The the moments leading up to Willow's torrent of questions, Ermine has decided he must investigate the pretty horse further. He feels at ease even if Willow doesn't, but of course, he runs faster than her so he can afford to be more reckless. Little claws shuffle down the bark at a rapid pace. The long, slender body, just barely beginning to shed tufts of the auburn in favor of a whole whit look for the oncoming Frostfall, bends gracefully as he bounds in two leaps from the tree to Willow's back and onto the ground. He pauses for a moment on the dirt, taking the time to sniff this new area more appropriately, his tail fluffing up with curiosity. There's certainly a plethora of aromas in the soil, but a small exhale is enough to send dust motes swirling around him, speaking for the parched earth. Ermine sneezes at this, tail twitching like a squirrel's with annoyance.
He resumes his earlier quest. A quick shuffle of feet in bursts of motion and then periods of stopping, hiding behind items which did not fully hide him - he was being playful more than anything, the joy of this meeting still coursing through him. In this manner Ermine finally made it to the mare, just as her jealousy was raging and thorns were showing like jagged teeth with hungry mouths across her body. Ermine's nose twitched as he watched, body rising up on hind paws, entranced by the moving colors and designs.
Abruptly the thorns shrunk, causing Ermine to do the same, as if alarmed he'd played some part in the shift. Not long after flowers sprouted and bloomed, entrancing the stoat once again. He leaned closer and closer, whiskers twitching, teeth gnawing on air as his mind tried to understand this bizarre thing.
Willow's questions had been spilled, and the intent look on Poppy's face promised thoughtful answers. With a smile still spread eagerly on her lips, chasing away the little bout of sadness towards the end of her queries, Willow waited expectantly.
Ermine reached out with a small paw, gently moving to touch the girl's moving coat.
Willow cried out, tree limbs shaking as her body buckled towards her haunches.
Ermine drew back instantly, chattering with a high alarm-call, frantically retreating into the bushes, afraid he'd done something.
Only when his heart stopped racing and his paws stilled did Ermine become aware of the
feelings washing through him. Not his feelings he knew immediately, those of Willow's beating through the veins of their bond. It was an intense sensation, like growing pains seizing you in the night and stretching out the bones with a discomforting ache. He could feel a sort of pressure crushing down on his back and pressing on his mind.
What was happening? His fur bushed up, beady eyes dancing uncertainly upon Willow, unsure of what threat ailed her. He scurried around her hooves, tones plaintive and worried.
"Ahh!" Willow cried out again. Yet it was not true pain that led her to make noise and shudder on her hooves. Rather it was a feeling of over stimulation that sent her body to quiver. Her pulse was racing and her body tree, it shook of its own accord as fresh leaves unfurled rapidly and the trunk reached up just a bit taller. It was an overwhelmingly powerful feeling of erupting growth and energy. Willow tingled with the sensation so that it nearly burned.
Poppy slumped to the ground and the magic began to fade, losing its grip upon the Lignea.
Willow at once sagged with relief, sweat beading around her eyes where her face had been scrunched. Ermine continued to chatter at her feet, though he'd jumped straight up in the air at the unexpected sound of the falling horse behind him. He was angry now, mainly scared and confused, but Willow was too preoccupied with her own feelings to try and soothe his. With sides heaving and the echos of the feelings rolling off her body, Willow could finally focus. Her green eyes leapt at once to the collapsed mare, worry setting a frown in her lips. She had concern for the lovely mare, yet she was more cautious than ever now. She was sure Poppy had done something. Though it was not an over all unpleasant experience, she had no intention of repeating it, and was wary of magic in all forms, particularly in the hooves of the inexperienced.
Shy steps brought the Lignea towards the gray, Ermine's dancing feet already having brought him to her. He scrambled ontop her, running this way and that, ceaselessly making noise in his confused excitement.
Willow noticed the grass had dried considerably in a ring around the mare. Her beautiful coat seemed to have shrunk as well, the markings dim and subsided around her hooves. Perplexed Willow reached out a soft nose towards Poppy's face, blowing warm air onto her. Willow understood she was alive, but seemingly unconscious, from the use of magic she supposed. Just what had it been she wondered, and was it suppose to be dangerous? She didn't want to believe so, the gray mare had seemed so nice and friendly, but what truly did Willow know of her?
Either way a limp mare was getting her no answers.
"Ermine," she called sharply. The stoat stilled at once, his voice finally quieting as he turned to look at her.
"Get Peppermint and Bee Pollen. Quick." A chittering reply and the stoat was off, his tail flashing through the brush briefly before nothing was left.
Though no healer by right, typically Herbanus were the ones to take such careers while an Aborun like she was better suited for being a sentinel, Willow had always kept a fondness for leaning the art of healing. Though she knew a variety of plants very well, as most Lignea know most plants, she had a special fondness for those with useful properties. Ermine had been trained, in so far as she could in the amount of time they'd shared, to recognize some of the common and useful things. His tracking skills were far greater than hers, so even in unfamiliar terrain he had a likelihood of finding something.
In the meantime, Willow wondered if her voice could rouse the slumbering stranger.
"Mare, here me mare. You've fallen and darkness cradles you now. Awaken, it is imperative." Willow certainly didn't think it was wise to be unconscious anywhere, much less in the likes of this forest. With seemingly no response Willow attempted a different tactic and begin to sing a gentle, rising tune. About half way through Ermine trounced back with peppermint leaves.
"Good, good!" Willow praised, her song cutting off.
"By her nose, her nose." the mare instructed, her head lowering so her nose nearly grazed the dirt. Ermine shuffled the handful of leaves near Poppy's nostrils, and even before Willow told him to, began to pounce up and down on them, gnawing on some with his teeth. The aroma got in his nose, making him sneeze. Willow smiled, shooing him away to fetch the bee pollen still.
Crouched right next to the mare, Willow began to blow very softly against the bruised, crushed leaves, hoping the wind would send the poignant smell all the better into Poppy's inhales. Peppermint, with its sharp, cooling sensation, was a strong wake-up herb.
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
