Willow Ridge Halfway house

@For Lauraceae
Medic 1/3

Over the last two days, upon Adeltra's will and Ravenna's agreement alone, the young, thin and battered up boy had spent his time within the borders of Willow Ridge being treated for his wounds and just as equally important, catching up on some good rest he could have otherwise not gained outside the borders with the rise of predators out there. Already the stores of herbs within the pack had been low given the fact that during Ravenna and Leotie's pregnancy they had been using them and then there after the birthing. With so many coyote around it was also equally hard to collect herbs without having a partner with you and having to watch your back. Adelta would have to have her wits about her when restocking up what their visitor used but, given the fact that @Blackmoore was also equally interested in learning, perhaps he could always be told to go out with her on these ventures as her guard while she collected.

Emerging out from the underground infirmary where four pups and Leotie also slept, Ravenna moved up into the communal den where the new boy had been staying with them, always watched by the eyes of their guardians and various other members. With so many eyes on him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, Ravenna trusted that the situation would work out. After all, had it not got well enough when they had treated Lorcan?

In Ravenna's jaws were some herbs brought up from "downstairs" - yarrow flower, which he would eat to help with his sleep, prevent infections from his wounds, keep away fever and various other benefits and then there was the less pleasant bark, white fir, which would help with any join pains, minor wounds and sores. In the two days she had been able to treat the young wolf easily. After all, he slept most of the time when she did so. Using both goldenrod and arnica flowers, she was able to make a poultice to put over his wounds and bruises. Today she roused in order to check up on the yearling and give him the herbs she carried. Exiting the den, her silver eyes narrowed to the light of the new day. Surely, he was not far.

(This post was last modified: Jul 09, 2018, 12:15 AM by Ravenna.)

There was little mischief the young Ritter would be up to, because mostly he was snoozing away. He had made a point to meet some of the wolves of the Ridge, though was uncertain of himself. He felt a little bit guilty, not just for using some of the pack's resources, but for basically being a mooch. He had been self-sufficient for the most recent part of his life, but he could not deny that getting a meal and not worrying about it getting stolen was something he would miss dearly. It wasn't just his wounds cleaned, nor the rest, or the full belly, but to have a few days with peace of mind did well for Laurel. That, and the combination of negative thoughts properly trampled down and pushed far to the back of his mind meant that he was feeling a little more positive about it all.

He had resolved that some day, some how he would return the kindness to Willow Ridge.

"Ravenna!" he called out to her when he saw her (and after asking @Adeltra, had done his best to commit her name to memory this time around). The large woman was carrying herbs and seemed to be looking for him, so he happily made his way to the Ridge leader. "What do you have for me today?" he liked learning the different herbs that Ravenna had used on him, and had asked what she had and where she got it. Laurel wasn't sure if it was helpful or not, but learning a little bit more about healing herbs could do more good than harm.

Medic 2/3

Her grey ears perked to the call of her name, his introduction to her as though he had been here for much longer then just two days. He was chipper then he was when they had first met and happy. Ravenna was thus far pleased with the boy whom hadn't caused any trouble in the pack and still today Now that he was feeling better remained respectful. She didn't know if Sven had formally met the boy yet or not but was sure Sven would be able to sniff him out if anything fishy was about him. Thus far, no such thing. It was obvious the boy had a rough upbringing and had been on his own for some time. Her motherly instincts called to her and perhaps, maybe, with the care the pack gave him and it's friendly, unified members, as well as all its benefits (good sleep, protection, healing, proper food) he might just decide to stay. Maybe not now, but maybe one day because he knew a good home and a good pack rest here.

She settled down the herbs before the youth who came to her and her tail waved, her head lifted in dominant manner and stiffened a moment before playfully bobbing, jutting her nose into his nape, along his neck and cheek. The wounds around his face could be very delicate and she wondered how they fared and if they still remained as sensitive as the days prior. "White Fir and Yarrow. The white fir bark won't be pleasant to chew on but I don't want you giving me any lip now, you hear?" She spoke to the boy with a smirk, nudging the bark closer to him. "Eating it will help with join pain and minor cuts and sores." She was intrigued that the youth always wanted to know about the plants... What they were called where they were found and how to use them. It would do him some good on the road alone. "Then there is this yarrow here. Distinguishable by its large flat clusters of flower on top. Yarrow is one of my favorites because it can help with a lot of ailments both as a poultice and eaten. That and it's close by. I get it in the meadow and rise south of here. What to know what all it does?"

(This post was last modified: Jul 09, 2018, 12:14 AM by Ravenna.)

Sometimes he thought it so weird of him, to so quickly submit to the pack's leader. But Laurel did, his tattered ears pinning as he gave her a small kiss on her jaw. The moment was over instantly, but he couldn't help but to freeze when the large woman pressed her nose to him. He was not used to letting wolves so close to him, and certainty not used to them being so friendly. There was a moment of panic in him that the yearling tried to quiet down; he knew Ravenna wouldn't hurt him, but he'd learned differently. The woman then went to explain what all she had brought him and he caught his breath (had he been holding it the whole time).

He sniffed each thing carefully, trying to commit the shape, the name, and smell all to memory. "No lip from this boy," he assured her, returning her smile with one of his own. Laurel scooped it up without hesitation and began to chew. "The bark comes from a tree, right? A, uh, a white fir?" this might have seemed like obvious information to the skilled Ravenna, but Laurel wanted to double-check himself. "What does that look like?" even so young, he'd had plenty of joint pains. He could remember countless nights where his legs were too sore to allow him a peaceful night's rest. As Ravenna went on about the yarrow, the boy made faces as he uncomfortably chewed and chewed and chewed the fir bark.

He felt like he was eating a porcupine.

Laurel forced through, chewing, swallowing, chewing a bit more. Eventually the worst of it was over. He tried to dislodge pieces of bark between his teeth as he sniffed at the yarrow, glancing up as she asked if he wanted to know what it did. "Tell me. And how do you make a poultice out of it? Isn't it better to eat it?"

Medic 3/3

Laurel, or fully and properly, Lauraceae, met her lifted head and stiffened position with a folding down if his ears against his skull and a lick of her chin. His hard life and obvious time alone had not shed his knowledge of respect for even if she weren't exactly his Leader she still was the Leader to the lands he stayed on and had been using her time to tend to him. She was pleased with him in these few days, if anything.

Laurel was a good patient and good student. He froze at her touch but did not move and when she settled down the playlist he sniffed each curiously. It took much trust to consume something a stranger was offering, claiming that it would make them feel better but the yearling did so without a fuss, already showing signs of this trust in her.

In just an instant he grabbed the strip of bark and began chewing away at it, moistening the bark until it could be fit enough to swallow. "Yes it does." She spoke, one corner of her lip pulling back in a small smirk. It was obvious to her what this was, but to a youth, even more so a puppy, a 'white fir tree' could easily be 'white fur' you would see on a wolf of some prey. "They are very full trees with the branches having lots of tightly grouped thin and pokey leaves. The branches go all the way down to the bottom where it's thickest so it makes getting to the trunk of the tree where you can get pieces off the bark quite difficult and sometimes, painful." She spoke, thinking back to having a time or two gotten poked in the nose and ear from the sharp leaves. Stepping on them the wrong way was not exactly pleasant either. "They grow in Cedarwood forest, Sacred Grove and along the northern mountain chain. Maybe other places too, but I've only ventured on the western region of Relic Lore. There is more dense, dark and shadowy forestry on the other side of the mountains I've been told." She said to the youth, admitting she had not yet been to the other side of the mountains. She had plenty of time yet still to explore it she wanted but from what she had heard so far and what she had seen on the western side, it was far prettier and livelier here.

Then as he finished with the bark came the questions on the yarrow plant. "Well, it depends on what you got and how much time you have with the poultice. It's best to mix it with water and you can apply it to the wounds. Or if you have to, chew it and apply but you may loose affect by accidentally swallowing the juices that has the healing parts it in. If the wounds major and you wanna help seal it you can mix it with fresh mud too if it's available." There was many ways really to go about healing and with different plants. Just depended on the time of year and what you had in front of you to work with. "In poultice form you apply it directly to bruises, cuts, sprains to help with healing and ward off infection. Eating it will help with digestive problems and nausea, gaining restful sleep, fever and such... A pretty good flower to eat. I used it often when I was pregnant." She finished then, ears perking and head tilting just slightly as she awaited anything else he might have questions about.

Laurel tried to put a tree he had seen to her description, but the truth was... he could think of about ten trees he'd seen with the one she spoke of. He could point out an aspen — the tree of his home — and he could point out an oak, but a white fir? Nope. Too ashamed to ask her for more details, or to show him the tree, he settled on an uncertain nod. But she continued, speaking of a place they grew: Cedarwood Forest. Laurel also did not know where that was, nor where Sacred Grove was, nor anywhere. He had not known the names of most of the territories that he'd passed, and simply had settled on simple descriptions like lake in the middle of the mountain or that one forest that's a little darker than the other one. He thought to tell her about what was on the other side of the mountain, but didn't quite feel comfortable enough to let Ravenna in on any of his history. And, thankfully, she had yet to ask.

Then she explained all of the uses of the yarrow — a plant much easier to remember. He saw it in front of him, and had been to the meadow that she'd found it in. He was quiet, inspecting the flower as Ravenna schooled him. Satisfied with her explanation, he nodded to her. He did have more questions, as Laurel was often filled to the brim with them. As a puppy, he had asked them relentlessly, prying information from anyone who was willing to offer it. As he grew, and as Sahalie's love for him didn't, he had simply... stopped.

"So what will we do with the yarrow today?"

Short mess for me this time.

The young boy in front of Ravenna seemed content enough with the information she had given him whether or not he fully understood it all or not. If she (and he) were lucky enough, some of this knowledge would stick with him should he need some kind of ailment in the future, even if it meant just munching a bit on some yarrow flowers in order to keep away any infection from any wounds he received from any of the coyote in the area.

When he then asked what they would be doing today with the yarrow, one of Ravenna's forepaws pushed forward, sliding the stalks of plants, topped with clusters of white flower, into the young man's direction. "You'll be eating it this time." Ravenna spoke and in so, incourging him to eat the plant by pushing it closer.

(This post was last modified: Jul 14, 2018, 11:42 PM by Ravenna.)