Stonewatch Timbers Inonotus Obliquus

For @Gent
Midafternoon, Weather - Misty and cloudy. Temp 9 degrees

Though his knowledge of the healing arts was limited to what his mother had been able to teach him before her death it was enough to get him started in at least finding the herbs and plants that she had taught him about. The knowledge she had given him was something that he cherished and his hope was that one day he would be very well versed in his chosen niche. His most recent explorations had brought him much further north and a two days walk from his den site. He wasn’t sure what he would find this far north but he knew that there had to be something that he could use. However he did not expect to find much of anything due to the weather being so cold, still at least he would know where to look when spring arrived.

His pelt was dampened by the mist that had been falling throughout the day as he traveled through the lore and as he felt a drop of the cold liquid fall down the shafts of his fur he shook in order to take some of the wetness from his coat. It was certainly not the best time to be traveling but moving through the forest not only gave him an idea of what was around him in case he should have to pull from that knowledge later but also the motion helped to keep him warm. However the wet weather that day should not have been coupled with the cold that had also settled on the lore.

His journey finally took a pause as he noticed in the dense forest that there were birch trees and he remembered his mother telling him once about a fungus that could be collected from them. Emrys walked around one of the trees looking for any sign there might be some of the plant left that he might try and gather but on the first tree he did not see any. Slowly he walked between two more trees his gaze fixed upward as he walked around another of the trees.

(This post was last modified: Jan 13, 2016, 07:39 PM by Emrys.)

Gent was, through and through, a cryophilic creature. He adored the winter and its icy temperatures, the challenge the snow and slick provided, the transformation of the mountainous landscape he thrived upon. Yet it would prove to be seen that winter held no love for him.

The shade beast powered through the color-void landscape, prowling about his forest. While his domain crowned only the tallest heights of Stonewatch Timbers, he remained possessive of a far wider berth that involved a majority portion of the forest. For the pack to truly be safe, this was necessary. He could not allow strangers to press right up against their borders, peering through their windows and breathing upon the glass. The question was beginning to persist, however, of whether there was anything to be seen. Anything left to protect.

A heavy sigh fled his black lips as he allowed his mind to wander. Then the thoughts grew dark, and he forced the wanderings to be reigned in once more. Focused upon what was around him, upon the physical now above all else. That was when he caught the scent of a stranger.

Mechanically, his path shifted, zeroing in on the foreigner's location. The only threat about his composure was his dominance, head and tail raised to signal his position, his authority. There would be no assumptions made, only questions asked, for despite his diligence he knew full well that this woods weren't his; they were just his concern.

"What are you looking for?" he asked as the boy came within view, his movements clearly searching. He was looking at the bark the way deer did, searching for the best pieces to peel off. What was that about?

He was sure that it was quite foolish to be looking for his coveted plants in the middle of winter but he wasn’t sure what else he was to be doing. Of course he could be home warm in his den but that wasn’t much fun and he felt this was a better way to spend his time. As he gazed up at the tree he thought that he might have found some sign of the herb that he was looking for. He thought that a better look would provide him the answers he was looking for. However just as he was about to place his large white paws on the trunk of the tree a voice caught him off guard.

Emrys quickly turned to see who the voice belonged to and there stood a large black male wolf. Immediately he became cautious of this male as he was larger and if this dark stranger meant any harm then Emrys wanted to be ready. However the question that had been posed was innocent enough, “A certain plant that can help with healing,” he explained as he took a step forward to be better heard. “What brings you out in this cold?” He asked curiously though he thought that perhaps it could be the same reason he was out.

(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2016, 09:21 PM by Emrys.)

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There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

The man before him gave little away as he became aware of Gent's presence, facing him and easily answering. There was a calming genuity to his presence, and the king found himself untensing and more readily taking the other's words at face value. Looking for plants? Gents eyes scanned the snow-choked landscape around them, searching through his own mental catalog of what might possibly be salvaged. More curious, though, was why this man was in such need of herbal remedy that he would sift through the killing snow in hopes of finding something.

"Patrolling," he answered, before nodding his muzzle toward the mountain. "I lead the pack up on the Crest."

A pause, as he continued to observe the stranger. There was not the scent of others upon him, indicating that he was living solitarily at the time. He also did not seem harmed in any way, and so Gent was drawn to ask, "Is someone hurt?"

The man wasn't acting with any particular urgency, but again the king could not place the puzzle piece himself as to why this rogue was searching, and he always found himself needing to fully understand the motivation of others. It didn't occur to him that perhaps this wolf was seeking medicine simply for the sake of it.

Emrys hadn't been expecting to run into anyone with the weather the way it was so it was some surprise to find the large male there. The white male was curious what could bring another wolf into this area in this cold. Still he remained cautious as he spoke his purpose for being in this part of the forest. Even after that since he didn't know this stranger so he thought it best not to anger him. Though as he stood there waiting on a response from the male he could feel the wetness from the mist around them gathering in his coat.

The answer to his question and what he had been curious came in the form of a one-word answer. Emrys then wondered if he had come too close to this stranger’s borders but he hadn't recalled any sign and the male didn't seem to act as if he had. "I hope you haven't run into any trouble," he commented. Then an interesting sentence left the strangers maw, "Well it's an honor to make your acquaintance," stated Emrys with a respectful bow of his head. After all he was the leader of a pack so Emrys thought it best to offer the respect his title commanded.

With his hopes to become a skilled healer and be able to help those I'm need he thought it was best to be on good terms with the leaders of the packs. This way he would be allowed on pack lands if his help was needed. The question asked of him about someone being hurt was a bit unexpected but Emrys didn't skip a beat. "Oh, no, nothing like that. I've just arrived in the area and want to be prepared for just such a situation," he explained.

Emrys was starting to question his decision to leave his den in this weather to look for the plants he wanted. However, he wasn't disappointed to have run into the stranger because now he knew about the pack on the crest which gave him another option should he decide to join a pack.

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The man before him continued to be incredibly pleasant to deal with. His easy tone of voice, effortless and direct answers as well as his very presence all served to make Gent feel all the more relaxed with each passing moment between the two men. At last, a smile found its way onto the shade king's dial, small but very much present.

"You plannin' on stickin' around, then?" he inquired, far more casually than he had asked his previous questions. With that final information given, he felt comfortable enough to deem this other wolf a non-threat. That would have left little in the way of drawing Gent to continue the conversation, but that simple answer had sparked another, differing flame of interest within the luminary's mind. It wasn't often at all that the man came across another wolf with the aptitude for herbs.

"I could give you a quick run through, though most of the information'll only be useful come spring. Winters killed most of what this forest had to offer in way of remedies, of course."

Yes, Gent had more work to be doing, but if this man wanted to take him up on his offer, it was a kindness worth executing. The Crest was in need of many things, but a knowledge medic was a top priority and rare to boot. Any foundation that he could lay down with this stranger he would if it meant that someday the pale wolf would return to fill that niche for them.

Emrys had been a little worried when he had first come across the dark man in front of him but the longer their conversation continued he became more at ease. It was natural for the white healer to become a little uneasy around wolves that were larger than he was due to the fact that he hadn’t had much experience in having to defend himself so he was relieved when the stranger seemed to become more relaxed and he seemed to be rather friendly. Emrys was glad for that especially since this an stated he was the leader of a pack on the crest. To Emrys this meant that if they needed a healer he’d already met the alpha and could offer his help if it was ever needed.

The white male shook his head, “No, I have a den in Hush Meadow. I’ve come here in search of the area where a particular plant grows so that I can come and collect some when spring comes,” he explained. He felt that by knowing the areas in advance it would make the collecting much easier when the time came. Not to mention his travels in search of the plants he would eventually need also helped him to learn the new land that he was calling his home.

“That would actually be most helpful,” he said with a smile crossing his maw when the dark male offered to give him a run through. “It may not be useful until spring but it will make my collecting in the spring go a little easier if I already know what’s available.”

<>p>Being so new to the forest and with it being winter and everything looing much different than it did in the spring Emrys welcomed any help he could get from the local wolves. He hoped that by spring he had a good foundation of knowledge about the area so that he would be able to do his job much more effectively and be able to help whoever might need his help. If he was able to get completely settled in by spring he would have to waste time getting settled in and learning where things were.

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All the way from the meadow in the south? Gent took a moment to breathe a little deeper, re-analyzing the other man's scent for traces of others but still he came up with nothing. It struck him as odd that a loner would eck out a place for just himself, much less travel this far merely for florae. What exactly was that specific plant he was looking for? Gent wanted to ask, but the wolf was still occupying the air with his voice, happily accepting the offer the shade king had just put out. Collection? What exactly was this rogue, a traveling medic-for-hire?

At least he wasn't a hunter, scoping out prey hotspots. Gent supposed nature's bounty was plentiful enough to support his relatively healthy pack and this lonesome man, but still he now felt odd about freely giving him information. If he knew more about him, however...

"Come, walk with me a bit and I'll give you the tour," he instructed, nodding his muzzle forward to indicate direction before trotting off. It was assumed the pale fellow would need no further convincing.

"Mind telling me a bit more about yourself as we go? I'm curious. I'm also Gent, by the way," he informed, keeping the atmosphere relaxed between them. "What exactly is it that you do, alone but well-stocked?"

The dark man seemed a nice enough stranger though Emrys still felt it necessary to be cautious. The invitation however was one the white male could not pass up. He was new to the area so any help he could get was certainly welcome. Of course Emrys was aware that things would look different once winter had passed but he would have a more better idea of where things grew. Not only that he was glad to be meeting other wolves along the way. By making their acquaintance they would be able to learn that he only wanted to help. He understood that trust could be a big issue and if he ever hoped to help anyone it was important they knew he meant no harm.

"It would be my pleasure," Emrys stated as he followed in the direction the dark male had indicated. With his knowledge of the strangers position he stayed respectfully by the man's shoulder as he walked with him. As they walked he took note of any landmarks that would help him later when he returned to collect the plants he needed.

The conversation continued as the moved forward but he was being asked to talk about himself. That was something he didn't feel he was particularly good at but he also didn't mind sharing too much. First he addressed introducing himself. "It's nice to meet you Gent, I'm Emrys," he stated.

The first question needing an answer was about what he did, an easy one. "I'm a healer and having just come here I want to be well prepared so that I can help as many as I can. I thought it would be a good idea to learn where things grew so all I would have to do is come collect them in the spring. Then I could have them on hand for whatever might come up," he explained, "As for being alone I haven't quite decided about being in a pack."

(This post was last modified: Jul 07, 2016, 05:49 AM by Emrys.)

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