Hanneth moved slowly through the lands, her eyes looking and her heart hoping that she might find something she could use to help patch up her family and friends. She wanted to get them healthy so that they can find a place to live. Somewhere safe but she also was worried about how those who lived here were taking all this. After having their own home stolen, Hanneth was tired and worried about being seen as the invaders here. Her eyes landed on some moss-covered rocks and she smiled softly. That was a start. She entered the water slowly and allowed her body to adjust to the coolness that rippled over her limbs.

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by nature, she is often drawn to the energy and serenity of the peaks, finding comfort and solace within its embrace and the rush of cold, mountain breezes through her pelt. today is no different as she weaves up the stoney pathways, complexion painted with a blanket of ease as she looks to make her way towards the hidden grotto, thinking that perhaps she would be graced with something special today.

special, however, came in many different forms, and it finds nymeria now before she even had a chance to reach the grotto's entrance. at the base of the falls she finds a woman bathing amongst the rocks, silent and alone. without hesitation does she continue forward, ears perched atop her cream crown, and eyes never once faltering. "well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, stranger ~" the fae exclaims upon bright, brimming tones, raising her voice so that it enunciated beyond the roaring of the waterfall. idly would her tail loft behind her, moving forward a few more paces so that she hovered on the edge of the pool, look on with intrigue.

Slowly her skilled claws slipped out and started to work the moss from the rocks. She needed to be careful. She needed large sections that she could later make smaller. Having small sections from the start aided her only a little and the wounds that needed to be covered were all rather large. The rogues had done a number on many of them. Hanneth had been lucky, protected by others and managed to walk away unharmed, physically this time. The voice caught her off guard and caused her to jump, ripping the blanket of moss she had been working on. Mismatched eyes land on the stranger whose words were friendly and calm. It helped ease Hanneth slightly as she was trying to not think everyone that was new would be trying to attack her. While she may not have walked out with any wounds for others to see, the lioness had a fair share of mental wounds lingering in her. Am I? Hanneth wasn't really sure how to respond to the lioness's words. Unclear as to how she could be a sight for sore eyes when she didn't know the stranger.

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eyes remained warm and fixated, until nymeria’s words slipped out in the open air and startled the poor woman within the water. oops! "oh no, i didn’t mean to startle you!" the damsel ensures, a twinge of guilt swelling within her chest before it slowly subsides again. were they all so on edge? unlikely, considering that they had been quick to squabble for homes and claim territories as their own. nymeria was not one to judge, however, for only maua knew what sorts of terrors they had fled from, or what carnage had laid waste to their past lives to bring them into the arms of their island. fate was funny that was, she supposed.

thankfully, the foreigner did not look to reprimand nymeria for her abrupt arrival, unintentional or otherwise, and rather chooses to address her choice of words. "well it’s all quite picturesque — a beautiful woman next to the falls, and all." honeyed chords explain casually, gaze flickering along the other’s features briefly, before down to the source of her focus and diligent work. "what are you collecting there?"

The stranger was quick with an apology that helped to ease Hanneth's tension and worry. None of the rogues that had attacked had ever offered a kind word or even a chance to talk. Hanneth shifted her weight in the water as she tried to relax and not feel so on edge. She wasn't sure if the stranger was just trying to ease the tension more or if that was her true view on things. Still, Hanneth found it hard to believe her, she was plain and focused far more on her crafts than her looks. Dero had been the only one that she was looking to impress and she had done that through her compassion and caring soul over her looks. At least that is how she saw it. She offered a soft smile as she tried to find something to say that wouldn't show how awkward she now was. Thankfully the stranger offered her an out. Mismatched eyes fell down to the broken moss that was still slightly attached to the rock. Moss. I have a number of wounded family members and friends that need patching up. I don't know a lot of the plants I have been seeing around but this one, I know and know how to use. She looked back up to the stranger. I am Hanneth Hodari. She decided to offer her name and maybe the pair could move beyond being strangers. Hanneth wanted to learn more about the land here and if this lioness happened to live here already, maybe she could learn more. Find out where they could call home. Find out how to talk to the spirits and see if they could tell her anything about Dero and her missing members.

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awkward? such a thing was a foreign concept to the the earthen nymph, who hardly batted an eye at the other woman’s moment of pause. innocently do her lashes flutter, once, then twice, before the topic continues onto the moss that @Hanneth was so delicately handling. and it was then that nymeria’s ears push forward, catching each word carefully, as she wanders a few feet closer to the edge of the pool. the explanation did, however, bring a small frown to the druid’s lips, as she found no joy in knowing that some of these strangers had arrived injured. "i am sorry to hear that. what sort of injuries, if you don’t mind me asking?" she inquired, thinking that, perhaps, she could provided some sort of assistance. she knew every leaf and every plant like the back of her own paw — and extending the olive branch, so to speak, could be beneficial for everyone involved.

"hanneth hodari"; a name to finally go with the quiet woman’s face, albeit the fact that nymeria could not do much with the information at the moment. nodding politely, her brief smile would return to her features as she gives a brief flick of her tail. "nymeria valour — a welcome should be in order for you then, hanneth, for your arrival to amaryllis. though i wish it was under better circumstances." For talks of gore and tragedy were hardly the makings of a good story. though, maybe the next chapter would be a better one.

Hanneth knew that the next question would be how they got hurt or what their wounds were. It was the natural way for things to flow and would be what she would ask if the roles were reversed. She paused as she looked the stranger over, trying to decide how much to tell her and how much to trust her. Hanneth had always been trusting but slowly over time the ability to give that trust away was harder and harder. She had been burned too many times. Hurt too many times. She shifted around in the water before deciding to give a little. Battle wounds mostly. A few bumps from the journey here. A few infections as well.

Hanneth offered a smile as she was given a name and a welcome. A welcome. So did Nymeria live here? Thank you Nymeria. Is this your home? She spoke as if it was and Hanneth hoped that she would be willing to share what she knew and maybe help offer guidance. Hanneth was also sure that the lioness had a lot of questions. While Hanneth had stayed away, she knew that there were other lions here that were claiming lands. She didn't know the victories but she knew those who fought them. She knew who she had come with and she knew that the troubles that were in the old lands, followed them here. She could maybe help Nymeria know those who have come as well.

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nymeria could tell that hanneth was somewhat hesitant of the question she received -- rightfully so, if you were to ask nymeria. but it was almost reassuring, in a way, that she was cautious, because it meant that she did not feel comfortable in these lands, their lands. giving a brief flicker of her gaze to the surrounding area, nymeria would offer further help, testing the waters still, to see how far they could get. "i can show you some more things that might be helpful for those injuries - those trees over there should have what we need, if you want to take a look, afterwards." velvet tones explain, paw raising to gesture towards a small bundle of palm trees towards the lower end of the pools. the moss was useful in the right situation, but hanneth would need something with a little more bunch to help with the pain and infections.

it was nymeria's turn beneath the spotlight, however, when hanneth returns the question to her. the druid gives herself a moment of pause, blinking slowly a few times, as if contemplating whether or not to be honest. but, it was not in her nature to be a liar, and she did not necessarily perceive hanneth as a threat, either. and so, she would choose to be an open book, at least for the time being. "yes, it is." she affirms, growing a bit more timid at the confession. she did not know how this would impact the other's opinion of her, as it could easily be for better, or for worse. "you can imagine our surprise when you all showed up -- it must mean that maua has something interesting planned." the words fall naturally from her lips, not thinking twice about the mention of the deity, and not considering that @Hanneth might be unaware of their presence or influence within these lands. lashes flutter expectantly, regardless, gaging the other woman's face for a reaction.

Hanneth's ears flicked forward as she was offered the chance to learn about the local herbs and plants. Of course! Her eyes shone a little with a touch of excitement as she nodded. That would be wonderful. I was the main healer of my pride and friends before we were forced out of our homes. Coming here and not knowing anything makes it really hard to care for them. She moved to step out of the water, willing to leave the moss for something better. The moss was just something, anything, that she knew she could get to do something. She shook off what water she had on her coat before looking toward the area that Nymeria had pointed out.

Hanneth was going to ask to go now, forgetting for a moment that she had asked another question of the lioness but the slow blinks and the long pause brought Hanneth back to the topic at hand. The lands. They were hers. Hanneth's features were covered in worry learning the news that they were indeed the invaders here and not everyone was making a great impression. Her ears folded back against her head and her eyes drop as she remembers the feeling of having her home taken from her. She almost missed the name but she looked back up slowly. Maua? Is he a spirit here? The one that talked to me and showed me how to get here? She was guessing but it seemed like Nymeria placed a lot of faith in Maua and so Hanneth could only guess they were powerful.

@Nymeria

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her body shifts once @Hanneth does, watching with an intent, noting gaze as the other woman removes herself from the water, clearly more intent on learning the locals tips and tricks than collecting the familiar herb. she offers a wry smile, keeping a few feet of distance between the two, as she looks to guide the stranger off towards the palms, neck craned up towards the leaves. "the palm leaves make for a good antibacterial, while the roots and fruits can be used for pain relief." she would explain simply, pushing one of the fallen fruit forward with one of her paws, figuring that both remedies would be vital to the recovery of hanneth’s family.

she, of course, should have figured that questions of maua would come next, quick and curious as ever. was it wrong that she felt a wave of protectiveness bloom within her chest? hanneth seemed kind enough, but maua was not some token for these newcomers to play with or explore — but alas, the valour woman would bite her tongue, for the deity’s sake. "maua is our deity and the creator of these lands; they built it all from scratch, from their vision." warm words continue to flow, though there is a slight peer to her gaze, as she angles herself to face hanneth more directly. "what do you mean they spoke to you?" she inquired finally, brow arching, as she shuffles a few more fruit into a pile.