The humidity that hung over the shore had turned out to be a perfect blanket against autumn's gentle chill. Further from the coast, however, Genesis found herself to be a little more sensitive to it. So, when she wandered into the base of the mountains and realized she was well-shielded from the breeze, she decided to take advantage of it for as long as she could. To get comfortable until she reunited with her kin.

They would find her...right?

For now, she was content to continue scoping out the land and taking in all the details of this place that she had recently been instructed to call "home." That said, there seemed to be surprisingly little here besides crystal, stone, and dying weeds, but if there was one thing Genesis knew, it was that life always found a way--one way or another. And this point held true as her eyes locked onto a spot of green peeking out from behind a large rock. @Isildur

MEDIC:
+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (1/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (0/2)

code by scorpixia♡︎

Isildur

everything around me wants to stand silent unmoved by the air or by my breath. everything wants to stop for this moment. even our olive tree bends

Isildur did not venture from the Hollow much. His swift approach to adulthood meant more things to learn, more things to accomplish. He's one of many sons and daughters but he's never been made to feel unimportant, though sometimes he wishes he was. The time he had taken off to adventure had been well worth it, but the duty of loyalty to his family had become something of a burden to a boy who wanted to find a way to balance both. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving everything behind in favor of a life outside his father's borders.

So he found a compromise. The endless labyrinth near to his home provided plenty of opportunity for adventure, and it was helpful to his pride to have most of its layout committed to memory. Beyond staving off potential invasions and finding additional escape routes in the wake of disaster, Grimoire's Labyrinth felt akin to an extension of home.

But it wasn't as safe as home, and did not offer the security of his Kingfather's borders. He comes across @Genesis just before she notices him, and as he follows the line of her sight he sees what has her rapt attention. Flora this far deep within the Labyrinth was not uncommon, but it was often deep and difficult to find. They are rich in nutrients, however, and often the desire of any medic.

Do you need any help? he asks softly, trying to convey a genuineness in his tone that his sheer size often betrays.

---

+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (1/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (0/2)

code by cala, art by geotalon

It was not a body but a voice, soft and inviting, that grabbed Genesis' attention as she studied her find, trying to identify it as well as a way to extract it from the packed earth and the rock, which she discovered was partially pinning it down. Her eyes followed her ears to a male whose presence had somehow evaded even her nose, and she perked up, first in surprise then in relief at his regal albeit friendly visage. It was no mystery how she had failed to notice him with his earthen hide, especially against the shadows made by the surrounding formations--and when it competed with the lonely sprig of green against it all. She was pleased by this unexpected company and the extra set of eyes, and advertised her gratitude with a smile.

"My apologies, sir. I didn't notice you there." For his size, @Isildur's approach had been surprisingly discreet and careful, something she further appreciated about the stranger while she was still without her kin's company. "Yes, I...believe part of this plant is trapped under this rock. I'd like to try and extract it without doing too much damage. Would you be able to move the rock for me so I can get to it?" A pause as her gaze moved with uncertainty between the male and her find. "If it's even worth collecting." There was an apologetic hint to her tone as well, as if she had been the one to burden him with an undue request. She was not even entirely sure this plant would be of use to her, but it was probably a good idea for her to work on her studies and have at least some supplies prepared for her siblings on arrival.

MEDIC:
+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (1/2)

code by scorpixia♡︎

Isildur

everything around me wants to stand silent unmoved by the air or by my breath. everything wants to stop for this moment. even our olive tree bends

The closer he ambles toward her, the smaller and smaller she appears. Isildur might have been more surprised by just how dainty she is, had he not sisters her same size and stature. Immediately, he is reminded of Sorin and her wraithlike presence, the way she seems like a small, bright light in an endless empty room. And Lúllia, with her firekissed fur and her crusty nose, very much a wallflower that Isildur wishes he could drag out into the open.

He smiles, warmed by the very thought of his sisters.

My apologies, sir. I didn't notice you there.

Until she shakes him out of his reverie. He blinks. Once, twice.

Would you be able to move the rock for me so I can get to it?

Suddenly, he's moving forward, closing what distance is left between them until he's seated firmly at her side. Pale, curious eyes observe the rock and the greenery nestled within. There is a steady drip, drip of water that runs off the stalactites above, nourishing the roots that have wedged themselves deep within the cracked surface of the stone. His nose twitches as he ponders removing it without ruining it, a feat that would require a steady hand and a careful claw. Perhaps if he could lift the rock, @Genesis could sneak a hand underneath it and wrest the root free.

If it's even worth collecting.

I'll lift, and you grab it, he suggests as he turns to her with a reassuring grin.

Then, he's bracing his shoulder against the stone, lifting it just high enough for the roots to relax, and enough space to be created for her to pull it free of the crevice without ruining it. His teeth grit, however, straining against the weight of a boulder that would soon come down if she was not quick enough.

---

+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (0/2)
+5 Collect herbs (1/2)

code by cala, art by geotalon

If the male had at all fazed her to begin with, Genesis felt no reason to be wary of him now. His smile emanated warmth and his body language ease even despite their comical difference in size, to which neither of them seemed to pay much mind. She was used to such vast contrast, and so far, judging by his response as well as other interactions she had had since her arrival here, slight things like her were not necessarily outside the norm. If anything, it gave her hope that if lions like her siblings existed elsewhere, so did others like herself. And until she found them, connections like this one certainly would not do any harm.

Her eyes followed his gaze upward to find water droplets glistening from the tips of the formations above, falling to create a rhythmic drip of which Genesis was now painfully aware in the stillness of the Labyrinth. Her maw parted in a small, whispered, "Oh," of realization as she made the connection to the little lone plant struggling for freedom.

She almost hated to ask to take advantage of the male's size, but he acted without hesitation, suggesting a simple plan of action before proceeding toward the rock and nudging it just out of the way of the sprout. Genesis beamed. She had to act quickly, though, lest either of them coming to harm as a result of her request.

Shuffling forward, the girl crouched and reached a paw between the rock and the damp floor, carving into the compacted earth with kneading claws until she could feel the rough tangles of the plant's roots underneath. From there, she reached in and eased the sprout from the ground with precise teeth and a cupped paw. Genesis almost bounded away from the rock, then, soil crumbling from her paw and the roots of her prize as she made room for @Isildur to relieve the pressure that was surely building against his shoulder. Once safely out of the way, she sat down, gently placing the piece of greenery at her feet and brushing what dirt she could from her pelt.

"Thank you...." Her voice trailed off sheepishly as she realized she had nothing to call him. How rude of her to ask for help from someone without knowing how to properly thank them? "I apologize. I should have introduced myself. My name is Genesis. What's yours?"

MEDIC:
+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (1/2)
+5 Collect an herb (2/2) (first post occurred during previous round)

code by scorpixia♡︎

Isildur

everything around me wants to stand silent unmoved by the air or by my breath. everything wants to stop for this moment. even our olive tree bends

He supposes he should have waited. Asked her permission, asked if she was ready, if she even agreed to the course of action he proposed. Isildur, in even his best intentions, acts in a haste that often comes back to bite him. And it's only when he's straining against the weight of the rock and is met with her wide, briefly surprised expression that he realizes it.

But before he can speak, she's shuffling forward, and whatever she was before, she is now delighted. Isildur lets out a breath, and though it's a sigh of relief he passes it off as exasperation from the weight of the boulder. But not too much—lest she think he's rushing her. Damnit.

Mercifully, she works quick. Both she and the plant pull free from the boulder, and the moment they're safely away he lets it fall back onto the ground with a hard thud, kicking up all manner of dirt and dust and debris. He coughs once, then twice, before raising a paw to rub the aching shoulder.

Thank you...

Her voice cuts through the near-silence of the cavern, and he finds his gaze lifting to hers. The herb is safely nestled between her paws, and their plan went off without a hitch. It was a small, but achingly sweet victory. Now—if only he knew what it is and what it does...

I apologize. I should have introduced myself, she begins again, My name is @Genesis. What's yours?

Isildur, he answers with an easy smile, You've no need to apologize. I offered to help—no strings attached.

He cocks his head to the side, his pale gaze flitting down to the greenery between her feet.

What do you suppose it does?

---

+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (1/2)
+5 Collect herbs (2/2)

code by cala, art by geotalon

Oblivious was she to the thoughts and criticisms racing through the male's mind, instead merely thankful for his patience with her as well as delighted by her luck in having found someone to help her harvest the Labyrinth's meager offering to her. Whenever her siblings finally made their appearance, they would surely hear about her escapades and the friends she had made in their absence. Somehow, she never thought she would get as far as she had, but she felt there was something to be said about the friendly faces she had encountered during her short time here.

Hopefully, she still had some time before her luck ran out.

She studied his silhouette under the dim light, alerted by his cough and hoping her request had not left him unduly scuffed or scraped. When he righted himself with a simple brush of his paw, her concern relaxed back into a smile, one that softened even more with his name. @Isildur introduced himself freely, dismissing her apology just as readily as he had whatever ache had seemed to linger from the rock. "Well...thank you, Isildur," she tried again, careful this time to omit the forbidden word from her show of gratitude.

He inquired, then, about her find. "I'm...not sure," she confessed, looking at the sprout between her paws. "My mother used to dabble in medicine, but she only taught me a little bit about her trade before we parted ways. It doesn't look poisonous at least...does it?" With its dainty round leaves and lack of spikes or vibrant flowers, it looked innocent enough, but the only way to know for sure what it did was to test it out.

MEDIC:
+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (2/2)
+5 Collect an herb (2/2) (first post occurred during previous round)

Edit: XP tracker and typo

code by scorpixia♡︎

Isildur

everything around me wants to stand silent unmoved by the air or by my breath. everything wants to stop for this moment. even our olive tree bends

At first, he is admittedly surprised she doesn't know what it is, or even have an inkling of what it might do. Isildur has always found himself memorizing basic herbs and remedies that help his sisters with their aching lungs and runny noses, but there's always been a handful of ready medics in the Hollow to fuss over them, as well. Being among one of Alexander's larger, healthier sons always put his usefulness in the battlefield, on patrol, or in the hunt. Things he was good at but—oh, was it so unfulfilling.

So he takes every chance he can when he finds something that lights a spark of interest.

I'm...not sure, @Genesis admits as Isildur's gaze flits to hers. My mother used to dabble in medicine...

He watches her in contemplative silence as she speaks. The thoughtful movements of her mouth, the gentle furrow of her brows as she fiddles with the plant between her paws.

...does it?

He blinks. What?

Then, he looks down at the herb once more. For all intents and purposes, it is blissfully plain-looking. He swears he's seen something of its like before somewhere in Lilliana's stores.

Oh, yes, he clears his throat, then smiles. I don't think it's poisonous, either.

But silently, he agrees. Outside of marching her straight back to the Hollow and seeking out another qualified medic (he reflects, with a sting, the hollow absence of both Camellia and Lilliana) to ask what it is, the only way they were going to find out what its usefulness was is to test it out for themselves.

You could try—on me—if you want, he stutters suddenly, a sheepish heat creeping to his face.

---

+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (2/2)
+5 Collect herbs (2/2)

code by cala, art by geotalon

"What?"

Catching his shifting gaze in the corner of her own, Genesis glanced up at him, mirroring his momentarily vacant features as she realized she had admitted to enlisting him to help her with a blind harvest. She wished dearly in that moment to be able to spout off intelligently to the boy, but compared to her mother--a skilled herbalist--her own knowledge was surface-level and founded mostly on observation and word of mouth. She and her siblings rarely required any patching up, or if they did, they were often less concerned about learning the trade and more about avoiding ever needing it again, as any accidents were usually followed by stern words that stung more than any number of scraped elbows. Especially when Genesis was concerned.

Come to think of it...maybe it was just she who felt that way.

It made sense, she supposed. Her brothers and sister were nearly identical in stature to @Isildur and more than capable of defending themselves against whatever (and whoever) came their way. But Genesis had little to offer in that regard. It was only natural that she should be taught to approach life with more care and caution. In turn, though, that caution had bled into most areas of her life, inadvertently keeping her from opportunities to put observation into practice.

Yet, this male seemed all too eager to see her take up space, answering uncertainty with uncertainty as if trying to encourage her to follow her instincts toward a solution that waited right under her nose.

Genesis watched him as he mulled over the plant. She could almost see the gears turning behind his silver eyes, made even more striking by the dim lighting. There was a charming little wrinkle between his brows, one that alerted her to her own, but before she could think to smooth her expression, he did it for her by blurting out an offer she never would have been brave enough to consider imposing on another.

Her eyes widened with a blink. Of course she had her hunches about the plant, but...."Do...do you have any open wounds?" The words practically fell out before she silenced herself and scanned him up and down for something--anything, even a scrape. It was a rough scan, though, partly meant to divert her gaze from his as she wrestled inwardly with an odd mix of embarrassment, apprehension, and an eagerness for such an opportunity. "I mean"--she cleared her throat and looked back up at him, her tone having softened--"I think this might be something suited for dressing wounds. If you have a scrape or something, maybe we could test it on that....How is your shoulder?"

MEDIC:
+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory (2/2)
+5 Learn something from another about your trade (2/2)
+5 Collect an herb (2/2)

code by scorpixia♡︎

Isildur

everything around me wants to stand silent unmoved by the air or by my breath. everything wants to stop for this moment. even our olive tree bends

It takes @Genesis a moment to mull it over. Too long, to a boy whose flushed with embarrassment and nervousness. He's blown it, certainly. What was he thinking, jumping the gun to chew on an herb they know nothing about? He's proven himself too impulsive or too chaotic and it's frightened or disgusted her or—

Do...do you have any open wounds?

He blinks. Again.

His eyes fall to his shoulder, aching and bruised but not necessarily wounded. No broken skin, no deep abrasion. It would likely feel sore later but he could easily request a salve or sleep on it. He'd no intentions on hunting within the next few hours, nor picking any fights. No, mercifully and unmercifully, they were both completely unharmed.

I mean, she begins to clarify, and Isildur lifts his gaze to hers. ...How is your shoulder?

He glances down again. And with a quick (and intentionally rough) rub of his paw, parting furs to get a better look at the skin, it suddenly seems far more red and irritated and angry than it did moments ago.

I'm down if you are. He smiles, whatever nervousness and embarrassment he'd had moments before melting away in favor of nervous anticipation and excitement. This is as valuable a lesson to him as it is to her. Where many had expected Isildur to follow in the footsteps of the bulkier, stronger Savante men, he had always found enjoyment in the arcadian trades—ones that required sharpness of tongue and of mind.

Ones that are just as daunting and exciting, in moments like these.

Clearly, he and Genesis shared some camaraderie in that. More than that, there's an inexplicable, easy air around her that makes it effortless to offer himself to her service. Isildur is as kind and genial as any of Alexander's sons, but even he has a healthy apprehension around strangers. He can't tell if it's because she's similar to his sisters, or shares his interests, or if it's something else entirely—but he can't help but want to make her his friend.

A friend, he muses. Like Manon?

No—no, they're nothing alike.

They simply make his heart stutter the same.

He levels his gaze with hers, smiling reassuringly.

I trust you, Genesis.

code by cala, art by geotalon