After he had spoken with Ardyn and delivered his information that he had gathered on his mission, Drachen made his way to his den, fatigue finally pulling at the corners of his deep blue eyes and the weeks of traveling and constantly on the move was beginning to catch up to him and there was nothing more that he wanted than to lay down in his own fur lined den. But before he could lay his head down to rest, he had to do some house keeping. A small limp was beginning to show in his step as his den came into view, the male lowering his guard just enough to allow the deep scar that ran from his shoulder to his paw on his right side affect his usually smooth and graceful stride. Finally he came to a stop in front of his den and he shifted his weight off his right shoulder after he sat down onto his haunches and took a moment at assess the condition of his den. It wasn't as bad as he had expected, someone had obviously came by every so often and kept it up just enough to keep it in good condition without disturbing his things. He was grateful that his pack mates cared enough to do that for him, the thoughtfulness of it still surprised him as his old traumas from his birth pack still haunted him on occasion. With that said though, Drachen got to his paws and began to drag out the furs that lined his den floor and shook the the dust off of them and left them out in the sun while he reentered his den and began fixing small areas on the walls and floor that needed tending to. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Eramaya of Valhalla

Summer was in full power, and the herb garden was in a riot of greens and flowers. The Swirl-painted healer tended to it with the same care and tenderness she’d given her children. She pulled weeds delicately from the soil, flipping them toward the compost heap over the low stone fence she’d planned out and Ardyn, with his paws, had built. She’d heard the Mist return, and her kit was set aside by the garden entry, ready to go once the last few weeds were sent to the compost to become nutrient-rich soil. As she stepped from the garden, she swiped her paws through a thick bison hide laid outside the entrance. The thick, curly hair of the hump was a decent paw-cleaner. Then she picked up her kit and set off at a brisk trot toward the man’s den. As she drew close, her sky-blue eyes took in the dust hanging in the air and the hides laid out in the summer sun, and a faint smile touched her features as she slipped the kit off to set on the ground, flipping the cover as she took a seat to the side. Leaning forward to peer into the opening, from which sounds of activity emitted, she called down, “Long trip?” There was a tone of amusement coloring her accented words. She pulled a set of clay pots from the kit and set them at her paws, ears perked to catch any response he might offer. She’d been one of those who kept the den tidy in his absence, and some of what had come out of the furs and hides had been an herbal blend to repel insects and parasites. It was time for it to be shaken out, but she’d brought a few sachets along. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Art by NightofRavens

As the earthen toned male used his teeth to delicately and precisely remove roots that had started to grow through the walls of his den, his black tipped ears twitched towards the opening behind him as he heard paw steps approaching the entrance of his den. He recognized the scent of the grayscale woman before her voice filtered from the outside; "Long trip?" the healer asked, short and to the point but friendly if not holding a hit of amusement. Drachen's dark lips flashed briefly in a small smile before he turned and exited his den into the brightness of the summer day. He offered a small, reserved but friendly smile to the healer before his deep blue eyes flicked to the medicine kit she had brought with her. "Long and weary being away from home for this long. But A necessary evil to play my part for the good of Valhalla" the male rumbled in his quiet tones after his eyes lifted back up to Eramaya. He could already assume why the healer was here so he moved further away from his den and into a small area of shade and sat down with his scared shoulder facing towards here to allow easy access to the old deep wound.  "How has everything been here? Have you been well?" he rumbled again, curling his tail to his side as he watched her. Drachen did have too much interaction with this swirled painted woman since he was gone from the pack lands most of the time but there was a good while where she had nursed him back to health when a terrible disease had ran rampant through the surrounding area. He had no doubt in his mind that he owed this woman his life during his sickness. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Eramaya of Valhalla

Soon enough Drachen popped into sight from the mouth of his den and her sky-colored eyes took a swift inspection of his frame, noting the stiffness she’d expected in the left forelimb. Though healed, scars like that could get achy and stiff after much use and travel, and the other forelimb would likely be sore from compensating, even when he was doing his best to mask the visual signs of lameness. His rumbled response brought a light smile to her features. “Every little bit helps.” Drachen was intelligent and needed no prompting to settle in for her inspection, so Eramaya stepped forward and sat at his side, letting her gentle forepaws brush over the thick scar from top to bottom, probing as her eyes watched him for reactions. “I’ve been well. Ardyn finished my hut a while back and the garden’s growing in well. Legacy will be getting her Nomad’s Marks soon. We had three pups born to Kairi, but.. she didn’t make it. Their father is from another pack, so I assume once they’re old enough, they’ll make their choices as to whether they stay or go.” A touch of wistfulness hid beneath the idle accent of her words, as her thoughts flicked briefly to her youngest children, wondering how they were faring, and if she’d see them sooner than the next time the Chapters ranged close to Valhalla. She completed her examination of the scar itself and ranged outward, palpating and pressing to feel the muscles of shoulder and foreleg, lower neck and behind the jaw, along the back and ribs. Experience told her there was likely to be tightness in each of the muscle groups, and she added, “Have these been stiff as well?”, as her eyes flicked to his, brow points flicking up in query. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Art by NightofRavens