DOUBLE SWIMMING // sage (healer apprentice) tryouts !

[ROSEMARY]

ROSEMARY ROUX

Rosemary sent word that the necro mambas were looking to fill the sage high position slot, and she hoped her messengers did well to notify everyone when she was going to address the issue on the beach. She hoped, because she would never have volunteered herself to do something so crazy as to run around talking to people excessively for hours to make sure everyone in the Clan knew; the occasional public speaking was quite enough for her. Besides, that sounded like too much work without even considering her social anxiety - and it was enough work just dragging the dozen or-so leather bags with her to the beach!

Huffing in exasperation, the witch dropped her cargo on the sand, and turned to face the people gathered around; it seemed like a sizable amount already gathered. Nervously clearing her throat, she nervously wondered if she caused people to wait, because she got the time wrong or one of her messengers failed to deliver an accurate message. But, she pushed the fears away, instead focusing on keeping her head as still as possible to keep her piebald crocodile baby from falling off her head - this was quite a welcome distraction from worrying about these fears.

"Thank you for gathering for our tryouts today! The sage rank - also known as healer apprentice - will be opening today, as Jacob has elected to fill the long-empty dealer rank instead. So we'll need a replacement, perhaps two," she explained, supposing it best to get that out of the way. She didn't want to proceed without mentioning that nothing terrible happened to Jacob, in case people thought that she might have killed him for some twisted experiments. Not that she would ever do such a thing or that rational people might think that; her anxious fears just wanted to inject all these silly thoughts inside her head.

Flicking her ears back momentarily, the ocelot took a deep breath to steady her mind before she continued. "Tryouts are simple. I want each of you to take one of these leather sacks through the forest and collect exactly three distinct herbs and bring them back to me in at most two hours. I leave the specifics of which plants and where you look to you! You'll just need to make sure you can identify them and explain their herbal properties to me once you hand them off," Rosemary explained with a short nod. Hopefully, that seemed simple enough - she didn't want to overcomplicate this, and she also didn't want to stand in front of a crowd for any longer than necessary.

[ to try out, just write a one-shot reply to this thread! there is no word min or max, and quality over quantity is preferred - and, remember, you're trying to show off how much your character knows.

tryouts close august 4th! ]

© MADI

[PINCHER]

CAPTAIN PINCHER ROUX | resides in the typhoon and is the demigod of rough seas. he is a muscular dark gray jaguar with frigid glacier blue eyes, marked with scars and glowing tattoos. he is the head of the roux family and is currently engaged. he is known for being a charming strategist with dark secrets. be cautious around him. —— ⚓

❝ YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN — YOUR SILENCE IS MY FAVORITE SOUND ❞

Being able to heal had never been much of a talent for Pincher especially when his father had forced him to solely focus on creating wounds, not patching them up. He had once desired to be able to heal the broken and wounded but with all the knowledge he had now of fighting, defense and attack had always been his best attempt in showing off his skills and abilities. Besides, Pincher wasn't exactly the best for healing with his irritation on whining and crying of any sort, believing he should just punch their lights out so they could remain silent and not bother him when he tried to heal. He had done it before in his father's old gang but only with basic general medicine like applying pessure and disinfecting a wound to avoid having it become something extreme like losing a limb. Here in the Typhoon, he had luckily been able to see members that showed potential in the crew for medicine and healing as well as witchcraft. It was good to see this especially within his half-sibling as she seemed to excel in it and for a long time, contributed a lot into saving and checking others. Perhaps in the future he would be able to give her something to thank her in always showing grace despite the mess that some medical situations made.

After speaking with Jacob privately about the position of Dealer being more fitting for his to-be husband due to all the social events the male was able to come up with, it had created open doors for new potential healers that were interested in taking the spot and proving their worth. With the growing population of the crew within the volcanic island, Pincher wanted to make sure that they had everything offered to them without having to wait too long. He had Rosemary and Solveig, both witches known for their healing potential but they needed a lending hand in their work and he was glad to see that the Sage tryouts had begun. A faint smirk settled onto his muzzle as the broad-shouldered figure of the male went to sit beside his sister, frigid blue eyes now melting into pools of blue as he glanced down at her, aiming to playfully bump her shoulder. "Let's see who actually knows what the fuck they're doing." He rumbled jokingly as the ash gray jaguar's long tail wrapped around his muscular form, wondering who was ready to show their medical abilities.

❝ THE TYPHOON — CAPTAIN — IMMORTAL  — JAGUAR — FATHER — FIANCE ❞

© LEXASPERATED

[goodsprings]

//tracking uwu

[SOLVEIG]

Solveig, as required, was present, though her relationship with Rosemary was still.... Rocky, to say the least. The Snowshoe sat in utter silence as the Head Soothsayer handled the following task for any new potential sages, her head held high, but her telepathy off, and her mouth shut tightly. Rosemary had won a few of their altercations in regards to Solveig and her telepathy, and the girl wasn't exactly inclined to speak "properly" at the moment, either. Though she bowed her head low to Pincher when he arrived, even he wouldn't be graced with the typical greeting infiltrating his mind.

Instead, she sat calm and stoic, watching those who arrived, and those who seemed interested enough to grab a bag and head out gathering. In any case, she had to hand it to Rosemary. This was an interesting way to conduct this; Solveig could just only hope that someone didn't poison themselves in the process.

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[JUNJI]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; padding: 10px; height: auto; overflow: auto;"][div style="width: 400px; padding: 0px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"]sage. he wasn’t quite sure what the word meant, but the lady from the other day was talking about it. she spoke of some sort of tryouts, and how one only needed to find three herbs from the jungle to be considered for a ‘sage’ position. it sounded easy enough. his mother had taught him the function of a few herbs, and though he could never quite get the names right, he’d always been interested in helping others.

once rosemary had finished explaining, the child slowly approached, taking the too big purse in his mouth and wandering off into the jungle. junji was young; perhaps too young to be doing this on his own, but if the result was the opportunity for him to help and serve others, then he didn’t care. he only wanted to care for those that could not care for themselves. surely this was the way to be good for his mother.

he was quiet as he went on, holding his head high as to not let the sack drag on the ground. little paws carried him gingerly through the undergrowth. from time to time he would pause, set the sack down, lift his muzzle to the air and breath in the scents around him. the forest was thick, filled with all sorts of things he had never smelled before. it was confusing, disorienting, but he continued forth. he didn’t want to fail this. he just wanted to help.

as junji padded on, he thought of his past. he thought of when his father had returned home one day, covered in deep slashes and bleeding. he’d watched mother tend to the wounds. she’d asked for his help; no matter how bitter the taste, he was to take the golden plants at her side and chew them up for her. the herbs were disgusting; sour and awful, but he kept chewing, because if he stopped, father would surely die. the golden plants, when he was finished chewing them, were smeared over the wounds after the bleeding had stopped. junji could vaguely remember his mother calling them some sort of ‘rod’ when she was trying to explain their purpose to him. it didn’t make much sense to him at the time, but he knew now to look for the yellow, rod-looking plant.

it took him some time to find it, having not known where to look. eventually the forest opened up into a meadow, rich in color, and among all of the flowers he found the herb. brilliant and golden in the mid-afternoon sun, junji went straight for it, moving just as fast as his little legs could take him. he set the sack gently on the ground. pink nose lifted to sniff at the plant, then just to further make sure he was right about it, the child took a bite out of the herb and chewed it up. it was just as bitter and disgusting as he remembered; this was definitely the right plant. with a small, proud smile, junji collected a piece of the goldenrod and put it into the leather purse, tightening the strings before he moved on.

in the same meadow he could faintly smell poppy. he remembered often being soothed to sleep with the seeds, his mother’s soothing words in his ears, calming him into rest. he had never been a deep sleeper, not since father had left and not come back. he disappeared into the sky with a powerful beat of his enormous wings, and never even looked back. junji had often stayed up late into the night, ocean eyes watching the stars, hoping to see any sign or notion that his father was coming back. he never did. a soft frown tugged at his lips at the memory, and with a longing glance at the sky, he moved on to find the red flowers.

junji happened across them rather quickly. there were a lot of them growing in this meadow, spread out all around it. the flowers were small and delicate looking; after a few minutes of peering at them, the child realized he didn’t know how to get the seeds out. that didn’t matter, did it? as long as he knew the seeds were there and he knew their function, he would be fine, he was sure. he grabbed a few of the small flowers and set them gingerly into the sack, then continued his search. only one more to go.

as he wandered around the island, sniffing at various plants as he went, another memory came to him. he’d eaten something a bit foul one day and ended up curled in his bed, crying softly in pain. his stomach cramped and ached horribly, but his mother assured that everything would be alright if he ate this plant. it was strange looking, with a bulbous lavender bloom and fuzzy leaves. 'watermint,' she told him. 'i promise, darling, it will make you feel better.' he ate it reluctantly, scowled at the strange taste, and settled down. it didn’t help right away—it never did—but eventually his bellyache went away.

watermint. the name hinted that it grew around water, and they were on an island, surrounded by ocean. yet, after an hour of looking, he found nothing. junji plopped down by the water with a frown, wondering where he could have gone wrong. it didn’t make sense. if it grew by the water, there should have been watermint everywhere, but there wasn’t. the child padded slowly through the sand for a while, kicking at it, until he came across a pathway to a second, smaller island. one he hadn’t seen yet. ears perked in excitement, and as he knew his time was drawing short, he scampered across the isle and into the smaller forest.

water hung in the air, making his trip through this island a bit more uncomfortable, but he took it as a sign that he was on the right track. the child wandered quickly, passing a strange, small building, before he came upon a grove surrounded by willow trees, with a pool of water clearer than the surrounding ocean settled between them. he set his leather purse beside one of the trees and skittered down to the water, padding around the crystalline pond, until his eyes locked on to the herb he was searching for. it seemed his lucky day; with his heart bursting in his chest, he collected a good amount of the watermint, placed it into his bag, and set off to find rosemary again.

the little feline waddled proudly to the beach where the head soothsayer sat, and placed his bag down at her paws. junji opened it and placed its contents on the sand, and after making them look pretty, he plopped himself down and looked to the ocelot with a tired, but warm smile. he gestured to each herb as he spoke, doing his best to use the right words in their explanation.

"this is, mm, goldenrod." he murmured, sounding a bit unsure of the name, but going with it anyway. "it’s good to heal wounds. you chew it, then put it on the cut."

the child moved his gaze to the next herb. "poppy. its seeds help you sleep, but… i don’t know how to get them." he spoke a bit sheepishly, sparing a slightly nervous glance up at the soothsayer, before he moved to the last one.

"watermint," junji murmured. "for bellyaches. you gotta eat it." he finished with a hopeful smile, gleaming ocean eyes turning up to rosemary’s face.

"did i do good?"

[dead chars]

↠↠ Even in his time as a human (with a crow head, of course), Tokoyami had been interested in herbs. Mostly because he really enjoyed things like meditation, and found that incense had helped him focus and calm down in the gloomy purple darkness of his room. As a kid, he had figured that if being a hero didn't work out as well as he wanted, he could always go to med school or something. People had told him that being a doctor with a crow head would be jarring to patients, but he'd usually ignored that- he'd follow his heart one way or another.

When he'd gotten the word that there was a medic position to be filled, the strange crow-headed feline had perked up. If Dark Shadow wasn't working for him, he didn't know that he could be a great warrior. Of course, he'd still try his best, and he was okay at close combat-type situations, but Tokoyami had always thrived with his quirk allowing him to fight from farther away. Without that essential piece of himself missing, he'd started getting a bit... restless. He'd go on patrol, come back, get bored, try his hand at hunting (though he was considering becoming a vegetarian), get bored, come back, rearrange his den for the fifth time that day, get bored, come back, and the cycle would continue. On and on and on and on and on. It hadn't even been long since he had joined, either- Tokoyami had only been here a couple days at the most, so this wasn't a great sign.

Things continued like that until a necro mamba informed him of a golden opportunity. Medic tryouts? He wasn't quite sure what that meant, but if it was a break from the usual routine, he was enthused. Plus, the word medic was appealing. If he couldn't be a pro hero anymore, the least he could do was try for his second best option. Right?

Tokoyami had arrived early. He usually did- he liked to pride himself on punctuality, even if he'd never been as early as Iida, Iida had been a freak of nature when it came to basically anything, so he'd stopped comparing himself to the class rep early on. That was besides the point, though. He arrived early enough to hear about Jacob, whoever that was, moving up the ranks, and he sort of nodded through it all a bit apathetically. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in what has happening in his clan, because of course he was! It was just that he was very excited to see whatever would be happening next. Not that he showed it in any way, possibly to his own detriment.

The instructions swam around him and he soaked them in, blinking for a moment. All he had to do was find three herbs. He knew three off the top of his head, though usually he'd just used those for cooking, but... they had some sort of medicinal properties, probably. Or, if he could find something like lavender or other plants used in aromatherapy, he could probably do pretty well. It was just a matter of finding things in a place he'd hardly been in. It sounded hard, but he figured that with this sort of territory, there would be something growing around each corner he could find.

Once the feline had collected his leather satchel, he was off, and things were much harder than he'd thought. There were, in fact, plants around each corner, but none he recognized. Once in a blue moon he would find a sprig of marigold, which was one flower he did know, or a couple leaves of thyme which were good in essential oils, but... not much else, as far as he knew. He was vaguely aware of his ticking time limit. How long had he been out here? Ten minutes? An hour? He couldn't really tell at that point, and that probably meant he would need to run back to where he'd come from, but he still needed just one more herb. As his eyes scanned the ground beneath him, Tokoyami ran lines of facts through his head. Lavender was good to help you relax. Peppermint awakened the senses. Cinnamon just smelled kind of good in general. None of this was probably useful knowledge, but damn him if he didn't at least try.

Then, there it was- a lonely flower, richly purple in hue, and one he recognized almost instantly as...!
Well, it was something. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but it had a bunch of flowers on one stem, all forming a sort of cone shape. This would do! He could at least make a couple... inferences from it. Or something. He wasn't exactly doing too hot, was he? Tokoyami heaved a sigh- he wished he was better at this, but he just hadn't found the knowledge he needed yet. But he figured, wasn't that the point of training someone? What was there to teach if their student already knew everything?

The crow-headed cat had finally made his way back to the spot where he needed to be. It had been nearly two hours, but he still had just a smidgen of time to explain his finds. He exuded a confidence that was unexpected of someone who didn't know what they were talking about, but Tokoyami had always tried to seem tough in times of trouble, so it was nothing new for him. He stared up at Rosemary for a moment before blinking and swallowing hard, pulling the three plants out of his satchel. He didn't allow his paws to shake despite how much they wanted to, and instead spread his findings out in front of him, chest puffed.

"This golden flower is marigold," the hybrid stated evenly, but his heart was sinking fast. What did marigold do? He could make something up, but that seemed even worse than not knowing, so he decided against it. Marigold, marigold, marigold....
"It, uh... it can be chewed up." That was probably true. He was pretty sure marigolds weren't poisonous, at least. "And it helps with achy joints...?" He'd blown it. Tokoyami winced a bit at his own answer. It was clear he wasn't sure.
"Ah, sorry. I actually don't know what it really helps with."
It was best to not know than to lie, right?

Onto the next one. He looked at the hyacinth, but he didn't know what it was called. He'd thought it was lavender, but... well, obviously it wasn't. The crow-feline hybrid almost grimaced, poking at the flower with a claw.
"...If I am honest, I thought this was lavender when I found it, and I was running out of time. It's... not lavender. I don't know what it is. But I do know lavender can help with anxiety."
This wasn't going too hot. Of course he was trying, but he simply didn't know enough about the herbs to try out effectively. His mind wandered as he heart Junji explained his own finds enthusiastically, and he sighed ever so slightly.

Well, at least he'd saved the best for last.
"And this is thyme. It helps with anxiety, too."
His paws tapped the ground, nervous energy coursing through him. His head hadn't dropped at all- though he knew he hadn't exactly done well, confidence was key. Or, at least, faking confidence in times of need was key. The feline hybrid stared up at Rosemary again, waiting for her response. Though his hopes weren't up too high, he at least expected some feedback.

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[CELESTE G.M.]

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The sage tryouts would of course catch the shaman's attention. She still had intentions of going home if she could, but the possibility of her going home seemed to getting thinner and thinner, like watching sand slip between her paws. For now and the foreseeable future, it seemed like she was stuck with being a pirate. Temulin would rather contribute than sit around moping to herself.

The task was simple. Find three herbs, bring them back and explain their applications in a medical sense. It was something that the siamese was confident that she would be able to do... Anywhere but here. The rainforest as a place was unfamiliar to her, the geography was strange and unheard of. Simply put, her knowledge of tropical flora was lacking at best. She did hear of miracle cures coming from across the sea, but she'd never actually laid her own two eyes on them.

Maybe it was best to try and locate plants that she knew, considering the idea was to demonstrate her knowledge and not go over the time limit of two hours. One that particularly would be around would be ginger, hopefully. It was something that was a staple of traditional medicine and it liked the humid forests that the traders that visited the plains came from. Eastern traders were a favourite of hers when they came to interact, bringing colourful silks and fragrant herbs and spices.

There's a telltale flower that the siamese spots with a smile. Pink and tall, looking like a particularly vibrant pinecone. She digs up the roots of the plant, taking one good chunk and replanting the rest of it. She mutters a quick thanks to the Earth Mother for the gift, something that anyone would likely think insane, but it's respectful. And then she moves thinking of things that would grow in such a humid environment.

Cinnamon... Cinnamon trees. The cinnamon that was ground for consumption was removed from tree barks as far as she could remember. That would be no good, Temulin hadn't brought a knife with her into the jungle. There wasn't enough time to go and find a knife either, so something else would have to do. What else went in the teas... Oh! Lemon Balm!

She remembers how the bitter taste would needed to be covered up with honey or something else sweet. Perhaps some of the sugar that the traders had too, but sugar was used sparingly in her practices. Too much sugar was bad for anyone. Still, taking a few leaves off the small shrub was no great effort. Which left one more herb to go with... How long had she taken now?

There was no point guessing, she may as well be quick as possible. She tries to look to the sky for any clues on time but tracking the sun through the canopy proves difficult as expected. Still, there is something that catches her eye. A dangling fruit atop her head, a bright green unripe colour. She remembers something about that plant... Hadn't she seen one before?

She was certain that it had been brought before as a trader bragged about it. Something Anise... It's seeds were good for cooking and apparently helped with colds, if she remembered correctly. The only thing that she definitely remembered was it being mixed into an excellent stew when she kept as a guest for a trading tribe. The Kha were an strange tribe, interacting with the outside world as if it was nothing, as if it did not challenge centuries of traditions and practices.

Temulin enjoyed staying with them. If she ever did manage to return, she was certain that the tribesmen and women of the Kha would love to hear about the Typhoon, maybe discover the Island themselves one day. They would doubtless be happy to see her return, would they not? Hopefully. She would certainly have stories to share about the pirates.

With the herbs gathered, there's no reason to stay in the jungle and risk overlapping the time. She sees that Junji and another feline that she hasn't seen yet are present, already having presented their own herbs. It's curious that none of them seem to have found the same herbs, but perhaps that is testament to how diverse the fauna of the rainforest.

"This is ginger. It is good for aching bones and joints, circulation and nausea. I wouldn't recommend eating it like this, but it tastes very good cooked with meats and other herbs." She explains, silently noting that perhaps she should of thought of things other than food. That being said, sharing meals and stews were a way of bonding, and many a medicinal concoction had been hidden in a rich beef stew.

"Lemon Balm is another tea ingredient. It also helps with the blood and is good for colds, especially good for soothing sore throats with some honey. Honey and lemon balm tea make a good combination, although I'm unsure whether the Typhoon keeps honey bees." She places the leaves down with the ginger root in front of her, sounding relatively confident. That being said, she is simply talking about tea and common medicine. However, the ritual magic used in tandem is absent from her explanations.

"Finally, I believe this is Anise? It would need to dried first, and apart from being a wonderful spice for cooking - it is a good treatment for keeping healthy and colds. That being said, it will need to be dried for a good couple of months before usable." With everything explained and done, the siamese waits for anyone else considering to arrive. 

[Beatrice]

BEATRICE

If Beatrice was going to be honest with herself, she didn't have a clue what she was doing here. The ginger dog was not a healer by design. No. No, the crewmate was used to hurting others. It seemed that no matter where she went or what she did, she always ended up bringing harm and misfortune to those she cared for. She did want to change though. She wanted to be good. She wanted to be like Lilyspoise had been when they first met: a medic who was both tender and tough.

Though she had only known Lilyspoise for a short period, the cream-colored feline had inspired her in a multitude of ways. Lil took care of her own. She was level-headed and balanced. She was thoughtful and a realist. And while Lil (and her twin souls) had most likely hurt others in their travels, she had helped a great many. Beatrice wanted to do that too. In her heart of hearts, she knew none of it would ever amount to the pain she created, but it would help to right a few of the wrongs she cast into the world.

Word of the sage tryouts had reached her easily, and the canine figured this was as good a time as any to attempt doing something right in her life. "I was unsure about this little endevour of yours at first, Beatrice, but I have since rethought. You can easily take the souls of those that die in your charge," the Beast had whispered in her mind. She had protested that. She told him she would not steal from her groupmates, but the looming threat of never seeing her friends again often made her bend to his wishes. She told herself it would be less painful that way, too. Taking the souls of the deceased, before they crossed fully into the afterlife, would ensure no harm... wouldn't it?

That thought clung to her mind like static as she slowly retrieved her leather sack. She had been one of the last to step forward, and her movements hinted at her uncertainty. Even so, a determined look ignited in her eyes. She wanted to do well. She wanted to learn.

The red heeler gathered up her shattered confidence and headed out into the jungle. She wasn't even sure what she should have been looking for. Did she even know any herbs? Off the top of her head, she could list maybe five, and that was a huge maybe. The femme tried to remember every piece of medical advice she had encountered, but most of it was just how to patch up bumps and bruises and cuts and sores - without the help of plants. She knew about tansy. 'That's the yellow-thing.' And then, there was passionflower. 'Purple and real odd-looking.' Another was water mint. She pursed her lips. 'What the heck does it do?' She hoped the knowledge would return to her in time. For now, she knew she should begin searching for some things.

As she moved through the dense tropical forests, bluebird song filled her ears. The cheery voices of the pack of birds that seemed to follow her everywhere was a welcome thing. It helped sooth her worries, but it also distracted her. Luckily, however, she managed to shut out the sweet music (though she had wasted about thirty minutes listening to their tunes).

The first thing she happened upon was a yellow flower. Though Beatrice knew most of the more common flowers like roses and tulips and sunflowers, she had never really seen yellow daises before. For a few heartbeats, the canine stared at the flora. Finally, the girl moved a paw forward to pick it and place it in her leather bag. 'Tansy. Check!'

Not terribly long after that, she wandered toward a tiny stream. The day was hot, and the water was extremely inviting, but she had work to do. It seemed luck was on her side today: within minutes, the molly had found a cluster of water mint growing alongside the petite river's edge. 'Water mint. Check, check!' Thankfully, this was actually the herb she was looking for and not something completely different.

It had taken her the longest to find a passionflower. The odd flower seemed to be quite rare in these parts of the world. Then again, maybe she was just awful at locating things. Regardless of whichever was the truth, the cattle dog did find a single bloom. The odd, purple flower was plucked with ease and sat inside of the bag. 'Passionflower. Check, check, check!'

"Best to run along, little bird. Time is almost up."

A grimace contorted her face as she glanced skyward. From the position of the sun, she could tell she had only a handful of minutes left before the two-hour period Rosemary had given them ran out. Red paws thundered across the ground, and Beatrice scurried as quickly as she could back to where the tryouts had began. A self-assured smirk eclipsed the usual tight-lipped expression she wore; she had tryouts in the bag! Ha, get it? In the bag? Bea chuckled at herself.

Finally, she arrived. Out of breath, the canine slide in beside Temulin. She gave Tem, Tokoyami, and Junji and nod in greeting. Silence hung in the air, and it was obvious she had almost ran out of time. The crewmate knew it was time to speed through her faux lesson.

"Uh, okay! Okay, so this-" she dug around in the leather sack before she produced a wilted yellow daisy whose petals were almost all fallen off, "is tansy. You use it to treat wounds so they don't get infected and gross." Not only had Beatrice not gathered tansy, she had also confused its uses with that of marigold. "Alright. So the next thing is water mint. I guess it's named that way because it grows close to the water," the female explained as she grabbed the herb from her bag. "This little, circular, lilac-colored beauty is used for - it's uh - oh! - it's used for stomach aches. You chew it!" She nodded after she spoke as if to reaffirm her words. She was correct. "The last one I got is passionflower. I think-" Beatrice grabbed the flower out of her bag, and just like the two before it, was somewhat crushed by her impressive sprint, "this one looks really neat. It's for relaxing. Kinda like p-... puffy? Puffy seeds? Yeah, sounds right." Once finished, she sat back, long tail wagging slightly.

Maybe she'd done well, she thought.

© MADI

[no more]

[align=center][div style="width: 230px; font-family: georgia; color: #7b8189; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;line-height: 110%; padding-top:10px; padding-bottom:10px"]i'll never get to heaven cause i don't know how

There seemed no plausible reason for her to care about the act of healing, the structure of her thoughts and memory unsuited for the delicate work where a clear head within the presence of stress was a mandatory factory, and yet she had heeded the call. It had come as some surprise to see the figure before the tavern speaking to those who had loosely gathered about them of the position of sage, her steps given a hesitant edge as something pulled at her. Upon the fringe she had listened to the messenger speak, mind barely processing the information they shared as she struggled with the wanton desire rose within them, a sharp thing digging into her mind, refusing to move no matter how she tried to shift it.

To work beside her aunt Rosemary, her student on the path of healing, learning how the body might be repaired when it had come to fall within battle or the claws of sickness had wrapped about it. Something within that thought held an interest, though if it proved to be well intended or merely a product of a want to learn, gathering what knowledge she was able, she could not say. The morning had come all too soon and it was with blurry eyes she looked out upon the world from the tavern's door, murmuring a soft cuss beneath her breath. With little sleep under her belt it seemed a worse idea to attempt this, her steps seemed purposeful all the same as she set off towards the beach, drawn as a few others were towards the spot the Soothsayer had chosen.

At the edge of the small group Aita strained to hear the explanation, Rosemary little more than a blur of colour amongst those before her, clearer for their proximity. It proved a struggle to keep herself up right, swaying slightly where she stood, teeth grinding into her lower lip, the slight sting of pain from this act enough to bring her mind back, albeit briefly. For a time she merely stood as the others moved forward to retrieve a bag, confusion briefly twisting her features, a ghost of a frown and brow furrowing over dark eyes, before she finally registered what it was they were doing. Moving forward she took one of the bags and slung it over her head and one arm, thankful she had grown comfortable with this for her own satchel was positioned as such when it was needed, though it was somewhat large on the tiny stature of the kitten and hit against her side with each step.

“This is all very nice but it is a waste of your talents,” the spectre did little to hide the accompanying mine, her distaste for Aita's decision evident within the sharp tone of her voice, soft drawl fading into tense silence for a time as the child offered a slight smile towards Rosemary before she turned. Taking up a quick trot she moved across the beach and thought better of speaking aloud for the moment, only offering her reply once the darkness of the jungle had closed around her.

“Ah don' care, ain' fa you, fa... Cleo,” strong at first her voice trailed into a faint murmur as she spoke the name of her sister, one of the few of their little band who had become more than just one who shared the same blood as she, rather the other had become someone she trusted and found a deep love for, bordering on a respect she had yet to find voice for. In truth Cleo seemed to have taken the mantle as her favourite person, though quiet something about her still drew Aita in, the deep set desire to protect and care for her sister never fading even as she further withdrew from those around her. It was frightening this swell of love and joy she felt in her chest when she came upon Cleo within her wanderings, when she could offer gentle teasing or gift her the little carvings she made, no other, not even Pincher though her feelings had begun to strengthen there, could bring such out of her.

A soft scoff filled her head and her ears flattened against her head, an answering hiss arising from between her clenched teeth. It had become all too clear Hadhi held no care for any of her siblings, let alone the one she was steadily growing closer with, in truth she though the two chaotic monsters better for death than to draw another breath but she had no say in it. “Fine, I will help you but don't expect this to become a regular occurrence, this is a one time deal.”

Coltsfoot. The name floated to the top of her thoughts and lingered there, the presence of Hadhi not permitted any other thought beyond the task at hand to take her attention, a hazy image of a yellow flower alongside it. A great deal of time passed, at least what seemed to the child for it was little more than half an hour at most, before she found what she was looking for. Entangled within the roots of a tree were points of ivory, bone long since picked clean and left to be picked up as the tree grew around them, small yellow buds clinging to the roots. Grabbing a good number she stuffed the herb into her bag, a soft smile curling her lips as Hadhi spoke of the plant, giving a basic use for it.

Next was feverfew, an invasive weed within the jungle for it was not meant for this place, similar to the one she had gotten just before beyond the colour. Once more it took a great deal of wandering, both of her paws as her steps became shaky and short, exhaustion tugging at her once more, and her mind as it struggled to push back Hadhi's efforts, seeking something more to entertain her. Occupied with this the spectre never noticed as Aita picked a few daisies in place of the feverfew she had been seeking, the similarities enough to trick her tired mind into believing it was correct.

When no reprimand came she continued on her way, seeking the last herb amongst the underbrush. Somewhat unique in its overall look it prove the easier to find, the star shaped borage a spot of purple amongst the greens and browns which clustered around it. Of this she could only find two which were deposited in her bag as well, her gaze drawn to the sky with this done. There could be no certainty to her time telling for she had lost track of it some time ago but it had felt as though it had run through, dragging as her mind sought to wander, to find a topic more suited to her. Yet she pushed on in hopes she might not be too late.

With but minutes it the dark bengal took a spot besides Beatrice, a face she remembered when she had come across her returning. During her impromptu lesson she pulled the bag off and set about sorting her own flowers, barely biting back a sound of shock as she came to realise the white flower she had picked seemed awfully similar to one the canine had before her. There was nothing she could do now but wait her turn, ears flattening and head dipped down so her chin rested upon her chest.

Finally it was Aita's turn to speak. “Tis is uh, coltsfoot it elps wit... um dri skin,” uncertainty seeped into her tone and she dared a peek up towards Rosemary, a grimace contouring her features for a brief second. It seemed the brief description she had been given had faded from her memory, the bare knowledge not quite enough to get her through. “An dhis is... was supposta be feverfew. It elps wit fever?” Brow furrowed she took a few seconds to think on it, unsure now. It was in the name so surely it was meant for it, before all at once she was speaking again, annoyance ringing in her voice. “Headache, it elps wit headaches.” Turning to the last Aita swallowed thickly, breathing a sigh of release as Hadhi grew impatient and spoke to her briefly before she opened her mouth once more, never realising it would seem odd she had a good idea of this herb but not the two before. “Dis is borage it elps with bellyaches, and uh fevers, brings em down.”

the tyhpoon — minnow — tags

[rochelle]

[align=center][div style="borderwidth=0px; text-align: justify; width: 50%; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px;"]Destiny and fate were things Fischer heavily relied on, or, at least, tried to. She liked to believe her goal in life was already predetermined in the stars before she even could gasp a little breath on her own. But lately it was seeming like ... what she was meant to do, wasn't really what was meant for her. Not that she felt out of place in the Typhoon, not un-welcomed among the crew ... but rather, misplaced. The three divisions seemed simple enough, and from the perspective of a pacifist like Fischer, one of the divisions suck out like a sore thumb and could be removed from the options. A Blackjack Rat or a Necro Mamba. Not that it was a spoiler or anything, but she was always a healer, through and through. Even when she took on the guise of diplomat and leader, she was always looking after the health of her people, not to mention, her own spirituality.

So, she decided she was a Necro Mamba, at least, unofficially. Her blood division ceremony had been postponed, much like her entrance ritual, but the dilemma of her losing her sight was what was now keeping her from completing it. And she didn't know why ... she could manage unimaginable tasks like the scavenger hunt while being blind, what was so different about the ritual. If she was honest with herself, it was the commitment. See, she could imagine herself perfectly fine as a Necro Mamba, and deep down, she was most comfortable with that fate, but she also found more fortune in having that decision made for her. For such an advocate of freedom, all Fischer wanted was for someone to tell her what to do. At first she thought being a Privateer would solve this issue, making her a servant to the public of the Typhoon, but the yearning to heal ... it was still there. She got a rush of it during the first aid lesson, feeling as hopeful as she'd once been, looking up to her mother as the Oracle taught the magic of herbs and medicine. And now, arriving to the tryouts, that tickle was rising again, setting her heart a flame to reach out and seize the destiny in front of her.

So, she allowed herself to be free for once, grabbing her own leather satchel, twitching her whiskers in acknowledgement to Rosemary, and setting off into the jungle. Her body was quivering with anticipation as she found herself traveling deeper and deeper into the undergrowth, thinking about what her plan was. In reference to her mother's teachings, she knew a lot about herbs, but in the limitations of the island, her knowledge was uncertain. The common herbs, she of course, knew, but she was well aware of the native flora to the Typhoon's island, and what it might bring to the table in reference to new ways to heal. So logically, she would spare herself the hassle of trying to remember the uses of the unique plant life, and instead seek out the ones she knew.

Her wandering, and of course, sniffing about, brought her to the first herb. Comfrey. She knew she'd found it not just from the obvious scent, but from the way it felt against her nose. The soft bell petals contrasting against the wide leaves let her know she'd found what she was looking for. Fischer carefully picked the herb, with special attention to digging up the roots with it. Comfrey itself had various uses, but the roots were a healer's essential. Once she had tidied up the area, she scooped the comfrey into the bag and continued on, nostrils flared and tilted up into the air to catch wind of a herb.

She was beginning to worry about the time ... the last herb had taken her thirty minutes to find, and as did this one. Yarrow. The pungent smell of it circled a few memories with it, none of them particularly good. The scent nearly made her nauseous, reminding her of the sickness that came up when it was ingested. Thankfully, she'd never consumed the small budding flowers, but she didn't hold that much scorn for the herb. It was useful, despite having just one use, it was as important to have around as comfrey was. Quickly, she picked the yarrow bundle and put it into her bag, carrying on with the challenge.

The third and final herb didn't take her as long as the first two, but she rushed, because she was unsure of how far from camp she was at this point. She knew she was nearby the temple, at least, fortunately. This plant, surprisingly, was much more common to the island than the others. Fischer had told herself she'd stick to what she knew best, and that was still true. The aloe plant had become a necessity for her since she joined the Typhoon. The hot sand and burning dock always managed to leave her paw pads sore and scorched, and aloe vera was always handy and perfect to use to soothe the pain. The black smoke sniffed at the plant with a slight smile, before breaking off a piece of the flora and placing it in her bag, eager to get back to Rosemary and the others.

And within the two hour limit, she did indeed, make it. It seemed she wasn't the only time scrambling for time though, which saved her the rush of embarrassment she was expecting, thinking she would be far later than everyone else. Carefully, Fischer set her bag down, and fetched the first herb, comfrey. "So, this is comfrey. Generally, you can chew the roots into a poultice and apply it to any area of pain to ease the irritation- simply put, it's a painkiller. I personally find it works best for that, at least." She offered, smiling faintly in the direction of the Soothsayer. Her eyes were focused, though they didn't really meet the face of anyone, just sort of gazing out. Without hesitation, she felt for the next herb, double checking that it was yarrow and not comfrey. After she was positive she hadn't mixed them up, she looked up, and said, "This is yarrow. It only has one use, to make the consumer throw up, usually to expel poisonous plants or food that have been ingested. Yarrow can be dangerous if you have too much of it, but it can be a lifesaver." The black smoke concluded, before reaching into the bag one final time to speak about her last herb. "And lastly, I have aloe. It's found pretty commonly around the island, thankfully, because it helps for burned or irritated areas. I often burn my paws when the sand gets hot, so opening up one of the leaves and rubbing the innards of it, almost like a poultice, helps soothe the pain very well, as well as heal it." And with a sigh of relief, she lapsed into silence, proud of the effort she'd put into it. She had satisfied her urge to take up the feat, and that's what counted the most for her right now.