On soft, respectful paws - Ellara padded lightly through the familiar paths of the God's Garden, the cool autumn breeze rustling the leaves overhead. The season had already shifted, painting the once vibrant greens with shades of amber and crimson. She had always found peace here, among the sacred flora, where the earth seemed to hum with life even as it prepared for the coming winter.

The healer's pink gaze scanned the garden beds, mentally noting which patches needed tending. This time, her focus was on preparing the soil for fall planting. With a gentle sweep of her paw, she began to clear away the remnants of summer's growth, making room for the new. In the soft, fertile earth, she began to make indents for seed with her paws. Today, she would plant garlic - as she knew her friend loved using it in cooking and it could provide medicinal uses. Colder days were ahead, and it's natural antibiotic properties would not be wasted.

Ellara worked with practiced care, her movements fluid and deliberate. Each hole was dug up to her first ankle, and carefully separated a few pawsteps away from each other. Growing up in the wilds, the girl had little knowledge of formal metric measurements but she made due with what she had learned in the seasons she'd endured so far. A natural gardener at heart.

[ 1/3 Planted an herb, flower, or other plant (Garlic) ]

"Ellara"

Jiro found a certain sort of peace within the garden that he didn't find much elsewhere. The Runestones, perhaps... Maybe out in the bay, but here? It was quiet and calm as if he were the only one to exist. Even as birds flitted over his head and rabbits hopped away into their burrows, he continued his long and lazy strides. Content to stop and smell the flowers, he's not particularly surprised to see the chocolate and cream woman for a second time. She had mentioned she preferred the garden, no?

He lifts his head from his current flower and watches for a moment. Was she planting something? Maybe this could be a chance to learn something new. Wandering over with a lazy smile, Jiro lets out a friendly boof as he nears. His tail wags a few times as he looks to her task. "Need some help?" The tall and lanky boy questions as he hovers nearby.

The healer looked up from her work, her pink eyes meeting Jiro's once again with a soft, welcoming smile. The tranquility of the garden was something she cherished, and she was pleased to share it with someone else who appreciated its calm.

"Hello again, Jiro," she greeted him warmly, her tail wagging gently in return. "I could definitely use some help, if you are willing. I am planting garlic for the fall harvest. It's simple, but it's important we get them in the ground long before the first frosts of winter."

She nudged her satchel closer to him, revealing the small, papery bulbs she had carefully collected. Picking a few out with her paw, she placed them gently into a pile in front of one of the rows she had dug out. "Here," she said, leaving the satchel to him, "Just place them in the holes and cover them up with a small mound of soil when you're done! We'll have a good harvest if we do this right."

Ellara's voice was calm, guiding, as she smiled and continued her own work with nimble paws.

[ 2/3 Planted an herb, flower, or other plant (Garlic) ]

"Ellara"

It would come as a surprise to Jiro how elated he would feel having a purpose. Being given a job by the healer made his tail wag a little bit faster. Putting the bulbs in the holes was an easy enough task! "Not sure we will have frost this winter," Jiro comments as he moves toward the pile of garlic bulbs she has placed on the ground for him. "This season has been quite balmy," his stilted accent has been getting better lately. More fluid the more he speaks the common tongue. Would he even remember his native language one day?

Following slowly behind Ellara, Jiro places a garlic bulb in each hole she has already dug. With his nose he scoots dirt over the bulb until a small mound covers it. Enjoying the earthy scent of dirt and pungent scent of the garlic, he is quiet for a few moments. His ears swivel, listening to the world around them as he works. Easy, but important work. It was something he was truly beginning to enjoy.

"I notice you have a pack scent on you. Do you live in the castle?" His silver gaze looks up to the loom brick structure that shades part of the garden. It was the closest pack to the garden's field, but he wasn't going to just assume in case there was another pack nearby he didn't know about.

She carefully nudged the last mound of soil over the garlic bulb in her row, her movements precise and mindful. She listened to Jiro's comment about the weather, nodding thoughtfully. "It has been unusually warm, now that you mention it," she agreed, glancing up to the sky as if to read the season. "But, the earth has its cycles. A frost might surprise us yet!"

As she worked, she found herself appreciating Jiro's quiet presence. His accent and manner of speaking did ad a unique rhythm to the peaceful atmosphere. When he mentioned her pack, she looked up at the towering structure of the castle faint on the horizon, a smile touching her lips.

"Yes, I do," she replied proudly, her voice soft but clear. "I am with The Hallows now. The castle, Hearthstone, is our home. It's... a good place, full of history and stories. What about you, Jiro? I smell a pack on you, as well. Where do you call home?" She met his gaze with genuine curiosity.

[ 3/3 Planted an herb, flower, or other plant (Garlic) ]

"Ellara"

He is meticulous and slow with his movements, ensuring that each bulb received an equal and appropriate amount of dirt covering. Whenever he gardened, or crafted, it was when he was most in his element. Other things, like meetings and lessons, those were met with flippant and lackadaisical nature. A true only interested if it interests me type of guy. Perhaps he took after his father more than he cared to admit.

With his row finally completed, he lifts his dirt-coated nose to glance at Hearthstone for a moment. A formidable fortress that demanded attention. He admired it, but not nearly as much as he admired the bamboo. His ear turns to listen to Ellara as she describes Hearthstone. "It sounds lovely," the boy comments as his gaze turns back to meet hers. "It is called Tojo-Kai. Located in the deep south of Auster among the bamboo forest," Jiro is hesitant to give her any more information than that. It had been pressed upon them that their secrets were to be kept within the bamboo. Only say what was necessary.

"Are there many healers among The Hallows?" He inquires next, pushing the topic off of him and back onto Ellara.

Returning to the inner sanctum of the garden, Asahi held a freshly killed rabbit she had caught on the outskirts. It swung from her jaw as she quickly and silently padded back to the place she had left Jiro earlier that day.

She returned and looked around to see her brother speaking to the newcomer Ellara and doing some gardening. She considered burying the meal and trotted up to Jiro's side, the smell of garlic strong and obvious. Her gaze was curious and her tail wagging in excitement. Looks like they had just finished up. What would they do next? She wondered if they needed any herbs to promote the growth of the garlic they just planted. What sort of herbs would help that?

She waved the fresh kill at Jiro and Ellara for them to have it. She had already enjoyed her own kill while she was out.

Speech // thought // Japanese

Her ears perked up at the mention of Toko-Kai, intrigued by the mystery that seemed to surround Jiro's homeland. She nodded in appreciation of the name, a subtle respect for his choice to withhold any more information on it. "Living among the bamboo sounds lovely," she mused softly.

"I have not met everyone, but I know of one other healer for certain. I met her here, actually!" Her attention shifted as Asahi approached, the scent of a fresh rabbit mingling with the pungent aroma of garlic. Ellara smiled warmly at the sight of the offering, dipping her head in gratitude. It'd been awhile since she'd indulged in uncooked meat, but she was no stranger to it; she had grown up in the wilds. "Thank you, Asahi," she said, taking off some of the meat of the rabbit's tender hind. It was a perfect snack to keep her going as they continued their work in the garden.

Ellara then turned her focus to the task at hand. "We've done well with the garlic, but to give them the best chance to thrive, we need to gather some fertilizer. Look for nettle, comfrey, and yarrow - these plants are rich in nutrients that will help the garlic grow strong. Nettle and comfrey have deep roots that pull up minerals from the soil, and yarrow is great for improving the soil's structure. If we split up, we might find them faster, we could each focus on finding one; they should be nearby. I will collect the nettle! It can be a little hard to identify. Once we gather them, we will mix them together and lay them over the garlic mounds."

With that, Ellara began to search the garden, her gaze scanning the undergrowth as she trusted Jiro and Asahi to join the hunt.

[ 1/3 Collected an herb (Nettle) ]

"Ellara"

As Ellara mentioned the other healer she had met, the soft padding of Asahi's steps approaching catch his attention. Turning his head to glance at his small sister with the rabbit hanging from her jaw, he smiles at her. "Nice catch," he comments with a wag of his tail before turning his attention back to Ellara.

Listening to her instructions to go find different plants to utilize for fertilize, he keeps an ear on her as his eyes move away once more. Nettle, comfrey, and yarrow. Those should be easy enough to find. With a nod, he looks to Asahi and then lastly back at Ellara. "I'll go look for the comfrey and I'm sure Asahi won't have a problem finding some yarrow," he nudges his sister with a paw before turning to start looking about the garden. From what he could remember, comfrey was a shorter green plant that bloomed with purple flowers and smelled bittersweet.

The little golden girl wagged her tail happily at being complimented and listened in on the instructions. Fertilizer for the garlic! Good plan. Asahi could actually spot each plant as they were mentioned with a glance of her golden eyes. Nettle was over there, the Comfrey was over there and the Yarrow... She nodded, yes she wouldn't have a problem finding it. It was one of the easiest herbs to identify.

As they parted for their jobs Asahi hopped over a large tuft of grass and looked around. She'll find it before the others find theirs. It would be in full bloom now if not just past its blooming prime in these fall temperatures. The feathery texture of the leaves and the white or pink flowering top would be a beacon against the backdrop of other plants.

Speech // thought // Japanese

Ellara glanced back to watch as Jiro and Asahi set off on the respective tasks, a soft smile of approval on her face. They were eager and quick learners, and she appreciated their help in tending to the garden.

Turning her attention back to her own task, Ellara moved toward the patch of nettles she had spotted earlier. The plants were tall and slightly intimidating, their serrated leaves ready to sting any unsuspecting creature that brushed against them. Ellara was careful, using her teeth to delicately nip the stems just below the leaves, avoiding the stinging hairs as she harvested.

She placed the nettles gently into a small pile, "Nettle is full of nitrogen," she murmured to herself, pleased with the find. "It will enrich the soil and give the garlic a good start!" She said aloud to them, moving methodically through the garden.

[ 2/3 Collected an herb (Nettle) ]

"Ellara"

It wouldn't take long for Jiro to find the plant he was in search of. With long strides, he covers the couple of feet toward the towering plant that begins to stretch outward as late blooming petals curl outward. The leaves are large and bright green, but also dangerous if he remembered correctly. Just like the nettle, if he were sensitive to its sap, it could give him a rash. Looking over the plant for a moment, he studies it to see the best place to extract the leaves.

Ah, yes! Lifting his paw, he reaches toward the stalk of the plant and places it at the base of the leaves. Pushing it down until the leaves are flattened and closer to the ground, he is able to reach forward and carefully snip a few off with his teeth without touching the leaves themselves. One of his ears turns backward toward Ellara as she calls out to him. He lifts his head with a nod. "The comfrey has plenty of nitrogen too!" Jiro calls back to her with a smile before turning to finish his gathering.

Asahi was actually having less luck than the others finding the yarrow. What was usually so easy to find and abundant wherever you went, it was strangely underabundant here in the lush garden full of herbs and weeds and overgrowth.

Ahah! There! A single stalk of yarrow stood against the backdrop of some lady's lace, clover, and plantain. She didn't immediately pick it, instead, she looked around it to see why this was the only one there. As she observed the turned soil, bent feathered leaves, and closely snipped stalks she figured out that someone had already been here and perhaps gotten a little greedy, leaving just one single yarrow stalk in this stand. Hmmm no good, extremely disrespectful of the land and its bounty. She'll leave this one and try to find another stand of yarrow.

She found another smattering of snipped yarrow stalks and a paltry amount of feathery leaves scattered over the ground. She carefully picked up the already discarded leaves, for fertilizer, it would be fine, but for consumable medicine, this was a tragedy. She hoped the plants would make it through the winter and sprout back up.

Speech // thought // Japanese

She continued to carefully harvest the nettles, her thoughts calm and focused on the task. She glanced over at Jiro when he called out, a smile touching her lips at his enthusiasm. "Yes! Together they will ensure a strong crop with all this nourishment," she called back, her voice warm with encouragement.

As she finished gathering the pile of nettles, Ellara noticed Asahi moving through the garden with a more cautious demeanor. Curiosity piqued, she padded over to where the younger wolf was carefully picking up discarded yarrow leaves. Her pink eyes softened as she saw the few, mattered remains of the yarrow plants.

"It looks as though someone else has been here recently," Ellara observed, her tone gentle but concerned. "I'm not surprised... yarrow is such a valuable herb. Thank you for being mindful, Asahi," she noted how the girl had left one last stalk.

Ellara gathered the nettles she had harvested with her mind already turning into the next step in their preparation. With practiced movements, she carried the bundle to a large, flat stone that would serve well as her makeshift workbench. The surface was worn yet smooth from years of use by those that frequented the garden, a perfect place for her task.

Carefully, she separated the roots from the rest of the plant, knowing that the roots held the most concentrated nutrients. Placing them on the stone, she began to grind them down with a smaller, rounded rock, using gentle but firm pressure. The grinding motion was rhythmic, almost meditative, as the roots slowly began to break down.

As she worked, she looked up to the pair of siblings. "Feel free to find a rock and grind down what you've found, there's plenty of room here for the three of us to work!"

[ 3/3 Collected an herb (Nettle) ]
[ 1/3 Mixed a concoction of herbs ]

"Ellara"

Ignoring the gentle itch of the leaves as he finishes gathering just enough, Jiro lifts his head to glance around. He notices Ellara hovering near Asahi and he worries for a moment until he sees that they are inspecting a recently harvested yarrow plant. Poor plant, he thinks to himself as he moves away from the comfrey stalk and back over to the rows of garlic they had planted.

At first, he watches Ellara for a moment as she places the nettle upon a smooth stone. He notices how she works and then looks up to speak to them. Jiro is used to the variety of tools available within Tojo-Kai so this would be his first time he would have to find something out in the wild. Thankfully there would be a few flat stones nearby that appeared to have once been a short wall around the outskirts of the garden.

Placing his bundle down, he double checks that Asahi is doing okay before finding a rock to use for the smashing part. "Asahi, let me know if you need help," Jiro speaks to his sister in Nihongo before realizing that Ellara wouldn't understand them. His ears perk up, slightly embarrassed as he pauses in his search for a rock. "Oh, er, I was just letting her know to let me know if she needs help," he called out to Ellara with a wag of his tail before picking up a rock and taking it over to his spot. Once he's comfortable in the soft grass and dirt, he takes the rock between his paws and begins to methodically and meticulously smash the leaves.

She noticed Ellara's approach and very subtly leaned away with a wary glance as she came closer. She didn't have to worry though as the other woman remarked on her findings and complimented her mindfulness! Asahi relaxed and smiled with a tail wag at the woman's notes. Maybe it was a little infantilizing but Asahi was rather used to it at this point and didn't mind at all.

She dug down and brushed off a few more discarded leaves of yarrow before following the others back to the center. Picking up the odd yarrow leaf she found on the way. Whoever had come here before for the yarrow certainly didn't mind it blowing about and losing some of the precious ingredients.

She watched Elarra set up and took note of what she was doing. A paste! She was using the flat rock like a mortar and the other rock like a pestle! She placed her dirty yarrow on the rock, good thing they weren't making medicine, just fertilizer, and looked around for a new smaller rock. As her brother checked in on her, she smiled and nodded at him. Such a sweet brother.

"I will" She replied in her barely audible voice, in the same tongue and a nod. She watched him call back to Elarra to translate and then pick up a good rock to use as the pestle. Asahi decided to find a similar shape. She quickly found out she would need a slightly smaller rock than the one Jiro pointed out. There were plenty around them to choose from at least. She returned to the large communal mortar rock with one of her own and joined in on the smashing of the leaves.

Speech // thought // Japanese

Ellara continued to grind the nettle roots into a find paste, her motions smooth and practiced. The rhythmic sound of stone against stone filled the garden, accompanied by the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the occasional soft comment exchanged between them. Ellara found a certain peace in this moment, where the work was purposeful, and the company was comforting.

As she glanced over at the siblings, she smiled at their teamwork. Jiro was methodical in his approach, his focus evident in the way he ground down the comfrey leaves. Asahi, though quieter, was diligent, carefully working her yarrow into a usable form. The scene reminded Ellara of the importance of community, and how even the simplest of tasks could bring wolves together.

Once the roots were adequately ground, Ellara stepped back from the stone to examine the paste. Satsified, she looked around the garden for something that they could use to mix the different components together. Her eyes landed on a shallow, smooth basin-like stone half buried in the earth, likely used by those who had tended the garden before them. Perfect.

"We can use this basin to mix everything together," Ellara suggested, nudging the stone to reveal more of its surface. "It's large enough for us to combine the nettle, comfrey, and yarrow. Once we have it all mixed we can spread it over the garlic mounds to enrich the soil." She began to carefully scoop the nettle paste into the basin, gesturing for Jiro and Asahi to do the same with their respective plants.

[ 2/3 Mixed a concoction of herbs ]

"Ellara"

Jiro is not a stranger to work. Since they were young, his father had instilled in them that if you worked hard every day, you would be gifted good things in the future. Not necessarily karma, but something similar. Basically, a philosophical way of saying don't be lazy, it is not the Hattori way. He is often reminded of these teachings throughout his days as he travels and experience the world. Not that he wants to be like his father, the man is far too disgruntled for his taste, but at least he tried to teach them right from wrong and all the things it meant to being good.

He's lost in thought, grinding the leaves into a smooth paste when Ellara's voice pulls him to reality. Looking up, feeling a strain in his neck, he stretches it quickly as she speaks. As his eyes move to the stone basin she reveals from beneath a fine layer of dirt, he nods in agreement. Checking on his smashed leaf paste, it should be good enough to place into the basin. Once Ellara has added her nettle paste, Jiro gently scoops his paste and adds it to the basin as well so that she can mix it together.

Asahi grinds... in a slightly less methodical way than the others, diligent yes, gracefully?? No. Her movements are a little ramrod and jerky in her crushing of the yarrow. She would pause every few moments to focus on trying to mimic the others in their grinding and she'd do okay for another moment before there was an unwelcome clacking sound as she smashed the rocks together, missing the herbs. Her coordination had always left something to be desired, her siblings typically leading the way in growth and Hattori elegance. She was grateful when it was done, she liked the mortar and pestle at home more.

She perked her ears up as they discussed putting the herbs in the basin. She quickly scooped up the paste and dropped it into the mixture. Then went back and scooped up some more, making a face when some green paste clung to her white fur. Plopping it all in the basin she looked around for a puddle to clean herself in. The maze was full of freshwater streams. She found one nearby and dipped her messy toes into the trickling creek. She hated the feeling of the paste on her pads. Once clean she'd bound back to Jir and Ellara, flinging her paws about to rid them of the water.

Speech // thought // Nihongo

Ellara watched with quiet amusement as Asahi worked through the task, her enthusiasm quite clear despite the occasional misstep. There was a charm in the younger wolf's determination, a reminder that not everything had to be perfect to be valuable. Jiro, on the other hand, was more deliberate, his actions mirroring the teachings of discipline and diligence. Both approaches had their place in the process, and Ellara appreciated the contrast between the siblings.

With the pastes now added to the basin, Ellara began the process of mixing them together. Using her paw, she gently folded the different plant materials into one another, ensuring that the nutrients from each were evenly distributed. The mixture became a thick, earthy blend, the combined scents of nettle, comfrey, and yarrow rising into the air, a fragrant promise of the strong harvest of garlic that was to come.

As she worked, Ellara glanced up at Asahi, who was playfully shaking the water from her paws after cleaning off the paste. A light giggle escaped Ellara, her pink eyes warm. "Good work, both of you," she said, nodding to them both. "This fertilizer is going to be just what the garlic needs to thrive."

She finished mixing the paste and stepped back, allowing the others to see the results of their combined efforts. "There is plenty here to use on the garlic mounds we just planted, and also for you to take back to your home if you like." With that, she carefully began applying the mixture over the planted rows.

[ 3/3 Mixed a concoction of herbs ]

"Speech" - Thoughts

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