Starling didn't want to go back, not yet. It was too cold up there, even in the summer, and he missed the snakes. They had all hunkered down after their season. Abaven was beautiful with the grasses and the rapids. He didn't much like the boat... So he had decided he'd hang around for the rest of the day and perhaps stay the night before going back to complete his training. Now that Bass was home his desire to continue his training was electrified, and he was nearly hoping on his paws. Abaven needed him to learn to heal better than he did, and so he would. But that didn't mean he couldn't hang around for a bit, right? So he sprawled out across the entrance to the family den, one that would not be able to hold the entire family any longer, now that everyone was at that age. He'd have to find something just for him, something with a better place to store his herbs. With a yawn he'd stretch, enjoying the sun on his back and the scent of the plains in his nose. This place was heaven and he never wanted to leave again. "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

Serpent Plains Lillie danced from her den, positively cheerful. She hadn't woken up cheerful in... forever. She blamed Finch for her cheerfulness. Of course, Finch was why she was bouncing happily towards the former Azat's den. The day prior, she had seen all of Finch's pretties - and she had the perfect idea to gift her the perfect pretty. She would have to go out of territory for it - against Motif's express wishes, but Lillie didn't really care - but it would be so worth it. For now, she just wanted to play with the older girl. She came up on the den from behind, circling around when she caught sight of someone she had never seen before. Her fur bristling, she stared at the male. She breathed in deeply; she didn't smell Finh at all. Only this male, who smelled like another pack and a little of Abaven... from crossing over the borders. In her panic stricken mind, she didn't connect appearances - only scents. "Who are you?" she snarled, alarm and fear in her gaze. "Where's Finch? What'd you do with her?" "Speech"

Starling was halfway between conciousness and dozing, in that grey dangerous area where he didn't hear the stranger untill she was already upon him. Angry words filled his haven, and in a moment his eyes had snapped open, wakefulness flooding right back into him. He'd lift his head, turning quickly to look at her with ears pinned back. She was nothing but a yearling herself, not that that would protect Starling, and she didn't look familiar at all. Her scent was clogged with the smell of herbs. In those few moments, milaseconds even, Starling felt very similar but also very different versions of Shock. The first, was the fact that she snuck up on him and who she was, the second was her appearance and how absolutely wreaked she seemed to be. A fight? And the third was that she had grown angry...over him being...at his own den. Brows would pinch slightly as he stared at her, tilting his head slightly. "You mean my sister?" If it weren't for this moment, and this angry girl infront of him, he might have been absolutely overjoyed that it was his first sentance in his life where he hadn't stuttered. He wouldn't move staring at her as he recalled his fight training with Motif, so that he could protect finch. "My n-name is St-starling Destruction. And you? Wh-what do you want w-with my sister?" He would bare his teeth pathetically then, glaring at the girl as he tried to ignore the embarrasment of his stutter. That sure didn't make him look or sound like a big protective brother at all. "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

Snarls reverberated through the girl's body, when the boy spoke. "Yes, your-" and then she just stopped, growls fading as she processed what he said. "Wait, your sister?" she peered closely at the boy, even as he snarled at her feebly and stuttered. She didn't blink at the stutter; Finch stuttered, too. It cemented what she now saw. Leaning back on her haunches, shaking herself to settle her fur, she answered his questions, now pretty much completely relaxed. "I go by Lillianna, Lillie for short. And I want to spend time with her," she explained, sniffing once more at the male, unfazed by his attempts of hostility. "Why do you smell of another pack?" "Speech"

When she settled down he raised a brow at her before sighing and laying his head on his paws, absently tracing her wounds with his eyes and going through a list of herbs. Unfortunately his store was far from depleted here, but he knew of some things scattered around Abaven and the neighboring territories that might help. When she spoke he would turn his eyes back to hers, missing nearly all of what she said but catching the gist of it. "Y-you're her f-friend?" He asked softly, expectantly, hopefully. When she asked of his scent he smiled then, sadly, as if he disliked it. "I-it's Sonticus, a-a pack to the N-north. My f-father and the al-alpha there..m-made a deal. I-I was supposed t-to go there f-for the Sp-spring to train in h-healing. I e-extended it t-till the e-end of S-summer. I-I'm just visiting....t-then I'll have t-to go back.." He said softly, stretching his paws out in front of him, missing the feeling of grass. Oh, he hated that boat. "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

The question made her pause, head tilting as she considered that. Friend. She certainly hoped so. They became relaxed with one another; Finch even smacked her butt! The thought made her grin, she had yet to get the girl back for that. She would, though. Shaking herself out of a thought-induced haze, she met the boy's brilliant blue eyes. "I hope so," she said softly, though her voice was shot with a confidence that said that she was pretty sure she was. Of course, it also had an undertone of fear; she was afraid yesterday was just a one-time thing. She nodded at his next words; Sonticus, eh? She had not heard of it. He didn't seem to like it either, she realized, eyeing him. She didn't know why, but she did know that if it was in the North, it was cold. Maybe that was part of it? Eh, she'd ask. "Why don't you like it there?" She hoped she saw right - it'd be awkward if she didn't. She was also curious of what he was learning there that he couldn't learn from Abaven, but, that was the next question. "Speech"

Starling couldn't help but feel very...protective and excited all at the same time. "Th-that's great." He said softly, glancing towards the ground. A few months ago Finch wouldn't even leave the den. And now...she's making friends. Without him. A weak, bittersweet smile would touch his lips as he looked back at her again, his eyes settling on her jaw before slowly raising to her eyes when she asked why he didn't like it there. He sighed then, shrugging his shoulder delicately. "I-It's not..home." He said softly, turning his head to gaze out at the fields before looking back at her. "S-so umh...wh-why don't I know you?" He asked softly. "A-are you new here?" He should have known of her if she had been around for a while, but if it was during the spring, or even during the winter it was likely that her joining had passed over his radar. It wasn't like he knew everyone in Abaven, but he'd at least know about most of them. "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

Her tail beat the ground at his response, for she had sat down in front of him a few moments previous. She followed his eyes; her own smile - one without humor, or pleasure, twisted her lips as she gazed at her jaw for a brief moment without saying anything. IT will always be like that, she told herself, a soft sigh leaving her. She nodded to his next words; she understood that, at least what it meant fundamentally. Then she grinned for real, amusement sparkling in her eyes - he had no clue who she was; he was in the same boat as her. "I am called Lillianna; Lillie for short," she informed him. "I came to Abaven in the Spring, early Spring, and joined officially mid-Spring. I take it you were in Donostrea at that time, or I'd have at least smelled you." "Speech"

When she caught Starling staring he'd quickly look down, clearly embarrassed. He wasn't looking because it was weird or anything, he was looking because he had a pure medical curiousity. She said when she joined, introducing herself, and he merely nodded at her question. That was exactly why he didn't know her, or know of her. But that meant that she must have only just met Finch, which meant this act of bravery must have come from the trip. So the trip had been good for her, then, right? He was happy, shifting a blade of grass between his paws as he did before he glanced back up at Lillianna. "I-I'm s-so sorry...I...am a, uh. I-I'm a h-healer, s-sorta..." He said softly, looking at her jaw back up to her eyes again. "Wh-what happened...to y-your jaw? A-and, wh-what have they b-been putting on it?" He asked softly, completely curious. He hadn't seen something as extensive as this before. "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

If only Starling knew that Finch had not become friends with Lillie because she had looked for it; it had been because Lillie was feeling sociable and forced it on her... well, until pretties. Then they were romping around playfully. She noted the nod; that explained it all. A smirk formed on her lips as she noted he was avoiding her gaze, until he stated he was a healer. The smirk dropped, and her head tilted in curiosity at the boy. She could see the curiosity in him, towards a different thing, but it was mirrored. And then he asked what they used. Eyes widening, she stammered, "U-uuhhhh." She had no clue, but she forced herself to think back. "Well, I pissed off a wolf when I mentioned her brothers, and Shaye treated me..." She vaguely remembered a root of some sort; she had no clue the name, though. "There was some kind of root used as a poultice. And then fuzzy leaves to cover. With it scabbing there's not the cover anymore, just the root stuff..." That was pretty much all she could remember, and even that was fuzzy. ooc. It was Trillium. "Speech"

Starling would stare at her, blinking slightly as she stuttered her answer. He couldn't help but smile lightly. It was obvious she didn't have very much healing knowledge, not that he minded. Most everyone seemed to go blank when he disussed plants, and it certainly wasn't the most fun game he and his siblings played. He blinked slightly as she explained the plant, and he knew instantly. Slowly he sat up then, stretching his back as he hummed, searching his mental map for where this specific plant was located. He looked out in the distance, his blue eyes narrowing slightly before he turned to look back at her with a gentle smile. "T-that's trillium, w-what s-she used. Its g-great f-for keep-ping o-out i-inf-fections...and v-very rare." He said soflty, squinting slightly before he shifted forward to gaze at her wounds. "H-how d-did you...u-upset them, a-anyways? F-for such a b-big w-wound.." He said with a gentle smile, analyzing her wounds before sitting back. This Shaye must've been good, it looked like it was healing well so far. "Y-you sh-should b-be eat-ting e-elderb-berries...t-to k-keep your i-immune s-syst-tem up.." He said softly. "D-does i-it still h-hurt? W-what's your paint level.." "Burn Baby Burn" "Italian"

Lillianna blinked. Trillium? She had never heard of it... and... rare? What? Aside from her being impressed that Starling could identify the plant without even thinking, her main emotions were of fury and outrage. And guilt. Why would Shaye use such a rare plant on her? It didn't make any sense. She certainly didn't deserve it. A frown creased her face, now, though it twitched up at the question. She glanced back up at him; her gaze had fallen to her paws while she was emotionally conflicted. "I got pissed and insulted her intelligence when she insinuated that Abaven wasn't a real pack. And then I told her to say hi to her brother for me. And when she told me to keep off her brothers I told her quite bluntly that being with males in that manner is nasty, so I wouldn't ever do that, and that I could still hang out with whom I wanted. She got pissed. Really, really pissed." Lillianna fell silent afterwords, though her head tilted when he mentioned elderberries. "Elderberries?" she questioned - she didn't know what these were. And immune system? She didn't precisely know what that was. Something to have to do with sickness, if she recalled. She shook her head at the pain question; it didn't really hurt anymore. "It does but... not very much. I got used to it. It's a... on a scale of 1 to 10, a 3? 4?" Pretty high compared to most wounds, but pretty low compared to what she had to deal with at first. "It only hurts a lot if I contort my face. My jaw still hurts when I eat, though. I can only recently start eating semi-solid food again. I've had to eat like a pup for a while." "Speech"

Starling would blink at her explination, a frown crossing his lips. There...must be more to it than that, right? But he sighed, shaking his head. With the way Lillianna had come up to him, accusing him of something he hadn't done, he wouldn't be surprised if a more abrasive wolf took it the wrong way. Passion could be dangerous...and she already seemed to have been partially eaten. "si dovrebbe pensare prima di parlare" He whispered, his italian fluent and smooth on his tongue before he sighed, shaking his head slightly to himself before looking back up at her, the small smile touching his lips once more. "Elderb-berries. They..h-help you h-heal better. Y-your immune s-system heals y-you when you're sick o-or hurt. S-so if y-your immune s-system is strong, y-you heal fast." He said with a small smile before thinking. She didn't have much pain, but a healing body would ache as it healed. Sometimes it could hurt more than others as the system worked to stick her skin back together. So he hummed lightly and glanced around, thinking before he spotted a white flower. It wasn't exactly the flower that he needed, but it reminded him. "Y-you should have s-some meadowsweet on hand. C-chew on the petals and the leaves w-when you feel pain, and o-only then. I-it can m-make you sick...and m-make sure you eat a r-reasonable amount o-of food b-before you do...." No empty stomachs. He'd tilt his head then, glancing at her. "I-i also recomend sometimes f-flexing your jaw s-sometimes, s-starting in a few weeks, j-just to r-restrengthen the muscle...as it repairs i-itself. D-don't do i-it till you're in pain...but just...t-to strengthen and h-help it h-heal in place." "Burn Baby Burn" "Italian"

Smooth words in a language she didn't understand made her ears prick forward, nearly straining them as her head tilted very much to the side. She didn't understand a word of that, but she did notice that there wasn't a single stutter, only smooth words that were rather pretty. But then he looked up, and spoke in English once more. Her ears flicked back in disappointment, and she only was half-listening to him as she thought of the language; she could already feel the want to learn more wiggling its way deep inside of her. She nodded absentmindedly; so immune systems did deal with sickness. Fighting it. Interesting. Not. She continued half-listening until he mentioned her jaw; awareness would light up a little more in her eyes. A half smile twitched. "Isn't talking enough?" she questioned; she wasn't trying to argue with him, just merely bring up a point. "And you should speak that language again," she added on, not even thinking before she said it. When she realized she did, her ears flattened to her head, and she looked away, embarrassed and sheepish. "Speech"

Star would stare at her, knowing that she wasn't really listening. It was the same look his brothers got when he talked about plants, and he sighed softly, looking away. Was it because of his stutter? He wasn't very confident so others ignored some of what he sounded like, right? He closed his jaw with a click when he finished talking, knowing that she wasn't listening anyways untill she commented on talking. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at her. "I-if it was...I w-wouldn't have m-mentioned it." He said softly, staring at her. "Y-your j-jaw is gonna h-heal, and i-it will be s-stiff if you d-don't excersize it. I-if you ever w-want it t-to open properly a-again, so you can p-protect y-yourself ag-gainst s-someo-one wh-ho wants t-to take a b-bite out-t of you...th-then ex-cersize it." He said deeply, commandedly. He was a healer, and she would listen to him if she wanted to be able to heal properly. They would have to all learn to listen to him, wouldn't they? When she commented on the language he sighed softly, glancing away. "Non sarà in grado di parlare veramente , se non mi ascolti . So che balbettare , ma si dovrebbe imparare ad ascoltare coloro che non sono abbastanza intelligente per avere mangiato a causa di un commento non pensavano attraverso ..." He huffed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to understand him, so he was really free to say what he felt. He was silent then, thinking. "C-come w-with me. W-we're g-gonna go f-find you s-some Elderb-berries and meadowsweet." He said softly, moving to stand. "Burn Baby Burn" "Italian"

Had she known what he was thinking, she'd have apologized and probably stammered an apology. Whilest being glad her fur was already red, so her blushing wasn't seen at all. Unfortunately, she was blissfully unaware... though she was aware of the faint scolding she received due to her question. By now, she had looked back up; she could hear it in his voice, the slight chastising. Her ears flicked back again, eyes darting to the side and back up, a swift nod accompanying her movements. He would then continue on, and she, despite the stuttering, realized that the repeated information - and new information - was not just letting her know, it was also a command as a healer. She nodded again, this time more seriously. She would listen, and do as he says - based on what he said so far, it would... not hurt? Shouldn't hurt? Probably like stretching a muscle. She wasn't about to ask him to repeat what she hadn't listened to, though Her ears flicked back again when he spoke that beautiful language again, though she had the sneaking suspicion that the words were not the most kind by the way he huffed at the end. Faint annoyance darkened her eyes, and she narrowed her eyes ever so slightly on the older boy. She also had the suspicion that he wouldn't tell her what and she had to resist a slight growl from emerging. She didn't feel right demanding to know what he said, but she let her annoyance and frustration show on her face. Once more someone hiding things from her. Of course. "Fine." Her voice was still low, but it had an edge of ice - of steel, an edge that was not there before as the girl shoved herself to her paws, tail raised rather high behind her as she waited, her stiff limbs radiating aggravation. "Speech"

Starling was more than slightly embarrased as he turned away from her, and more than a little guilty. He was really mostly frustrated with the whole situation than he was with her. Frustrated with how absolutely pathetic he was and how others didn't listen to him that often. His stutter, which he knew for a fact wasn't a physical thing. He could speak just fine in a language only a few could understand him in. It was all confidence and Starling had none...except for when it came to plants and healing. So it hurt doubly when others ignored him on a subject he actually had confidence with. And not only that, but he was stuck in a thing that he really didn't want too. He didn't want to leave again, to go back to his temporary home. He wanted to stay with his family, but he had made a decision, a promise. So he sighed as he began to walk in the direction where he knew these plants lied, not saying another word to Lillianna as he moved. Embarrasment twisted his lips, his eyes narrowed slightly as he moved, trotted. He'd apologize after he finished beating himself up, probably when they reached their first destination.. "Burn Baby Burn" "Italian"