ooc: dated back before Valentine took the pups to the Rio Grande

Álarr examined the fire for a moment before nodding his approval to Brynhildr. He had learned that Valentine would be taking the pups southward and had offered to go along, at least part of the way. Before they got going he wanted to hold a little lesson for Raven and Ulmaria, two pups he knew had an interest in healing. He figured it might be nice for them to have a lesson together before Ulmaria left with her grandfather.

Álarr set out a couple bowls, each filled with a cup of water. Next to each bowl were a few sprigs of peppermint as well as some small deer bones for mashing and stirring. Once everything was set Álarr tipped back his head and howled for the pups.

Ulmaria was torn about leaving Fireside. She liked it there. She liked the barn and meeting the rest of her family and the plants that grew there. On the other paw she supposed she was excited to get out there and do more exploring of the world around her, even so it was a bit hard to know how to feel. Her ears perked up as she heard her uncle calling for her and someone else. She wasn't sure who the other wolf was but she bounced up onto her feet and followed the call. When she arrived in the orchard she made her way to a clearing where a fire had been built and a number of things laid out. "Hi, Uncle! What are you doing here?"

ooc. Virgil, losing the link to a starter for two weeks? It's more likely than you think! sorry homie ;-; When the call rang out from well beyond the familiar territories of the pack, the boy's ears perked. The lamb that was busily nibbling on the end of his tail immediately stopped, anxiously trotting a few steps away before it returned to its friend's side. It was only when the boy got to his oversized paws that the tiny shrike bothered to take flight and alight in the downy fur of his ruff. It took a moment to register the actual owner of the voice as his uncle, who he'd only learned was his uncle after his dad offhandedly mentioned it. Since Álarr hadn't mentioned their relation when they'd first met, it didn't seem like he cared that much about being called "uncle" or anything like that. Somehow.. that made him cool. Without a second's hesitation, off the youngster went. The nervous lamb, still uncertain about his tenuous friendship with the wolf who tended to lurk around the barn and pastures all day, did not follow. It didn't irk the boy much, he was more interested in going to see what his uncle was doing so far from home. Was this one of those herb gathering expeditions that he'd heard about? It became more a matter of following the scent trails left behind than anything, though Butcher did an excellent job of periodically scouting out the surrounding area and then harassing him back onto the right path. By the time the scent of smoke caught his attention, the youngster was already practically there. So he merely picked up the pace, and trotted towards the growing sounds of a crackling fire. Tall ears shoved forward and tail high, he bounded into view with tongue lolling from his jaws. "Álarr!" he crowed gleefully, practically skidding to a stop before he could wander right into the open flames in the middle of the assemblage. "What are we doing today?" was the next question, and certainly the most important one. It was not, however, the only one on his mind. Tipping his skull towards where he could hear the idle shuffling of young paws, and smell the milky aroma of a fellow pup, he did his best to angle his sightless gaze in her vague direction. It was hard to figure out exactly where to look, but it was the thought that counts, right? "Who're you?" he asked, not unkindly, and dropped heavily onto his haunches while he waited for the reason he'd been called. ""

ooc: no worries!

Álarr waited patiently, glancing over at his companions who had a small, hot fire going. He nodded approvingly. Soon the pups arrived. First was Ulmaria and then Raven. Álarr watched carefully, tensing a bit to leap toward Raven if the boy got to close to the fire but luckily the pup course corrected. "Thanks for joining me. I thought we could make some peppermint tea today. It can help with upset stomachs as well as colds. Raven, this is Ulmaria, Ulmaria this is Raven. You're cousins." Were they cousins? He wasn't a hundred percent sure. The relationships in the Imperialis family were all over the place and with a patriarch as old as Valentine ages didn't really mean to much.

Álarr settled down. "In front of each of you is a bowl with some water in it. Next to the bowl is some peppermint. It has a strong and distinct scent you'll want to memorize. There should be enough there for one cup of tea. Take the leaves off the stem and add them to the tea. Raven, let me know if you need any assistance."

Ulmaria assumed the other bowl was for Álarr until a slightly older boy appeared. Her uncle was quick to make introductions and apparently she and Raven were cousins. Well, that worked for her. She was used to being related in some way to the wolves she met. "Hi, nice to meet you." She soon shifted her focus to Álarr as the lesson started. Tea! She liked tea, though mostly in the winter. It seemed a bit hot for tea right now but she was eager for a new lesson and scrambled over to the nearest bowl where she promptly sniffed at the peppermint plant and began to pluck off leaves and drop them in the water. Her ears twitched as Álarr told Raven to let him know if he needed help. Ulmaria looked over curiously at the other boy. Why would he need help?