It was still quite dark as they approached the pool. The two moon-pelted women arriving not terribly long after their exit from the entrance caves. Their fur shone from the moonbeams, as Pistis gently guided her new friend to a lower part of the pool, an edge that dipped close to the waters, so she could more easily lap up the water. Pistis sat back, “if you reach forward, the water is there.” She hummed, hoping to provide a bit of echoing to help her bearings of the area. Stopping after a few long moments, though, as Pistis was there to help her around, if she needed it. She took the moment to admire the other’s beauty. Stopping short, feeling quite guilty. That was rude. It’s not as if Metzli knew she was looking at her like that. So she studied the moon suspended in the pool instead. Or glanced at the sands, but really she was just trying to take her mind off of her rude staring.

@Metzli

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

The smell of water hit her as they entered the chamber, filling Metzli's lungs with the crisp but earthen aroma. From above, cold fresh air fell down over them and brought with it the ozonic note of winter. It smelled clean here, like the first bracing breath of icy air after leaving a warm den. She could understand the idea of a garden now. Nodding her thanks In Pistis's direction, the silver and shadow lioness padded to the waters edge and began lapping up the cool liquid. She made a point of starting and stopping, hyper aware of the odd and perhaps unpleasant sound of her swallowing. Metzli did her best to minimize it, but there wasn't much room to sip daintily with a half shredded throat. Finally, she raised her lips from the pool and licked the last drops from her pale whiskers. She then turned her face up to where she smelled air flowing down from the ceiling, it smelled like night. Maybe the moon was out. Turning to Pistis again, Metzli mimicked digging before pressing a paw to the spot and slowly raising it up with a steady but twisting motion as if to suggest something growing. She then tilted her head in question. @Pistis

BG Stock | Lion Stock | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge

Pistis paid no mind to the sound of the other drinking. Barely noticing it, actually. Too lost in her own thoughts. Hundreds of them streaming through her mind, as they often did in the silence. Turning back to her new friend as the other motioned. She smiled, “yes, there’s some soil around here, it would be a good place to keep some hardier plants in the winter. Plus with the water and opening for rain, I’d not have to worry about them dying due to drought.” She explained her ideas thoroughly. She glanced at the pool again. Fancying a bath, but that’d be quite rude to just suddenly climb into the small watery area out of the blue. It was a curious urge, she supposed she’d gotten it from seeing Jewel bathe there before.

Instead her head tilted a bit, “Have you ever taken a bath in a pool like this before? I saw one of my friends do such a thing, but not tried it before myself.” At least, not a freshwater pool. She’d bathed in little tidepools before. But sometimes that stung. This would probably feel more pure. Relaxing. No sting to your eyes or nose. She wondered if Metzli would want to join her or just continue to drink. Her mind wandered back to the wormwood, still curious if the other woman had tried using it to help with her cough.

@Metzli

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

She nodded along with Pistis's reasoning, it sounded right enough. Metzli was no expert in growing herbs in dark places, but she knew what she felt to be a fair amount about herbs themselves from her training. Unfortunately a lot of that had to be relearned when she could no longer identify plants purely by sight. A number of plants had distinctive scents, even if just a single note when the leaf or root was bruised that set it apart. Others she had to further investigate the shape of with the sensitive skin of her nose and her whiskers, but usually if she knew it from before then she could figure it out eventually. On the subject of a cavern bath, Metzli shook her head. Streams and rivers were usually what had always been used, following by a roll in something pleasant smelling like mint. She'd never had the opportunity to be in caves like this, with massive winding systems and entire underground lakes. Metzli tilted her head as well before reaching out to the water and patting it curiously with a paw, she then drew the limb back to herself and turned it over in front of her nose as if she could inspect the water's effect. It also unintentionally revealed a distinct scar on the pad of her left paw, looking like a crudely 'drawn' image of a slitted eye. @Pistis

BG Stock | Lion Stock | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge

The other politely refused her offer. Ah, that was alright. Pistis supposed she needed to investigate the idea of gardening more than taking a bath, hm. She glanced around for a moment, before feeling a few droplets fall on her fur from the other. She turned her head back, noticing the scar on her paw. Would it be rude to ask about it? But it was quite interesting. She hoped this wasn’t rude... “Erm, what’s that little symbol on your pad there?” She asked, trying not to sound pushy or anything. She also knew she may not get a response. The story might be more complicated than what Metzli’s motioning could explain.

Then her eyes roamed around the cave again, looking for the tall, yellow flowers of wormwood. Still wondering it’s effects on her new friend’s cough. “Have you ever tried wormwood to soothe your throat and cough?” She asked, looking back to make sure she could see the shake of the other’s head to indicate her answer. That was one of the main plants that survived and frankly thrived down here. She saw it anywhere there were cracks in the ceiling. Even in Obsidian Hollow, they would root around in little patches of soil.

@Metzli

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

Her paw? Metzli lowered the mentioned extremity, dunking it back under the water almost too quickly. Just a mark, everyone had one. Well, almost everyone. A few even sought them out, funny little things they were. The eclipsed lionesses flexed her claws casually, letting her foreleg slide further into the water and waving it around. The gentle resistance of water against the movement gave her something to focus on as Pistis continued on. As far as herbs went, most of them had been externally applied with the exception of moss saturated with a mix of water and honey that Akestor had given her to drink during the healing process. Even that hadn't been able to mask the taste of blood as she drank it, but it had helped soothe her. She shrugged with a non-commital head waggle in response, a lot of that period was a blur. The exact herbs used were only half remembered, but she didn't think wormwood was one of them. Her paw hit something in the shallows, hard with a mix of rough and smooth surface. Curious now, she tried to scoop it up and felt her upper half slip forward. With a splash she fell into the water, having the presence of mind to at least immediately flip and right herself onto her hind legs. This brought her into a rather comical balancing act as she realized... The water wasn't quite as deep here as she thought. @Pistis

BG Stock | Lion Stock | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge

The paw in question was hidden from Pistis quickly. She took the hint and didn’t question the woman further. The idea of matching symbols, especially purposeful scars, was not foreign. She’d seen it done a few times. Though never on one’s paw. That was interesting. Not many would see it, but she supposed if you did, it would communicate something to anyone else who had one. Perhaps a secret group? Ah, probably not, but she allowed her mind to wander.

The blind woman shrugged, which Pistis supposed meant she had no idea what herbs had been used. Ah, well, that was too bad. But perhaps the other would allow her to try it once she’d stocked up on the plant. Then with a loud splash, her new companion fumbled into the waters. Pistis let out a wonderful, mirthful laugh. Though it was clear, she hoped, that she wasn’t being cruel. “Oh dear, Metzli, it looks like you’re taking a bath after all.” Her chuckling stopped, and she laid down, legs tucking under her (think cat loaf style) smiling broadly. It was sort of unfortunate, but the woman had seemed a bit shocked about some aspect or other of the pool.

@Metzli

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

Balancing on two legs wasn't something a lion was meant to do for very long, but Metzli was finding she wasn't doing too badly at it for someone who found herself in this position accidentally. Pistis's laugh twinkled across the freshly disturbed water, joining the sound of gentle waves lapping the shore. Metzli huffed softly, rolling her eyes with a few swaying nods of her head. Yes yes, go on ahead and laugh. She could feel the rock that had caused her fall, it was resting against the side of her left back paw. But it was also not the most concerning order of business right now. No, that honor belonged to this. With a small huff of intaken breath, Metzli brought both paws back down and onto the surface of the water. The double impact sent up a sizable splash of water, rising up in dual plumes of silver that were aimed approximately in the other lady's direction! @Pistis

BG Stock | Lion Stock | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge

The other seemed annoyed in an amused fashion. Pistis still letting out a stray laugh here or there. It wasn’t often you saw a feline off balance and sent careening into water. So it was quite funny. As her eyes closed to let out a sigh. A loud, smacking noise sent her eyes flying open, just as the water engulfed her. Spluttering, she shook herself off like a dog, standing up. After letting out a short cough. She huffed. Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be? The Noble thought. Smirking, she suddenly jumped into the pool, A bit farther out from her friend, so that she wouldn’t break her ankles from impact on the shallower side. Still close enough to splash her, hopefully. Then swimming over. Before walking up. She took some water between her teeth and squirted it at the other’s shoulder. “You can’t outmaneuver me, miss.” She said with a cheeky grin on her maw. A challenge clear in her tone.

See, now this was fun. Something she hadn’t gotten too much within her life. Getting to mess and prank others. Ah, it hadn’t been the life of a heiresses, or frankly a noble’s. But she didn’t much care. She was tucked away from The Hollow, with no worries of others judging her. In fact, Metzli didn’t even know she was a pride lioness, which she should probably mention at some point. But Pistis was no buzzkill.

@Metzli

we get colder... as we grow older

manip by Rowan | code by twesh

It sounded like Pistis meant business now, and Metzli couldn't help but be curious as to what exactly that meant. Scrabbling of paws, the shifting of weight, and suddenly a sizable splash sprayed the listening lioness in a wave that seemed to rise up exactly at the right height to shoot up her nose! Metzli sneezed indignantly, rubbing her nose with the back of a wet paw. Keeping her paws steady in the shallows of the lake, she let the waves shift her body as she listened for where Pistis has gone. Scent was less useful here in the water, so she had only her ears that she could trust. Waves shifting her way, ripples of movement nudging at her side. Here she came. Metzli struck as Pisrts did, spreading her toes as she scooped her paw along the surface of the water to create a miniature tidal wave that was not quite tall enough to shield her from the spritz of water aimed at her face. Can't outmaneuver? Maybe Metzli hadn't much to offer the world, but one thing she did have was maneuverability. She just had to push through a little. Twirling away from Pistis, she found herself balancing on her hinds again at least briefly. Long enough leap and twist her body a whisker above the surface, using her long fur as a watery flail before splashing back down.

Lion Stock | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge