the stone steppe

ooc. kea is lazyyyy

Lillianna trailed slightly behind Starling; she did not know where they were going, and so had to follow. She knew they were getting the... elderberries, though. And they had already gotten the meadow sweet. A grin lit her face then, and she muttered to herself - though Starling could probably hear - "Prato dulce". She would get the pronounciation right, she would! And learn more words while she was at it; she was determined to learn this language. First, though... following Starling around while he gathered herbs for her and treated her and whatnot, because he was in healer mode. Taht was okay, though, she'd still get him talking so they were comfortable with each other.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling couldn't help the gentle smile that laid on his lips as she tried to pronounce the italian, his steps light as he moved. It was strange, he still found her to be rather odd....perhaps missing a few screws somewhere or just ignorant, who knows. But he found her company rather relaxing now, perhaps it was because she was such a willing student, and Starling was always willing to share his knowledge. His entire life, his entire purpose was to learn, and what better way to use that knowledge than to share it with others. Especially those that will evidentally need it. At least, if they go around getting their faces eaten. When they crossed the river he found a safe place for his bundle of meadow sweet, and began his search. "W-we need to f-find a b-bush with d-dark blue b-berries.." He said gently as he walked. "E-elderberries are c-called sambuco, they grow in bundles on a cespuglio or bush, usually in dry or r-rocky areas." He said gently, trying to incorprate Italian into his lesson, as she seemed to have a desire for it. He would have to give her a better lesson later, though he hoped Bass wouldn't be upset with him sharing their special language with this girl. Maybe it would help her learn better, excersize that brain of hers... "Talk" | "Italian"

She nodded when he began to speak. So, dark berries, eh? Shouldn't be too hard to spot - with it being summer, the berries are probably in full force. She had begun seeking, eyes roving the area around her, when continued on and interrupted the concentration she was trying to obtain. Her ears flicked and her head tilted as she processed the new information. "S-sambuco. Cespeglio," she tried, grimacing as she butchered the pronounciation, especially on that second word. She tried again: "Cespulgio?" she glanced up at the boy for reaffirmation of the words. She'd get this right somehow, even if it involved muttering it under her breath for hours.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling continued to trot along, his eyes roving around the territory they were in for the dark blue berries they needed. He blinked slightly as she repeated the words he had told her. He couldn't help but smile softly at the almost butchering of the words, but at least it was close. He couldn't help but feel a bit iffy about this, but he was only teaching her words. Just cause she knew nature words didn't mean she would be able to understand the whole language untill he was sure it was okay. He might have to find someone to teach him a new language so they could switch to something else, since italian was so precious to the family. He would glance back at her then, gently correcting her pronunciation of the words before he would continue his search. "A-any other w-words y-you want t-to know?" He asked softly, continuing to look around and switching his walking path to search a different territory, searching for these berries. "Talk" | "Italian"

A crooked grin met Starlings; the femme was amused by her own mess-ups. While she wanted to do well, she knew she wouldn't... not at first, anyways. That's what practice was for, and that's what she'd do. She was... excited to learn the new language, a little language that she could speak with Starling; it made her feel... special, of a sorts? Privileged, really, to be considered his friend. That sort of honored feeling and contemplation was put aside when the boy started speaking again. She laughed at his question, how silly! "...all of them?" she answered with a cheeky grin, eyes glittering with mischief. She was sincere about it, too.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling would continue to look around, sky blue eyes searching for those silly berries. It was getting darker now, and they wouldn't be able to make it back to Abaven before the sun fell, but...well, that was the sacrifice Starling had made for her. They just had to find these berries then he could get home, divide them up for her (which would take a time) before he could spend more time with his family and then go back to Sonticus. He kept his eyes peeled while she thought, and when he heard her words he couldn't help but laugh softly. "G-give me some ideas. S-some w-words and I-I'll translate th-them for you." He said softly, glancing towards her before spotting a group of bushes. His smile spread across his face as he trotted towards them, sniffing through the foliage but finding the wrong kind of berries. With a snort, he glanced around, his eyes narrowed slightly. They should be plentiful here, why was he having a hard time finding them? Even if she spoke now, he'd be silent, his nose testing the air as he searched for their scent, for the bushes they were on, his paws quick through the territory. "Talk" | "Italian"

A half-smile, one of amusement, would cross her face at his laugh, and she'd fel slightly proudo of herself for it. His next question, however, made her ears prick and swivel around. "What of tree? and grass? and wolf? and the sky? and the words thank you? aaand..." she'd trail off as she looked around. Her eyes would light up and she'd bounce off; nose pointing at a group of bushes. "Are those it?" she questioned, ears angling back towards the slightly older male. She was excited, a little care free, and utterly appreciative to this strange male whom she bristled at only an hour or so earlier. It seemed already she knew more about him than she would otherwise.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling padded on, his eyes forever searching as Lillianna thought of words to translate. He'd smirk as they tumbled from her lips, and he'd keep looking around untill she stopped. "Che di albero? e l'erba? e il lupo? e il cielo? e le parole grazie? eeee..." He'd translate with a cheeky grin, though he was sure she wouldn't understand it. Instead he'd continue looking to his side, opposite of where Lillianna was looking, when she spoke again, and he'd laugh slightly. "Sono quelli che?" He'd say, continuing his game with a grin before he paused. Wait... "Aspetta, sono quelli..." He'd look towards where she was pointing, his eyes growing wide before he grinned brightly. "Sì questi sono loro! Buon lavoro!" He'd say happily, forgetting to switch back to English as he bounded towards the plant. First thing he did was inhale their scent to be sure they were elderberries, before he began to bite through the branches to get a fair amount of berries off the bushes. He was careful to not jostle them too much. Many of them would fall off on the trek home, so he had to be sure he got far more than he would ever need so he'd have enough at the end for her and for his store. "Talk" | "Italian"

Words would tumble from Star's lips as quickly as they tumbled from Lillie, and her eyes narrowed. She shook her head and looked at him, bewildered, a "What?" spluttering from her lips before she caught site of that grin. Her eyes narrowed further, but then her attention was caught by the bush... and the moment she asked if those were it he spouted off again... also in a question. Her head would swing to stare at him, eyes wide. What... no! "Are you translating my every word?" she questioned, tone accusatory; he'd then go on to yip happily at the berries, and she knew she got the right ones; a grin formed on her face as she bounced up next to him, carefully nipping - delicately - at the branches. She was much slower than him with the jaw, but she was still able to get a thick branch of berries off.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling would smirk around a branch as she caught onto his game. Ah! So she was more perceptive than he thought. Gently placing the branch at his paws he'd look at her sidelong before nodding. "I-isn't th-that what I s-said I'd do?" He said with a tease as he continued to pick the branches, keeping track of what she picked and how much she did with that jaw of hers. "F-for the record, sky is cielo, T-tree is albero, grass is erba, w-wolf is lupo and t-thank you is grazie." He said with an easy smile before turning back to the bush. When he got enough he would reach over to grab what she had picked and bundled them together before looking back to Lillianna. "Elderb-berries t-tend to g-grow in the warm m-months. They fl-flower first, and then turn into b-berries. The b-branches a-and leaves are p-poisonous t-to eat, so I w-will carry th-them, okay?" He said with a gentle smile, carefully pawing the branches. "Th-the berries, w-we can d-dry out in the sun, a-and e-every s-so often y-you should e-eat a few, even a-after your jaw is h-healed, because it h-helps your i-immune system. So i-if you g-get b-bitten again, y-you can heal f-faster." He said with a grin. "Talk" | "Italian"

A glare would be shot at Starling for his continued teasing, though it was a playful glare, a friendly one - inasmuch as a glare could be friendly. The glare would dissipate as he began giving her the information she desired, and she'd nod, repeating after him in a murmur each word. "Cielo, albero, erba, lupo, grazie." She'd also nod as he grabbed what she gnawed off, and explain the use of each; her head would tilt. "Wouldn't dried make it harder to chew, though?" she questioned, head tilting. "Also, you mentioned they flower first - are the flowers of any use?"

"Speech" "Language"

Starling would continue to gently paw his branches into a bundle, smiling at Lillianna's good natured glare. It was fun to have someone to play around with and tease. It was like she let out a playful side to him he hadnt known he had. Tilting his head at her question he'd look up at her, smiling warmly at her curiousity. D-drying m-makes th-them less bitter. They d-dont go f-fully hard, a-and any that a-are rock h-hard sh-shouldnt be eaten. Dr-drying them o-out a-also makes th-them h-harder to sp-spoil. He said softly, almost proud of himself for his knowledge. "No, not r-really. Th-the berries a-are wh-what y-you eat. D-dont eat th-the flowers." At least he was pretty sure the flowers didnt do anything. He hoped he wasnt lying, but Starling only had so much knowledge at this time.

She nodded to his words. They made sense, honestly, though she knew she wouldn't have thought of that herself; not until they actually dried. It was also interesting that the other bits of the bush did stuff, and not the flowers, as well. She stored the information in her head, wanting to make sure she did not forget... nevermind the fact she probably would. While she did so, she also tipped her head, desperately searching inside her head for more questions. She already knew Starling liked sharing his knowledge... and it seemed as if he didn't get to often. "What other plants are poisonous, and such?" she finally blurted, curiosity making her ears prick to their full height. There was no ulterior motive, just plain curiousity... and really, the first thing that came to mind. Starling didn't need to know that part, however.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling felt a wash of...perhaps pride, flood over him as she listened intently. Was she really curious, or was she just teasing him? He knew healing wasn't the most interesting craft, and there was a lot of little things to remember. It wasn't a natural act like hunting or fighting, no. It was entirely mental, and he had to exercise his mind all the time. It was often lonely, especially when Sparrow hadn't been around. Instead he smiled at her before she asked her question. He snorted instantly before blinking in embarrasment. "S-sorry!" He stuttered quickly, not wanting her to feel offended or scared to ask any more questions. "W-well, e-everything can b-be poisonous in a-abundance. You sh-shouldn't t-take med-dicine if y-you d-don't know i-if it's good, a-and you sh-should talk t-to an ex-experianced healer b-before you do." He said softly, resting his paw agianst the branches just gently. "T-the fun p-part of herbology i-is learning wh-what i-is al-alright t-to eat. T-to l-learn an-and underst-stand the l-little m-miracles th-they c-create." He said dreamily, sighing down at the berries. "E-even Dandelion, s-something th-that's e-everywhere, i-is a m-miracle. I-if you chew u-up th-the roots, th-they a-are a v-very g-good p-pain k-killer." "Talk" | "Italian"

The girl would huff at the snort, but she was not truly angry; she was, however, startled when he apologized. "Don't apologize!" As quick as he was to apologize, she was as quick to say not to. She fell silent and listened after that, eyes widening at the bit about dandelions and eating too much and... she blinked at the information, head tilting as she processed it. "Seems useful," she commented softly, glancing at the branches Starling was covering protectively with his paw. Her ears twitched in amusement as his tone took on a... dreamlike tone. It was if... herbs were his mate; his desire. It was an idea that struck Lillianna as hilarious and she had to resist laughing, instead focusing on the next bit about dandelions. "If they are a great painkiller, should we collect some? You go back up North, don't you? It doesn't seem like they'd have a lot." The north sounded very cold, and having a lack of resources; her words would make sense, yes?

"Speech" "Language"

Starling would blink slightly when she told him not to apologize, and for some reason that caused him to feel both happy and anxious all at the same time. Well, it was something, right? She wasn't as bad as she had been from the start, she even found some interest in his craft, even if it was just surface interest. She didn't feel it deep down, like he did, but that didn't matter. He doubted anyone really felt this deeply for healing, felt like it was their entire destiny...everything. He'd lift his gaze back up to her and smiled softly. When she asked of the dandelion, he blinked just slightly before looking down at the bundle. "N-no, w-we have t-too much t-too carry. A-and I h-have t-to split u-up th-the d-dosage b-before i-it gets t-too late. M-maybe when I c-come back?" He said softly, looking up at her with a gentle smile. He only had so much time in his vacation, and he really didn't want to waste much more when he could be spending time with his family. "I-infact w-we sh-should g-get g-going. L-long w-walk-k an-nd w-whatnot..." He said softly. "C-can you c-carry the m-meadowsweet? I-i'll c-carry th-this b-back." "Talk" | "Italian"

She would simply nod to his words, carefully grasping the branches of the meadowsweet in her jaws. It was then she wondered: when he came back up. She knew this already, but... why bother and help her? He only had a limited amount of time; why help someone who was practically a stranger? One who had snarled and snapped at him, at that? She didn't understand in the least. She wasn't about the argue with it, or protest; she was grateful for it... and it was then she realized that hmm, it would probably be a good idea to express that.

As they walked back in silence, when the border came into view, her head would turn, and she'd tell him - voice muffled through the flowers - "Thank you for this." The words were simple, and she'd like to add more, but she could not think of them. Instead, she fell silent after that

time skip like... idek what here

With the herbs properly sorted, there was not much else left to do, and that was clear as the boy stood up to make his leave. He would speak to her, and she'd nod; his words made sense - he wanted to spend time with his family, and who wouldn't? "Thank you," she murmured again, green eyes meeting blue eyes for a swift second. As the boy was walking away, and she was heading to curl up in her den, she paused to give a few parting words: "I'll take care of Finch for you while you're gone." She would have anyways, whether or not Starling was there nor not; this just made it... a bit easier. Just a bit.

-exiiit- done thread thing

"Speech" "Language"