The swamplands nearby provided an excellent opportunity for herb hunting and Chrys meant to take advantage of it while the weather was fair. He'd seen the storm clouds to the north and while he didn't expect them to bring snow to the south they'd likely bring rain and even cooler temperatures. So far he felt he was making good progress on his herb stores. There was one item in particular he was looking for, meadowsweet. With winter coming he'd need herbs that helped when it came to colds, coughs and the flu. Meadowsweet would be perfect. All he needed to do was find it. That shouldn't be too hard. It wasn't exactly a rare herb. With Bolla riding on his back, nestled between his neck and pack he strode further into the swamplands.

someone was in her swamp. she had been near the entrance, spotting the male as he entered with his lemur familiar. Huntington considered errecting a barrier of some sort. broken down foliage, logs, the like... all to stop those coming in and messing up her land. she could only do so much when her guard had decided to remain scarce. she lacked the physical strength to challenge anyone who came in, forcing them away. so the witch had to be creative. she had to let them believe she allowed them in. luckily, her herb garden had been plucked clean and the soil covered for the spring's bloom. there was nothing but the contents of her den to take, and that was quite a walk in the swamp. it seemed the man was here with purpose, and she had never seen the likes of him before, so her suspicions were tame. she followed him as he walked, keeping to the shadows and thick brush. when she felt like he had walked enough, she kicked out a stray rock to make noise and alert him of her presence. ""

Chrysanthos used his nose as well as his eyes as he searched for his quarry. It was the scent that tipped him off and as he scanned for the source he saw it. Fernlike foilage and tufts of delicate white flowers stood out from the dark green leaves. They were in the ends of their blooming, ready to succumb to winter. Her walked over to the plant which stood a good three feet high. Its fragrance was lovely and light and he felt sad that it would not last throughout the year but such was the cycle of the seasons. Everything had its time. He needed mostly the leaves and the flowers but he would opt to cut the plant off at its stem as the winter would soon claim all that was above ground anyway and perhaps in the long winter he could find a use for it. He bent his head to start biting when a chirp from Bolla caused him to lift his head. Shortly after a rock tumbled down across the soil and he spied a woman there. There was something rather eerie about her but he couldn't put his finger on it. He dipped his head in greeting. "Hello milady. Is there something I can help you with?"

"no" the girl replied easily, staring straight at the man as he addressed her with unblinking yellow eyes. she wanted nothing from him but to leave as soon as possible. he seemed quite plain compared to her - though that was not vanity talking - and unthreatening. she should call her guard and have him chase the man away, yet the scent on his coat was clear. he had a healer's softness. his pelt reeked of herbs. "are you, per chance, a healer though?" she knew he was. but she wanted him to confirm it first. her gaze finally drifted from his face to look about the swamplands. "I wanted to find some herbs that grow here, but I'm afraid of going further in by myself..." Huntington faked worry, a little shudder to her tone as she made the lie up. "I heard a witch and a cannibal live here." a half-truth, for a witch did live here. however, her guard was no cannibal. he was one of those self-righteous noble folk that irked her terribly. "2/3 met new wolf 0/3 healing bizz"

She replied with a simple no, staring right at him. He rested the urge to shiver and instead turned his head to finish what he was doing. Chrys trusted Bolla to keep an eye out for him and warn him should this woman for some reason attack him. Chrysanthos rotated his head, ivory fangs digging into the stalk of the plant until he rendered it free from the soil. He then shifted this head to gather a few more bunches. Satisfied he put them in his back then lifted his head as she spoke again.

"Ah, yes. I am a healer of Olympia. My name is Chrysanthos Beafort. What is yours?"

Bolla scampered onto his back, sitting atop the pack, her own yellow eyes gazing curiously at the woman. "What are you looking for? I would of course be happy to accompany you." Though he wasn't sure he liked the sound of running into a witch or a cannibal. He was a medic and scientist, not a knight or noble paladin.

"my name is Rose" she replied to the man - this Chrysanthos Beaufort. every being here seemed to have a surname; be it important or not. family aside, it held weight. "I am looking for boneset and valerian root" she added in with a grateful dip of her head. "I'm not usually so superstitious but Boreas has many truths hidden underneath lies. or so I've found." she angled her body physically to walk further into the swamp. witch, cannibal... or not, some lies held a deeper knowledge. she knew her swamp would protect her, fold her into its bosom, along with her bodyguard's actions. though the man did not have to know it. perhaps he could even be useful. "and I can carry twice as much if someone were to help me" she smiled over her shoulder at the man. saying nothing further, she kept her eyes peeled for her precious herbs. "3/3 met new wolf 0/3 healing bizz"

The woman introduced herself as Rose and stated that she was looking for boneset and valerian root, both useful herbs. He could probably stand to gather a bit more of those himself. He gazed at her curiously as she spoke of truths hidden underneath lies. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her statement but she seemed wise.

"Sounds good to me. My stores could use a bit more of the herbs you mention." He set off to follow the woman as he kept his eyes peeled for the familiar herbs. Herbs flowered a bit longer here in the south but there was a good chance that boneset would be losing its blooms. He kept looking and soon he spied it, a hairy-stemmed plant standing about four feet high. "Boneset, there, next to that stump." He shifted his course, maneuvering through the moist swamp ground toward the boneset.

Chrysanthos would soon spot the herb, though she was already moving toward it. having spotted the boneset herself, she dug around the earth upon her arrival to collect it. she said nothing at first, too focused on gathering the plant expertly as possible. she had an audience for once. best show off her skillsets while she could. her black stockings easily became brown from the swamp's dirt. she did not seem to mind though. her careful scoops in the moist ground also filled with unwanted swamp water. no matter; she could nip the root below it. "does Olympia lack?" she asked him at last, not looking up from her task. "or do you have enough come winter and merely wish to stock up on the essentials?" she had met many different healers during her short span of life. some did not stock until it was necessary. others were meticulous. each medicine man and woman had their own spin on such things. she was curious to see how an Olympian healer did things. "3/3 met new wolf 1/3 gathered boneset"

Chrysanthos moved to start gathering the boneset, taking stock of the swamp as he did so. It had been awhile since he'd travelled with the goal of exploring rather than gathering herbs and he had to admit there was a bit of beauty to the swamp. However, the humidity and unusual smells were definite downsides. Chrys bent his head to start gathering boneset.  He took only a bit, remembering that he had in fact harvested some not that long ago. Silly, how had he forgotten that? Ah well, could one really have enough herbs?

"Olympia is doing well but I hate to miss an opportunity to benefit our stores. This is a pretty area, are there many unique sites in the swamp?"