Deathbelle tried to distract herself with menial tasks, doing what she could to continue the pack and to strengthen Archon’s legacy. She couldn’t dwindle in his loss, she knew she couldn’t. She allowed herself to be weak for now. No one could deny her a period of grieving for her royal husband. She was alone with her thoughts as she searched for any desert plants that might still survive in the cold.

Delicate paws carried her through the red stone hallways, her ivory tail swaying at her hips as she slowly made her way through. Snowberry ran her paws through her fur comfortingly, the tiny primate found some dried lavender and worked it into her mistress's fur as she walked. The action was appreciated and Belle sighed heavily as the familiar weight on her heart pulled her down. Archon’s presence was deeply missed, and he was the only presence she wanted in that moment.

Motif had the blank-stared certainty of someone who knew her entire family was dead. She hadn’t realised it in the initial chaos of the eruption, and her captors scrambling for safety. But afterwards, as she settled into redwater rocks and had a moment to understand - she realised the volcano was right next to home, and if it had struck all the way down here so quickly, her pack didn’t have a chance. Abaven Mumma, puppa, they were dead, gone. She was never getting rescued, because there was no one left to save her, no home or family to return to. This was her life now.

She sniffled in her little hiding spot, until she heard the steps of someone approaching. She wiped her eyes and stood up in time to see the imposing figure of the Empress as she strode upon the stone, and appeared to be searching for something. Surely not Motif herself?

Still trying to figure out what was expected of her,and how to avoid punishment from the scary titan like the tree-wolf had received, she quickly bowed to the Empress. “E-empress” the young wolf said, lapsing into silence as she waited to see what was expected of her. As much as she hated to be treated like a slave, it was better then being left alone with her lonliness and loss.

Deathbelle might have walked right past the yearling had she not said anything. The Empress paused, her features turning towards Motif and her kneeling form. She raised a brow, having almost fully allowed Zee to take on the training of the young wolf. She was much more subservient than a student of her servant would be. Belle raised a brow, but couldn’t waste time thinking about it too much.

”Young one.” She replied, looking at her with curiosity, wondering how she might put the girl to work. ”Do you know herbs?” She asked directly, wondering where the tall yearling’s skills lie.

She tried really hard not to sniffle, and with her uncertainty and sadness,
Her bright personality was diminished. She looked almost shy as she kept her head a little bowed, awkwardly looking up at the Empress.
"My Uncle is.. was.. a healer, Mistress" she said, before realizing that likely didnt answer her question.

The young wolf drew in a deep breath to steady herself, despite seeing what Sirius did to trouble makers, she herself hadnt been punished yet. It was just... so hard, and she missed her family al much. "I was his student, so I know a little" [i] oh taffy, your captors were so much worse [\i] she thought quietly.

Deathbelle had her own children, and none of them were strangers to loss. They had just been made aware of the death of their father, and the same look they wore lingered on the girl’s face. She wondered if the eruption caused it, did she hail from the east of these lands? Had her family been affected by the volcano? Belle only allowed the thoughts to linger for only a moment as the girl explained the healers to occupy her life.

”Good, you can help me.” She muttered as she looked away from the sorrowful she wolf. She had her own grief to deal with, Deathbelle couldn’t take on the yearling’s as well. ”Do you know any desert plants?” She went on to ask, leading the way forward. She started up no fast pace, just leisurely strolled ahead while the girl answered her.

Motif scrambled to her paws and started to move as Deathbelle continued her pace, not stopping despite talking to the slave child. Despite everything, Motif was raised courteous, and her confusion let that bleed through more than rebellion as she moved to keep in step with the slow walking Empress.

Her help was expected, and that almost rankled her, before she remembered she was a slave here. She didn’t say anything in response to that, not sure what help Deathbelle expected of her. She supplied the answer to that pretty quickly, and the young girls ears went back, wondering if her next words would lead to that punishment she kept thinking about. “I- I’ve never been to a desert before Ma’m” she admitted, which also meant she didn’t know the herbs that grew in one.

”No matter.” Deathbelle replied softly as her pace continued. The girl followed obediently, which was more to say than the tiny male slave Sirius brought back. She was timid and quiet, good enough for the menial tasks Deathbelle could trust her with. ”I suppose you are quite young. Doubtful you'd been too far from your den before Valkyrie caught you.” Sad little thing, her mother was probably worried sick. Belle could sympathize, but it was her gain in the end. Another servant to build the empire.

”What you will likely find most common is aloe, ephedra, and yucca.” She started casually, knowing they wouldn’t likely find much of that down in the redwater caverns. ”Are any of those familiar?” Deathbelle went on to ask, just to make sure. Just because she hadn’t been in a desert didn’t mean she couldn’t have worked with any of them before.

Deathbelle’s words where dismissive of her lack of knowledge, a good thing, she supposed. At least she wasn’t angry. She thought of her mother angry, but the only times she ever had been was when she was scared for her kids. She was like a mumma bear. Her lip trembled a little as she thought of Shaye, and how she would have died in lava.

“Yes Ma'am” she said, uncertain what answer was expected of her there - she had been too far from home, but then she had been looking for her friend. She had only wanted Canni back, she hadn’t meant for this to happen. She should have been there, when Abaven ended.

”Aloe vera ma’am, we used that when the - we used that” she remembered that Fluffy had changed their names, maybe it was better not to talk about her past. It was gone, she was Adelaide now.

Deathbelle didn’t often get angry at small things like a yearling’s lack of knowledge. Even Sirius had a longer temper than that. Belle’s angriest moment.. when she first saw Zee after learning Sirius had confessed his feelings for her. Belle had barely been able to control herself, or her attempt to scar her fanged guardian after retreating to the rocks after Archon’s death. She didn’t feel anywhere near that emotion towards the yearling girl.

Deathbelle perked a brow as the girl misspoke, but didn’t press her. She could keep her secrets if she wished, what mattered was the present and doing as she said here and now. ”Do you remember what it looked like, or what you used it for?” Belle pressed in this way, knowing it was likely from burns. She was vaguely aware of a fire in the east, but that was all the thought the Empress would put into that. Would the girl be able to go around the territory and find the plants was what she would focus on.