Fendros slowly rubbed the salve over the surface of Ahnasha's back, trying his best to relieve the soreness she was experiencing. "I don't know if I'm quite capable of growing a beard that I would describe as 'glorious'," Fendros laughed, "the last time I tried growing facial hair, it came out patchy and looked quite filthy. That was a few years ago though, maybe it'll grow out more evenly now. Janius is either lucky or just perseveres with his goatee." Looking back at Ahnasha's face for a moment, he smiled widely, still slightly amused at the prospect of a beard, "If you don't mind me looking like I rolled my jaw in a pile of dark dirt for the better part of a month, I could try and grow something passable." He looked down and continued, "Might itch for a while, as well. Hmm."
Janius, having taken care of the fire until it was in a self-sustaining state, was very receptive to doing something else. "Oh mercy, something to do in the water," he said gratefully. While he was not so eager for a swim, biting fish or not, fishing sounded like something nice to occupy his mind. "I'll try my hand at catching these swamp fish. The gods know I need a justification for that fire." Janius rose from where he was sitting and followed Meesei to assist in catching something to eat.
Ariel and Sabine were already absorbed in their own tasks. While Sabine gave no indication of her intentions, Ariel conceded to take a dip later, after she was finished with what she was doing. While her and Sabine were nearby again, Ariel tried to strike up a conversation. "So, how are you, Sabine? You look like you've been enjoying Black Marsh so far."
Sabine looked up for only a moment. She shrugged.
"It's certainly a diverse environment, so many plants and animals and insects. One could hardly catalog it all in one lifetime."
There was no response from Sabine.
Ariel breathed out through her nose, but kept her patience. Sabine was never a girl of many words. "How are you feeling about this ritual?" Ariel asked.
This caused Sabine to halt her activity of cutting up a new leaf she had found and think. "I don't know," She replied simply.
Muttonhawk Member
Let Slip the Corgis of War
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Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
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Ariel smiled and took a breath in to respond, before stopping herself and looking down and to the side with her brow lowered a little. She raised her hand slightly and breathed in again, but then just looked further away and bit on her tongue. It was as if she was remembering things before committing to words. "Uhm... I could make some more, I think, but it may not be exactly the same." She brightened up and looked at Ahnasha with a confirming smile, "I'll see what I can do."
Without much else to do that evening, Ariel decided to head back to the camp to unpack some of her alchemical equipment and take stock. She sighed as she found that a couple of key ingredients for the salve were not amongst her supplies, and she had not brought along the oil that she usually used as a fragrance in such mixtures. Nevermind, there were plenty of ingredients in the Marsh, and even if she couldn't find known substitutes for the ingredients, Sabine had done nothing but try everything she could see. She was bound to have found something.
When everyone walked away from the Hist tree, Sabine remained for a little while. Though apprehensive, she stepped up to the tree so she was almost up against it and looked at it closely as well. She checked over her shoulder one last time, before she brought her hand up and ran her fingers gently down its surface. The tree stood silent, seemingly not reacting to anything. Suddenly, Sabine's fingers accidentally dislodged a tiny flake of the tree's bark, which caused her to jump back. She sighed at herself through her nose, it was just a tree. She headed back to where she had been experimenting, sitting opposite Ariel as she ground ingredients for some more salve.
By the spot that Meesei had suggested, Fendros disrobed and entered the water. As soon as he could, he waded to a point where it was deep enough to dive and submerged himself, hands first. The cool relief from the humid heat washed over him and he surfaced feeling far more awake and refreshed than before. He swum to find Ahnasha and the salve jar to get started. It took some effort to get enough of the salve out of the jar, but at least it didn't dissolve in the water. "You know, all this talk of fur reminds me of something. You remember in the hot spring on Vvardenfell, you mentioned something about a beard. What did you say again?" Running his hands over both her shoulders, he looked at her with a smile, "Now, where on your back does it hurt?"
Without much else to do that evening, Ariel decided to head back to the camp to unpack some of her alchemical equipment and take stock. She sighed as she found that a couple of key ingredients for the salve were not amongst her supplies, and she had not brought along the oil that she usually used as a fragrance in such mixtures. Nevermind, there were plenty of ingredients in the Marsh, and even if she couldn't find known substitutes for the ingredients, Sabine had done nothing but try everything she could see. She was bound to have found something.
When everyone walked away from the Hist tree, Sabine remained for a little while. Though apprehensive, she stepped up to the tree so she was almost up against it and looked at it closely as well. She checked over her shoulder one last time, before she brought her hand up and ran her fingers gently down its surface. The tree stood silent, seemingly not reacting to anything. Suddenly, Sabine's fingers accidentally dislodged a tiny flake of the tree's bark, which caused her to jump back. She sighed at herself through her nose, it was just a tree. She headed back to where she had been experimenting, sitting opposite Ariel as she ground ingredients for some more salve.
By the spot that Meesei had suggested, Fendros disrobed and entered the water. As soon as he could, he waded to a point where it was deep enough to dive and submerged himself, hands first. The cool relief from the humid heat washed over him and he surfaced feeling far more awake and refreshed than before. He swum to find Ahnasha and the salve jar to get started. It took some effort to get enough of the salve out of the jar, but at least it didn't dissolve in the water. "You know, all this talk of fur reminds me of something. You remember in the hot spring on Vvardenfell, you mentioned something about a beard. What did you say again?" Running his hands over both her shoulders, he looked at her with a smile, "Now, where on your back does it hurt?"
"Right," Ariel nodded. She slowly took a step closer to the tree to look at it closely, but didn't feel comfortable enough to touch it. Between the trees being so revered and the death sentence that would come from harming one, she decided to err on the side of caution. "Will it be difficult to find such a village? I mean, apart from you, we're all foreigners. You told me yourself that your people are generally untrusting."
Fendros followed Ahnasha, laughing briefly at the recollection of when a hungry swamp fish decided that the end of Ahnasha's tail looked enough like an insect to give her some grief. Amongst the pack's belongings, they found the jar of inflammation remedy that Ariel had gifted to Ahnasha back in Morrowind. Upon opening it, Fendros found that the jar was almost empty. Fendros held the jar to Ahnasha to show her, "Still just enough for one last application, I think. We might ask Ariel if she could make another batch."
They found Meesei with Ariel and Sabine by the Hist sapling. At a glance, it didn't look like they were interrupting anything. Even if they recognised the Hist tree, they hadn't been told whether or not the ritual to help Sabine was occuring then. "Meesei," Fendros got their alpha's and Ariel's attention, but not Sabine's, "Would you be able to point out a suitable swimming spot for us? One without tail-snappers, preferably."
Fendros followed Ahnasha, laughing briefly at the recollection of when a hungry swamp fish decided that the end of Ahnasha's tail looked enough like an insect to give her some grief. Amongst the pack's belongings, they found the jar of inflammation remedy that Ariel had gifted to Ahnasha back in Morrowind. Upon opening it, Fendros found that the jar was almost empty. Fendros held the jar to Ahnasha to show her, "Still just enough for one last application, I think. We might ask Ariel if she could make another batch."
They found Meesei with Ariel and Sabine by the Hist sapling. At a glance, it didn't look like they were interrupting anything. Even if they recognised the Hist tree, they hadn't been told whether or not the ritual to help Sabine was occuring then. "Meesei," Fendros got their alpha's and Ariel's attention, but not Sabine's, "Would you be able to point out a suitable swimming spot for us? One without tail-snappers, preferably."
"Hmm, yeah, the rest of us have it easy. We can take off our coverings, yours is part of your skin." Fendros replied. At first he thought it strange that someone who's racial heritage laid in a desert and jungle clad land such as Elsweyr would mind the heat so much, but it was reasonable with the humidity, not to mention her condition. "I don't know how Meesei and the Argonians bear this place, they mustn't have any sweat pores at all." Fendros smiled reached for Ahnasha's hand. He wasn't sure whether feeling close to her was going to overcome the sticky heat from each of their skins for a prolonged period, but he savoured it all the same. "Tell you what, once your remedies take effect, how would you like to take a dip in the water? I can give your back a rub if you would like. I think we still have some of Ariel's salve, right?"
With one hand clasped in the other, Ariel craned her neck upwards at the Hist tree's leaves. "I have to admit, there's a tad less reverence and fanfare than I'm used to, but I think it's mostly Daedra who are into that sort of thing." Ariel opened her mouth slightly and stayed silent, as if trying to listen for something. "It seems almost... inconsequential in comparison to the other trees. It's interesting that they hold such a presence within them." After another moment of trying to listen, Ariel gave up, closed her mouth and looked at Meesei again, "Is it whispering to you?"
Only just now making her presence known with light footsteps on the detritus-covered ground, Sabine edged forward and stood next to her sister with her eyes locked on the tree's bulbous trunk. She too was curious, especially with the prospect that one of these trees might be able to relieve her mind of her constant fears and mental scarring. It had been something occupying her mind for virtually the entire journey. To see a Hist tree for the first time was exciting as it was intimidating, but she didn't show any such reactions.
With one hand clasped in the other, Ariel craned her neck upwards at the Hist tree's leaves. "I have to admit, there's a tad less reverence and fanfare than I'm used to, but I think it's mostly Daedra who are into that sort of thing." Ariel opened her mouth slightly and stayed silent, as if trying to listen for something. "It seems almost... inconsequential in comparison to the other trees. It's interesting that they hold such a presence within them." After another moment of trying to listen, Ariel gave up, closed her mouth and looked at Meesei again, "Is it whispering to you?"
Only just now making her presence known with light footsteps on the detritus-covered ground, Sabine edged forward and stood next to her sister with her eyes locked on the tree's bulbous trunk. She too was curious, especially with the prospect that one of these trees might be able to relieve her mind of her constant fears and mental scarring. It had been something occupying her mind for virtually the entire journey. To see a Hist tree for the first time was exciting as it was intimidating, but she didn't show any such reactions.
Hmm... despite being up this late, just in time for another post, it probably wouldn't do me any favours to stay up any longer xP
G'night again! My timezone this time around.
G'night again! My timezone this time around.
Their latest camp was one that the pack was thankful for, as they had found a spot surrounded by what they could describe as running water. After their stint of wading through the marsh with a constant sheen of sweat, it was nice to have a spot that was not only relatively dry, but had access to water that was cool and didn't seem stagnant.
Of all the members of the pack, Janius seemed the most glum in these conditions, at least until he got used to most of it. He was more than right about the humidity, and the different creatures sneaking about that would bite at his ankles while in the water gave him no end of frustration. Fendros honestly didn't mind the weather, but the fleshflies were repulsive to him, constantly itching or biting. Meesei had to tell him off on a couple of occasions early on for using too much of the repellant that she had mixed. Sabine either didn't complain, or wasn't suffering quite as much as everyone else. She was cautious in this new place, as Meesei had said to be, but still took time wherever she could to pick various new pieces of flora and insects, to see if they carried any alchemical effect. With the creations in Black Marsh being so varied, her work was never done. At the end of the day, however, Sabine was always very tired. The humid heat was taking its toll on her more than most. Ariel found very quickly that she had to keep her robe tied up above her knees in order to keep it out of the water. After drenching her garments in sweat over several days, she found that she had to cut its sleeves and skirt short, remove its cowl and loosen the laces near her collar just so she could avoid heatstroke. It wasn't long before she started to seriously consider asking one of the pack to make her some more breathable garments, like the ones they were wearing. She tried not to complain about things in general, but when her sweat turned into a fever at one point, she needed to stop to and take a potion to cure it. Even with the necklace Meesei had enchanted to resist the diseases of the swamp she had to remain vigilant.
At the camp, the pack was taking the time to rest after the day of traveling. Janius was assembling a fire for cooking. He wondered how it was possible for the nights to remain so warm that he hardly felt the need for a campfire, but Ariel still needed her meat cooked so as not to poison her. Sabine was busy testing her latest pickings of samples for the day with some basic alchemical equipment.
Ariel had just finished washing her face and wetting her hair by the water and walked up to the camp. Meesei caught her eye due to her behaviour next to one of the trees nearby their camp. Ariel walked up to Meesei curiously, she didn't know what to look for to confirm what she suspected. "Is this..." Ariel hazarded slowly, stepping closer to the tree to get a better look at it, "... is this a Hist tree?"
An eye sharper than Ariel's would have spotted Sabine stopping what she was doing and looking up at Meesei and Ariel upon the mention of Hist trees.
With Ahnasha clearly looking worse for wear, Fendros approached and sat down beside her. He had become a bit more cautious around her since the first time since he was on the receiving end of one of her hormone-driven tantrums. It was especially unfortunate in that event, as he had impatiently and angrily retorted to her, which caused no end of regret later on. When they both calmed down, they both apologised and forgave each other, restoring their relationship, but it left a bad taste in both of their mouths. By now, Fendros knew that he had to be patient and give her either the space or attention where necessary. This time, he wanted to check up on her, as he sometimes did. "How are you feeling?" He asked, looking at her sickly face. Fendros could have sworn that any part of her skin that wasn't obscured by fur had gone pale.
Of all the members of the pack, Janius seemed the most glum in these conditions, at least until he got used to most of it. He was more than right about the humidity, and the different creatures sneaking about that would bite at his ankles while in the water gave him no end of frustration. Fendros honestly didn't mind the weather, but the fleshflies were repulsive to him, constantly itching or biting. Meesei had to tell him off on a couple of occasions early on for using too much of the repellant that she had mixed. Sabine either didn't complain, or wasn't suffering quite as much as everyone else. She was cautious in this new place, as Meesei had said to be, but still took time wherever she could to pick various new pieces of flora and insects, to see if they carried any alchemical effect. With the creations in Black Marsh being so varied, her work was never done. At the end of the day, however, Sabine was always very tired. The humid heat was taking its toll on her more than most. Ariel found very quickly that she had to keep her robe tied up above her knees in order to keep it out of the water. After drenching her garments in sweat over several days, she found that she had to cut its sleeves and skirt short, remove its cowl and loosen the laces near her collar just so she could avoid heatstroke. It wasn't long before she started to seriously consider asking one of the pack to make her some more breathable garments, like the ones they were wearing. She tried not to complain about things in general, but when her sweat turned into a fever at one point, she needed to stop to and take a potion to cure it. Even with the necklace Meesei had enchanted to resist the diseases of the swamp she had to remain vigilant.
At the camp, the pack was taking the time to rest after the day of traveling. Janius was assembling a fire for cooking. He wondered how it was possible for the nights to remain so warm that he hardly felt the need for a campfire, but Ariel still needed her meat cooked so as not to poison her. Sabine was busy testing her latest pickings of samples for the day with some basic alchemical equipment.
Ariel had just finished washing her face and wetting her hair by the water and walked up to the camp. Meesei caught her eye due to her behaviour next to one of the trees nearby their camp. Ariel walked up to Meesei curiously, she didn't know what to look for to confirm what she suspected. "Is this..." Ariel hazarded slowly, stepping closer to the tree to get a better look at it, "... is this a Hist tree?"
An eye sharper than Ariel's would have spotted Sabine stopping what she was doing and looking up at Meesei and Ariel upon the mention of Hist trees.
With Ahnasha clearly looking worse for wear, Fendros approached and sat down beside her. He had become a bit more cautious around her since the first time since he was on the receiving end of one of her hormone-driven tantrums. It was especially unfortunate in that event, as he had impatiently and angrily retorted to her, which caused no end of regret later on. When they both calmed down, they both apologised and forgave each other, restoring their relationship, but it left a bad taste in both of their mouths. By now, Fendros knew that he had to be patient and give her either the space or attention where necessary. This time, he wanted to check up on her, as he sometimes did. "How are you feeling?" He asked, looking at her sickly face. Fendros could have sworn that any part of her skin that wasn't obscured by fur had gone pale.
Nice. G'night!
I know your character's better with swords, but I laughed when he said 'extra swords for throwing' in a room full of guns xD
No doubt, I'd imagine plenty would happen over that length of time. xD
Sounds good.
Yeah sure, Fendros would probably take the opportunity.
Yeah sure, Fendros would probably take the opportunity.
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