For Years or for Hours [Herb Gathering]

[OPEN] For Years or for Hours [Herb Gathering]

Agnodice Posts: 70

Outcast

Mare :: Equine :: 14.2hh :: 8

Herophilos :: Plain Black Dragon :: Toxic Breath prissy

02-24-2016, 12:41 AM

Her teeth bit into the willow tree's bark lackadaisically, nipping gently at it's casing. She had learned that to strip a tree of it's bark was dangerous to it's existence. The bark acted as her skin did, protecting against the diseases of the outside world, encasing her tender muscles and delicate bones. But if one were to strip her of her skin, even if only a little, without proper medicinal attention the wound would be infected. It was the same with the tree. She only hoped the willow wouldn't feel pain, as those who needed it's remedies would without it's aid.

It was a seemingly small sacrifice for an herb, but a sacrifice nonetheless.

And so her movements were tentative, and even dull, reluctant to forsake any life. But the dragon mare's motions were far more precise, with a single swoop of her golden, scythe-like tail, she carved impressive sheets of bark. Agnodice paused her picking, finishing her strip to look to Amaris in awe. She was conflicted, disagreeing with the easy doom of the tree, but wonderstruck by the hybrid's abilities, however treacherous it may be. The uninhibited skill she displayed morphed the maiden's gaze further, inwardly questioning the sagacity of gathering herbs with her.

Agnodice was so entranced by the deadly, golden slices that she almost forgot to answer the dragon mare's question pertaining to the flowers intwined in her hair. Agnodice smiled, nodded her head, and placed the bark she had gathered in her basket. "Thank you. They have only recently appeared. I happened upon a turtle, a rather strange one at that; he was large, and spoke words in our tongue. He brought snow to a season that knew none and showered all who arrived in gifts. Afterwards, the flowers appeared, though I didn't ask him for their presence. I already had flowers, ones with healing properties, except those didn't grow continually as these do," She paused, thinking for a moment, her gaze drifting to her hooves as she faced the inevitable truth of her answer: that she had none. "I suppose they would grow through all seasons; they show no signs of halting their growth," She added, her words diminishing into a murmur. She hated not knowing the definite answer to any question, especially one about herself.

The maiden did her best to suppress her irritation, choosing to focus on her hybrid companion rather than her own lack of knowledge about something so simple. "You seem rather adept with your tail—your scales are truly lovely," Agnodice commented, her lyrics genuinely cheery, for she meant what she said. It was easier for her to speak when she didn't have to force the tone. "Were you born with dragon's blood, or later gifted it?" She asked, curious of what it meant to have such blood coursing through your veins. She had met a couple dragons before, namely Resplendence's Valiance. The reptiles intrigued her, though she knew so little about them.

@Amaris