Posits didn’t know about the fact that Dia was a.) staring at her backside and b.) wondering if her husband was an abuser. If she had, well, it’s safe to say Pistis would be utterly embarrassed and forced to explain her past trauma. Which was something she didn’t want. If avoidable. But if she knew Dia thought that lowly of Gwyn… she would endure the pain. She didn’t want anyone to think he treated her bad, he did quite the opposite most of the time. Yes, they had arguments and things they didn’t agree on, but she loved him. Every couple had fights. Especially spouses.

Pistis chuckled at the blessing from her sneeze, “thank you.” She offered back. Damn her body for making cute noises when she was trying to mentor! Not quite embarrassing but opposite of her seriousness of the topic at paw. Dia helped loosen the plant of dirt, and she dropped it once it was done. “Good, I can always clean it up further later.” She glanced around, spotting a fallen palm leaf and grabbing it, carrying it over. “Let’s try to get a few more, hm? Palm leaves or large leaves are great for carrying lots of herbs.”

@Dia

+5 gather herbs
2/4 posts

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

OOC: You can warn her here about a poisonous plant if you want :3

Trade: Medic

+5 Collect herbs

2/4 action posts

Dia followed the other lady's lead, watching as she grabbed the stray palm leaf. Instructed to gather more of the same, Dia circled the area, trying to spy more of the unassuming shrub she and Pistis had just dug up.

She managed to find a few, taking a little longer to retrieve them from the earth, having only soft toes to dig them out with. Gingerly she pulled them from the ground, collecting two more and popping them into the palm. During her search, she spied another plant - a dark green spindly thing with bright red berries on it. Curious, she wandered over, reaching out a paw to begin digging it out of the earth. She was entirely intent on pulling it up with her teeth to ask Pistis what it was.

@Pistis

She hummed as they went their separate ways to dig up the plants. She would glance over her shoulder every once in a while to check on Dia’s progress. Able to get a few more plants and place them on the large leaf. She did continue to sneeze one or twice. Ugh, what a horrible nose she had. This dust and dirt hated her, apparently. Although she supposed she’d always had a sensitive nose. Since she could distinguish herbs scents and such. Even without seeing them. It was one of those party tricks she supposed.

As she turned back to glance at Dia, she noticed what she was digging at and trotted over curiously. As she approached, her voice raised loudly, “no!” She came over to her, “Dia- drop that- it’s berries are poisonous!” Hoping none of the berry nor its juice got into her mouth. If it was a small amount, maybe a fourth of the berry, she’d probably just have a sore stomach. But any more and it could cause a deadly fever. Once she dropped it, she’d come close to her face, eyes narrowing as she checked around her mouth. Not really thinking about how that was a bit inappropriate (not that she cared, Dia was pretty and she liked women.) Though she didn’t mean anything by it.

+5 warn someone about a poisonous plant.
+5 gather herbs 3/4

@Dia

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

As if she were burned, Dia snatched her face away from the wretched plant, feeling the phantom twitch of pain upon her lips. Had she touched it? She didn't think so but her lips were twitching; if you thought about something long enough it made it true. Like when you spoke about itching and suddenly your skin would crawl.

The gold woman let Pisits enclose upon her and - my, she was beautiful. it was no wonder she was Gwyn's chosen. If Dia had half a mind....

She shook herself from her stupor. "I'm sorry." She said through Pistis checking her maw. Unbidden, a warm feeling blossomed in her chest, cosy around her ribs at the caring woman's attentiveness, and genuine worry. It was nice to see someone care. "I had no idea." she admitted, feeling stupid. Curious, she glanced over at the offending plant, squinting at it, wondering what the point was in having berries but not being able to touch them. Her eyes came back to Pistis' close face, and she lingered there a bit too long. "Thank you..." she breathed.

@Pistis

Her eyes continued to scan her face. But, realizing her lips were not stained, figured she did not get any in her mouth. Would have coughed it up, even if she had. She took a deep breath, satisfied. She would not have to travel to try and find life saving antidotes. For that, she was incredibly thankful. Wishing a quick prayer of thanks to Apollo for keeping her new friend healthy. “It’s not your fault, Dia, you did not know.” She says, eyes coming back to her lips. Though she did not move. Made no move to. Gwyn hadn’t forbade her from pursuing a woman, if she wanted to... but she didn’t quite know Dia that well, did she?

She looked back into Dia’s eyes. The woman breathing a thank you, in a low voice, Pistis spoke, “anytime.” Then, as if being shocked out of her trance, turning her head. “We ought to get these plants back home, yes?” She stated, eyes avoiding the woman. Dia would never be interested in her, anyways. Knowing her luck, she wasn’t interested in lionesses. It was a nice thought but... Gwyn was probably the only one who admired anything about her. At least in her mind. She still couldn’t understand why, either. So the idea of anyone else looking at her in such a way... well, you could suppose she was dense about her own beauty.

@Dia

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

Trade: Medic
+5 Collect herbs
3/4 action posts

Dia felt the lingering, multicoloured gaze of the other woman upon her face and lips - it may be an extra cautios check for poison, but Dia felt a sudden pulse unlike anything she'd felt before, a different kind of attraction for this lady before her.

But in a blink it was over, and Pistis was gone from her periphery. Dia must've imagined it. She knew women could find comfort in each other, and she'd be lying if she said she han't considered such a thing before.

But with such a queen as Pistis? Both in beauty and rank? Dia would be so lucky.

She cleared her throat, and began to gather the reast of the herbs in her palm leaf to take back to the hollow.

As she gathered, she caught sight of those scars again, and the question came unbidden from her mouth before she could stop it. She needed to know.

"Pistis," she began, "Please, you dont have to tell me anything but.... At the very least I need to know." She swallowed thickly, "Gwyn didn't give you those marks.... did he?" Dia couldn't stay in a place with a brute who could inflict such damage on a kind soul such as her.

@Pistis

Posits was completely unaware of the feelings of the other. She was quite observant, but her own feelings sometimes clouded that ability. If anything, though, if she could hear the other’s thoughts, she’d laugh. She was not a queen, still considering herself average on her best days and the equivalent of a dung beetle on her worst. Bringing her herbs to her palm leaves, she turned back to Dia to make sure she was ready to go. But the question made her avert her eyes completely. Taking a shaky breath. “No. Gwyn would never hurt a woman in his pride, especially not a wife.” She felt she had to explain further, “my ex husband did this. Long before I met Gwyn.” Then she stopped. Feeling a phantom prickle from her scars.

She pulled at the palm leaf, bringing it with her as she slipped back into the caves. Effectively stopping the conversation, at least for a few moments. Pistis needed to gather her thoughts, too. Her chest becoming more and more constricted. This didn’t happen as often as it used to. When she’d first started courting Gwyn, sometimes she’d awake and start to scream. Thinking her husband was there. The gods awful nightmares, too. She still had those. But she tried not to revisit her memories in the daylight.

@Dia

+5 gathering herbs
4/4 posts

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

Trade: Medic
+5 Collect herbs
4/4 action posts

Immediately it felt as if a line had been crossed. Dia didn't regret asking the question though - she'd needed to know, and the relief she felt at the answer was a balm to her anxieties since coming here.

She watched Pisits walk away, and opted not to pursue or say anything further. She'd upset the woman enough, bringing up old memories like that and sticking her nose where it didn't belong.

Instead, she quietly gathered the rest of the herbs and traipsed them into the hollow behind the other, leaving them at the foot of Pistis' little herb shop should the snowy woman let her.

Pale blue eyes glanced at the other lady's face, and after a considerable bout of silence, she said solemnly. "You're brave, to have come this far. I'm sorry to have brought this to the surface, Pistis." Dia's voice was welcoming and soft, a little apologetic but entirely honest.

With that said, she began her exit, wanting to leave the other woman be. One her way out, she glanced over her shoulder at the woman. "Should you ever need me, to speak with or...." she trailed, letting other possibilities hang in the air, "....Well. My door is always open for you, Pistis."

-exit unless stopped

@Pistis

The pale blonde followed behind Pistis after a few moments. Noticing the mirrored paws tapping on the stone behind her. She dumped her pile of leaves next to her in her nook. Looking at them and slowly placing them on the shelves. She noticed Dia lingering and turned. Listened to her. Truthfully, this wasn’t Dia’s fault, but Pistis said nothing. But her last words? Well, they made the Greek woman a bit... excited, almost. Of the possibilities. But she couldn’t be sure Dia didn’t mean it in a more supportive way than Pistis took it.

So she nodded when the woman was done, and got back to sorting their plants. Putting them with the other remedies which used leaves or roots. Though she was thoroughly distracted by Dia’s last words to her. She couldn’t get them out of her head. Oh, she’d need to speak about this to Gwyn. And soon. She couldn’t pursue anything of the sort, not even the thought, without knowing if it was alright with him. Gwyn may operate in a different way but... she didn’t.

@Dia

-exit-

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh