Heartleaf Creek dunedain

The very moment he spoke the names of herbs, Oleander’s face and eyes were alight with excitement. He was very much Clover’s child, sharing the same keen interest in herbs as his mother. What came as a surprise, though, was the request for Alarick to teach. He had half expected the young man to run off in search of his mother. Instead, the young man twice implored Al to show,, sitting back as if to accentuate his point.

It was not a request Alarick would turn away from, though. To be able to help, and even teach, was something he rather enjoyed. ”I will tell you what I remember,” he promised with a nod, taking a breath and a moment to collect his thoughts and the memories of that lesson.

”Let’s try to find yarrow and skunkbush, first. I think.. those would be the easiest to locate, in this area.” Or, really any area, for that matter - from what he remembered of the lesson. Alarick was quite grateful for that, in retrospect, as they were also the two he remembered the most about.

”Clover taught me that yarrow grows in patches together. It has flowers that can be white, yellow, and pink, and it grows on long, light green stems. Skunkbush can also have white or yellow flowers, but it has leaves and can grow red berries in the warmer seasons, too. She also said yarrow and skunkbush can be found in a lot of different places.” It was a lot to recall and try to repeat, but Al was fairly sure he had gotten most of it correct. Probably though, it was better to speak about what the plants looked like, and maybe try to find something first, before explaining their uses.

"I will tell you what I remember," this was enough to spark the boy's innermost curiosity. They would start with the yarrow and the skunkbrush. Oleander got to his feet, bottlebrush tail waving about behind him. He said nothing, waiting as patiently as was possible for a cub his age.

Yarrow grew in patches, Mama had told Alarick. Oleander's mind blossomed with the imagery of bold petals. First, blooms as pale as his coat. Then buds as yellow as butterfly wings and as pink as autumn sunsets... all on spindly green stalks, waving about in the springtime wind.

Skunkbrush was a different story. Though it, too, flowered in hues of gold and white, the word berries made his face contort in confusion. Red. Berries. Given the time of season, he was sure Mama did not have any of those in the medicinal den when she first showed him. The only thing he did know for sure was that some plants grew them and some did not.

"Berries?" he trilled, lifting a paw in fascination. Then, there was the obvious musing, "Is it for eating?"

(This post was last modified: Apr 05, 2022, 08:33 PM by Oleander.)

they say pray it away, i swear,
OLEANDER VALLE
that I'll never be a saint, no way

Hunting for plants was a bit different than hunting and tracking prey, but there were enough similarities there too, that they might just be successful. Shifting gears for a time, Al took to gazing at the foliage that was just beginning to sprout and green again, after a rather long winter period of cold, snowy weather. Instead of looking for the tracks of animals through the foliage, however, he paid particular attention to the plants themselves.

Come to think of it, Alarick realized he was also not sure if anyone in the ridge knew about herbs and their uses. Hopefully, such a role did not fall on him, but perhaps it would not be a bad idea to start gathering a few things for himself and the ridge, too. Just in case.

Another question was announced, which reminded the hunter of Seri and the lesson he had been able to share, then. ”Yes. The berries could be eaten, for.. tooth pain, I think. Chewing the bark helps with colds or allergies, and the leaves could also be chewed up and used to stop insects from biting, during the summer. ” Not something he had ever experienced or had even known was a thing, but good know, anyway.

”The yarrow can be eaten, too, though, which helps with infections, fevers, nausea, sleeplessness, upset stomach.. things like that. But it could also just be chewed and put on cuts, bruises, sprains, and such.. to help them heal, and fight or prevent infections.” There were probably some things he had missed, in all of that, but Al was pretty sure that was the gist of it. He was glad though, that, Oleander had the expert in his mother to return to and confirm these things with at his home. Just in case something was incorrect.

"Yes. The berries could be eaten," Alarick lent, spewing out even more new and abstract ideas. Had Oleander ever had a cold before? Suffered from allergies? Bitten by an insect? The boy's ears clung to every word, twitching and swiveling every so often. If anything could be said, he was sure he was going to be hunting down both types of plants in the warmer seasons to come.

"Sounds nifty." It was all the boy could say; he, too, was busy scrounging in the frost for anything like skunkbrush or yarrow. Oleander had been following along when his large paws tripped over a patch of green. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes and ears no longer pinned on Alarick's every sound and move.

A couple of quick swipes and newly-grown sprigs emerged. Upon closer inspection, its green flower buds looked ready to blossom. "'Larick!" he trilled, tail waving about as he sunk into a play bow with the plant between his paws. "Look! Wha'sdis?" Without the proper name for Devil's Bite or tickleweed, Oleander was at a loss for what to call the weird patch of green.

they say pray it away, i swear,
OLEANDER VALLE
that I'll never be a saint, no way

Oleander agreed, that the uses of the herbs made them sound nifty. That was a concise and accurate way of summing it all up, and Alarick was content to leave it at that, offering a soft chuckle and a small nod. ”Indeed they are.” Not for the first time, though, he wondered who had actually taken on the daunting task of figuring out all of this knowledge in the first place.

And, perhaps, why they had even thought to consider using plants for such things. Alarick did not think he would have ever thought to try using plants for beneficial purposes, had he not already been aware of potential benefits.

A call from his company had him turning almost immediately though, as he set aside that intriguing line of thought for the moment. Oleander had uncovered something green and alive amidst the mostly frosty and decayed underbrush, and it was not something he immediately recognized.

”That is a good question,” the former hunter mused, a note of disappointment echoing given his inability to provide a satisfactory answer. ”It is not something I know of, unfortunately. But I would bet Clover does,” Alarick clarified, examining the growth, though it did little good at the current moment. It was something, though, that the young man could share with his mother. And maybe it would turn out to be useful.

I apologize profusely for the neglect of this thread. :c Transitioning Oleander from naive to {eventually} scheming did a number on his muse. Feel free to wrap up or start wrapping this up?

Oleander soaked up every bit of attention that Alarick had to give and was more than grateful for it. Most days, he was left to his own devices. Between two brothers and two sisters, he was usually on his own in the end. He continued to smile up at the rogue, hanging on his every word, even if he did not know what the boy had found.

"But I would bet Clover does," he heartened.

Yes, his tail wagged, Mama would know. "Hm." He hummed again, sitting to look at the plant while he collected his next string of thoughts. "Would..." Oleander started again, looking to Alarick with full-fledged expectations. "Would... If you dunno what dis... You help me find something to take home?"

they say pray it away, i swear,
OLEANDER VALLE
that I'll never be a saint, no way

Contrary to what he had sort of expected, the young man did not appear to be at all disappointed by Al’s lack of knowledge on.. whatever this stuff was. Instead, Oleander proposed something else after a few moments of contemplation. Could he help find something for the kid to take home?

It was not something he even had to really think about, before offering a nod. ”I would be happy to. Maybe.. we can even find enough for me to take something back to my home, too.” That way, they would be helping one another. Surely that was something else the young wolf could be prideful of and share with his family, when he got back, right?

Not only would Oleander have found useful herbs to show off, but he had also helped a neighbor with that, too.

--ohh, no worries. Totally understand ^^ though I do hope I get a chance to have Al meet Oleander again! I’d be good to fade and archive here or on your next though, assuming they search until they find something c: