breathing dreams like air

Paws had long grown weary as the woman wandered through the forest floor. Large, looming trees brought a sense of tranquility to the terrain, making the ashen female smile to herself. She had always found a sort of solstice in the woods. Hiding among the red-barked trees while scouring the lithosphere for herbs, berries, and other trinkets to aid in her.... academic adventures, was comforting. This was the perfect feeding ground for her knowledge to blossom. To educate the other medics of the family. 

Purple-kissed eyes were cast casually along the shrubbery, finding bitter gooseberries, sticky currant, and other forms of berries. Some were poisonous to their kind, others a welcomed food source. Though, what truly interested her was the foxglove. It was certainly poisonous and toxic to canines, and many would shy away from the plant. Yet Rayen stared at the beautiful flower almost lovingly. One of her favorite things to pass the time with was to mess with dangerous herbs, berries, and other vegetation to conjure up wicked concoctions. Mainly to protect her family, but also herself. Fighting wasn't something she was spectacular at. A smaller build and being slapped with the label as 'lead forager', didn't really earn her brownie points in an arena of snarling dogs. However, what did earn her points, was her mind. 

Thus, the woman very carefully plucked some of the forbidden flowers, careful to ensure they didn't touch her skin or her lips. Ingesting it was surely a means to her demise. While she worked the plant, the woman hummed a soft tune to the void around her. Until the footfalls of a beast rattled the air around them. A hint of a smile tugged at her lips as she called over her shoulder, "Your presence is welcomed, Uncle. What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Nahele was her father's brother, making him an imposing uncle. His bright, fire-red fur charred into molten black. Who could forget his size as well? He alone could probably stop armies, and yet, here he was, dwindling in her area of expertise. "How is your raven?"
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Nahele had awakened some hours before in the dappled shade of a giant sequoia. The man was unsure what had brought him here or why he was left in this place, but those questions could be answered at a later time. There was no room for questions or worry, just the need to move. The man was not concerned with his health but his family. His mother was elderly and without her sight, which left her vulnerable with him or Calian around. Just the thought of his mother in danger brought a rise of fear. It was a worry that remained in his mind at all times.

“You, Rayen.” He replied, lips lifted with a smile. Yet, his eyes scanned the area. Nahele was a formidable opponent, but he would not allow himself to be caught unaware of another's presence. Not when he had Rayen to protect as well. “I see you've come to study the plants. Anything of interest?” He inquired as he eyed the berries. Nahele knew to avoid these types, the toxic ones. He'd report to Calian what he's found in these woods.

“Tsintah is well, my niece. You know how she loves to venture into the wilderness to collect trinkets.” Nahele knew his raven preferred the unknown than to remain stuck in their home. Tsintah craved adventure, and Nahele would never be the one to force her to stay. In truth, Tsintah was his escape. She brought stories and experiences Nahele would never experience in his lifetime, things he yearned to see with his own eyes. But alas, his heart always chose his family over his own dreams. It was what his father would have wanted from him. “And your companion? Where might they be?” He asked, crimson eyes lifting to the branches above them. With a small exhale, the man came to his niece's side to examine the flora she had found. “Foxglove. A beautiful yet deadly plant. I remember the time I touched it as a child and had a rash along my cheek for weeks.” He chuckled, though he tried to move his niece some paces back. “Careful.” Nahele knew the plant was far more dangerous than an itchy rash. Its pollen caused adverse reactions that he had unfortunately seen in other animals. It was a poison, and he would not see it happen to Rayen.

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The low tone of her uncle’s voice caused her ears to flicker in response as she continued to pluck and pile away at her flowers. Each movement was slow, calculated, and gentle. Everything she did was with intention. Okay, maybe to not poison herself either. Or at least, not in front of her uncle. The birds know he would throw a fit if she tried to micro dose herself in front of him, and that’s a fight she wasn’t willing to battle. Ugh. She could hear the scolding now, from not only Nahele, but her father as well. Hard pass.

“There are always things of interest, Nahele,” she said with a hint of a smile tugging upon her lips. “But yes. This place is packed with herbs, berries, and things a like. It would be a good place to settle. Easy access for me and the other medics to retrieve herbs to heal the wounded, and it seems plentiful from what I have gathered.” All calculated by her stroll from earlier. This would be an ideal territory for them to lay claim. Plus, she really wasn’t interested in leaving again.

All she could do at the moment was hope he didn’t snitch about her findings. While many in the pack knew of her wild adventures and her crazed-like mind for dangerous things, she still liked to keep most of it under wraps. It was her own little quirk, and her main way of protecting herself. The last thing she needed was curious eyes and ears to start wandering and asking tedious questions.

The mention of his raven caused the smile to widen. One of her favorite things about her home was being granted a flying companion. It was special and unique, and wholly them. Their bond to their birds was undeniable. Surely most would envy them. “I envy Tsintah,” Rayen sighed happily before finishing up her pile. “Has she brought back anything new? Perhaps a lavish trinket for the every growing collection of baubles and treasures.”

If the woman wasn’t so afraid of the outside world, perhaps she too, would venture off to explore the unknown. But it was the unknown that kept her rooted to her home. Lost parts of her yearned for the adventure and knowledge that was just outside her door, but the spine gripping fear of leaving her family often left her debilitated. Thus, she would have to find happiness where no one leaves.

“Nimue is grabbing a large leaf for me to carry the Foxglove,” Rayen beamed as she finally, for the first time, glanced back at her uncle. It was always amazing to her to think he was blood. Their coats were so different, and their eyes shined different things. Nahele was a warrior through and through. Built for battle, harsh conditions, and to defend their loved ones. It was like the gods had poured blood upon his pelt to indicate that he was a force to be reckoned with. A symbol of bloodshed and peace. Rayen on the other hand, was small and fragile. Weary bones with an ashen pelt that had smoldering specks lining her spine. Her eyes were a lavender haze, and perhaps the only striking thing about her, besides her bluejay feathers that were glued to her mane with tree sap.

Almost like the bird had heard it’s name, Nimue – a gorgeous bluejay came fluttering down from the canopy with a large leaf neatly tucked into its beak. Landing upon Rayen’s skull, often the place it perched, dropped the leaf and nuzzled into it’s oversized companion. Grinning, Rayen quickly scooped the Foxglove into the leaf and folded the corners gently, before rising to saunter over to a nearby tree. To ensure she didn’t lose any of her flowers, she would seal the leaf with a dollop of tree sap.

Quietly asking Nimue to grab the tree sap and place it upon the leaf, the monotoned woman returned the chuckle of her uncle. “The first time I found it, I had a similar reaction. It’s funny how something can be so beautiful, but so deadly to our kind,” the woman thought aloud before closing the leaf once her bird was done slapping on the sap.

Picking the now closed leaf up carefully with her jowls, she walked over to her uncle and nuzzled his neck in a familial fashion, “I am always careful. You do not need to protect me.” Partly true.

“Have you seen the others?”
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