I'll tough it out, I won't give in

With spring only a few days away Álarr felt his spirits starting to lift. Anxiety still rolled around in his stomach but for now he was able to quiet it. For now he had work to do. Pack bouncing on his back as he jogged Álarr kept his eyes peeled for an herb called Broom. It was best gathered at the close of winter when it was at its most potent. Afi scrambled along beside him, the cat moving surprisingly well across the snow despite his glowering expression and Álarr resisted making a joke about if the cat would rather be carried.

The afternoon sun was starting its downward turn and he still hadn't had much luck until he heard a call from Brynhildr. The pale raven landed down in front of him. "I think I've found some Broom not far off too the south."

With grumbles and groans, the diminutive woman picked her way across the snowy landscape. She was trying to touch as little of the cold, wet, white powder as possible, but there was no avoiding it. She was too small and it was too damn cold. She'd come to this place searching for Motherwort. Sometimes, when the snow began to melt, one could find frozen remnants from the year prior. So far, she'd had no luck. Then again, she was very distracted. Brows furrowed, she almost missed the pale wolf as she had been trying to avoid anything white. It was only the scent of him that pulled her from her grumping. Dark ears flicked forward and she released her hunched position, raising her head. Skull tilted slightly as it seemed like he was searching for something as well. Maw parted, soft, amused tones breaking free. "On the hunt, are we?" "Speech"

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

Brynhildr took off into the air again and Álarr shifted his course south as he followed the bird. It wasn't long before he spied the shrub. Long, slender branches grew together in a distinct cluster. He started heading toward the shrub when he spied a woman searching across the ground. He wasn't sure what she was looking for but his first thought was that she was looking for herbs as well. As if reading his thoughts she noticed and addressed him.

"Yes, actually! I'm hunting for Broom and I've finally found some." Álarr smiled and gestured to the shrub. "How about yourself? You look like you're looking for something?."

He seemed pleasant enough. As she had suspected, he was indeed looking for something. Broom, he called it. Being a foreigner in these lands, Iolaire hadn't learned all of the plants yet. Each region seemed to be different. As the boy gestured to the shrub nearby she nodded in acceptance, learning the plant with her gaze and committing it to memory. Stepping close, she inhaled lightly, testing its scent as well.

When questioned about what she was hunting, Iolaire replied in turn. "Last years Motherwort. My supplies have run low. It's a plant that seems to grow in most lands that I've been to, but I'm having trouble finding it here." She gave a light shrug. "Most likely because of the snow."

The dark woman gestured to the shrub between them. "Tell me of this Broom. The plants here are different than those that I'm used to."

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

Álarr's ears perked up at the mention of Motherwort. He was well studied in herbs but he wasn't familiar with that herb. That was one thing he could appreciate about his field of study. There was always more to learn. "Sure, I'd be happy to! My name is Álarr Imperialis by the way. Broom is best gathered in late winter and early spring. That's when its most potent. What you want is the tops." Álarr stepped back and then reared up, twisting his head to snap one of the tops. He landed on his paws, pulling the branch with him til he snipped the top off. "It can be used as a diuretic and to increase blood pressure temporarily. It uh… can also help constipated wolves." He grinned sheepishly, suddenly a bit embarrassed. His expression straightened out as he thought of something else he should mention. "You'll want to try it in small doses first. Too much can cause vomiting and respiratory distress."

"Can you tell me about motherwort? I'm not familiar with that herb."

Ears flicked forward and she listened with great interest. The boy was charming and he seemed to be rather learned in the area of this particular herb. Two-toned eyes watched as he leaped up and snapped off a chunk of the greenery. Gesturing with a point of her nose, she asked, "Could you grab me a piece as well, please? I'm afraid I'm a little small to go swinging on branches." The ash and onyx fae gave a soft chuckle of amusement. As an afterthought she added, "I'm Iolaire." In the meantime, she began to answer his query and was quite pleased that they could help one another. Haunches folded and she brought herself to a seated position. Nosing into the leather pack that was slung about her neck, she withdrew a dried piece of Motherwort that she'd collected the previous year. Delicately, she grasped the stalk between her teeth. Extending her thick, white tipped tail, she placed the herb upon it so that she might display the herb while also keeping it dry. "Motherwort has many uses. I primarily use it to aid mothers during difficult pregnancies. It can also be used to help when one is feeling anxious. Too much, however, can be fatal, so it's best to use it sparingly." "Speech"

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

"Sure!" Álarr reared up again and began snipping off the tops of the Broom plant while he listened to the woman, Iolaire, tell him about Motherwort. He was grateful that his height was useful in this way. Most plants were on the ground and within reach of most wolves. There were only odd ones like Broom or Slippery Elm where height could be to an advantage.

Álarr divided the Broom evenly between the pair of them then leaned down to get a good look at the Motherwort. He listened attentively as she spoke, soaking the knowledge in like a sponge. He'd been focused mainly on respiratory ailments and battle injuries. He'd started moving into other ailments and hadn't considered pregnancy. If he was going to be useful to his pack he'd need to make sure he understood more about child birth. "Are there other herbs you recommend to help out wolves in labor?"

Alarr divvied the herbs out between them and Iolaire grinned. "Thank you, kind sir." Taking up the piece of Motherwort, she placed it upon his pile of Broom. "I have a few more sprigs. You keep that one so you can find more in the future." Look at her, playing nice. The boy would have no idea that her pack was divided in two sections. One was healing herbs. The other was full of poisons. A lady had to make her way in the world. She wasn't ashamed of it. Ears flicked forward as she was asked about other herbs to help pregnant females. Canting her head slightly, Io gave it a bit of thought. "The plants here are different than those that I'm used to. I suppose there's Lavender everywhere. It can be used to calm frightened mothers." She thought some more. "Valerian root in moderation to ease pain and create a sense of ease." The dark fae looked the boy over. He seemed rather young. "How long have you had an interest in healing, Alarr?" "Speech"

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

Álarr smiled as she gave him a piece of Mothewort. "Thank you!" Iolaire was proving a very kind wolf and he was grateful for the sharing of herbs and knowledge. He nodded at the mention of lavender. That was an herb he was familiar with. It seemed Iolaire was from a distant land but some of the herbs were similar. He took note of the Valerian Root and planned to ask Afi about it later. If the cat didn't know he was fairly certain that Brynhildr would. With spring so close he'd be able to do some serious herb gathering again and he needed to. His stores were getting low. Some herbs didn't store as well as he would have liked and so he'd had to toss them out.

"If there are any ailments you have a particular interest in let me know. Maybe I know some herbs that can be used for them in this land though it sounds like we have some in common. I know we have lavender."

"Thank you for the information." He sat back and thought about the older woman's question. "Ummm… about as long as I can remember. Maybe since I was three months old? My auntie Rhythm is a healer and then I met Afi and I don't know it kind of caught my interest. What about you?"

A smile lit across the woman's features and for a moment she felt almost motherly. It was strange. Iolaire wasn't remotely close to being motherly material. In fact, she was entirely incapable of reproduction. Her plumbing was broken which was fine by her. Kids would cramp her style. This one though, was quite useful. At his insistence that she ask about any ailments, Iolaire nodded. "It's the season for respiratory issues. Do you know of any that you might use to open the lungs and help one breathe?" As he explained about his interest in healing, Iolaire nodded sagely. It was good that he developed an interest at such an early age. She had as well. He asked as much and she replied. "I believe it was around four to five months. My family had dispersed and I found myself in the care of an old crone. She was a healer and taught me all that she knew. I found that I had a knack for it." Having something in common, she decided to give him a bit of advice.  "You're from a pack, yeah?" He looked well cared for and he spoke of having others. No doubt territory was involved. "When you find a plant, gently dig out the bulb and take it with you. Plant yourself a garden. Dry your own herbs by plucking them and hanging them upside down. Do that and you'll never have far to go to find what you need." She had many gardens in her time. Now that she had found Sirius, she would be cultivating another. "Speech"

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

Álarr settled down and shrugged his pack off. He was enjoying the conversation and thought he'd stay and chat while he could before someone from Legion came looking for him. In the mean time he could finish up a few smaller projects. He pulled out a stick a few feet long and set it between his paws while he thought on good plants for respiratory disorders. "Yes, there are few. Theres marshmallow. Like its name it grows in marshes and wetlands. There's some in the Avian Estuary south of here and it can help sore throats and ease coughs. Comfrey isn't as commonly used here but it's a very good one for breaking up mucus and easing breathing. It's common along river banks and wetter terrain. You can also use it to topically ease itching."

He was pleased to hear that her interest started young. That made him feel more normal for his nearly obsessive interest in herbology. Álarr nodded. "Yea, I'm a part of Legion. Are you from a pack to? Also, what's a crone? Is that a bird? I have a bird friend whose helped me learn healing but I've mostly learned from Afi." He gestured to the pallas cat who was snuggly wrapped up in a sleeping ball at the base of the Broom plant.

His ears perked as she mentioned planting a garden. That hadn't really occurred to him to try that. "I've gotten good at drying herbs and storing them but I've never heard of planting them as a garden before. Do you have a garden? What are some good plants for a beginner to try?"

Iolaire eyed the boy curiously as he pulled out a stick and began toying with it. He listed plants that would aid with respiratory illness and she filed the information away for future use. She was indeed learning a lot from him. Hopefully he was learning from her as well. When he was finished speaking, she had to ask, "Whatcha got there?" Since they were learning from one another, she might as well ask. Maybe it was something that she could use in the future. He stated that he was part of Legion, which was a pack that she'd never heard of, of course. Brand new to the land, she hadn't heard of any packs. When he asked if she was part of a pack, she almost said no at first, but then laughed softly and shook her head. "Yes, actually, I am. Part of the Ashen Empire" Whether he knew of them or not, she didn't know. She didn't even know if the Empire had a reputation or not. It didn't really matter anyway. She was part of it and that was that. Alarr didn't know what a crone was and Iolaire smirked softly. "A crone is a veeeeery old woman. Usually wise." As he spoke of his bird, she looked about for it, but saw nothing, so she directed her attention back to him. He seemed amazed at the idea of starting a garden. "You can replant almost anything if you're careful enough. I've transplanted entire bushes and small trees. The key is to learn what type of light they each need. Whether or not they need to be warm or cold. Love shade or full sun. Keep them watered. Some need more water than others. You simply have to try to replicate the land that you've taken them from." With a sigh, she gave a light shake of her skull. "Lots of trial and error." "Speech"

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

Álarr worked his teeth into the end of the stick, carefully splitting a groove in it from which he could create a small spear. It may technically end up being too small to call a spear but the smaller size would give him much more control and would be more useful in mid-range to closer combat. He lifted his head. "Oh, it's a short spear I'm working on. Valdís says I need to be paying attention to my combat training as well as my healing so I thought I'd make her a little spear to show her I do plan to work on it. I like sparring without weapons better though." He could see the advantage in using weapons but so far he preferred the precision of his jaws. Now, something to help with his paws would be another matter. Either bracers with blades or, if he could figure it out, gloves that would allow him to have something like claws. Just like his siblings.

He thought about the description of a crone and grinned. "Oh! So like my auntie Rhythm! She's reaaalllly old." He'd have to tell her about the new word he learned when he got back. Álarr listened as he pulled out a piece of flint and carefully slipped it into the notch in the spear before working it in, trying not to cut himself as he did so. He'd leave it to Brynhildr to secure it with twine.

"Wow, really? A whole tree? What kind of tree did you plant? What do you use to water them?" He suddenly realized how many questions he was asking. "Sorry! Let me know if I'm being overwhelming."

Iolaire blinked at Alarr's explanation. She was small and wasn't exactly built for combat, so things of that nature rarely crossed her mind. As he spoke of the use and creation of the spear, the small dame nodded. She could see the usefulness in such a weapon. Clever of him to make one. As she finished her explanation of what a crone was, the boy's face lit up. He stated that his aunt might be a crone and Iolaire released an amused laugh, two-toned eyes crinkling with mirth. "You may not want to call her that. Most crones don't like being reminded that they're old." Her crone hadn't minded. She'd worn the title as a badge of honor. Io felt like Alarr's aunt might not feel the same way, however. After being asked about the trees that she'd planted, Iolaire tilted her skull from side to side a few times. "I successfully planted a silver birch and an elder tree. I attempted to transplant a juniper tree, but that one withered away." She grinned. "And don't mind about being overwhelming. A hungry mind is a healthy mind." She went on to say, "I watered them with a dish made of a partial deer skull. It's wise to construct your garden within reasonable distance to clean water." Having decided that she'd spent enough time away, the woman made a soft noise in her throat and got to her feet. Shrugging back into her pack, she smiled down at the young man. "Good to have met you, Alarr. I look forward to meeting in the future and checking on your progress." With a nod of her head to the youngster, she turned and made her way back to Sirius and the rest. "Speech"

I'll tough it out, I won't give in

Álarr gestured Brynhilder over to him as he carefully inserted the sharp stone that would form the point of the spear. There was only so much he could do to secure the stone. Often he could only use a spear once or twice before the stone fell out but if Brynhildr was able to tie twine around the base it would help secure it. The little raven took over as Álarr cocked his head at Iolaire. He shouldn't call his auntie a crone? Well, that was good to know. He liked Aunt Rhythm, mild though she was, and he didn't want to upset her.

Iolaire went on to explain how she'd transplanted a few different trees as well as some tips in regards to doing so. He leaned forward at the mention of transplanting Elder. Elder had many uses and having a supply of the plant nearby would be more than useful.

"It was nice to meet you too Iolaire. Thanks for the information. I hope we meet again some day!" With his spear finished he strapped it to his pack, and after slipping the pack on his shoulders he went on his way.

-exit-