Ellara stepped lightly through the fields of The God's Garden, the bright sunlight illuminating her latte-pink and coffee-brown coat. Her striking pink eyes scanned the vibrant surroundings, taking in the diverse array of plants and flowers that thrived in this sacred place. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blossoms and the soft hum of bees going about their work.

It had been a few days since she and Atreyu had carefully transplanted the echinacea and feverfew. Ellara felt a sense of anticipation and responsibility as she made her way to the spot where they had done their work. The garden was a testament to the delicate balance of nature and the divine touch of the gods, and she hoped their efforts had been successful.

As she approached the area, Ellara's heart lifted at the sight of the echinacea and feverfew. The plants seemed to be settling in well, their leaves vibrant and their flowers beginning to bloom. She knelt beside them, gently touching the soil to check its moisture. Satisfied, she took a moment to breathe in the fragrant air, feeling a deep sense of peace and accomplishment.

"Looks like we did well, Atreyu," she murmured to herself, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Ellara knew there was always more to do in The God's Garden, and she was ready to continue tending to its beauty and healing properties. Her role as a healer was not just about treating wounds and illnesses, but also about nurturing the very source of the remedies she used. She stayed for a while longer, ensuring the plants were well-watered and free from any pests, before finally standing up and making her way to the next part of the garden that needed her attention.

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

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Vibrant coat of orange and cream stood out vividly against the lush green foliage of the God's Garden. Although not officially claimed territory, the Hallows used the neighboring gardens as frequently as it used the Grapevine Cathedral for their purposes that it had become second nature for Syanna to be here as often as the castle. Autumn had come to Auster, and with it the start of the rainy seasons. She needed to harvest as much of the botanical bounty in the overgrown ruins as she could if the Hallows wanted to be well stocked for the coming months before the plants went through their seasonal perishing. That was the goal of today.

Walking leisurely up the sloping hills from the plains to the gardens, Syanna carried a sizable wicker basket with her—empty for now, but would eventually become a cornucopia of medicinal herbs. Her recent work had left her personal stores of powerful pharmaceuticals depleted, and once word got around that she had managed to cure an affliction of the Long Night, wolves would be banging down the doors of Hearthstone to have their ailments and diseases examined. She would need to be prepared if she was to repeat the same miracle again.

Syanna walked through the old stone ruins and overgrown foliage, paws crunching over long vines of ivy and upturned roots. The rich smell of loamy earth and fresh plant life heavy in the humid air—along with another scent. Someone else was visiting the gardens. Syanna was intrigued; the gardens were wild lands, of course, but it wasn't a frequently visited place by any means. Whoever was here was likely a kindred spirit; a fellow healer of some sort.

Finding her wasn't difficult. The stranger was larger than she was, over a foot taller, and wore a coat of earthen hues against the lush greenery. She was tending to some nearby plants with a smile. Had she started contributing to the garden too? "Hello there!" Syanna called out to the stranger, greeting her with a wave of a paw while she began to cut a few trillium blooms from a nearby plant and added them carefully to her basket. "Lovely sprouts you've got there. Your work?" Small talk wasn't always her strong suit, but she was trying to be friendly.

"Syanna"

As her mate, Ezra may enter her threads not marked as Private.
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Ellara turned her head towards the voice, her striking pink eyes meeting the vibrant orange and cream figure approaching her. She observed the smaller wolf with curiosity, noticing the wicker basket she carried. Ellara's ears perked up as she took in the newcomer's friendly demeanor and let down her initial guard.

"Hello!" Ellara called back, her voice warm and welcoming. She rose from her kneeling position, giving the newly transplanted plants one last look before turning her full attention to Syanna. "Thank you! Yes, these are some echinacea and feverfew we recently transplanted. I'm Ellara, a healer from around here. I come here often to tend to the garden and gather herbs."

She padded closer to Syanna, her curiosity piqued by the wolf's presence and purpose in the garden. "It looks like you're here for some harvesting as well," Ellara said, her gaze drifting to the trillium blooms in Syanna's basket. "Are you a healer too? It's always wonderful to meet someone who shares a love for these beautiful and life-saving plants."

Ellara smiled, her eyes bright with interest. "This place is truly a treasure trove, isn't it? Every visit reveals something new and amazing. What brings you here today, if I may ask?"

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

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The other woman's demeanor was as bright and sunny as a warm spring day, and her voice was chipper and filled with delight. She introduced herself as Ellara and explained that the echinacea and feverfew she was tending to had been growths transplanted to the gardens to cultivate. "Well, it looks like you're doing well so far! I'm Syanna. Always nice to meet another healer who makes use of the gardens." Ellara came closer to her then, and where once Syanna would have bristled at a stranger coming closer to her in wild lands, she had healed and grown a lot thanks in no small part to the Hallows and Ezra's efforts.

The other fae dwarfed her in comparison, but her gentle nature showed no signs of threat, so Syanna remained at ease. Taking note of her basket, Ellara correctly sussed out that she was here to harvest the bounty of the gardens as well. "I am! I'm a healer for the Hallows, the pack just down the hill from here," she explained, gesturing broadly back in the direction she had come, to the castle by the sea. "Auster will be going into its winter season soon, so I wanted to gather up as many of these blooms as I could before the rains drown them all. We use quite a lot of them when we tend to our patients." Was Ellara familiar with the Hallows and the services they offered?

Syanna's emerald gaze followed the rosy eyes of Ellara out over the vast gardens with a smile and a slow wag of her tail. "They are indeed! It's a lovely communal garden, and it's where we collect most of our herbs from that we don't grow ourselves. Are you new to Auster, Ellara?" Even with the greenhouse, there were just certain plants that grew better out amongst the gardens. That was probably why she imagined these communal gardens wouldn't remain public space for long.

"Syanna"

As her mate, Ezra may enter her threads not marked as Private.
____________________

Ellara's tail swayed gently as she listened to Syanna, her interest growing with each word. She admired the other healer's dedication and the connection she had to her pack and the gardens. "It's wonderful to meet you, Syanna. Your work sounds incredibly important, especially with winter approaching. The Hallows must be very fortunate to have someone so dedicated."

Ellara's pink eyes glowed with curiosity as she continued, "I've noted the territory of the Hallows, but I've never had the pleasure of visiting your castle, even with as curious as I've been about it. It sounds like a fascinating place to live and work."

She glanced around the garden, taking in the vast array of plants and herbs once again. "I grew up in Auster, down south near Brimstone Lake, but when a pack settled too close, I decided to live more nomadic. Now, I carry everything I need in this wool satchel," she said, gesturing to the bag slung over her shoulders.

"It's interesting how there are packs everywhere now," Ellara mused. "Each one seems to have its own way of living. It's been an incredible journey, learning from the land and the wolves I meet. You are the first I've met from your pack."

Her eyes sparkled with genuine interest as she asked, "What kind of patients do you tend to the most? And what is it like living in a castle by the sea? It's always been a dream of mine to ask a Hallows wolf that."

As she spoke, Ellara moved back to the patch of echinacea and feverfew, her paws deftly working to loosen the soil around the base of the plants. She gently checked the leaves for any signs of pests or disease, her touch delicate but assured. The earthy scent of the garden filled her senses, grounding her in the present moment.

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

Skilled paws moving across the ruins and mossy stones while she perused the many lush bushes and shrubs of overgrowth, Syanna couldn't help a bashful smile when Ellara flattered her with her nonstop compliments. She often forgot that there were just wolves in the world who were genuinely good sometimes, and Ellara seemed to be one of those ones. Curious and kind just for the sake of it with no ill motives or agendas. "Oh, I'd say I'm more fortunate to be a part of a pack that lets me be myself. I'm truly blessed to be a part of their family," she remarked while she stopped to examine some boneset bushes. Finding a few healthy looking blooms and sprigs, the vulpine-like woman began to cut them away and add them to her basket.

While Ellara told a brief synopsis of her life story, Syanna listened while continuing her supply gathering. Dandelion and elderberries were added to her basket next, and rounding some of the taller sections of ruins, she even found fresh marigold growing, its bright yellow blooms standing out ostensibly against the lush greenery all around them. They all joined the others in her basket until Syanna was nearly overflowing with fresh herbs and plants.

"That's how I lived my life for a while too," Syanna said to Ellara, noting the bag she carried with her. "I was run out of my home pack when I was a yearling, and I spent most of my younger years roaming wherever may paws took me. Eventually, I was found by a Hallowed wolf who brought me back to his pack with him, one thing led to another, and now I'm a healer for them!" Ellara asked some followup questions and Syanna gave a wistful sigh as she realized just how much time those answers entailed. Gods, she was getting older...

"I'm a general physician for the Hallows, so I can do all kinds of treatments from your regular checkups to patching up battle wounds and aiding with pregnancies and births. The Hallows prides itself on its top notch medical care it provides to all." Syanna paused, debating between whether to toot her own horn and mention her specialty. "I've been doing a lot of work and research around the illnesses and diseases from the Long Night too. I'm kinda really into pathology and trying to find cures for what many consider the incurable." So far, Syanna had performed at least one miracle cure everyone else thought impossible. "But what about you, Ellara? What kind of medicine do you practice?"

"Syanna"

As her mate, Ezra may enter her threads not marked as Private.
____________________

Ellara's paws continued to move skillfully around the echinacea and feverfew as she listened to Syanna, her heart warming at the other healer's story. The dedication and love Syanna had for her pack were palpable, and it resonated deeply with Ellara. She admired Syanna's achievements and felt a flicker of inspiration ignite within her. Syanna’s accomplishments and her pack’s trust in her were truly something to aspire to.

When Syanna asked about her own practice, Ellara paused for a moment, her pink eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "To be honest, Syanna, I'm more of a gardener than a healer at this point," she admitted with a soft chuckle. "I collect herbs that I know can help with wounds and stop bleeding, mainly because my brother and I tend to get into trouble more often than I'd like to admit. I've learned a lot from the land, but I know there's so much more I could do."

Ellara glanced around the lush garden, her mind wandering to the possibilities of what she could become. The idea of joining a pack like the Hallows, where she could expand her knowledge and truly make a difference, filled her with the feeling of purpose. It was a powerful calling. "Hearing about your work and your pack’s dedication to healing is incredibly inspiring," she said, her voice filled with genuine admiration. "I’ve always wanted to help others in a more meaningful way. Maybe one day, I can learn enough to do what you do."

She smiled at Syanna, feeling a newfound determination take root. "The thought of being able to heal not just myself and my brother, but an entire pack of wolves, is something I’ve always dreamed of. I would love to be able to help others like you do, to bring that kind of care and support to those in need." Ellara's eyes sparkled with genuine interest, she had been thinking for awhile that she would rather not spend her entire life without a pack.. and the life Syanna was describing almost seemed like everything she had envisioned for herself. "Do.. do you think you could show me your pack?"

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

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Syanna couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped from her when Ellara described herself as a gardener more than a healer. Emerald eyes flashed and a little mischievous grin played on the vixen-like wolf's muzzle. "How do you think I got started? It always starts with the plants." She lifted up a sprig of pennyroyal blooms from a nearby thicket as if to demonstrate her point. Her eyes swept over the lush garden that was home to more varieties of plants and herbs than she'd seen anywhere else in the world. "They're our foundation as healers. Without them, we have no medicines, and without any medicines, we can't heal anyone." First rule of being a healer: treat your materials and supplies with the utmost respect. That rule had been hammered into her head since she was a youngling under her mother's tutelage.

While she harvested the pennyroyal to ensure the Hallows had plenty of contraceptives on hand given how many of Artorias' daughters were bringing home boyfriends these days, she listened while Ella admired her dedication to her pack and the good work the Hallows was doing in the world. Maybe it was because she was humble by nature, but Syanna didn't really feel worthy of such high accolade from the wolf she'd just met. "Thank you for your kind words, Ellara. I'm just trying to make the world a little bit better, y'know? I'm sure with that kind of determination, you'll be a world class healer in no time." The more Ellara spoke, the more it sounded like her ideals aligned with the mission of the Hallows. Syanna hadn't come to the Hallows specifically; she'd kind of wound up there by happenstance. But from what she'd learned and lived during her years with the castle-dwelling pack, it sounded like Ellara would fit in nicely.

Then came the question that Syanna had almost been anticipating. Could she show her the Hallows? "I'd be delighted to!" she replied with a bright smile, adding the final few blooms to her almost overflowing basket. She'd collected more than enough plants for one trip and she was ready to head back to begin preserving and extracting them. "Although that'd really be up to Artorias to show you around. He's the alpha of the Hallows. Real good guy, lionhearted and noble." Syanna thought Ellara would like Artorias, but she'd leave that up to the girl to form her own opinions. "Whenever you're done tending to your plant babies, we can go right now if you'd like. It's just a short trip down the hill to the west."

"Syanna"

As her mate, Ezra may enter her threads not marked as Private.
____________________

Ellara's heart quickened with a surge of excitement as Syanna agreed to show her the Hallows. She had always envisioned finding a place where she could grow and learn, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. "Thank you, Syanna. I would love to meet Artorias and see your home," she said, her voice brimming with eager anticipation.

Turning her attention back to the echinacea and feverfew, Ellara ensured each plant was securely nestled in the nurturing embrace of the earth. She gently pressed down around the roots, ensuring they had a strong foundation in their new sanctuary. After a final, meticulous check to confirm everything was in order, she stood up and brushed the soil from her paws. "Alright, I think my plant babies are all set. They should thrive with the blessing of the recent rain," she said, a contented smile gracing her lips.

With a graceful movement, Ellara slung her wool satchel over her shoulder and nodded to Syanna. "I'm ready whenever you are." A sense of hope and boundless possibility welled up within her as they began their descent down the hill to the west. The thought of becoming part of a pack like the Hallows, where she could immerse herself in the wisdom of experienced healers and truly make a difference, filled her with determination. As they walked, Ellara couldn't help but feel that this was the dawn of a new chapter in her life, one imbued with purpose and the promise of growth. The future stretched out before her, as vibrant and full of life as the garden they had just tended.

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

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