Where the wild roses grow
#1
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OOC WC 593


Winter and spring jostled for position in Nova Scotia. The temperatures had already raised significantly and the last remnants of the soft, powdery snow had melted into muddy puddles, but night still threatened a fierce chill that occasionally would cling desperately to several of the early hours of the day. Inevitably, Spring would win, but this battle between the seasons kept the days interesting while it lasted.



Orin had watched the morning throughout sunrise and its infant hours from the main room of the Chien Hotel, nestled warmly into a chair by a small woodfire with a modest blanket over her lap. She had been reading, but only casually this morning, for she had been enjoying the peacefulness of the dawn and had not wanted to disturb it with any light save for the little blaze that crackled beneath the hearth.



As the small creatures outside began to stir and chatter as they began their morning, Orin found her attention wandering away from her book. She gazed out the window thoughtfully, peering across the yard and to the cluster of bare trees that grew outside the gates.



A quick glance towards the fire and she realized it had burned itself down to small, smoldering coals, it would be out soon. She stood and draped the blanket over the chair and set her book on the table, and meandered out onto the front stoop. There was still a biting chill in the air, but it was still much warmer than it had been when she arrived in the Northern lands, and the cold was no match for her thick coat. Her eyes closed as she inhaled deeply, tasting the sweet morning dew and letting it invigorate her body. It was enough to wake her up.



She happily bounded off the front step, her paws landing gracefully on the damp ground. The pathway to the gates was littered with puddles, some farther out in the yard even worthy of being called a small pond. “Goodbye, little snow,” she said softly with a wave of her hand. She had meant to mostly amuse herself, but suddenly felt a pang of loss. This had been the first time she had ever seen the snow, and it was so marvelous with the way the ice crystals glistened in the bed it made on the ground. It had been a cause for celebration between her and her brother, and it marked her first impression of the lands of Cour des Miracles. . . and now it was gone. A little somber, she sighed softly and yearned for the return of winter.



Saying her farewells to the snow, she slipped out the gate that confined the Chien Hotel and turned her eyes upwards, inspecting the trees as she trailed along the wall. Some of the resilient and healthier ones were already beginning to sprout leaves, but she still only had a vague idea of what this place would look like in full bloom. That was when a cluster of thorny, vine-like stalks caught her eye. They grew against the gate wall, and were bare and stick-like at the moment. She bent down and inspected the stems, and mused at how like a rose stem these stalks looked. She once read a story in which a magical rose portended the amount of time the hero had left to break his curse. If the rose wilted completely, he would have been doomed for eternity. She cocked her head to the side as she wondered if the magical flowers would grow here, too.




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#2
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table © Alli
ooc: thanks for starting! sorry for mammoth post :x<3


Morning came soft and sweet to the lulled land below, and sweet bird tunes were herald to dawn as it spread probing fingers of gold across the cool blue sky. As usual, the Chien Hotel resisted the warm light, preferring instead shadows in which to steep it's rotting wooden boards and crumbling stone braces. But the grumpy old building had no choice but to relent, albeit reluctantly, to the round golden eye of the sun.


From within her tangle of warm sheets, the slender Fae stirred. She had always been an early riser, more so than most; this time, when night still clung like traces of charcoal to the blushing heavens, was when her soul felt most peaceful. But this morn' even Alaine, the newly appointed Cour des Miracles Apothecary, had trouble with the insistent presence of day. Her lashes fluttered resistantly as the young collie-woman rose to a sit, swinging her dainty footpaws to the ground. Perched thus aside the bed, Alaine rubbed at her brilliant emerald eyes blearily, before rising in silence. As usual, she followed a morning ritual of collecting the leather satchel that hung always close at hand, slinging it over one shoulder till it bumped pleasantly at her hip. Next, she peered in on her son and somewhat adopted daughter, and satisfied that the two would remain asleep for some time yet, the healer continued down to the first floor of the creaking old building.


Immediately, a strange scent alerted her to the presence of another. Time had scabbed the raw wounds of her past and made the young woman complacent, and so she felt none of the fear that would have struck her frozen at the thought of a stranger in her den - Many experiences had told her that other pack members were want to wander in through the rusted iron gate as it pleased them. What troubled her, rather, was that she had not seen to the stranger the night before, as she usually did - Alaine had become somewhat of the inn-keeper for the weathered hotel, and prided herself in offering those who came to stay as much comfort as she could.


Padding softly down the hall, she peered in first to the room that held the most scent. It was the main chamber, and the hearth still glowed with pulsing embers that would have been aflame the night prior. A small frown dimpled her pretty features as the young woman took note of the chair, the book, the blanket. Surely, someone had not slept in there when they could just as easily have claimed one of the many rooms upstairs? Shrugging, though no one was nearby to see her, Alaine continued on her way. It seemed as if the stranger had come and gone, in any case, leaving naught but the sweet feminine scent of the holder behind.


Alaine's next stop was the hook beside the entrance, where-upon hung a long red cloak. Her collie was not as long, nor as thick, as those of the native wolves, and as such winter had been brutally cold. She had relied upon adorning her own cream and ivory fur with makeshift clothing, though the red cloak was certainly her favorite. Though the air was less brittle this morning, she donned it anyway, tying the red sash neatly at her throat so that the thick copper material settled over her slender shoulders. She did not bother to pull up the hood, preferring instead the sweet rush of awareness that struck her as she stepped outside and into the cooler climate.


This morning was one of many she had dedicated to her craft - As a healer, she required many different herbs, flowers and other foliage to make into poultices and supplements and all sorts of things. Winter had been hard on her stocks, and as such, the Apothecary was in dire need of many new supplies from the slowly growing forest. Neatly avoiding the pools of melted frost and cautiously hopping over slick traces of ice, the young lady swung out the gate and closed it behind her with a click. Her footpaws were near silent on the path as she headed down towards the tree-line, but peripherals caught sight of a figure nearby, and she paused. The stranger was clearly female, and brought with her that sweet scent from the Hotel. Fixing a pleasant smile on her maw, Alaine moved up behind her, following the other's gaze undetected to the scattered brush beyond.


" Rosa Gallica."


Because her voice had broken the silence, she took a step back, and smiled gingerly, perhaps expecting the other to rouse on her for sneaking up like that.


" It's a French rose. The petals are perfect for making scented broth."

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#3
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OOC No worries, your writing is beautiful! Mammoth post all you want. Wink

WotD: hugger-mugger, adjective - Secret.

WC 539


The sound of the squeaking hinges rang in her ears as Alaine slipped through the gate herself, but the silence that followed the clack of the fastening gate led Orin to believe that whomever had come by had ambled off to do their daily business, and she was much too intrigued by the hugger-mugger story of just whatever may grow here to inspect who had gone by. But before she could speculate more, it seemed the very trees answered her unuttered query. White ears perked in surprise and swiveled towards the voice, standing as her small body followed suit. She turned to look at Alaine, her face a pall of surprise and delight. Well, it seems she was wrong, indeed, about the stranger wandering off. For here she was, imparting a bit of sage wisdom on little Orin; it amused her tremendously.


The thought of reacting poorly to Alaine had not even crossed her mind. Although she had been startled, she had not been doing anything particularly private nor required solitude, so when her eyes took in the woman’s crimson-clad form and cream-toned features, she smiled her familiar, welcoming smile. Her shock ebbed quickly as Alaine’s delicate voice related the snippet of detail about the plant she had just been admiring.


“Rosa Gallica,” she repeated in a hushed whisper, more mouthing the words than anything. She wanted to commit it to memory but hoped Alaine did not think she was mocking her. Always curious, her mind was brimming with questions both of the flower, and of Alaine herself.


Orin had not seen nor met this woman before, but a covert once-over told her that there was something likable about her. Unable to espy many of the woman’s features beneath her cloak, she surmised from Alaine’s pretty visage and tired eyes that she was still youthful, but had already been through the experience of a lifetime. The storyteller within her wanted to know her tale, but Orin had learned long ago that these things only come with time.


“Thank you,” she trilled pleasantly, glancing back to the tangle of rose stalks. “I don’t have a lot of experience with flowers, I was wondering if they grew like this flower in a book I read. . .” She raised an eyebrow and braved the question she had really been pondering. “Does it have magical properties?”


‘Magical,’ in Orin’s mind, sounded far less absurd that it probably did to everyone else. Most of what she knew about the world had been constructed around books and novels, and she often had difficulty identifying fictional tales from true accounts. Still, even if the flowers had healing properties, she may even consider that magical. “Broth for what?” Aye, she was full of questions, and tried to pick and choose the right ones without overwhelming Alaine on their first meeting. ‘Broth,’ just like ‘magic’ to the girl, could have a miasma of applications as well!


Somewhere in it all, she finally remembered her manners. She jumped a little in surprise as she realized she hadn’t bothered to even introduce herself to the woman before she started in with her constant search for education. “I’m Orin, by the way,” she offered her hand. “Pleased to meet you!”




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#4
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table © Alli
ooc: 8D <3


The young woman graced her with visage at once, and Alaine was startled by the intense curiosity that beveled those pretty honey eyes. The Shea was clearly of wolf blood, but she had a slender and petite frame, much alike Alaine herself. The Collie-woman was used to peering up at the wolves who seemed to dominate her life, but here was one of such size as herself, and the feeling of relief was uncanny. Entrancing emerald eyes scanned the ivory-pelted Fae for any signs of anger at her disruption, but she showed none, merely mouthing the name Alaine had spoken in some sort of wonder. The Apothecary blinked, taken aback by the other lady's seeming determination at absorbing the knowledge she offered. It was intriguing, but in a pleasant way, and Alaine felt herself drawn further forward.


To other spoke swiftly, but her voice was pleasantly smooth. The healer's floppy mocha ears perked to the sound, surprised further as the other turned back to study the brittle, slumbering plant once more. Slender brows rose as the she-wolf continued to speak, her manner forthwith, but not bluntly so. To the sudden question, Alaine felt a smile breach her shocked maw, and a soft hum of laughter tickle her throat.


" Magic?" She paused, not wanting to chuckle for fear of insulting her new-found companion, " I daren't think so, ma'am... Though some preach of it's otherworldly beauty when in bloom, and I ought not to doubt for lack of evidence."


That smile came unbidden to her maw once more, emerald eyes sparkling with amusement. Her voice was heavily accented, the words twirling like music against one another in the sentences she formed. Wolf-tongue was her second language, but she spoke it flawlessly.


A further question came, and she replied casually, beginning to thoroughly enjoy this peculiar inquisition. " For anything, truly. When mixed with mistletoe and midnight creepers, it can make a strong tonic for easing stomach pains. When added to sliced silver-beet and bluebell root, it is very effective at dulling headaches... Or, if you've honey, it can make a pleasant, throat-soothing drink."


Not wanting to babble further, she waited for the young woman to lighten up with realization of her queries. She inwardly flinched as one hand was thrown out towards her, but when the clawed fingers were held listless, the collie-woman realized that social regulations meant for a hand-shake. She took it, gingerly, though the other Fae seemed to have much enthusiasm. Wolves had such strange greeting constructs!


" The pleasure is mine, Miss Orin. I am Alaine Winters, the Cour des Miracles Apothecary. Can I help you at'all?"

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#5
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WC 417


Amber tinted eyes rounded as Alaine talked, and the little white wolf found herself instantly enamored with the woman. She wove together such incredible words, pleasant words like ‘midnight creepers’ and ‘silver-beet’ and things that sounded like they were right out of a fairytale. To top it off, it was accented with a perfectly smooth cadence and without a doubt on her mind. Orin was suddenly in awe of the Court’s resident apothecary; a sensation that was only heightened when Alaine mentioned her rank and duty to the pack.


Yet when Alaine denied the magical potency of the Rosa Gallica, she could not sustain her disappointment as her ears tipped back and her face filled with a funny sort of distress. She quickly consoled herself, quietly thinking about Alaine’s promise of the flower’s beauty and the things it could do. “Well, I can’t wait to see it in bloom, then! Its versatility makes it sound like it’s perfect for your profession.”


Suddenly she turned her eyes back to Alaine and a look of sneaking suspicion crossed her face. It was almost mischievous, if it had not been padded by her youthful grin. “Wait a second. . . an apothecary. . ? Isn’t that who people go to to get poisons?” When Alaine first stated her skill, Orin’s mind connected it with healing, but upon second thought she remembered a plethora of stories in which an important character, a distressed vixen, or a dastardly villain, obtained fatal toxins from the apothecary in order to execute their misdeed, or cunning trickery.


Still, despite the portrayal of the apothecary in so many stories (and namely plays), the position itself had rarely been described as wrongdoing; it was merely the other characters who misused the apothecary’s talents.


Somehow she found it hard to believe that the prepossessing woman beside her was wicked, and the thread of her thought reflected in her eyes as well as actions when she did not reel away from her packmate in horror. She put a hand to her chin, seriously considering Alaine’s offer, but unable to come up with any needs at the moment. “Hmm. . . there’s nothing I can think of, unless you can whip up something to make my brother whine less.” She winked playfully, a whimsical expression coming over her features as she considered more thoroughly what Alaine does. “Your profession is so intriguing though! Do you maintain these flowers, then?” It was obvious she was biting back a further, exhilarated interrogation.




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#6
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table © Alli
ooc: SO SORRY FOR LATENESS. it has been a crazy few weeks!
plus, because of my absence, Alaine has been demoted - that's why i'm ignoring the stuff about her being the apothecary :x <3


Her words seemed, momentarily, to dismay the other lady; confused with all this talk of magic and dismay at it lacking such (for in her mind, magic was a potentially dark thing, not to be desired by those who could not wield it) she maintained a slightly frozen smile, one slender brow arched with incredulous intrigue at the other's chatter. It was not that she disliked such strange acquaintance - quite the opposite! For Alaine was just as enamored with the ivory-pelted beauty as she seemed to be the healer, but her meekness prevented such friendly outbursts as the other showed.


At her offer of assistance, the lady delved deep into thought, her entire countenance stolen with one thoughtful paw at her chin. The entire gesture seemed so hilariously extravagant that the smile on young collie-woman's maw stretched further, her inverted emerald eyes glittering with bright sparks of amusement. What a character! What an enigma this Orin was!


When she finally replied, the exotic healer loosed a sudden stream of giggles, staunched quickly with one ivory paw across her maw. Stifling the chuckles momentarily, they were only to be set off once more by Orin's conspiring wink, and it took a moment longer for Alaine to pull back her composure. She was so unused to such amiability, that the other woman's friendship was immediately taken up, that scarce glaze of caution and fear in her eyes quickly overcome with cordial joy.


" Unfortunately, I've yet to find the cure for such impotence. I'll let you know the instance that I do."

She managed to utter as seriously as possible, before being distracted by the other's question.


Emerald eyes softened as they looked back over the tangles vines, so callously dead from winter's bite. One ivory finger trailed over them gently as the healer quietly considered her answer.


" No, I can't say that I have... My son and I, we arrived in this pack before the cold winds came. By the time I knew of their presence, icy breath had stolen from them what I would have gathered," She paused, considering the dead brush with a thoughtful expression, before shrugging lightly, "But when again they live, I'll be sure to aid their growth best I can. No sense in letting them go to waste!"


She smiled at the other once more, settling the deep copper coat more firmly about her exposed body. The early morn chill still invaded her fur, reminding the young healer of why she had come. But Alaine was loathe to leave so soon. Even though there were many a plant awaiting her pouch within the nearby forest, she shuffled reluctantly, having finally found someone with whom to speak so freely. Suddenly, an idea struck her slender mind, and the healer brightened instantaneously.


" Say, could you to accompany me this morn'? That is, if you've nothing else requiring your presence. I could... I could show you more plants that heal?" The creamy beauty offered excitably, her emerald eyes gazing across at the other pleadingly.

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#7
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ooc... No worries, I understand things pop up. Hopefully we’ll get back on track and maybe get her that rank back. =)

WC 429

The girl giggled freely as Alain burst into laughter at the joke about brothers. Though she wondered to herself if she had only been half joking. “Certainly, then, do keep me up to date,” she managed to reply through musical giggles, and then began to calm herself, and as her laughter abated she too felt a warm tendril of kinship with this other woman. She hadn’t met many of the members of Cour des Miracles yet, and was proud that this fact was changing, and that she had already found someone she seemed to instantly take to. (Though, finding someone Orin didn’t like right away was like finding the needle in the haystack.)


Her caramel eyes widened in excitement when the woman invited her to come along with her, and her heart tripped. She couldn’t contain the ear-to-ear smile that forced itself across her ivory muzzle. “Oh, really? That would be terrific, I’d love to come with you. I didn’t have anything else to do with myself today except the usual, ruin my posture and eyesight over books.”


Suddenly she wished she’d carried her journal with her today. Ever since Niro gave her the new, clean, fresh diary for their birthday, she had been leaving it behind more often and coming to write in it in the evenings, instead of writing in it while she was out. Her old journal had seen so much time, weather, and abuse that it was going to be a tricky business to copy over the logs onto new, fresher pages so they would be more concrete. Bah, it’ll be fine, she thought. I’ll just log everything as soon as we’re done!


“I would love to learn more about the plants around here, and with all the trouble Niro gets into, it’ll do him some good if I can recommend him a tea or a cure, though, if he gets into anything really messy I’ll just come running to you.” She grinned and winked. Of course, by ‘all the trouble Niro gets into,’ she was referring to the wild adventures the continually forced him on, the piggy-back rides he was required to give her on her silly days (which was every day), and the many, many excursions for books and other bric-a-brac she decided she wanted.

Unsure of just where Alaine planned to go, she let the woman lead by a step and followed at her side. “So, you mentioned you have a son. How old is he? And so then you two haven’t been in the pack for too long, just before winter?”




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#8
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table © Alli
ooc: gosh, i hope so. i did enjoy her being the apothecary, however short-lived it was xD you are a beautiful writer, btw!


For a moment, Alaine held her breath, watching as the other lady broke out into a brought smile. When she accepted the healer's offer, the creamy collie-woman practically bounced with excitement, her emerald eyes round and merry as they reflected the other lady's soft caramel. At the latter of her words, though, the young miss cocked her head inquisitively to one side.


" Books?"


The word felt strange to her maw, and so she rolled it off the tongue experimentally. Books. Perhaps they were just another one of the strange human-things that the wolves in this area had picked up? As the Fae fell into step with her, Alaine tilted one floppy ear in her direction to listen to the smooth swell of Orin's voice, already thoroughly enjoying her company. Sometimes, it was just so pleasant to hear another's voice! She would often go for days, wandering the forest and gathering herbs and caring for her son back at the hotel, without seeing any other intelligent life. At the mention of Caillen, Alaine's attention was stolen back to the ivory beauty beside her, and a small, dimpling grin curved about her maw.


" His name is Caillen, miss. He's about 7 months old now, big enough to be a real pain, but still small enough for me to send to bed!" Her eyes shone with pleasure at the thought of her pup. It might have seemed strange to Orin, for the two girls were about the same age themselves, that her company was already a mother of a teenage boy; perhaps, one day, Alaine would share that story with her. But for now, the collie-woman was content to forget the troubles of her past, and focus on the pleasant present. " We arrived about 3 moons ago. It was just getting cold, and I was having trouble hunting for Cai... He ate so much, you see! An endless appetite, just like the most of you wolves," She elbowed the other here, just to make sure no offense was taken, " ... and one of the men caught me trying to steal a cow. They confined me to the Chien Hotel as a thief, but when I told them of my healing abilities, I was allowed to stay as a member."


During the space of her delicate speech, the pair had breached the line of pine trees, and were now surrounded by the sickly-sweet smells of rotting wood, and the gentle, pleasant fragrance of fresh greenery. The forest was alive with bird-calls, the air lilting with their music. Just as Alaine was about to continue her story, the path veered askew, revealing a smattering of pretty little white flowers. They looked entirely out of place at the edge of a forest, but a stone circle had been placed around them in a specific manner.


" Ah! Feverfew."


Distracted by the appearance of the flowers, the young healer bent down to inspect them carefully, her eyes narrowed with concentration.


" The humans used to plant them in 'gardens'. They soothe headaches, lower fevers... Very useful."

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#9
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ooc... Aw thank you so much! I was thinking the same of you, I'm learning from your style. ^.^

WC 754

The girl balked at the way the word ‘books’ seemed to strike her companion and roll so unfamiliarly off her tongue. She kept pace with Alaine but her eyes widened and her maw parted in slight amazement as she cocked her head sideways, brooding. Had she just imagined that? Was Alaine’s inflection just a mistake? Or was she really unfamiliar with books?! This could not be! Without trying to embarrass Alaine, she leaped at the opportunity to elaborate, arms and hands motioning passionately as they walked to illustrate her meaning. “Yeah, books! You know, where we can chronicle stories, histories, information. . . like information on plants and herbs! I love them, I have tons of them. Well, I don’t have tons, but I have had tons in my life. It was hard back where we used to live, so once I finished one I usually had to leave it somewhere. We couldn’t stick to one place for too long and more than one or two were too heavy to carry along with us. But now that I have a room here,” she motioned behind her in the direction of the Chien Hotel, though now only a speck of the wrought-iron fence could be seen from the trail they followed, “I hope to get a good collection going.”


As Alaine’s expression brightened and she told Orin about her son, she watched the woman’s face and tones intently. Like most good mothers, she seemed proud of her child despite how much the responsibility must tax her. She opened her mouth to inquire about Alaine’s mate, but suddenly a small instinct within her told her it would be better to let this topic come around on its own, and she hushed. She did not exactly understand why it felt inappropriate, and usually Orin would delve into a haze of curious questions without hesitation. Whilst she still had that same overly-enthusiastic, inquisitive character, she wondered if there was a new maturity overcoming her. . . Oh no, that can’t be it! Most likely Alaine already said something, and she had forgotten, so she decided not to ask so as not to embarrass herself. Yes, that was it, for certain.


“He sounds great, I would like to meet him,” she crooned, referring to Caillen. As Alaine went on to tell the worrisome details of just how she came to become a member of Cour des Miracles, her ears swiveled back a bit and she looked honestly concerned. “Wow, that’s quite a story. So. . . does everyone trust you now, or do you still have problems because of the. . . misunderstanding?” Orin didn’t see why anyone would distrust this woman. It was obvious that she was just doing her duty and trying to keep her pup alive and strong, anybody could understand the necessity, right? She pondered for a moment, wondering how Alaine would have been treated if it had not been for her healing abilities. She understood, perhaps, the pack asking Alaine to do some work in exchange for the cow she took to repay her debt, and hoped that is all they would have asked of her. Come to think of it, before now, Orin had never considered such business. Everyone she had met in the Court had seemed quite pure, but it suddenly became plainly obvious that she should ask more questions if she were to know who it is she chose to live with. Yes, more questions than she already asked.


Suddenly her companion bristled, a liquidy word flowed off her lips, and she crouched down and began tending a thicket of flowers. Oh, the amazing things this woman said! It surpassed any of the illustrious fantasy novels she had ever read, and what’s more, was real life! She marveled at Alaine for a moment before kneeling down next to her at the edge of the flower bushel. “Feverfew.” She repeated, just as she had before. Again to ensure she remembered she chanted in a whisper, “feverfew, feverfew, feverfew. Soothes headaches. Lessens fevers.”


Stealing a brief and apologetic glimpse at Alaine to ensure she didn’t think she was mocking her, she smiled as she reached out for a stem, but did not yank the flower from its roots yet. “Sorry, just trying to remember it for my journal entry later. Its amazing how you can spot them, they just look like daisies to me. So, do you pick them now, or come back for them later if you need them? Do they keep?”






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#10
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table © Alli
ooc: :] <3 Baw, I love Orin!


Orin seemed to leap at the opportunity to elaborate on what, Alaine guessed, must have been one of her favorite subjects. Listening to the woman's passionate speech about the wonders of these 'books', the young healer could not help but smile gently, pleased to see such vigor in her newest companion. It seemed, more so these days, that the people were loosing their ability to become so enamored with things. Perhaps it was all this war, the stench of violence that clung to the pelts of those who wandered into the Chien Hotel, that had cast a blanket of despair over true artists such as lady Orin. It was a relief, to see another so invigorated with a topic, regardless of what these 'books' really were.


" How... Peculiar. You mean to say, such things are... Drawn down, on the paper? But how come? What use there are they?"


As usual, her strange accent broke up the speech, made thicker by Alaine's interested curiosity. She had seen before such human things as Orin described - Lots of tiny little black lines, sometimes accompanied by little pictures. She liked the pictures best of all.


As she peered now at the Feverfew, it occurred to her that one of these 'books', perhaps, would be handy. Especially if they had all of the pictures of the herbs and flowers and plants that she needed. Emerald eyes lifted from the dainty white flower to Orin, a flow of thought lighting their depths with curious little sparks. She asked so many, so many questions! They were too much to answer all at once. However, when she noted the woman's peculiar chanting of her own words, Alaine couldn't help but laugh. How funny they sounded, coming from someone else's maw! The merry sound pealed like chiming bells out into the quiet forest. Orin began to apologize profusely, but the collie-woman waved her words away with one elegant ivory hand. But alas, more questions! She smiled brightly again. The hand that had been resting beneath one of the little white flowers pulled gently at the tender green stem, plucking the little plant from it's grasp of the earth.


" Thank you mother, for your gift. I will use it wisely, and it's life will not be wasted." The words were muttered softly beneath her breath, lilting accent musical. With ceremonial grace, Alaine lifted two fingers to her lips and kissed them, before touching the earth with solemn bowed head. The strange little procession lasted only a few seconds, but regardless, she blushed as she met Orin's honey gaze once more.


" Sorry... Is the way I was taught, see, to respect. As a healer, I take the life from these plants, and use them to aid another life, a greater life. But, to the earth, all life is equal, and so I must give thanks." She shrugged a little sheepishly, before resuming the task of picking more of the little white flowers and bundling them neatly into her leather pouch. Finally, she stood, and held one out in offering to Orin.


" Now, your questions. Let me see..." Her face scrunched up in thought, floppy collie ears flicking slightly, " I pick the herbs as I find them. They do not keep very long - When I return home, I will make a broth of some of them, and put the others in little jars in the sunlight. They will dry up, see, but then I can make the petals into fine powders, and store them away for later."

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#11
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OOC: Sorry for letting this sit so long. Had a slew of problems over the last several weeks. Hoping to get back into full swing here! Smile WC 789

It suddenly dawned on Orin that it was quite miraculous, to her, that Alaine knew so much about herbs and healing but had, as she professed, never utilized a book to her advantage. Her face scrunched in thought for a moment, “So. . . You learned everything you know without the use of a book to study from?” She questioned, wondering who Alaine’s mentor had been, or if she had some other means to her education which Orin could not puzzle out.

“You just keep all your knowledge in your head?” She cocked her head in thought, but as she contemplated it she realized that she, too, had pretty incredible powers of retention, and it was not unbelievable that Alaine was as intelligent as well. But somehow, the thought of not having journals to log thoughts in felt unnerving. There were so many things she contemplated on the fly and wrote down for later research. What could one forget about if they didn’t write it all down every night? Then again, it’s not as though Orin went back to every entry she had ever made. There were probably a lot of journal pages left unturned and unseen after she logged her entry. . . but the thought still made her feel. . . naked. Alaine didn’t feel that way without books or journals. . . she wondered if someone who didn’t know about books felt displaced, or just completely normal?


She was distracting herself, so she returned to the question Alaine had posed. “Yes, that’s exactly it. We. . . humans did it a lot, and now a lot of Luperci know how. . . can write with symbols that represent language, and draw our thoughts in books as well. That way you can pass your knowledge down to someone else who you might not be able to teach in person. We can draw on knowledge and histories from well before we even existed. I. . . have this theory. . .” - for a moment she was apprehensive, as though there was something to be embarrassed in how deeply she had thought it out - “That humans didn’t have ancestral memory. I don’t even think they had instincts. So if they weren’t around in the flesh to teach the next generation how to survive, they would have died out. . . Well. . . I mean. . . way sooner than they did, anyway.” She waved a hand, dismissing the thought. “Anyway, with a personal journal, you can log the things you did and learned that day, or anything you want to learn in the future, so you don’t let your thoughts or knowledge get away from you in the bustle of life. And I know for a fact that there are books out there, printed both by humans or our kind, that would have a lot of information on herbs and flowers and botany. The hardest part is just finding it.”


A friendly, encouraging smile crossed her muzzle and she giggled at a stray thought. “I could send Niro out to find you one.” It was only half in jest; she really would pester her brother until he was forced to at least make an effort, if Alaine wanted her to. Then she realized something more; if she didn’t know what books were, the likelihood of Alaine knowing how to read very well was slim. “I could teach you to read and write! . . . if you needed. I know short-hand too, so you can write thoughts down a lot faster that way.”


As she babbled on endlessly, she watched Alaine pluck the flower from the plant and finally hushed as she recited her ritualistic thanks to Mother Earth. Her mouth dropped into an O and her eyebrows arched, but Alaine was answering her question before she had the chance to ask. A little smile played on her muzzle, and she glanced back and forth from Alaine to the flowers in thought. She had never been taught any spirituality, nor how to respect the earth beyond the simple beauties and pleasures it offered. “Wow. . . I never thought of it that way. So. . . kind of like, everything has a soul?”


She contemplated as Alaine explained the process, in short, to her. The scientific edge she had thanks to a chemistry book she had read (that her brother groaned at every time she pulled out) taking effect. “They don’t lose their potency when you do that? Hmm. . .” Then it must be a chemical in the plants, and not the plants themselves, which made it seem less magical to her. . . but that was about as far as her brain could puzzle.




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#12
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table © Alli
ooc: no probs! good to hear from you again :3


Books books books! She could see the thoughts fueling Orin's voice, could note with graceful humor the uncountable questions that filled her accomplices mind. And as such Alaine was more than willing to keep silent as the girl began to explain her passion, for it was the vigor with which she spoke that intrigued the young healer and warmed her to the topic. Books indeed! When Orin discussed their origins, the collie-woman stirred, a slight flicker of anxiety crossing her features. Ah, so books were the work of humans. The two-legs had a rather shaky standing in her opinion, for their evil and destruction was so great as the abolish them all, mercilessly unhindered, tragically total. How could she believe that such a chaotic, malicious race had produced something of good, something of wisdom and beauty as Orin preached? But then, she reflected, it was the humans that had constructed the gardens whose ruins now provided a home for the feverfew she now held in hand. Retaining that aspect, Alaine did not interrupt, and tried to see this vision of encrypted knowledge with the obvious glee her ivory and pink friend did.


Her floppy chocolate ears lifted at the lady's offer, a humble but pleased flush coloring the skin beneath her cheekfur.


" Oh, you are much too kind, but I wish not to trouble. So much effort it would take! I am undeserving." Regardless, Orin's words swam again through her mind, coloring wit ha hint of longing. How would it feel to be owner of such a thing as a book? And to read? Was there truly a vastness of knowledge out there, untapped and waiting to be discovered; cures for terrible ailments, potions for incurable illnesses? Her inverted jade eyes lowered slightly, slender ivory fingers kneading their ebony claws into the leather satchel held there.


Another question diverted her attention from the prospect of such genius. Eyes flicked up to Orin once more, and a smile curved prettily about her small doggish maw. " I would like to think so, yes. For what would life be without a 'soul', as you wolves call it? Why would the little flower grow if it gets no pleasure from growth?" The young healer laughed softly, her eyes alight with a moment of memory, " That sounds much nicer in my language, I think. And as for the powders, it depends on the plant. Sometimes, yes, they do not work as well as fresh petals would. But in other cases, age makes the tonics within them stronger, more potent - Most often this is the case with poisonous herbs, or hallucinogens, I have found."


As she had been speaking, a strange thought had been forming in her mind. Orin's words rang clear in Alaine's ideas: humans didn’t have ancestral memory. I don’t even think they had instincts. So if they weren’t around in the flesh to teach the next generation how to survive, they would have died out. . . A troubled expression crossed her pixie face, and the young woman swallowed nervously, casting her friend a shy glance.


" Do you think, lady Orin... Do you think that maybe, maybe you might write a book for me, yes?" She babbled on quickly, hoping to get the idea out before it might be rejected, " I mean, you are just so better at these words than I. And, and, writing and reading you already know, yes? If you had the time, maybe, you might just spend some time with me, and I could... I could show you medicines, and healing..." She trailed off sheepishly, scuffing the soft forest undergrowth beneath one footpaw.


" I just don't want what I know to be lost, is all. It took me a hard time to learn it."

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#13
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WC 700+

Did she. . . had she heard Alaine correctly? Her brows furrowed with worry when Alaine spoke the unmistakable sentence, ‘I am undeserving.’ Why? Why would the woman think that? Was she just frightened to learn something new, or was there something more deeply rooted into the woman’s fiber that made her self-conscious? Maybe she still felt guilty about her slapdash injunction into the ranks, felt like she still owed the pack for the food she had taken and did not want to inconvenience the Court any more than she already had. That didn’t make any sense to Orin, though. That had all happened a long time ago, and from what she understood, Alaine’s debt to the Court had been paid. She was just like any other member, and should be treated as such.


Her delicate hands flew to her hips, one of which jutted out in a disbelieving stance, and she snorted in defiance, shaking her head gently. “What are you saying? Of course you’re deserving. You’re my pack, and my friend!” Her voice was wrought with concerned honesty. She added, almost as an afterthought, “Plus you’re obviously smart. You’ll learn it in no time, as long as you try and put in the effort. It’s not really that hard at all.”


Her visage took on a contemplative look as Alaine elaborated, in her enchanting brogue, about the spirituality she believed. Listening to her now was the first time it occurred to her that Alaine really didn’t seem to be a native of this area. Orin didn’t know enough about the regions here to know if her accent was just the difference of a land away, or if she had come farther than that. She narrowed her eyes as she thought about it.


“You know,” she spoke slowly, deliberately, as though she were choosing her words carefully. “I never believed in anything like that. There was never any time for anything but survival when I was young. . . my parents. . . I didn’t know them long enough for them to really teach us if they believed in anything else. A lot of the stories I read have characters that believe, and it’s almost always different with a few similar concepts. Do you think you could. . . teach me what you believe?”


It would be a different form of gathering knowledge than Orin was accustomed to, if Alaine obliged. She was used to learning on her own, rarely with a mentor, and the thought of learning about a system of beliefs when spoken with the passion of someone who actually believed was exciting. Coincidentally enough, the two girls seemed to have a similar idea at the same time, for right about when she offered her apprehensive question, Alaine did the same, and her face brightened.


A gentle hand clutched Alaine’s arm in excitement, and her eyes rounded with happiness. “Oh my, yes!” It was the first time anyone had asked her to employ her talents and interests for them, and she leaped at the chance almost before Alaine could finish asking. Not only would she be able to help Alaine, but it was just one more thing she could soak up in the meantime as well. “I would love to!”


But her expression changed, growing sly yet still pleasant. She raised a finger, “But only on one condition.” She grinned slightly. “You have to learn how to read and write. It’s perfect, really. I can take down what you dictate and teach me, but in return, I will teach you letters and symbols, and you can transcribe them into a second book. That way you can practice, and when we’re done, there will be two copies of your book. You can keep them both, or give one to the pack, or a pupil, or your son. . .” By now, she had a smile that could shame the sunshine.


“That would only be fair. The hardest part will be finding blank books, but Niro just got me a new journal so he probably knows where to find them. I imagine there’s got to be some in Lunenburg. I haven’t been there to search, yet, but there has to. Even if not, I have enough loose sheets to get a good start.”






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#14
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table © Alli
ooc: just thought i'd note, if you are curious: Alaine's heritage, or much thereof, is based on old celtish lore etc. she's from great britain :3
hover for translation.


There was something entirely endearing about the way Orin watched her when she spoke. Alaine figured her to be like a living sponge, soaking up each word, storing them away for safekeeping behind her clever hazel eyes. The girl was bewitchingly interesting, with her wild hand gestures and her excitable voice, much to the chagrined pleasure of Alaine's much meeker, timid persona. Perhaps more importantly, Orin seemed to really care about what she was saying. The feeling of importance was one not often besotted by the young healer, and she relished it, in turn dwelling upon each of her companion's sentences like one starved for another's voice.


The pink-haired lady seemed to hardly dwell on her proposal at all; rather, she burst into animated agreement before Alaine had even finished talking. The healer's emerald eyes, innocently round but surprisingly perceptive, noted her friend's deep-flowing interest in the religion she herself preached, and perhaps a longing stirred in her companion for a sense of soul as much as one grew in Alaine for a sense of belonging. True, she had been a member of the Cour des Miracles pack for longer even than Orin, but to the young colliewoman, she was still an outsider - Smaller by size, frailer by build, meeker by nature. Though she could speak their language fluently, or in variances of fluency depending on her concentration, there was still a great feeling of loss, of a misplacement deep beneath her breast. Perhaps, sharing the secrets of her homeland with this curious lady so keen and amiable in her own nature might ease the burden of not belonging.


When Orin clasped her forearm, Alaine in turn grasped her friend's, an uncontrollable smile curving about her maw. It felt, for all the world, as if some sort of weight was gradually being eased off of her fragile shoulders. Oh, the wonders of new friendship!


" Too kind, you are! Much too kind! Blessings on your family, lady Orin, Dia beannaigh!" In her excitement, the young healer lapsed momentarily into her heart-language, the language of her secrets and her past. Instantly contrite, Alaine mentally chided herself, and managed to step back from Orin's one-handed embrace. It would not do to go spitting some different tongue at her - Past experience had taught Alaine that many a wolf did not take kindly to foreigner talk. Regardless, not even her sober past could entirely dull the moment, and the timid colliewoman beamed merrily.


" I would like very much to be your teacher, mo cara, and your pupil. There is no evil that came from knowledge! And if you would have me do this thing, this 'read' and 'write', then I will do so, bless your heart." The birds seemed to sing a little more in tune, the sun to shine a little brighter through the balcony of spines and leaves o'erhead. Maybe it was hope that made her hearken to start this adventure, hope for the acceptance she so deeply craved, or maybe it was merely the want of a good friendship that Alaine had been lacking her whole life. Regardless, her heart sang merrily beneath its cage of ribs, and a youthful smile glinted ivory from her slender muzzle.


" What first? Shall I teach you more of the forest, of the goddess' bounty? What wish you to know first, lady Orin?"



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