belladonna, in italian a beautiful lady; in english a deadly poison.

Valiance did not fetch her often, but Lakota had grown used to his form nonetheless. It was unfortunate that he only ever seemed to call upon her when Resplendence was in need, but it didn't mean Lakota would ever stop following him when he came to her. It was a distraction from her sickness at least, the one that kept her from her son's side for fear of infecting him. She'd heard rumors that Miykael was capable of healing the sickness she'd contracted from Resplendence, but she'd missed him as he'd made his venture out to the herds on behalf of the Falls. And maybe other things like humanity and morals and do-gooder shit that Lakota didn't really understand. Do not be upset with him, just upset about not being near cub. Aodaun, at least, was no capable of catching the sickness. 

As the pair moved through the forest together, watching Valiance's crimson form flicker beneath the rays of the sun overhead, Lakota snorted unhappily. She didn't know Miykael, she could damn well think what she wished of him. Ao rolled his eyes and huffed, shoving against her foreleg and jolting her gait. Grumbling, she acquiesced, aware that being away from her son was one of the hardest things she'd ever experienced and was undeniably the reason behind her souring mood. It was unfair to try and take it out on a stallion she didn't even know. 

Instead, she focused upon returning to Resplendence, wondering if her kitten had been healed or if she was still suffering so sadly with the sickness that plagued the land. Wondered if she was even still useful as a healer, as their Poisoner, when her magic was blocked and ineffective. Useless all over again, she sighed, and Aodaun pushed up against her leg, knowing he could not object but could similarly not make her feel any better about the consequences of her actions. Could she even grovel to the Goddess? It made her shiver with distaste to even think about it, crawling on her belly in fake apology just so that she could get her magic back. It wasn't fair, and she hated it, but...she hated being useless, too. Perhaps, once she was healed, she could speak to Ktulu about it. See what her mate thought about it, because Lakota could not stand another season of uselessness like she'd faced in the Edge lands. 

Her musings are like distance, and she eats it up as time goes by, trailing after Valiance to where Resplendence stands awaiting them. Ah, a meeting then? Her nostrils drip black, and she almost laughs at the fact that she's at a healer meeting, but sick as a dog. 

"I'm glad to see you healed, kitten," she murmured through the sludge in her throat, a slight twitch to her lips, her version of a smile. "Healer meeting, then?" Popped out after when Resplendence was not forthcoming with words. She was positioned too formally for her to have requested Lakota's presence alone. 

Lakota