Hush Meadow Gaining knowledge

He had woken up earlier in the morning within Willow Ridge borders confused at first, until Tor remembered that he had joined said pack. Remembering the conversations of the previous day, the young Archer male had decided to rise early and get to figuring out the landscape. Once he knew the surrounding lands around his new pack Xetor would be able to figure out where to find certain herbs that liked to grow in certain places.

Crossing back over the border the black and rust male headed westward with a few plants to search for in mind. Actually one herb he was looking for was actually a fungus. It had grown thickly on certain plants in the fields and meadows of his old home. Now Tor hoped he could find the useful fungus called ergot in this new place.

Starting out through drooping willows forest Xetor eventually came to an area where he could see and scent the meadows to the south and west. Following his nose the dark male continued forward until he reached the sparsely covered edge of the drooping willows and some strange meadow. Right off the bat his amber eyes spotted the tall yellow flowering plant called goldenrod. He made note of its placement then glanced around at the meadow before him. More goldenrod bunches peppered themselves throughout the mixed grass, sedge, and wildflower filled place.

There should definitely be some other herbs here... Padding forward slowly so as to check each plant as he went by, Tor ignored the goldenrod for now. The long stalks of goldenrod would be a hefty prize to carry back compared to the smaller herbs that might also be found here.

Making his way through the meadow, Xetor finds loads of both wheat and barley plants covering the area. His immediate reaction was to wag that rusted black tail as the young man knew he should be able to find ergot there somewhere.

Not a minute after thinking about it did the young Archer find his first clump of ergot infested stalks of barley. Quickly the yearling nipped at the stalks taking as much as he could of the plants that had already finished seeding. He left the plants still flowering or full of seeds to repopulate the spots where he had taken plants.

With a mouth full of ergot covered barley Tor was half way to the edge of the meadow when he came a cross a small bunch of yellow flowers that caught his attention. Tipping his nose downward the male scented past the ergot and realized that he had come across arnica. This place is rich in herbs! Tor thought while he stepped forward and found his way to the edge of the meadow and drooping willows to lay his stack next to the goldenrod plants. Working quickly he also harvested some of the tallest stands of goldenrod in order to place them neatly beside the ergot ready for transport.

Back tracking himself to where the arnica was Xetor sniffed the yellow flowers and softly touched the smooth hair covered leaves. This herb he had to be careful with if he wanted to collect it. Ingesting even a tiny bit of it could have him dead or painfully sick with bloody puke.

Debating on harvesting the herb or not to, Tor finally decided that it wasn't worth the effort since he already had a stash of other herbs to take back to Willow Ridge. The male was on his way back to collect his herbs passing unknowingly close to another stranger.

"speech"

Well hello-allo-allo famjam!

There were more of them now.

The eldest Archer child didn't feel terribly threatened. He still felt that the children born of Elettra were still the next in line for the throne, rather than Elettra's sister and the yearling who'd come along with her...Some cousin or other of theirs, he thought, though he still wasn't entire sure on all the details. At first, he'd assumed that the boy that had come had been the son of his aunt, and therefore his cousin, but things seemed more complicated than that. He didn't know who the boy belonged to, now, but he did intend to seek this boy out for himself. As his mother had said, he would need to make sure that his subjects respected and liked him. And if there was a popularity contest to be had, he was sure he could make himself more likeable than his brother.

He also knew that his brother had not taken greatly to the new boy. He could tell by the glowering look on his brother's face. This would be a great opportunity for him to play to both sides and see which worked to his advantage. He knew he could win Skoll's favour if he too disliked Xetor. He might be able to reign his ambitious brother in a bit, if he was able to find favour in having a mutual enemy...But he could also find favour by embracing someone who was of a more distant blood. He could win both Xetor and Sorya, who he'd already decided to charm with his manners and politeness. He wasn't entire sure which route he would take yet, but he had to know the field before he played it.

He watched in silence and in shadows for a few moments as the youth made himself useful by pulling up plants. Herbs, he supposed, by their smell. His mother knew of herbs, and this made Asriel slightly jealous; Xetor could use this to win favour with Elettra, and Asriel was not pleased with this- but at least he was making himself useful. He stopped a moment in consideration, under Asriel's watchful gaze, and seemed to have come to some conclusion. It was at this point, that Asriel casually steped forward, mimicking a small amount of surprise as the other dark youth came into view, and allowing his tail to swing from side to side in a congenial way when he fixed his gaze upon him. There was a pleasantly surprised look on Asriel's handsome features. He sniffed the air, and nodded. "I'd hoped I'd get to meet you soon," He said. "Asriel Archer," He said, giving the other boy a nod, before he gestured to the fairly noteworthy collection of herbs the boy had gathered. "Can I...Be of some assistance?"

He hadn't noticed the other wolf approaching as the wind kept Asriel's fresh scent pointed away from Xetor's keen nose. As he collected his plants Tor was startled by the younger Archer's voice. He jerked his head up spilling a few tendrils of plant from his muzzle as those grayish yellow eyes narrowed on the yearling. Upon noticing Asriel's calm features and hearing the name uttered from his mouth, Xetor immediately relaxed and let his tail drop to a comfortable level. He was suspicious of the youngster only for a moment as Asriel asked whether he could help with moving Xetor's herbs.

"If you are bored enough to feel like helping, then yes you may." Xetor answered before he started splitting up the piles into two more manageable loads. "Xetor Archer at your service couz..." Xetor gave his name willingly as his eyes occasionally flipped to Asriel's form to watch what he was doing. Much like his own coat, Tor noted how Asriel's colors were a mix of lighter hues mixed in with black from his mane downward. Where Skoll looked most like Elettra and Sorya, Asriel seemed to look much like Xetor; or the other way around. Though unlike Elettra's son Xetor sported dark rust colored legs. They definitely resembled each other and could be mistaken for litter mates to an onlooker who did not know the Archer family.

"We'll be taking these back to both Lady Elettra's den and whatever is left after to my own little medicine den." Xetor explained though he wasn't keen on Asriel following him to his little den away from the pack. The dug out den beneath the roots of a large willow that grew over a boulder was the place where Xetor made his tiny yet homey sleeping den. He even had a tiny space left there for herbs to be placed in case he got injured while patrolling or hunting. Perhaps he was too used to caring for himself and simply sharing herbs with the pack instead of gathering his own.

Turning with plants held firmly in his jaws Xetor waited for Asriel to get ready to leave.