She waltzed through the overgrown field, her flouncing fur of strawberries and chocolate, giving her a look of decadence. Stone foundations broke the grass every so often, remnants of a forgotten time. Woodland had long ago claimed the Garden, a vast blanket of green veiling whatever structures were left here.

With a gentle hoot, one of her owls swooped overhead, its keen eyes scanning the ground below. Perching on the ruins of an ancient wall, not one but two owls landed and watched Ellara make her way through the garden with intelligent curiosity. Ellara smiled softly to her companions, but kept her eyes open for what she really came here for - Arnica.

The owls fluttered from perch to perch as she made her way deeper into the field. Ellara's pink gaze roamed over the wild clusters of herbs, recognizing the familiar shapes and scents of each one. Lavender, yarrow, chamomile, and so much more grew here in abundance, their fragrances filling the sweet spring air.

Her stare flicked to a patch of yellow blooms nestled between the stones. "There you are, she breathed, crouching low next to the arnica with the flowers just a few inches from her face, their petals nearly reaching out to grab the wet of her nose.

[ 1/3 Collected an herb (Arnica) ]

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

"Asahi, we're a year old now. Father says it's okay to leave the bamboo," the words are confident as they leave Jiro's mouth. Silver eyes turn down to his smaller sister, lips curling up into a brotherly grin. "Plus, you have me to protect you!" He lifts his head and puffs up his chest ensuring that the glistening sun above catches the curves of his horns. Truthfully, he didn't need an excuse to leave the bamboo, but their father had mentioned in passing that he wished for Asahi to get out more. That it would help her grow and be more courageous. Jiro didn't really get it, but he wouldn't say no either. He enjoyed Asahi's company and maybe if they travelled north enough, they might pass by Imogen or even Finch... Not that he was hoping or anything.

Their journey that day started early in a rather clear and balmy winter day. Beneath his massive paws, the soft ground squishes slightly, a clear sign that it had indeed been raining a lot lately. He had hoped for snow, but as the days continued with rain day after day, he began to lose hope. "Since it doesn't get cold here, at least the plants never really die," Jiro comments as they begin to approach God's Garden. It had been some time since he'd last visited the sprawling stone meadow, but it appeared the same as it had before. Flowers bloomed in varying colors. Grass grew as tall as it could, reaching high to the sky where the deer hadn't grazed upon it.

"See here, Asahi, Arnica!" Jiro points with a paw to the cluster of yellow flowers before stopping when his silver eyes land on the form of a stranger. "Greetings," Jiro calls out in the common tongue, his accent clear and thick compared to those not native to his father's lineage. "Are you here gathering Arnica too?" He questions, head tilting as he wanders over to the flowers, leaning down to pick one with his teeth before offering it to his sister for her to inspect.

Uncertainty, was this really what Father wanted? After their mother had left Asahi had been even more despondent about leaving the confines of the Bamboo. She smiled when he puffed his chest out to show how strong he was and how far his horns had come in. She didn't inherit any of the protective qualities of their family. A little Plain Jane among a family of beautiful and strong siblings.

She wasn't the type to complain and after a few hesitated steps she followed her dark and silver brother. She liked that he didn't push her to speak, and they understood each other well enough, she felt he understood her even better than the others did most days. She liked that he talked to her without expecting her to respond. She was at least happy to see what kind of herbs they could bring back home. The pack's stores of arnica and jasmine were dwindling.

Her eyes lit up as the vast garden came into view, the flowers and plants abundant and lush! She had seen the stranger before Jiro did and she slunk behind him as he greeted her in the common tongue. He had a lot more practice with the language than she did. Her hiding in the bamboo and skipping many lessons didn't do her much good. She took the arnica flower he passed to her and placed it in the basket they had carried from the pack, side-eyeing the stranger.

One of her owls began hooting abnormally, and Ellara took alert that others might be nearby. It didn't take long for the pair of youths to come into view, her pink eyes softening as she saw them. "Greetings," she called back to them, her voice warm and inviting. "Yes! I am here for Arnica, too. It can be such a useful herb."

She stepped closer, her movements fluid yet calm, nodding to Jiro as he spoke and offering a gentle smile to the more cautious female that hid behind him. "I am Ellara Praetor, a healer by trade. This garden is my sanctuary, it's so peaceful isn't it? Perfect for collecting almost anything one could need."

Her gaze lingered on Asahi as she side-eyed her, her smile never faltering. Her gaze softened further, "Don't worry, the Garden is a safe place. I remember being shy about meeting strangers, too. It is good to be cautious, you are a smart girl," she said, her voice taking an encouraging tone. Carefully, she began to snip a few of the flowers off of the cluster she had found and placed them in her wool satchel. "If you'd like, I could help you find anything else you might be looking for! I am a friend, I promise."

Ellara's owls watched from their perch above, their eyes wide and curious as their heads twisted and bobbed to get better views of the two strangers.

[ 2/3 Collected an herb (Arnica) ]

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

The hooting of the owls didn't deter Jiro. If anything, it drew him more toward the stranger. He merely only had his cat as a companion and others within Tojo often relied on that of ravens. So the nocturnal animals that seemed to alert the woman made his eyes draw upward for a moment, head canting to inspect their peculiar appearance. It isn't until Asahi is shifting behind him to hide herself does he look back to the stranger that he's greeted. She doesn't appear threatening, but rather friendly and interested in talking to them.

Jiro listens to her words, a lazy smile draped across his lips as she speaks. "Nice to meet ya, Ellara," he responds, tail wagging softly between his legs. He doesn't prod or force Asahi to come forward and introduce herself, but instead allows her to continue to shield herself with his much larger body. "We stopped by to gather some herbs," Jiro comments as she focuses on Asahi, speaking calmly to his sister, attempting to comfort her. It makes Jiro smile, but still he stands protectively before her.

Leaning down to also gather another arnica flower, he hands it back to Asahi before returning his attention back to Ellara. "That's awfully kind of ya. We're still learning the different species and types of flowers and plants so any information is great," his tail wags a little faster as he smiles a little wider. "We came for Arnica as our older members often have joint pain, but I'm sure we could take some other stuff back we might not have," Jiro offers, hoping maybe some more information would help the more experienced healer in helping them explore the garden.

The golden Hattori let her brother watch the owls while she eyed the stranger. When his gaze was drawn to Ellara her gaze went up to the wide-eyed features of the nocturnal birds. Their speckled feathers helped them blend into their surroundings.

She brought her attention back down as Ellara focused on Asahi. The girl had not actually met many strangers, Taiga the big cat, Jynn, and Fic were the only strangers outside of her family that she had the chance to meet. The tone of the woman's voice was encouraging though and her white tail whisked over the growing plants behind Asahi. She was still grateful for her brother being her shield and speaking for them both. She still peered out from behind Jiro and gave Ellara a shy smile in response.

She takes the next arnica flower from him and allows herself to observe it properly, trusting that the stranger meant what she said. The large blossom had bright yellow petals arranged similarly to a daisy. The color was close to Asahi's own golden markings. The stalk was round and fairly hairy and the leaves were a bright green. She stored it in the basket and picked up a stalk of her own. She shook it when she found that a little spider had found a home in it.

She perked up a snow white ear as Jiro mentioned bringing other stuff home that they may not have.

Speech // thought // Japanese

Ellara couldn't help but smile as she watched Asahi slowly warm up, even if it was just a little. It was always heartening to see a shy soul take a small step out of their comfort zone. "Arnica is certainly helpful for joint pain, but there are other treasures here, too."

She moved gracefully through the garden, her keen eyes spotting a final cluster of Arnica tucked beneath a large stone. With a gentle tug, she pulled a few flowers free and added them to her satchel, leaving enough for Jiro and Asahi as well. "This is the last of the Arnica that I need today," she remarked, glancing back to the pair of siblings.

“If you’re interested, I can show you where to find some valerian root or perhaps a bit of yarrow. Both are excellent for calming and healing.” Her offer was sincere, her tail swaying lightly as her owls continued their quiet vigil overhead.

[ 3/3 Collected an herb (Arnica) ]

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

Jiro didn't hesitate to follow after Ellara. Approaching the last cluster of Arnica, he moves beside Ellara to grab a few more of the flowers to pass over to Asahi for their own satchel. It definitely was beautiful here and without a doubt, there was an abundance of plants that they could utilize back home that they didn't already have. "Think this is enough?" He turns to look at Asahi for a moment, helping his smaller sister with the gathering before their attention is placed back to the more experienced healer.

While yarrow was more familiar to him, this valerian root was not. "Oh, yes, that would be good," he nods happily, glancing once more at Asahi, hoping his sister doesn't mind that they stay out a little bit longer. "We have plenty of yarrow within the woods, but I don't believe I've spotted much valerian root," Jiro tilts his head, eyes glancing around to see if he could notice any nearby.

Asahi clings to Jiro's hip, carrying the basket after him and receiving the arnica he passed to her. She shook one of the blossoms again, dislodging another bug from it. Didn't want to take any new bugs back to their garden in the bamboo! She looked inside the basket as Jiro asked her if that was enough. She measured what she could see and turned back to him with an exuberant nod of yes!

She tilts her head at Ellara and then at Jiro, following the conversation. Valerian? Sounds like a plan! Was that the frondy like plant that helped you sleep or the little minty plant with the purple flowers that also helped you sleep? Oh wait no that last one was Skullcap. Valerian wasn't as easy to find around their place for sure!

Speech // thought // Nihongo

Ellara smiled at the siblings' enthusiasm, particularly as Asahi nodded eagerly. "Valerian root it is, then," she said warmly, leading them through the garden. Her movements were graceful, her paws barely making a sound as she navigated the overgrown paths.

"The valerian root grows in slightly shadier spots," she explained, her pink eyes scanning the area. "It has delicate white flowers and a distinct scent. It's wonderful for easing tension and helping with sleep."

She paused near a cluster of taller plants, the leaves broad and green, the flowers a pale white. "Here we are," she said, brushing some of the leaves aside to reveal the stems and beginnings of hidden roots. "This is valerian. The roots are the most potent part, so we'll need to dig carefully to keep them in tact."

[ 1/3 Collected an herb (Valerian Root) ]

"Speech" - Thoughts

CODE BY SIN

Jiro follows Ellara, always looking back to ensure that Asahi is tagging along with him. Out of his many siblings, she had always been the one most drawn to him. The one that never seemed bothered by his antics or shenanigans.

Navigating through the field, his eyes move down toward the plant that Ellara reveals from the shade. He listens carefully, nodding to let her know that he would take the retrieval of the plant carefully. "My paws are quite large. The digging part might be suited better for Asahi," Jiro nods down to his smaller sibling. Her paws were quite more delicate than his own, he wouldn't deny when she was better at something. "I can still help though," he offers, his tail wagging softly as he steps to the side to find another valerian plant to harvest.

Asahi clung to Jiro's larger hip, returning his glances, grateful he kept an eye on her. It was why she chose him, out of everyone else, Jiro was the one who never forgot about her, left her behind, or even assumed she was less intelligent. The big wide world scared her, and he was a solid comforting presence.

She listened intently as Ellara talked about the Valerian, where to find it, and what it looked like. Her snow white ears perked up as Jiro suggested she try to dig in with her delicate paws! She waved her tail and smiled eagerly at the prospect! She wasn't afraid to get her paws dirty! Sometimes anyway.

She dove in with vigor, not needing another prompting. The root smelled strong and sweet! That's funny, when they had the little bit of dried root at home with was strong smelling but stinky!

She carefully pulled the soil away from the stalk and curly thick roots.

Speech // thought // Nihongo

Ellara watched with a fond smile as Asahi eagerly took to the task. "Impressive," she encouraged, her voice warm and soothing. "The roots are the strongest part of the valerian, so your careful touch is perfect for this."

She glanced over to Jiro, appreciating the way he looked after his sister. "It's good to see such a strong bond between siblings. You both compliment each other well, do not lose that!" she remarked, her eyes soft with admiration as she remembered fondly her own brother.

As Asahi continued to dog, Ellara gently guided her, pointing out where the roots grew the thickest. "Once you have a good bundle, go ahead and add it to your basket. They'll be a great help to your pack, especially during stressful times."

With a soft rustle, one of Ellara's owls swooped down to perch nearby, its watchful eyes observing the siblings with curious interest.

[ 2/3 Collected an herb (Valerian Root) ]

"Speech" - Thoughts

CODE BY SIN