She’d already begun to make a store of some herbs. Mostly those used for poultices, and some for sickness. Pistis had not gotten around to some of the more minor herbs, ones for pregnancy, headaches, soreness. It was definitely hard with winter as well. Only the most hardy of herbs had survived. She’d have to make her own garden in the spring or summer. Eyes scanning her stores as she sighed. No, this wasn’t good enough. Thankfully, all the members had all but survived winter, and the colds and fevers that came with it. She would have to be prepared next year, though.

She sat, head leaning against one of the grooved, uneven shelves of the small den. It was perfect for herbs, really. Dry, cool, and with these little natural shelves. Pistis would like to fill all the space eventually. Rather be too prepared than get stuck in a sticky situation. She was one of the most skilled medics, to her knowledge… and the only one, for that matter. Unless Gwyn had brought in someone new she hadn’t known about or had the chance to meet.

@Dia

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

The caves were certainly labyrinthine as Gwyn had said to her. Dia had already gotten lost more times than she could count.

On her laps of the hollow, she’d come to the conclusion that it was a smaller pride - for now. She hadn’t seen many others prowling the caves - maybe that’s why she was finding it harder to settle into her new home. She hadn’t really met any one other than Gwyn, and she wasn’t sure she could count him as a “friend” exactly.

A sigh parted her lips. She wasn’t sure how to feel about her situation, but right now, she knew she felt lonely, isolated within these endless stone walls.

As she rounded a corner, a herbal whiff caught her nose and she breathed deep, trying to locate its source. She followed the trail, and as she hoped, she found someone else at the end of it.

The woman she saw was pale grey, looking like snow against the dark rocky background behind her. Despite her size, she looked harmless - softer, and fluffier than most, resting her grey-striped head against the wall. A few herbs lay dotted about around her, and Dia suddenly felt like she was intruding, pale blue eyes darting to the floor. Clearly this person was supposed to be here - a feeling that that Dia simply couldn’t empathise with right now.

In case the woman had noticed her, she murmured softly, “I’m sorry for intruding, I didn’t mean to bother you, miss.”

@Pistis

It was true they were a smaller pride, so Pistis did not expect to be interrupted. However, she needed to get used to unexpected things happening. They did all the time. She had a few friends, though none in the pride yet. Which reminded her she needed to visit Jewel again soon. Perhaps that sunny fellow too… but Gwyn didn’t like her hanging around men too much. Which limited her options in friends somewhat. Especially in this pride, there were more men than women. Which was strange, considering she knew Gwyn was likely to surround himself with women and wives… eventually.

It caused her a bit of pain. Although she was polygamous herself, she’d never had the chance to explore that. First locked into an alliance marriage where multiple partners were not allowed. Now… she couldn’t pursue other men, even if she connected with them. That was something unique about her. She often had to connect with a lion or lioness before feeling lust for them. Something Gwyn no doubt didn’t understand.

She heard a scuff of paws across the floor after a moment and turned, embarrassed. She’d been moping and been caught. Stupid of her, really. She was the King’s wife, this wouldn't do. Pistis drank in the visage of the young woman in front of her. She was pretty, her eyes like that of the sky. How strange. Was this one of the women she was to have to compete with? Who knew if Gwyn had already bedded her. Pistis wouldn’t be surprised. At her words, she shook her head, “I was just thinking about what needed to be added to the stores, it’s no trouble, dear.”

After a moment, she interjected the silence, “I’m Pistis Casimir, I don’t believe I’ve had the chance to meet you, what’s your name?” Her voice was a bit tense, more stressed than sharp, though. She felt like she was already getting behind on all the herbs. Even though she was probably building it up in her head. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill, as they say.

@Dia

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

The tenseness of the other lioness's reply went straight over Dia's head - she was just happy the the other woman was speaking with her. Extroverted at heart, Dia needed the company of others to survive, and beginning a conversation had already lifted her mood considerably.

Pistis Casimir. Surrounded by herbs, it suddenly clicked. Unbidden, hours of bottled up conversation came pouring out of Dia's mouth, breaking the silence of the caves with her soft voice.

"I'm Dia. You must be Gwyn's wife!" she exclaimed happily, trotting over, ears up and eyes bright. "He said you were a healer." she began, "He sounded very fond of you - well, as fond as Gwyn can sound." she joked, unknowing if such a jest was stepping out of her lane. She caught a glimpse of the other lady's eyes, surrounded by fluffy fur, one stormy blue and the other a beautiful pink. Dia audibly gasped, "My goodness! Your eyes are so pretty.!"

Dia abruptly realised she may have come off tad boisterous. Rein it in Dee, rein it in. She bowed her head apologetically, and took a couple steps backwards. "I'm sorry," she gave a half-hearted laugh, "It feels like an age since I spoke to another lioness."

She cast a glance at the mostly empty room, and added "Would you like some help? Gathering your herbs, I mean."

@Pistis

The other spoke a lot, and quickly, and Pistis looked a bit surprised. Mouth completely neutral as she took in all the other’s words giving her a few moments before giving her reply. “Yes, I’m Gwyn’s wife, I’m a healer.” The jest about her husband caused a furrowed brow for a few moments. She already knew his character well… which didn’t spell out good news, honestly. This woman was so… young, and full of life. It was honestly a bit much for Pistis, not used to such talkative company. At the compliment, she smiled, relaxing a bit, “thank you, may I extend the same sentiments about your eyes, dear.”

That was one of her favorite features about herself, her eyes, she didn’t have many things she liked about herself to start with. Though it was a common compliment for her, she appreciated it all the same. She’d not heard it in a while, either, especially from a lioness. She shook her head at the apology, “it’s fine, really, I’m more of a listener myself.” Which was true enough, she didn’t often go off on tangents or rants. Especially with new people.

This lady radiated an energy that made Pistis feel a bit tired, admittedly. At her offer, her eyes lit up, “oh! That would be lovely! It’s quite hard collecting all the plants myself, are you interested in medicine?” Well, there she was breaking her own rule of not being a talker. It was nice to have an offer for help. Gwyn was busy recruiting and such, and she didn’t want to ask Rythian, Amra, or Drakon for help. She didn’t know them well enough yet.

@Dia

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

Poor Pistis. It was clear Dia had already exhausted the poor woman within a matter of minutes. Or at least that's what it felt like to Dia. She cursed herself for her incessantly energetic mouth.

Compliment returned of her own eyes, Dia let a gentle smile curl her mouth, and she nodded at the other's question. "I know the odd thing or two about medicine." Tending minor bumps and scrapes, mostly on cubs, wasn't what Dia would consider incredible knowledge. "And I have to be a bit interested. What with my size and, ah, disposition." She glanced down at her flexing toes, clawless - defenceless. "It's probably best for me to know how to heal, as I certainly can't fight. Being here in this land though," she paused, looking around at the cavern walls, the chill of the air beating outside. "My lack of experience feels... deeper than ever, really."

She gestured with her head towards the way she entered, "If you wouldn't mind, as we gather - could you perhaps teach me? A few things?" Eyes twinkling, she added wryly, "I'll try not to talk your ears off, I promise."

@Pistis

OOC: Poor Pistis having to deal with this bouncy idiot

Pistis was the most perfect example of an introvert. With most people, her social battery drained quite quickly, especially if she weren’t in a good mood and they were a stranger. It wasn’t that she didn’t think she could grow to like this woman but… it would take some getting used to.

The other spoke of her novice knowledge of the craft and Pistis nodded. She was still quite young, not an old lady like Pistis. Or at least that’s how she felt here. She swore there were so many young people here she was going to feel like a grandma. At the mention of her clawless-ness, her brows furrowed. “Dear, don’t let your ‘disposition’ limit your goals. If you like medicine, that’s fine, but don’t force yourself to learn a skill you don’t care for.” She could just as easily be an ambassador, surveyor, or anything else! And it wasn’t as if fighting was only about using claws, teeth and your own body weight could be used as well. Hades, this woman could fight them off by keeping her energy up and dodging!

Oh, enough of her internal rants, the woman probably did like medicine, anyways. Pistis nodded at her request, “of course, you’re still young yet, I’ll teach you what I know.” Pistis let out a warm laugh at her comment, “oh, please, I’m just not used to having a companion who speaks so much, Gwyn prefers to use few words, and I’ve been traveling with him for months. It would be nice to hear something other than ‘mmm’ or ‘perhaps.’”

Pistis started her way out of the caves, going to the nearest exit, and closing her eyes as she smelled the brisk wind. Ah, there was something! Pistis trotted off towards a familiar scent.

@Dia

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

Pistis’ defence of her clawlessness was a welcome surprise. Not many had ever said anything like that to her over the years; she was far too used to the fact that she was small and helpless, a narrative fed to her since she began blooming into the young woman she was today. The other woman’s comment was nice enough though, and Dia found herself filing it away in a warm place in her mind, maybe to take back out and look at on a rainy day.

Dia eagerly followed Pistis out of the caves after her acceptance to teach her, laughing lightly at the lioness’s comments about Gwyn. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. He didn’t strike me as a talker when I met him.” Dia chuckled, thinking back to her venture on the sandbar - wriggling on the shore and opening her eyes to find the beast looming above her. Gwyn still mystified her, and she couldn’t deny that she wanted to know more about him. Starting an interaction with the High Sovereign was hard though - she wondered how Pistis had chipped away at him, if she’d found a loving mate underneath that brooding surface.

The air became cooler and sharper as they ventured out. Dia dropped in step slightly behind Pistis, deferring to her. “I’ll follow your lead.”

Dia did not seem to react, at least outwardly, to her comment. But that was fine, no response was needed for Pistis. It was a nice thing to say, in the least. She had always known that healing and taking care of cubs was her calling. That and taking care as the heiress of the Nephus family. The latter part was no longer part of her life. So she focused on caretaking and herbs. Maybe one day she’d be a matriarch, but not now.

“No, he’s more of an action or no expression man, all his thoughts are in his head, rare to come out of his mouth.” She shrugged, as it didn’t bother her really. She was the same way, in many cases. She nodded at the woman as she spoke, and headed towards the herb, soon spotting a patch of the leafy plant. Her eyes narrowed as she took a moment to identify it, “I don’t know this one’s name, but the leaves are good for pain, and the roots can be chewed to reduce inflammation.” It was a newer herb to her, something she’d had to figure out through trial and error. Of course, she’d done so on herself, not wanting to risk hurting someone else.

“I’ll have to dig it up, but you can help shake it off once it’s uprooted.” She figured without claws, it would be easiest for her to help her get the clumps of dirt off afterwards. Pistis gently cut into the earth, a circle forming around the plant. She then pulled up on it, sneezing at the dirt that filled the air. “Alright, when I hold the stem in my mouth, bat at the roots so we can free them of dirt.” She put the stem in her teeth gingerly, making sure not to snap it, even though the stem wasn’t particularly useful.

@Dia
+5 gather herbs
1/4 posts

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

OOC:

Trade: Medic

+5 Learn something from another about your trade

1/4 action posts

+5 Collect herbs

1/4 action posts

Hearing Pistis talk about Gwyn, Dia was starting to understand why she was his wife - really, despite Gwyn’s front, he was a more quiet man, in the same way that Pistis didn’t seem too chatty either. Not a bad thing - honestly, probably a good thing. One who talks too much often doesn’t actually have much to say. Dia was proof of that - she knew she could be a chatterbox. Still, she was beginning to see why they made a good match for each other. Wildly, she wondered if they’d had children, and if those children were just as stoic, but she batted the thought away and came back to the task at hand instead of asking.

Following closely behind, Dia couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of the scars on the pale woman’s rump, and it felt like her heart clawed its way up into her throat. Immediately, she re-evaluated everything she just thought. She wondered if, God forbid, Gwyn had done that to the poor lady. She thought best not to ask, and forced her eyes to dart away quickly, ears curling back, sure that Pistis wouldn’t exactly appreciate unwelcome looks.

She made a point of focusing hard when the other lioness found what she was looking for - an otherwise unassuming little leafy plant, stubbornly sticking it out in the midst of the cold weather. She listened to Pistis describe its uses, and nodded. “Pain and inflammation.” she repeated, committing it to memory.

The gold woman leant close to the ground as she watched the other carefully excavate the herb from the earth, nodding at the instructions given. The pale woman sneezed then, truly quite sweetly. “Bless you.” Dia offered quietly.

Pistis took the herb in her mouth and pulled it up, gently. Dia waited until the other lioness stilled, then gingerly batted at the roots with a small outstretched paw, mindful to not touch Pistis. Hard bits of dirt came flying away, spattering on the ground. Dia repeated this a few times, clearing as much of the earth away as she could, until the roots were bare, save for a few stubborn specs clinging to them.

”Is that alright?”’she asked, lowering her paw.

@Pistis