Date
Vhalar 19, 719
The Healer stood in the Order of Adunih Outpost, holding Caz'aria, while Rue spoke to her and other Order members. She paid close attention, as the Gold Cloak gestured to several leaves before her on the table. The Healer looked much like Qit'ria did, without her magical mutations, and with a ghostly cloak that was faintly green draped across her back. "This plant is called Wild Celery, sometimes Garden Angelica. Study it closely, it is an important plant in our healing. It is a staple in many of our teas and tinctures. But it is not the leaves we use. Pay attention though, as the leaves are the easiest way to find it. What we need are the roots. Unfortunately this often causes the destruction of the plant, making its abundant production and gathering difficult. It is important that if you are gathering this in the wild, to only remove some of the plants from a small area and then move on. We cannot take them all."
She then gestured to the dried roots, "These roots are most useful for treating fever, infections, and the flu. There is some lesser use for a wide variety of stomach disorders, breathing disorders, and nerve problems, though their effectiveness in these is not quite as strong. A tea is typically preferred for its primary uses, for the warm liquid helps the patient to feel better along with delivery a moderate concentration of the medicinal properties. Tinctures are used for the secondary uses, to give a higher concentration of the medicine."
Rue smiled at everyone, "Now that you've seen this plant, I want all of you to go out and gather some of your own. Remember what I said, do not take too much. Take the time to observe the surroundings of the plants, get to know it, so that you may find it easily and recognize it instantly in the future." Rue began to gather up the plants, focusing her attention on the task at hand, having dismissed her students.
The Healer turned to depart as well, carrying her child carefully. Caza was suckling on the end of the green cloak that represented The Healer's rank in the Order, made for Caza by Faith. At the time, it was too difficult for the healer to focus on wearing something that was not an anchor, so it was easier to do it this way. The Healer saw the other members of her group, mostly blue cloaks trudging off together. She called out to them, "Do you mind if I join you?"
They stopped, and a couple of them looked at her nervously, still not entirely comfortable being teamed up with a ghost. It was most unsettling. But one man, Tor'vin smiled, in Xanthean, "The daughter of Flek'ack is always welcome with us." The Healer smiled softly at the man, walking toward him as the others led the way. Torvin seemed to be eager to talk to her, "You know, your father is why I joined the Order. He saved my sister when she was little."
The Healer smiled at him, "He's why I joined as well. To honor his memory and to thank him for all he did for me." Torvin smiled and nodded at her, "Is it... strange being a ghost? I apologize for that question, but you're the first I've ever met."
The Healer looked at him, "It is most strange. And more tiring than I would've expected, but I can never sleep. Every morning I must use much of my energy to break through the veil between the Beneath and this world. To pick up medicines and tools is much more tiring than when alive. And I cannot really... feel anything like this."
"That sounds really difficult.
Qit reached out, patting him on the shoulder, focusing her hand to be more solid to do so, "It is. But it is worth all of the effort."
Caza's crimson eyes were locked on the man as she suckled on her cloak, "I believe Blackbird would like to meet you. Would you like to carry her for a while?" The man's face brightened, "Of course." The Healer passed off her daughter and the man began to talk to her in baby voices and Caza only stared wide eyed, smiling around the drool soaked fabric.
The group made their way into the wilderness, away from the city. As they went, a shift happened in The Healer. The cloak disappeared, and her magical mutations returned. A spear grew into her hand, and she could be seen in her hunting clothes, with her totems adorning her, all spectral of course. Her eyes were fierce now. All she knew was her prey. Tor'vin looked over at him, and startled a bit, "My word, you changed." The Huntress snarled at him, and Caza clapped her hands. "Ama!"
The Huntress was seeking a plant. The wild celery. She sniffed at the air out of habit and instinct, unable to actually smell anything. As she walked, she did so in a half crouch, steps moving to be as silent as possible, moving through the darkness in the trees and not in the light. Tor'vin simply looked on in wonder and confusion, sticking close. Everyone had been informed about the basics of Qit'ria and how she was bound to her daughter as a ghost.
As the group stalked along, there was a disturbance in the brush. An animal chittered and then darted out in front of them. Caza squealed in delight, twisting in Tor'vin's grip trying to reach for the animal. The Huntress snarled loudly, and thrust her spectral spear at the creature. But, being a simple extension of her ghost form, and she wasn't materializing it to be solid, it passed harmlessly into the creature's flank. And that's when the Huntress felt that the creature was an empty vessel, much like people. And so, she delved in, her ectoplasm disappearing into the Jagunjagun.
The Huntress found herself looking through the eyes of the Jagunjagun, stopped in the tracks of the group. She looked up at the child, and the blue cloaked people, hissing at them. She sniffed at the air, trying to remember the scent of the plant. But she didn't know it. She hissed again, and trudged along with the group, leading the way into the brush. Caza was still squealing behind her, happily, calling out, "Ama! Ama!"
After a moment of shock to pass, the group followed. Tor'vin called out to the Huntress, "It grows near water. There's a stream somewhere around here I think. I took a boy here once." The jagunjagun nodded and sniffed at the air. She knew the smell of water. It was an innate one built in. As she sniffed, she could feel the scent in her mind. Well not her mind. In the creature's mind. The creature knew the smell of the water. No. Not just the water. This stream. This specific stream.
She hissed at the group and dashed off westward, quickly finding a game trail. Game trails always led to water, one way or another. She bounded along, scurrying quickly, and the group of blue cloaks and the babbling baby had to jog to keep up. She followed her nose, until her ears could hear the stream, and it wasn't long until her eyes found it too. She hissed loudly, looking back at the group.
She looked around from her low vantage point, seeing the pale yellow flowers of the plant they sought. She dashed over to it, diving into the soft soil at the plant's base. She bit at the stem, using her claws to dig around the plant's roots. She yanked and tugged at the plant, pulling upward on it feeling it loosen. She now started pulling back, planting her hind legs down hard, and backing up with it. Just as the blue cloaks caught up, the plant loosed from the soil, and the Huntress went tumbling backwards snout over tail.
Tor'vin set Caza down, red in the face from laughing so hard. Caza ran up to the jagunjagun, the other cloaks rushing to stop her. The Huntress hissed loudly at the cloaks, stopping them, as the toddler dashed over. The Huntress rolled over, and the toddler hugged her tight. "Ama!" Within the Jagunjagun, the Huntress shifted and the Mother took over. And as she did, she purred into her daughter's ear, nuzzling her furry snout against the little girl.
The blue cloaks smiled, and everyone began getting to work, fetching the roots. The Mother pulled away from her daughter, turning back to the plant she pulled, just as the Healer took back over. She bent down and bit the stem above the roots, and moving the roots into a small pile. She then walked into the brush, as Caza walked after her, babbling in an unknown baby language.
