Heartleaf Creek dunedain

"Blind Date" Heart's Day shenanigans for @Alarick!~

February 11th; Late Afternoon; Broken Clouds; 50° F, 10 ° C.

After spying on Aunt Sharlee and the strange red rogue, Oleander went about his business as per usual. Albeit with a little more caution in his step. He kept well within the pack borders on most days and only went to the river banks when needed. Considering the latter, today was such a day. A quick peek into Mama's medicinal den told him that she would need more of... well... something. Anything. Winter had yet to let up its frosty grip on the Lore, but the boy did not have the means to realize it.

The white-furred youth scampered past a familiar marker that his father had stamped. He parkoured over roots and boulders, not stopping until he found the rapids of the river. From here, he traipsed about, using his nose along some parts and his eyes among other stretches.

This little game of "seek and find" was his new favorite. Every few days or so, he plucked the most interesting plant he could find, then showed it to his mother. So far, he only knew what a handful of herbs were.

He splashed into the water with a playful leap, watching droplets launch into the air. They plopped back to the stream, forming ripples for the briefest of seconds. In a sense of adventure, he clambered onto a good-sized boulder and sat, wondering where he should go next.

         

OLEANDER |

Nobody gets me like you do I'm not the same, not after you

He had not often wandered too far beyond the willows in the days since he had arrived there. Having a place to return to each night was a luxury Alarick had not had for nearly a year and was one he particularly enjoyed. But there was also an irresistible urge to explore, to see more of the terrain his new family had chosen to reside in. It was easier now, to venture out on excursions, knowing he had that place to return to.

The forests he wandered through were still quiet, but the weather was growing warmer. Spring would be around soon, and Al felt blessed to be alive to see it. The sound of flowing water beckoned him forth, towards a decently sized river. It was this he opted to follow for a time, keeping to one side, as he scanned the waters, tempted to try his luck with fishing.

With the day coming to an end, a quick snack before he looked around for a place to rest for the evening seemed appropriate. It appeared though, that he was not the only one to have been drawn to the water. A white-coated youth had perched himself atop a boulder not too far ahead, one that overlooked the water and surrounding area. A rather nice vantage point.

”Good evening,” Al called out amiably, surmising he had likely been spotted, by now. A conversation before he fished would not hurt, either.


--thank you for making this ^^

From atop his high perch, Oleander fancied himself as a pretend noble. A proud explorer just overlooking the world. This was but a stretch of his realm, where the fleeting sunbeams sent the river glimmering before him. He imagined the stream overrun with fish and the waters warm all year round. A sigh lifted from him, a smile forming on his pale maw at such a daydream.

"Good evening," a stranger's voice rang from somewhere behind him. The boy had to take a quick look around with a whip of his head to make sure he had been the one who was being addressed.

"He-hello," Oleander hailed, repositioning his paws so he could twist around to see the rogue. Even if he was fully aware that he was beyond pack borders, meeting someone who was not his kin surprised him. "D'you live here?"

         

OLEANDER |

Nobody gets me like you do I'm not the same, not after you

The young man had apparently not noticed Al before he had spoken, and he felt a little bit of guilt because of it. But there was no reversing course now, no turning back. The other offered a greeting, and then followed that up with a question. Alarick stopped, careful to maintain about a dozen or so steps between himself and the rock the other had perched on.

The white-furred man did not seem afraid, but just a little surprised. And he seemed to carry the scents of others with him. Was there another pack nearby? Did the group Al had affiliated with have neighbors?

”Not here, but I do live kind of close. Maybe a day’s walk in that direction,” Alarick answered earnestly, pointing his nose towards the area he had come. ”Is your home nearby?” Al opted to inquire tentatively, curious. The youth’s presence meant that his family must have been around for nearly a year at this point, which was surprising, considering how few of his kind Alarick had seen to this point. All this time he had been wandering alone, while there were whole established families in his vicinity.

"Not here," the man answered, revealing soon after that he lived pretty close by. Oleander couldn't even imagine how far the distance would have been after walking for a whole day. In turn, the question returned, reworded, right back at him.

"Um," the boy started, standing up now to turn around and sit facing the rogue. Instinct told him to lie, to not talk to strangers. Pride told him to let the wanderer know that the Valles of the Lore's Northern Eden were not to be trifled with. "Same." How lame. He could do better than that...

"I live 'long the river with my fam'ly," his tone was becoming more and more confident with every syllable. "I'm out on an errand for plants," this was meant to make him sound very, very important. "Do you know about herbs?"

         

OLEANDER |

Nobody gets me like you do I'm not the same, not after you

At first, the young man seemed leery, perhaps, to answer his own question, responding very simply with same. A good sign, as Al could not fault the almost yearling for being skeptical of his intent. But then he did elaborate. Along a river with his family. Out on an errand for plants. And then, a question.

One that sparked memories and a very high likelihood of connection to someone else Alarick had met in the past. This young man was.. both in looks and with this apparent interest in herbs, nearly identical to Clover, with the exception of size. Clover had not exactly been forthcoming with details about herself, either, but in retrospect, it made sense that she could be a part of the nearby pack, too.

And considering the lesson she had given him was as far as his knowledge of herbs went, Al gave his head a shake. ”My knowledge about that is rather limited, I am afraid. What little I know came in the form of a lesson, from a very kind woman I met a while ago. Clover.. I think, was her name.” There was a slight fondness there, of the memory, and appreciation for the information Clover had given him. And maybe, just maybe, his thoughts would be confirmed or disproven by that admission.  

”Hunting and scouting are what I do. So I may be able to help you find the right terrain to get whatever you are looking for, at least.” It did not hurt to at least extent the offer, either. Al was not an official emissary or representative of his pack, nor did he know if Avella and Scully already had a relationship with this group. But, if not, he could hope to leave a good impression.

The man shook his head, relaying that his knowledge in greenery was not as Oleander had hoped. Limited. Great. The fact that the man mentioned his mother by name almost made up for it. Almost. The boy's ears came up and forward, interest and attention undeniably piqued.

"Hunting and scouting are what I do," he said, offering to help the Valle anyway.

"Hmm," Oleander hummed, head canting to one side in thought. "I guess." Help in looking around for plants was better than nothing. "Clover's my Mama," he informed the man as he descended from his lofty perch, "I'm Oleander." In the shallows, his tail waved high behind him and he smiled at the rogue, "What'd she teach you?"

         

OLEANDER |

Nobody gets me like you do I'm not the same, not after you

You've come across an unattended nest full of eggs, do you like them scarmbled or fired? +5 Health

The almost yearling’s ears turned forward, and his head turned slightly. After a quiet moment of thought, he then agreed to let Al accompany him, and confirmed that Clover was his mother. The following introduction brought a smile to Alarick’s countenance, and he stepped forth a few paces to greet Oleander as he descended from the rock, tail waving leisurely. ”Alarick. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, too,” he spoke, offering a customary nod to the other.

”She told me about yarrow, arnica, ergot, and skunkbush, when we met,” he recalled in response to the inquiry, thankful that he had managed to retain at least the names of those herbs. The memories of their uses, though, were a little fuzzy. He could recall yarrow and skunkbush, because of the odd name. But it was coming back, the more he thought about it. If Oleander was after one of those, perhaps he actually could be of some help.

Alarick. The boy was quick to put the name to memory and to the red-toned face of the man who was about to become his best friend. Herbs tumbled from Alarick's tongue, words Oleander had yet to comprehend. Yarrow, arnica, ergot, skunkbrush.

Excitement was quick to take hold and he eagerly drew closer, stepping onto the shore. "Teach me," he pleaded. "Show." He beamed up into the man's face. Oleander was a fast-growing weed and Alarick was the light and warmth of the sun.

"Show," he hastily repeated, settling on his haunches as if it would add weight to his demand. Despite his size, even sitting, he was very much still a big, restless puppy.

         

OLEANDER |

Nobody gets me like you do I'm not the same, not after you