idea to swim back against strong currents after fighting something. But the woman was the one to say that Rivin caught her at a disadvantage. Well, given how she sounded and looked… “So it would seem.” Rivin was already removing her bag from her shoulder to sit it on the ground to dig through. “If it makes you feel any better I’m not exactly much better. Being a pirate, now a raider, we’re not exactly known for making friends.” Her ear swiveled towards the woman as she set out some feverfew, and just as her paw brushed over a small bit of thyme she heard the woman’s request.

“You’re lucky. I’ve brought some of that and a bit of feverfew in case I got sick out here while gathering some holly and what few winter based herbs I could find.” She would put them together before lifting them gingerly in her mouth and setting them before the other femme. “But, being a healer, it’d be pretty shitty of me just to sit back while you sound like you’re ready to hack up a lung.” If the other woman knew herbs, she would undoubtedly know the two she had placed before her. The requested time and feverfew. “You should see if you can’t gather some holly yourself. If you steep it in some water, and make a tea, it can help the cough and fever. Unfortunately that’s all I brought with me of the other herbs, so you’re going to need to figure out something longer term.” Holy fuck when did she become so talkative? Rivin frowned, waiting for the other woman to take the herbs as she fell silent.

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Word Count: 316
Total Word Count: 1639 - Met

"Speech," 'Thought.'