Paradise Falls On The Hunt

For @Riven

Miriam had been diligent in preparing for her next scouting mission, and it had brought her to the stoop of the den that house the strong scent of herbs. She'd sit outside, her eyes peering inside to see if she could detect movement before she called out to the very wolf she was looking for. "Riv? You here?" She'd call for the older man in hopes that he'd make his presence known to her.

She had not forgotten their earlier conversation about her searching for herbs while she was out on her travels. In order to find what he needed, she'd need to know when she was looking for, and she was intending to head out at nightfall. That meant she'd need to learn what she was looking for now or wait for the next trip... and learning now felt more productive. "I've come to ask you what you need me to look for! I'm about to go scouting for a few days." It was a bit of a longer trip, and the first one she'd taken since the pups were born.

It wasn't like him to take naps in the middle of the day like this, but he supposed he had been fairly busy recently. He perked up at the sound of his name and tried not to look like he'd just been dozing, which may or may not have been successful.

"Hi, Miriam." A smile formed on his maw automatically when he realized who was calling for him. Miriam was a welcome presence - he'd been immediately endeared to the girl on their first meeting, her kindness and good nature undeniable.

A scouting trip. She'd mentioned wanting to become one - they were both working toward their respective roles, it seemed, and she was kind enough to remember his request. "That depends on where you're heading," he said. "Do you have anywhere specific in mind?" He wouldn't request plants too far out of her way, if he could help it.

WELCOME TO MIDNIGHT MASS.

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There was a smile eagerly returned towards the man as he said her name, a wag of her tail to not just be polite but express some measure of friendliness with the healer. She looked up to him, because he seemed wise, though perhaps that was just because he was old. She’d never say it aloud, of course… but he was. Him, Chan… a lot of the wolves in the Falls. She supposed that was the nature of Paradise… people were bound to grow old and enter the afterlife to walk with the ancestors.

“I was going to head south… circle around the lake and travel as far as the foothills to the mountain to look for what I could find… and to track the game trails.” She added in, hoping to prove she was not just going out to help him find his plants. She had other motives as well.

“If now is not a good time… I can come back. Or I can try again next trip.” She was worried she had imposed given the nature of his answer as well. Her tail slowly stopped swaying as small bouts of anxiety overtook her.