since we didn't get to finish the Firefly thread I'm just going to assume that they were both too distraught to exchange names or anything like that :] 300+



Haven had decided to do his patrols on foot today. The imminence of rain was heavy in the air and he didn't want Drogon to get soaked in case the sky did decide to open up. The weather was warming, but it was still quite chilly and he didn't want to risk the stallion catching a cold. He was much more well equip to deal with these temperatures than his companion was. The one problem with this was that it took substantially longer to complete his rounds without being on horseback. Haven had only made it about half way through the territory when the first drops of rain began to fall. Oh great, he thought miserably. Jade eyes scanned for the nearest shelter and found the Chien Hotel was the closest, though still a good distance to rain. He started to walk more briskly towards the large building as the rain continued to fall with more fervor.



By the time Haven made it to the door and got inside he was nearly soaked, water dripping from his long, pulled back mane. He wrung out his ponytail as best he could and then removed his jacket. He also wanted to take off his jeans, but in case anyone else was around he kept them on for modesty's sake. Heading over to the fireplace he hung his jacket from the mantle and found the nearby supplies to start a fire. Ever since coming to live here he had become quite adept at starting fires and within minutes he had a nice blaze going. There were some chairs and other furniture around, but he decided to stay on the floor until his fur dried a little more, not wanting to get anything else wet. Stretching his legs out in front of him he gazed up at the ceiling, hoping that Princess wouldn't worry over his extended absence.

table © Alaine
ooc: better late than never! <3 sorryyyyy

The rain drummed steadily, it's vigor increasing to beat a lulling staccato upon the worn roof of the old Chien Hotel. Within the building's belly was a woman, her hands nimble and skilled as claws deftly skewered various bits of flowers and leaves, neatly dissecting the plants and putting them into neat little piles. The Apothecary hummed a soft, lilting tune to herself, entirely at ease with the poorly weather. The rain smelled sweet and fresh, and even as it grew heavier and more demanding, Alaine merely smiled. Her inverted emerald eyes were avid on their task, her concentration fully centered on the various bits and bobs before her.


With the warming of the weather, many important healing herbs had begun to bloom. The day previous she had ventured out into the nearby woodlands, plucking a variety of flowers, leaves and even some pungent-smelling mushrooms to pack away in her little leather healer's satchel. Now, the soft cream and ivory collie-woman was sorting them out into various healing mixtures. One pile held painkillers, another more suited to healing infections, another still for helping blood to clot and wounds to scab. The methodical sorting soothed her nearly as much as the rain, and for once, the young lady's jittery nerves felt at ease.


That was, of course, until she noticed the presence of another within the hotel. Were it not for the warmth and scent of the fire, Alaine might not have noticed the man's arrival - The rain had silenced his approach, and all but drowned out the sounds of his footpaws on creaking wooden floorboards. Rising from her seated position, the Apothecary hesitantly approached the living room, from which she could now hear the merry crackling of flames.


" Oh!"


One hand fluttered over her heart as she finally saw the young man, reclining on the floor. Her soft sound of surprise came unbidden, those entrancing emerald eyes widening in their frame of thick lashes. The collie-woman's first thought was that he was gravely injured, to be felled so; But alas, on a second inspection, it seemed he was simply staring at the ceiling. Taking a deep inhale to try and calm the racing of her heart, Alaine managed a meek smile, his face plucking familiar threads within her mind... Wait a minute, wasn't he the fellow who had helped her with Lady Firefly?


" Can I help you, sir?"

Speak think walk

now it's my turn to apologize X3 300+



The sounds of the fire were pleasant on his ears, bringing a sense of home even to the seemingly dark and empty hotel. Though of course now he didn't think of anywhere as home but the house that he shared with the Chance girl. Even though it had been a good while since her arrival now he still found himself worried that he would wake up one morning to find that he had only been having an extended and wonderful dream. But each day when he woke he saw her small form next to him on the bed and that sight had yet to fail to bring him unaccountable joy. After Siobhan had left him Haven had thought he would never recover from the chunk the coyote had torn from his heart, but then Princess had come, so unexpected. Now he felt whole again, and knew that she was a much better fit for him than the Cavil female had ever been.



One ear flicked back as he though he heard something behind him, but when silence once again reigned he figured it must have just been a sound of the building and paid it no mind. Jades looked back to the fire just as a voice did cut through the still air. Haven was surprised, and turned rather abruptly, but once he saw the soft figure of the healer in front of him he relaxed instantly. "Oh, hello," he said with a smile. "No, I don't need any help, just needed to escape from the rain." No one liked to spend too much time out in the pouring weather, especially when the temperatures were still less than warm. "I didn't mean to intrude, I wasn't aware anyone lived in here." The Knight hadn't spent much time in or near the hotel, so it really shouldn't have shocked him that some pack members would have taken up residence here.



Standing up, he walked casually over to her. "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Haven Aatte, the pack's Knight and Seneschal." The last time they had been face to face there had been no time for pleasantries.

table © Alaine
ooc: :] <3

The other's surprise at her appearance quickly melted into pleasantries. Alaine was glad to know that their last 'acquaintance' hadn't sullied the young man's views of her - Some figures were often less kindly towards healers once they'd seen them performing the craft. She was unsure as to why, though often put it down to the bluntness that often enveloped her usually polite manner when she was focusing entirely on a patient. Others, of course, just found the use of herbs and broths to be some kind of primeval witchcraft, and therefore disliked her from the get-go.


Regardless, when the young man smiled warmly, she smiled back, and relaxed against the frame of the doorway. The young mother sensed no unpleasant or violent vibes from his character, and thus found herself at ease in his presence, even though they had never formally met.


" Of course you are not intruding, sir! It is my pleasure to cater to those who seek the Chien Hotel... I've only been dwelling here for a few moons, at most."


Her voice was lilting and musical, clearly herald to her exotic nature and her speaking of a different tongue. The language that wolves spoke was familiar to her, but it was not her birth-language, and such shone through in her accent. Emerald eyes watched at the Knight rose, and she straightened from her lean against the door frame to smile pleasantly at his introduction.


" It is a pleasure, Sir Aatte. I am Alaine Winters, the pack Apothecary, as you... Already know."


For a moment, her voice dipped low with a tinge of remorse, those beautiful emerald eyes shadowing at the memories of their last meeting. Allowing the sombre mood to wash through her and filter clean once more, the young collie-woman shrugged it off, and tilted her head to look the Knight in the eye once more. He was nearly a head taller than her, as most were - Her dog heredity made her form petite and elegant compared to the compact muscle and grace of wolves, with an unfortunate affect being that she had to look up at most of them.


" If you will accompany me into the kitchen, I could probably heat up some leftover stew for you, Sir; Else, you might catch cold!"

Speak think walk

okay, so I epicly fail :< you have the right to kick me 300+



While he hadn't ever witnessed something quite so bloody and horrible as what had gone on in the barn that day, he was used to being in the presence of someone skilled in the healing arts. His birth mother had been a healer, and so he had grown up in the presence of such practices and was quite comfortable with them. Haven wouldn't have been able to understand anyone who felt hostility towards someone who had chosen that profession. Without healers, what would people do when they became sick or injured? Many lives had been saved by that line or work, perhaps more so than his own, and he had the utmost respect for those that followed that path. Haven chuckled good-naturedly at her response to him. "Well, I'm glad I'm not intruding, but I'm not looking for anyone to 'cater' to me. I have no wish for others to do work for me." He knew that in the old human times, knights had many servants that catered to their needs, but he had no such desires. He didn't want anyone treating him as thought he was more important than themselves.



He was glad to finally know her name. He really needed to make an effort to get to know those in that pack that he didn't yet. Not only did he need to as a higher member of the pack, but knowing names and faces would drive him to protect each and every one of them more fiercely. Such motivation was good for him. "Please, just call me Haven, there's no need for formalities," he said softly. It was nice to hear himself referred to as a "Sir", but he didn't want to put himself above her. It was true he was in the pack hierarchy, but he saw no need to lord around his position. He wanted people to see him as someone they could trust and come to for help. Haven, too, felt the rush of sorrow that came from thinking about what had happened that day, but thankfully it left both of them quickly. "You're a very skilled one, and we're lucky to have you. My birth mother was a healer, so I've been around it a lot before." Alaine had a gift, there was no arguing that.



Her offer was sweet, and he did have to say that some warm food to fill his belly would be most welcome. "Well, if it isn't too much trouble that would be wonderful. I don't want to be a bother though." The ochre colored hybrid followed the shorter canine into the kitchen of the hotel, his nose picking up on a myriad of interesting scents and flavors.