Paladin 'Knight' Ancora

After the hunt, Paladin had decided to go out. Not far. But he’d been through the stocks and had noticed a lack of Blue Flag, or Iris. It was winter, quite later than was ideal for gathering the roots, but he went anyway. He carried with him a rabbit hide for the roots if he could find any. He decided to check the lake. At one point, during his puphood, Celestial had held a claim on the lake, but now, it seemed Regulus had switched to the Moor. Paladin didn’t mind; the Moor held a lot of useful plants, and from what he’d seen in Solveiga’s alcove, they were plentiful. He padded along the edge of the water, eyes searching for the signs he was looking for. The rabbit hide he held in his teeth was rolled up for now, to avoid dropping it and losing it in the snow. Admittedly, he could have waited for the weather to clear up, but he wanted to clear his head, and it wasn’t a serious storm. He was so deeply worried for his mother. She was so listless and despondent. It took so much effort to get her to eat, and she would only eat small amounts. Not only that, but his father and Valor, and now Fable, were well and truly missing. His happy return to Celestial was turning out to have so many metaphorical thunderheads darkening its sky. "Cén fáth ar féidir aon rud a bheith simplí agus éasca sa saol seo?" He asked aloud of the sky, pausing to drop the rabbit hide and gaze up at it as though it may hold the answer. He’d spoken without thinking in the Old Tongue, and the feel of it in his soft baritone over his tongue calmed him slightly. The sky had no response, except to land a few fluffy flakes of snow in his face, and he blinked away one that had nabbed him in one sapphire and amethyst eye before turning to look down at a likely specimen to collect. It was a start.

Navigation: Wolfpaw Lake

Sterling was fascinated by the new lands she was exploring. She couldn't get enough of it. Each and every day, she discovered something new, whether it be a great landmark, or simply an intriguing stone, plant or waterway, there was something of interest to be found with every step she took. The cold and hunger didn't bother her. She felt more alive than she had in a long time. Learning to hunt and fight with her parents, her siblings and her pack mates was fun, but exploring the wide world was something different completely. It made her feel more accomplished than she ever had before, and she wanted more of it.

Her silver-tipped paws carried her to a lake of impressive and boundless proportions. She wasn't sure she'd seen water so vast, except for the sea. But everyone knew the sea, that salty water, had no end while inland water was always much smaller and more valuable. But when she saw this lake, Sterling was sure that all animals could thrive off this lake for eternity. There was no way this water could run dry. There was just too much of it.

The girl padded along the edge of the water, her paws occasionally splashing through the shallows, but wary of getting too soaked at this time; after all, if her coat got wet down to the skin, what chance did she have of drying out and warming up? As much as she would love to bound through the water like a careless pup, she knew better. It was winter after all, and there was a real danger to getting soaked through. So, she moved carefully, enjoying herself while also preserving her safety in the long-run, trying her best to think ahead. What would her parents think if she never came home? And what if she never saw her siblings again? Okay, she had to be safe; but she was allowed to have fun, too, right?

When she lifted her head, eyes casting upward and away from the water, she noticed a figure also walking along the water's edge. An excited, prickly sensation ran through her spine; curiosity and caution plagued her at the same time. This would be her first chance to meet someone new, someone outside of her pack and in lands unknown to her. Thrilled, Sterling put on a burst of speed, closing the distance between them as fast as she could, arriving just in time to hear the young man calling out to the sky.

Sterling paused in mid-bound, tilting her head. Wait, was he actually talking to the sky? And what had he actually said? As she tried to gather her memories of the past few seconds, she realized she hadn't understood a word he'd said. Not because she hadn't heard him clearly, but because he was definitely speaking a language she didn't understand. Wandering a little bit closer to the boy, less cautious than she should have been, Sterling looked him up and down, her head cocked to the side. "Who were you talking to?" she asked carelessly, her emerald eyes absorbing his features as she tried to understand what was going on, tail flicking back and forth thoughtfully.

Paladin 'Knight' Ancora

He’d just spread out the rabbit hide and dipped his fore paws in the icy water, preparing to sink his weight and claws into the mud to begin digging around the root when running paws heading in his direction through the snow captured his attention. Quick as a flash, his mind ran through the facts; he was alone, close enough to the borders to howl for help, but not close enough for help to get there in time if he was attacked. Even as these thoughts whipped through his mind, his body fell into a light, well-practiced fighter’s stance, mostly defensive as he spun to face the stranger, one shoulder slightly closer to the wolf. However, this initial stance eased slightly as he looked at the female who had come racing up, just as she stopped mid-bound. She was the same height as him, though with a bit more heft. Her stance, and indeed her question, held no aggression—just curiosity. His vivid, celestial-inclined bicolored gaze roved over her, guessing her to be about his age. A momentary change in the breeze both confirmed the notion and brought a fresh smattering of snowflakes fluttering into his face. Her scent also carried that of a pack. There was something familiar about the alpha’s scent. A bit like his father, but not exactly alike. Family, then? He relaxed, almost completely, though remained ready to change his mind should the need arise, and shrugged, offering an apologetic smile as he answered in the common tongue, heavy, educated brogue rolling on his tongue, “No one in particular. Just the world in general, I suppose.” His gaze glanced toward the root he was after before returning to the girl. Her eyes were emerald, and her coat was made up of earthen hues or brown and silver. Mostly warm tones, though it was hard to tell under a layer of settled snow on her back. “I’m Paladin Ancora, by the way.” A little metaphorical sliver of meat, thrown out to see if a fish took the bait. If the pack this girl was from was led by a family member, Ancora would probably be a good name to throw out there. Her reaction would tell him a great deal, he felt.

Sterling observed the male closely, her eyes flicking over his form as he registered her quick appearance and reacted defensively, placing himself in a defensive fighting stance immediately. She smirked, thinking to herself that she probably should have been as cautious as he was, but it simply wasn't in her nature. She glanced toward his entrancing amethyst and sapphire eyes as he began to calm down. It would seem that he, too, was observing her. They remained quiet for several moments, scoping out their situation. Her nose twitched as she sought out his scent, finding that he had a very distinct scent, just like the wolves of her own pack. So, he must be a pack wolf as well, rather than a loner. It was obvious that he shared the scents of other wolves, and she made note of that for herself - surely she smelled of the wolves of her pack. When she began to explore other territories and packs, she would have to disguise her scent well and make sure no on knew she was anything other than a loner.

At last, the male's expression changed, and he offered up a smile that looked somewhat apologetic.
Tail waving back and forth, Sterling wondered what he was going to say, finding his mannerisms already much different than she was used to. As he gave his answer to her initial question, she felt a little confused, and tilted her head opposite of where it had been. Not one to waste her breath too often, Sterling wasn't familiar with prayers, or similar pleas out to the world at large. However,
she didn't spend much time thinking about it as she noticed the young man's eyes dart to a small root plant, before his gaze came upon her again - her eyes followed his gaze to the small plant,
wondering what it was for a moment, but her main focus was on him. She was beginning to wonder who he was, where he was from, and if he could provide any of the information she was seeking.

He offered his name, and of course the name Ancora resonated with her, causing her to pause before replying, her expression thoughtful as she mused over the name. That was Avalon's family name, wasn't it? And all of her children, and Dragon himself, the Alpha of Talis. Now her curiosity was growing. As far as she knew, Talis didn't really have any allies, but did Dragon realize he had family outside his pack? Surely... he must have known, but what if he didn't? That information alone might be something to bring back and share.

After several moments, Sterling finally collected herself. "Nice to meet you, Paladin," she said politely, keeping her words short and concise, "I'm Sterling Bade." Again she fell silent for several moments, eyeing the white-coated, black marked male in front of her. She'd never seen a wolf with such interesting facial markings as he had, and she had noticed the unnatural marking upon his forehead as well. Perhaps she could ask about that, but she didn't want to push his buttons right off the bat by asking personal questions. Instead, she would look to the root he'd been eyeballing. "Is that something of interest to you?" she asked, her question of a benign nature,
"A herb for healing?" She wasn't at all familiar with healing, all she knew was that healers were very interested in plants and seemed to know endless ways to use them. She wasn't overly interested, but it couldn't hurt to learn something new, and she hoped to stick around a little longer to get to know this wolf, to figure out a little more about him and anything valuable that he might know.

Paladin 'Knight' Ancora

His little toss of his surname, and the Ancora name, produced the result he was looking for. He gave no hint that he spotted her pause before she responded, nodding as she returned the introduction. “And a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sterling.” Ever the gentleman, he treated her respectfully. He noted her glance toward the root, and, at her query, he nodded easily. “Yes. It’s Iris, or Blue Flag.” He tailed the explanation off, delicately seeing how much interest he could garner by withholding the flow of information he carried on the plant. He could tell she wasn’t a healer. All healers seemed to carry that scent of plants and herbs that came from their constant exposure to them as they worked with them. She carried none of it. On top of that, there was a sense that she was asking just to make a topic for conversation. However, he gave a mental shrug and stepped back into the water, though he kept himself subtly angled toward her, one eye on her, and one ear tipping slightly to catch any sounds as he sank his claws into the mud and pulled it away.

Her silver-tipped ears flicked towards him as he offered some pleasantries that were a little foreign to her, of a very polite and respectful nature. She'd never met someone who seemed so mannerly, and she found it a little intriguing. Then again, she hadn't met very many wolves, and most of the wolves she was familiar with were much more rough around the edges. So she smiled in response and nodded her head, unsure of how else to respond. Her eyes turned toward the root again as he told her briefly what it was, her tail flicking thoughtfully. "So, you're a healer?" she asked, her tone inquisitive, "What does Blue Flag do, anyways?" She wondered how much he would tell her - he seemed a little reluctant to go into too much detail so far. But perhaps he was just feeling things out, like she was.

She watched as he positioned himself over the plant, eyes flicking from his face to his body, observing his posture curiously, before looking back to his face. She noticed his eyes flicking back and forth between the plant and herself. He seemed really on-guard about her still, even if he appeared calm. She wondered what he'd been taught to end up so cautious about strangers. More importantly, she was curious about the root as he quickly dug it up and pulled it free from the mud. Glancing around, she wondered if there were any more similar roots around. Should she bring some home to her pack? Who would she give it to? She wasn't even sure who were the healers in Talis. She would definitely need to get more familiar with the other wolves when she got home.

For now, she was interested in hearing what Paladin would say; she hoped that their conversation would broaden, and she could go home feeling like her trip to Boreas had been worthwhile.

Paladin 'Knight' Ancora

Paladin nodded at her question. “I was trained by the Nomads—My mother’s people. The red mark on my forehead means I have reached a point in my healing training where I can learn more advanced things. It’s only half a mark since I’m only a yearling, but I’m told that I’m a prodigy.” Absolutely no cockiness registered in his voice at the words of his prowess, only a calm certainty of it. He wasn’t one to doubt the Nomads when they said they thought his skill was exceptionally high for the craft. He added with a slight smile, “The Nomads are a large series of groups that travel, and they are the most elite of the healers you could ever hope to encounter if you’re in need. If they have colored marks between their brow points, they signify their status as A healer of the Nomad.” He caught her next question but waited until he moved to cup his toes around the root and paw it deftly from the water, letting it land on the shore. “Blue Flag is also known as Iris. In spring, it has stalks with blue blooms with drooping petals. Smells quite nice really.” His tones fell easily into the gentle teaching nature, taking his time to allow the learning to take in what he said and process it. He shifted and stepped from the water, flipping the hide he’d brought along in such a way that it fell moderately flat open on the snow, nudging the root onto it and studying her again. “It can be used for quite a few things, really—Indigestion, relieving vomiting and nausea… It can help break a fever, and a poultice can be used to ease the pain and swelling of sores and bruises. But,” And here those fathomless sapphire and bright amethyst eyes turned serious, “It should never, ever be given to a pregnant wolf. Not unless the litter isn’t healthy and it’s safer just to abort the litter. Never give it to nursing mothers, either. It can help to heal wounds as a poultice, as well.” He lowered his head, nudging the flaps of the hide together and taking it in his teeth, but paused, head cocking slightly as he gazed at her. “Would you like to walk with me while I try to scrounge a few more of these out of the water?” It would certainly help take his mind off of things, and by now, he had ascertained that she wouldn’t attack him unless provoked, and he could trust his gut on that. He didn’t trust her, but he wouldn’t send her away.

Sterling would never have suspected she'd be even remotely interested in the subject of plants or healing. But the way that Paladin spoke was captivating, and she found herself drawn into his words. It was with a higher intelligence that he uttered each carefully chosen word, yet his speech was in no way slow or hesitant. Every word was offered with a purpose and came with a calm, humble confidence; it was far from the common chatter and small talk she was used to hearing. She had guessed that he was about her age, but when he mentioned it himself, that he was merely a yearling - just the same as she was - she somehow felt surprised. How had he advanced so far in his training in such a short time? Or was there merely her perception... had she actually been slacking? She felt an unpleasant warmth spread over her face, suddenly very conscious of her lack of skills and knowledge. She was embarrassingly untrained. These Nomads sounded like a very interesting group, and they indeed sounded elite as he spoke of them. As though they were in a league far beyond anything she'd ever known. And perhaps that was true.

She found herself leaning slightly forward as he paused after her question about the plant he was digging up. His silence caused her to wait eagerly for his response, wanting to hear more of what he had to say. At last, he dug up the root and began to explain the basics about it - what it looked like,
how it smelled - and she leaned toward the root to give it a sniff, although she did not get too close to it. She would hate to make him think she was going to snatch it and run off. Sterling listened intently as he explained further about Blue Flag, or Iris, such as its uses, and then its dangers.
Her eyes followed his movement as he lay open the carrying hide and moved the root onto it. When his tone fell serious, she looked to his gleaming eyes, her silver-tipped ears pressing forward as he warned that it never, ever be used with pregnant or nursing wolves. She felt the gravity of his warning, and she nodded in understanding. She was sure that her expression was enough to show him that she was listening; she'd heard him clearly and she understood the importance of his message.

Sterling had fallen silent, as she felt there was much more to draw from listening than from speaking or offering any of her insight. Well, she had nothing to offer on this subject anyways, so her breath and his time would be wasted if she were to speak. But, as he closed the hide around the root and gazed at her with his head tilted just to the side, his next set of words would beckon a response from her. An invitation to come along with him as he dug up more of the roots. Well, she certainly wasn't going to pass that up! Paladin was by far one of the most interesting wolves she'd ever met, and his intelligence had her enthralled. "Absolutely!" she exclaimed, almost a little too quickly, "I-I've never learned anything like this before... thank you. And I don't mind getting my paws dirty; I can help you dig some up." An earnest smile crossed her face, an expression not common for the girl who normally hid behind the facade of a rebel without a cause.

Paladin 'Knight' Ancora

He certainly had gained the girl’s full attention, and Paladin felt that comfortable warmth in his belly from a lesson well taught as she nodded that she’d absorbed the information. Whether she’d remember it for years to come would depend on whether the girl had a sharp memory for these things. “Perhaps,” he remarked as he smiled gently at her eager, earnest response to his invitation, moving out along the water’s edge, dual toned eyes turning to watch the waterline, “You could come back in Spring to get a look at them when they’re in bloom. Seeing with one’s own eyes always beats a description. And thank you, I’d welcome the assistance.” He paused as he spotted a bend in the shore where he remembered seeing a nice stand during the fall, before the winter had set in. Gathering Iris hadn’t been on his mind then— he’d simply been surveying the surrounding lands for plants in general and familiarizing himself. He lowered the hide to the ground and flipped the folds deftly open once more with his nose, stepping into the water once more. “Are there any other plants you’d like to learn about?” It was a veiled offer of more knowledge, and from what he’d already gleaned of this girl’s personality, she was an eager learner. Didn’t they have healers in his cousin’s pack that would teach her? Of course, not all packs must hold the same firm request that everyone learn both fighting and healing to prepare them for an emergency out of reach of either a healer to treat and injury, or a fighter to fend off an attack. He moved deliberately as he went to dig around the root he’d singled out, showing the technique and trusting Sterling to take note of the way he carefully worked it free of the mud.

She felt a tad bit flustered when he smiled at her. Why, she wasn't sure. Perhaps she was just afraid that he might find a reason to look down on her, but so far he had been patient and welcoming, and he didn't seem at all irritated to be giving her a lesson. He seemed passionate about it, and perhaps in his own way eager to share his knowledge. As he suggested she return in the Spring to see the plants in bloom, she nodded again. It was a good idea, she loved to see things with her own eyes, and it would give her a good excuse to go exploring on her own again. "I'd love to see them next season," she said, tail waving thoughtfully as she followed his gaze along the edge of the water. Then he thanked her for offering to assist him, and the small smile she held grew just a little. "Y-you're welcome," she replied softly, "Really, I don't mind."

Actually, it was kind of fun. She hadn't really spent a lot of time with other wolves her age, nor had she spent any time learning in this way. She'd been sick for a long time while growing up, and after that, she mostly spent time on her own or with her parents. It was nice to do something different for once, and she was glad she'd gotten this chance to explore far beyond her own pack. Besides enjoying herself, she'd actually go home knowing much more than when she'd left. She'd even managed to make an acquaintance, and she surely wouldn't mind meeting Paladin again after this.

Sterling followed the boy, pausing when he did and following his gaze silently, trailing after him again as he moved toward a bend in the lake's shore. She padded over to his side so that she could see the roots he'd spotted, and then dipped her paws into the cold water just as he was. The frigid temperature forced a startled squeak past her jaws as she drew up a forepaw towards her chest and a shiver ran through her bones. However, despite her reaction, she wasn't going to chicken out and leave when she'd said she would help him. She placed the forepaw back into the water and stood her ground, planting her nails into the mud, following his lead and focusing on his technique. She copied him to the best of her ability, although it was difficult to tell as the mud began to churn and she lost sight of his paws.

When she finally pulled up a root, it wasn't in as great of shape as the roots Paladin had carefully dug up, but it wasn't ruined, either. She placed it onto the hide he'd left open just away from the water.
Then she looked back to him, and he asked her if there were other plants she'd like to learn about.
She tilted her head, emerald gaze casting to the water and other roots waiting to be dug up, then to Paladin once more. She wasn't sure what sort of plants she would be interested in learning about.
"This was pretty interesting," she began, tail flicking to and fro, "I think I would like to learn more... but I wouldn't be sure where to start. You seem to know a lot. What did you start with?" She wondered where a healer began in their training, and if the specialized training he'd received from the Nomads was different than the healers of other packs. She hoped he would tell her - after all, she wouldn't mind having an excuse to stick around for a bit.

Paladin 'Knight' Ancora

He listened to her response, nodding as he lightly flipped the root he’d unearthed out of the mud and water onto the rabbit hide. He could rinse them off at the spring outside the den. Her acceptance of his offer to see the Iris in spring had brought a pleasant, fuller smile to his features, and an easy-going warmth to the rich colors of his eyes, and he’d dipped his head at her words. “We all started with such things as identification, theoretical uses of the plants we were taught to identify, and so on. Then we would move up to actual practice under supervision. Usually, by the age of two, a Nomad would be considered half trained. By the age of four, he or she will receive an addition to their mark. A fully half trained Nomad will have another vertical mark by the other brow point. “A fully trained member will have a diagonal line added between them, from the tip of the left line to the bottom tip of the right line, and two crescent shaped marks pointing outward from the outer edges of the vertical lines. They’re carved in, and dyed with certain plants that will cause the fur that grows back to grow back in a color that will stand out against their natural fur color. So, red, for me.” Moving to the shore, he swiped the snow away from the ground with a wet paw and traced the marks he mentioned in sequence. “And the marks aren’t finished there. There are two more additions. The masters, and then the elders. The Masters will have a small V added in the top section of the original mark, often in a new color to contrast, and usually by the age of six. Elder-Masters are the true best of the best, and to be taught by one of them is a great honor, because you know you’re getting the best tutelage. They’ll have an upside down V added to the bottom section of the mark, and two horizontal lines above the whole mark, one over the other.” He completed the trace in the mud and leaned back to let her see. “I suppose the first things a Nomad learns to do is stop bleeding and how to make a poultice to put over wounds, and how to bandage them, and what plants work best.” He gave her an easy smile, and bent to pick up the rabbit hide, ready to move down the line. “We also learn how to encourage injured, irascible patients to be still and take their medicine. And how to make the medication taste better. Honey is a boon for that.”

The emerald-eyed girl was ever-observant, her curious gaze flicking over his face and catching the way his smile grew, warmth flooding his multi-colored gaze when she agreed to come back in the Spring to see the way the Irises bloomed. It seemed to cause him delight, and Sterling was glad to play just a small part in that. Tail waving slightly, she tilted her head as he began to describe the things that one might begin learning as a student of the healing craft. Normally one to jump around from one topic to another, Sterling could easily be distracted but she found everything he said fascinating and it was easy for her to focus on him. It seems the Nomads had a very intricate system for training their students, and it took years to truly master this skill. It seemed a daunting task to take on, yet interesting all the same.

She took several steps toward him as he moved to the lake's shore, clearing away the snow so he could dig his nails into the mud. Listening intently, she watched as Paladin traced lines through the damp earth as he described each mark that a Nomad healer would acquire as their skills progressed. She blinked, cringing slightly as she imagined the pain of the lines that would be carved into flesh. She wondered why anyone would want to cut into their own skin, but she supposed the markings came with great recognition, and one could easily tell who had earned respect by simply viewing the markings. As she glanced over Paladin's red marking, she would have to admit it that it looked pretty neat. She supposed the pain would only be temporary for a marking that would always indicate the wolf's talents, and besides, they were healers and could surely keep the wound from hurting too much.

As he went on to say that the first thing healers learned about was to stop bleeding, her brows lifted, interested and somewhat surprised. She'd never been to a healing lesson nor seen a Healer for cuts, so it had never occurred to her that they could make bleeding stop. From what she'd seen, a cut was a cut and it stopped bleeding whenever it decided it was done. The bigger the cut, the longer it took to stop. As she'd seen from hunting prey, not all cuts stopped, and certain areas bled more heavily. She wondered how a Healer got the bleeding to stop. "Is there a herb to make bleeding stop?" she asked, oblivious to even the basics of healing, but certainly curious.

When the boy mentioned that it was also a Healer's job to encourage their patients to stay still, to accept treatment and take their medicine, Sterling couldn't help but to chuckle. As a pup, she'd been quite I'll for a long time, and after taking so much medication she had certainly become a difficult patient. Even with her mother beside her taking the same herbs, Sterling had resisted the bitter treatments. "I don't think I was ever given Honey with my medicine as a pup," she mused, not remembering having anything to make the herbs easier to ingest, "Maybe I would've been an easier patient if they'd used Honey." She chuckled again slightly. Hearing it from Paladin's point of view made her realize some of the challenges a Healer could face. How was one to heal their patients if those patients wouldn't cooperate? She wished now that she'd been a little easier for her caretakers, but she'd only been a pup. She couldn't really feel too badly about it, in fact she found it somewhat comical looking back on now. Those days were long behind her, and she was sure she enjoyed exploring and learning new things so much now because of how long she'd spent cooped up in a den.

Following him again as they moved down the shore line, she glanced around the water's edge, trying to spy some of the Iris on her own. But with the cold season and poor growth this time of year, she wasn't sure she saw anything other than withered reeds and dead plants floating near the water's edge.