I'll be sailing on your deep blue eyes.

Maybe @Hieronymous?

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The return to Vanderfell had been long overdue, and while he was looking forward to integrating himself once more to pack life, Quicksilver squirrelled himself away at the heart of the territory for a few days to nurse his wounds - both physical and emotional. He used this time to mourn the loss of something that'd never been his, never could be his, and sever the fine threads that held his heart to another's.

His love was so real and so pure that to cut those ties felt impossible, but he wanted so badly to move on from the torment he'd inflicted on himself.

The first step he made was to investigate his garden, which he found wild and overgrown. At once Quicksilver set about plucking weeds and snipping at dead flower heads with careful fangs, keen to press Reiko to the far corners of his mind.


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Having heard of Quicksilver's return was a wonderful surprise. Hieronymous had wondered where the man had run off to and hoped he was doing alright. He would give the silvery man some time to readjust to being home again, certainly there were a few who wanted to greet him upon his return and mostly the man would want to rest every once in a while as well - and well, today was the day Hiero decided was good enough.

Through the boy's garden it was easy to see him already working away at the herbs he had left behind. Overgrown and full of what Hier assumed was weeds... we they too useful for things or just pests? “Quicksilver~” He chimed in as he approached, tail swaying with every step. “I'm glad to see you've returned alive and well.” Completely unaware of the heartache the boy was going through, Hiero may be obliviously aiding in getting his mind off of things. 
 
“I tried to take care of your garden when you were away... and well, I don't know what I'm doing with plants.” He chuckled nervously. “Hopefully they aren't too awful.”

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The calling of his name, voiced by a tone he hadn't forgotten, was rewarded the enthusiastic twitch of ashen lobes. He ducked his head to peer through the overgrown vegetation to spot the familiar patchwork pelt of his comrade, and with a burst of renewed energy he acknowledged him brightly as, “Hiero!”

He loped around the garden, keen to reunite, and with a happy lash of his white-dipped tail he reached to place a friendly nudge to the other wolf's shoulder.

It'd been some time since he could focus on his little herb patch, and it hadn't been too presentable when he'd departed for Tsukiishi. He turned his attention to the weeds and disturbed earth as Hiero confessed his attempt to maintain and, even though he hadn't performed the role to Quicksilver's impossible standards, he was more grateful than anything.

“Oh, thank you,” he chirped, his smile warm, “not awful at all! A whole new forest might've grown in its place if you hadn't, so... I appreciate it.”


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Oh how good it was to see Quicksilver in such high spirits. For him to be excited to see the painted knight was such a joyous sight as Hiero had always had a feeling that others were quick to forget him and move on. Not that it bothered him too much, being not the type to hold a grudge or be saddened by the way life worked in its own mysterious ways.

As Quicksilver bumped shoulders with him, Hiero leaned into it. Happily accepting the gesture with glee as his own tail swayed with joy. It was great to see the original small group of Vanderfell together again, and he, no longer the only male! Jokingly thought of course, none of which mattered other than the silver man's wellbeing.
 
“Ah! Well that's good.” At least his efforts weren't in vain of trying to tame the weeds. “Perhaps now you can teach me a few things? I wouldn't mind learning how to garden a little, looks relaxing.” And a good way to spend some time with Quicksilver and bond over something they could both do. 

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On the breeze came the aroma of fresh lavender, right beneath the druid's nose, and the memory that scent induced brought pain to the heart of him. Reiko had disappeared entirely from his medicine chamber while he rested within her territory, and left no word of her whereabouts to those who quietly tended him. Days later had Ira come to retrieve him, a reunion that'd lightened Quicksilver considerably, but still misery would creep up on him from time to time.

He shook it off; it would do him good to reduce his stock of lavender, and he made a mental note to find something else to replace it.

“Of course,” the silverwhite beamed, sweeping his gaze briefly over his wild collection, “what would you like to know?”


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“How about we start at the very beginning?” The very basics, things he could digest as a first lesson would be a good idea. There was something that was distracting Quicksilver and Hiero could see it but not quite put his toes on it. Maybe something had happened to the man while he was away - something that he would be willing to talk about later and seek advice if necessary. Or at least a shoulder to cry on.

“How can you tell which are weeds and which are herbs?” Because honestly he couldn't tell the difference between the two. Some looked prettier than others and yet he wondered if that was a way to differentiate the herbs from the weeds. A part of him said no, that it was far too simple than that. 

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Too disconnected from the world beyond a certain snowflower, Quicksilver had been entirely unaware of the relationships that blossomed right under his nose. Even then, as he dipped his muzzle in agreement to Hiero's request and set about plucking rogue blades of grass and dandelions from among his mint patch, news of he and Ira's engagement had yet to reach his ears.

“Some would call these weeds,” he dug at the ground, keen to preserve the plant's roots, then presented the bright yellow flower and its leaves to his companion. He lowered it to the ground between them, “because they grow quickly and can cause an infestation. I suppose they are a nuisance when they grow where you don't want them to, but... they are useful in their own way.”

He lifted his head to exchange a glance with his patchwork friend. “Everything, no matter how small or insignificant to some, has a purpose. The leaves can stimulate appetite and aid digestion, and the flowers can encourage milk flow for nursing mothers.” The druid smiled, a little sadly, and poked his nose to the mint and invited his pack-mate to do likewise, “this one has a strong scent. You can smell it better if you pluck a leaf. Can you tell what it is?”


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Quicksilver brought his attention to a little yellow flower. Bright enough that even he couldn't ignore it from a distance almost everywhere. They were hardy little things he had to admit. “Honestly I didn't think these were weeds.” He said almost sheepishly - but it was good to know they were much more than what others saw them as too. “I use to love chasing the flying seeds once they aged, even now I have fond memories seeing them.”

It brought him back to a simpler time. One of pup hood with his family before things grew complicated. Then again, he probably wouldn't have changed much from then to now - seeing where he wound up in the end. Even if some spots were rough along the way, ultimately, it all turned out pretty good. He and Ira were to get married soon; very soon. It gave him an uneasy feeling, a type of excitement he wasn't aware of how to deal with.  
 
“Maybe its for the best they proliferate without much effort on our part, sounds like they are much more than just pleasant little memories.” Casting his spotted eye over to his companion and smiled gently. A new plant came to his attention as it was asked for him to take a whiff, to see if he could identify it. Taking a moment to sniff at the plant, he could almost tell right away from its signature scent even he could pick up (bc if Noki can smell it, so can he). With a little bit of teeth he bit into the leaves to taste... “Eeyuup, I'd say that's some mint right there.”

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Dandelions were tough, able to grow in the most awkward little places. They were deep-rooted and stubborn, returning time and time again after plucking, if even the smallest section of root remained. Still, whike Quicksilver did appreciate their many uses, a dandelion infestation could cripple the other plant populations by robbing them of essential nutrients. It was best to keep them contained.

Little memories, Hiero had called them. Quicksilver felt a smile bloom on his muzzle as he thought fondly on his own name for the flyaway seeds: little wishes. Sadness spiked at him in the moments that followed for, despite blowing several of them to the wind, none of his wishes had come true.

“Mint,” he confirmed after his companion inhaled deep the scent of it, and he was glad for the distraction. Focusing on and talking about work kept his mind occupied, “is safe to ingest daily. It boosts our immune systems to fight infection, even helps keep the gut healthy if we, uh... eat the wrong thing.”

Quicksilver reached into the soil, scraped the dead and fallen leaves from its surface. “Helps keep teeth clean and freshens breath, too,” he added as an afterthought.


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With the leaf in his mouth he smiled as his guess was confirmed. Hiero was pretty confident in his educated guess on the plant being mint, but there could also be some mint smelling plants out there to confuse his senses too. As Quicksilver spoke about the plant, Hiero felt it safe enough to eat as he quickly licked it into his mouth and began to chew to taste the familiar cool taste.
 
“Ah! That's good to know... maybe I'll be eating more of these now. Y'know, fresh breath for the Mrs. and all.” He didn't realize Quicksilver was slow to catch the news of his soon to be wedding to the High Queen. It wasn't like they were talking about it often other than making sure all who were invited knew when and where to appear. 

Soon he would have to work on his appearances as High King should he be standing next to Ira as her equal. It would be embarrassing for her if he was anything but presentable every day from here on out. So mint might be something to add to his daily routine, to chew on and make sure his breath and teeth were in tip top shape. “Do you think we can grow more of these? I can lend a hand and tend to them.”

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He could hear Hiero gnaw away at his mint sampling, and ducked his head low to reach for a stubborn weed that'd wound its way among the plant. As he hooked it with his claws he moved to pull it toward him, but stalled at his comrade's mention of -

“What?” Quicksilver blurted, the surprise at hearing how Hiero had found himself a parter having him jerk his head upright. As a result he weed he'd caught was yanked rather roughly free of the herbs, stripping a few branches of their fragrant leaves that tumbled to the ground. Pastel eyes sought his friend's patchwork face and he smiled brightly, “oh, I'm sorry, I... I had not heard. Congratulations!”

He radiated happiness and enthusiasm despite his own unfortunate situation, for a new mateship was a blessed thing. It was to be celebrated! He wondered quietly who might've accepted his proposal, oblivious to any romantic connections Hiero may have found among Vanderfell.


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Briefly he was a little surprised by Quicksilver's shock. He figured everyone would have heard of it by now as word tends to spread like wildfire - but perhaps Vanderfell's lips weren't as loose as most he had come across in his time. Or perhaps Quicksilver wasn't interested in gossip and had let it fall off of him like water on a duck's back.
 
“Ah yes! It's fairly new so I wouldn't be too worried.” There was that too. Everything was happening so fast, their wedding was coming up too and he didn't really have much time to "win her over" as he thought he would have. “It's all happening so fast, I didn't think Ira would want to jump straight into marriage but then again —” He pawed nervously at his neck as if pulling at an imaginary collar. “I'm not upset with how quick it all is.”

Now he was rambling. Maybe it was the nerves creeping up on him now that he was going to be a husband just days from now after believing Ira would never return his feelings ever... Well, at least he was good at rolling with the punches.

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Fading here cause I'm greedy and I need more Noki threads!

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While Hiero's experienced his love life at breakneck speed, Quicksilver felt his own to be non-existent. He was excited for his friend, elated to the happiness ooze from his smile and the light in his eyes, but feelings jealousy lurked at the back of his mind. He longed for a companion, for someone to romance, and it burned to think how his chosen snowflower did not return the deep feeling he held.

“This is wonderful news,” the druid smiled brightly, his tail waving despite the sinking of his desperate heart, “I look forward to celebrating with you.”

He would learn that the wedding was to be very soon, and that the bride was their leader. Hieronymous would become King alongside Ira, which would be a big change within the pack - a joyful one! Quicksilver went on to share his plans of fermenting fruits, keen to play his part in preparing the feast, and with his thoughts of helping plan someone else's wedding day he could forget all about how he wished for his own.


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