The absolute last thing Zee wanted to do was to visit the Klein who had her pinned to the ground for inspection. It was the only time she truly felt a slave within Ashen - like a wolf kept against her will. The idea was horrifying. Nobody could convince Zee that she was here of anything except her own free will, and the day she felt that her choice was taken from her the small wolf would do whatever it took to be free. Luckily, it wasn't a hardship to serve her Empress exactly as well as a good little slave would. She adored and admired her mistress, and was very happy to serve. The other Klein members however, they had not yet earned Zee's respect. Though Sirius commanded her to obey regardless, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Lucretia?" She called as she approached the den. Her head raised up high as piercing blue eyes fell upon the entrance, remembering the hit her ego had taken within it's walls. Sirius however was not around from what she could tell. She wasn't sure if the fact comforted her, or made her more anxious. The titanic guard did make her feel safe, but he also was the only one so far to lay a paw on her. How complicated. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

"Yes, little pet?" Luce crooned, stepping out from the depths of her den. Autumn was a busy time for any healer - it was imperative to create abundant stock for the coming winter, and even more so with the advent of Deathbelle's pregnancy. It was all enough to make her head spin.

But what could this little sylph want? Luce had no love for the blue-green touched female. Her ingratiating behavior did not help her case any, especially since none of it was directed at her. Not that Lucretia fished for compliments the same way her sister did, but some recognition would be nice. It wasn't easy keeping a pack strong and healthy, after all. "What is it you need? Has Deathbelle sent you?" She asked, a biting urgency to her voice at the second sentence. If the Empress needed her assistance, she had to be prepared for anything. Belle's health was her priority.

Luce came from her den quite promptly, responding to her call with more kindness then Zee expected from the woman. Little pet did not have the same ego-killing bite that slave had, and she felt her ears perk forward hopefully. Perhaps this wouldn't be such an awful interaction after all. She moved a paw in circular motions against the dirt before her anxiously, unable to meet the Klein woman's stare. She'd promised Sirius she would do her best to be respectful and obey her masters - not for her, but so he'd not be forced to punish her any more. "No, Your Grace." Zee felt awkward using the title she'd heard from Sirius, but she was determined to emulate his submission for the woman. "Deathbelle is well, and I'd like to do my part to keep her that way. I came to ask if you might know of any herbs I could keep in my den for emergencies. I've also noticed stints of morning sickness from her, and I'd like to have some stomach-soothing smells on hand for those situations. Perhaps something I can mix into my soap when I wash her paws, or fluff her pillows with when they're finished." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Now this was a pleasant change of attitude! With Zee's prickly attitude mollified, Lucretia found herself warming to the other young female. If she was after herbs for Belle, there was no better wolf that she could have asked. "You were correct in coming to me, and I thank you for it," she said gratefully. If Zee understood that the health of their Empress and the coming litter were Lucretia's paramount goal, the two would quickly become fast friends.

Luce disappeared into her den, then reappeared to beckon Zee inside. "Come in, come in! Tell me more about her symptoms," she urged, gesturing with her muzzle. The interior of Lucretia's den was simple but utilitarian. It was a roomy cave with dozens of nooks and crannies, both naturally occurring and made by her own paws. Each hideyhole was stuffed with herbs or concoctions and organized in a way that was known only to the shaman.

Lucretia made a motion for Zee to sit. "Please, make yourself comfortable." Above the pair were a few cracks in the ceiling, which allowed the morning's light to filter into the den. "Is she throwing up bile or losing her entire dinner? What's her appetite like?" Luce asked quickly, her mind already racing for possible solutions.

Zee was taken aback by the healers enthusiasm and stepped forward nervously towards the den's opening. Luce urged her onward until the small slave had crossed into the threshold and placed herself in a sit was asked of her. She suddenly felt very shy as a worry came over her. If the Klein woman was so quick to anger at her last time, and so friendly and welcoming now... was she capable of such a wide change of moods once more? She tried her best to stay polite through her fears. "Uhm. Well, I do not stay by her side for her meals. Sirius would be the one to observe an appetite change, I think. Though in the mornings she is completely emptying her stomach, and then heaving further until bile is drawn." [/b] Zee paused, trying to come up with more useful information for the healer. "Also, I've noticed her paws feel different then normal when I massage them. Almost swollen." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

"Hmm... yes, this is all common. It's unfortunate that she's losing the entire contents of her stomach, though - that won't do at all," Luce said tersely, though not directed at Zee. She deeply appreciated the slave's concern for their shared Empress. If Zee could prove herself to be such an proactive and useful attendant during Deathbelle's pregnancy, than Lucretia's opinion would surely begin to shift. The health and well-being of the pack and its members would forever be her primary concern. She would gladly smite those who stood in the way of that - such as the way that Zee had impeded her physical examination - but she was typical a shrewd, genial wolf.

"Well, how would you treat these ailments?" Luce asked, her ears pricked for Zee's answer. It wasn't a trick question, the shaman wanted to gauge the slave's preexisting knowledge before delving into her explanation. She could tailor the information to the other female's pool of knowledge; many wolves who weren't healers had some rudimentary knowledge of herbs and their uses.

Zee nodded in agreement as if she truly understood the issues of pregnancy, humming thoughtfully as Luce declared the Empress' sickness an unfortunate thing. She said it was common, however, and Zee was glad there was nothing to fear on her Mistress' health. However the Klein woman continued, and the slave was unprepared with her question. She came here with the intent on reporting small ailments and receiving careful instruction on how to handle them. She never once thought that she might be quizzed. "Uhm." She began, uncomfortable. "I don't know. My mother was a healer, she specialized in pregnancies and childbirth but to be honest I didn't pay much attention. The part I liked best was the pups, I never really thought to ask on her methods of taking care of the mothers." She was embarrassed, and suddenly a new concern came over her - would the healer dismiss Zee from Deathbelle's side if she thought she wasn't knowledgeable enough? She sure as hell hoped not. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

"Hmmm..." She pondered Zee's response, smiling at the mention of puppies. Soon Ashen would be filled with the yips and cries of the young, and the thought warmed her cynical little heart. "Well, here, I'll let you smell some of what I have. If you were close with your mother or present at any births, this might help jog your memory. They say that scent is tied the most closely to our memories." Luce retreated into the strange, labyrinthine corridors of her den. She returned shortly with some motherwort, alfalfa, agrimony, and a small, shriveled gingseng root. "Take a whiff and tell me if anything comes to mind..." The shaman said, spreading the herbs out before Zee.

Her methods may have been unorthodox, but Lucretia wanted to see for herself how Zee would handle it. There were no right or wrong answers here, despite the fact that they may not have gotten off to the best start. Luce was not one to handle grudges, particularly if an individual proved themselves capable. The only damnable thing you could do to the shaman was interrupt, question, or otherwise make difficult her work - which Zee had already done once. Luce hoped that the girl had seen reason now, at Sirius' paws or otherwise.

Zee peered down upon the herbs worriedly, stealing a glance at the healer's face before leaning down to sniff each bundle. They all elicited some sort of memory from her, though she struggled to place the proper use to each herb. The fear of failing caused her stomach to clench with anxiety, and she started back at the first herb and inspected their scents for a second time. Finally, she lifted her head and gestured a paw towards the motherwort. "I remember that one. And, uh, maybe.." Another gesture, this time towards the agrimony. "Maybe this one, too?" Her ears pinned, waiting to see if she had been correct in her deductions. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Lucretia smiled encouragingly. Although her bedside manner was incredibly poor, she was an excellent teacher and patient with anyone who desired to learn. It was important that Zee had a proper baseline knowledge of the herbs that would ease Deathbelle's labor pains and help with the current symptoms of her pregnancy. "Yes, everything before you will be helpful in the coming months."

Luce nosed the motherwort. "This motherwort will encourage labor and ease pregnancy, while also lessening anxiety. It will be incredible useful." She nudged the agrimony forward. "This is agrimony. It will help curb some of the morning sickness she has been experiencing. It's important to follow the agrimony with alfalfa," Lucreita paused to gesture to that particular herb, "it will stimulate her appetite and make eating appealing again. You may wish to wait a few hours, but it's best to squeeze another small meal in when she can keep it down."

She moved all of the herbs closer to Zee. "This gingseng root is for energy. She might begin to feel lethargic, especially if the morning sickness keeps up. You can put a few pieces in a still pool of water and it will create an energizing drink." Luce nudged them into a tidy pile. "I know that we did meet in the best of ways, but you must realize by now that the health and wellness of this pack is my passion. All I require is cooperation and compliance from my patients. I hope that you can see where I'm coming from."

Zee listened attentively, ears drifting towards the sound of the shaman's voice as she explained the herbs and each of their uses. It was all so complicated, and the slaves eyes fluttered over each bundle in overwhelming confusion and anxiety. "OK." She repeated, sounding unsure. "So, this one motherwort I don't need to keep with me, right? I don't.. I shouldn't be encouraging her labor. You'll be there for that part. The agrimony I can keep for her morning sickness, and then give her alfalfa afterwards. Then gingseng root in water for energy." She felt like she got it all right, but couldn't help but wonder about the after-effects. The conversation shifted, and Zee looked up from the herbs to face the Klein. "I see where you are coming from, and I apologize for my earlier outburst. It is... difficult, to get used to slavery." Her head hung in shame, and a heavy exhale drew from her chest. "Luce, do I need to be careful with any of these herbs? I vaguely remember being told of side-effects, how even useful herbs in pregnancy can be dangerous to pregnancy. I'm worried I'll screw up a dose and harm our coming princes and princesses." Hopefully changing the subject would work and Zee's ego could avoid further damage. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

"Don't worry," Luce soothed her. "You won't administer anything dangerous without my presence. Agrimony is perfectly safe in small doses - a few petals here and there, same with alfalfa. Just a bit as needed. If you ever have any second guesses, you are free to come to my den at any hour." Lucretia offered her a wan smile. All of Zee's nervousness was making her nervous, a feeling that she wasn't used to. It was disquieting. "I will prepare a vessel with the gingseng in advance each morning. You may retrieve it from my den at your convenience. Before long, I will be relocating to Deathbelle's den and none of this will be your concern," she murmured, trying to cheer her up. If it really worried her that much, Luce saw herself in for a long journey of pawholding, right through the end. It was one thing to comfort a mother, but her slave too? Ah well. Luckily, pregnancies had a defined end. "Why don't I walk you back to your quarters?" Lucretia suggested amiably.