It felt like she had run forever, by the time Soleil stopped at the lake side. Her flanks rose and fell hard in the silver moonlight, the only chorus to her recovering breath the crickets in the reeds. With low ears and a nervous slink in her step, she approached the still lake with trembling legs. As she stooped to drink, It felt like she was about to collapse. Drawing thirsty gulps of chilly lake water, she inhaled deeply and lifted her head finally. Surely, she wouldn't be followed her?
Soleil retreated to the pebbly bank, settling onto her haunches. It wasn't a relaxed position - the tension in her shoulders and neck betrayed that at least - but she was too exhausted to walk any further right now. Licking water droplets off her whiskers, Soleil scanned the lakefront warily, ignoring the twinge on her shoulder. It was hurting bad now, the score of fresh clawmarks obvious even on her dark pelt. If she just ignored it, maybe it wouldn't be so sore.
[attr="class","uthsim"]These foreign lands are still so new to him. Uther has managed to find suitable sanctuary to rest himself for the past couple of days, but with so much territory still unknown to him he has been unable to shake the lingering anxiety hanging over him like a dark cloud. So had begun his nocturnal ventures from the wilds, short trips that his mending body wouldn't protest too much.
Stumbling across the lake is a pleasant surprise for the knight. Beneath the moon the water shone silver and smooth, disturbed sporadically by the ripple of a fish beneath the surface. The scarred man approaches the lake's edge, dipping his head for a drink when he catches movement from the corner of his eye - a dark shape retreating from the water's edge, off to his right.
A girl. A young girl, not quite yet grown, sitting tersely on the bank. The copper smell of blood stirs Uther to action, turning politely towards her as he starts, "Ho, fair lady. Are thou well?"
It was times like these the inky young woman wished she had paid attention to her mother's teachings. Though the very thought of her mother made her throat hurt and hot tears prick at her lashes. Allowing herself a little sniffle, Soleil bent to lick gingerly at her wound, wrinkling her nose at the taste of iron.
She wasn't allowed any seconds of self-pity, because the rustle of paws on sand made her freeze, breath catching as she sought the cause of the noise. Nervous gaze fell upon the lilac stranger, far older and taller then she, and Soleil wondered if she could slip away without being seen-
Ah, too late.
Tensing her jaw, Soleil peered warily at Uther. He sounded friendly, but recent events made her suspicious. "I'm fine." she said, voice high and clear- but not as clear as she would have liked. The tremble in her throat was betraying of her frayed nerves.
[attr="class","uthsim"]The girl goes rigid as soon as she notices him, like an antelope ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. Blood shines wet from the gashes in her shoulder and leaves a foul taste in his mouth. What sort of heartless creature would attack a child? He doesn't think the injuries are grievous, but then he's not close enough to accurately assess the damage.
Soleil puts up a brave front, but the warble of her voice betrays her fear. Uther seats himself a respectful distance from the young lady, curling his tail around his paws. "It seemeth to me thou has faced a terrible peril this day; I do not wish to pose another," The knight soothes. "A moment's respite is all I seek. As, certes, does thou."
The way the silver-maned man spoke was unfamiliar to her, and for a moment Soleil thought he had changed into a different language. But no, she could understand what he meant - though some of the words he used were odd, or not like she would have expected them to be pronounced. She purses her lips and peers at him with uncertain grey eyes.
"Its-" she says awkwardly, "It's nothing, really. It looks worse than... than it is." She just hoped he didn't want to offer her any help - hadn't her pride suffered enough in the last twelve hours? "Besides," she added with a flash of bravado, "You don't seem scary." A lie, perhaps? Soleil felt a little better saying it, wanting to convince herself it was true.
"What's an old man like you doing out here, a-anyway?"
[attr="class","uthsim"] She's quick to dismiss the gravity of her wounds, still seemingly sizing him up. Uther can't blame her; with how frazzled she appears she must have only escaped danger recently, and the appearance of a stranger wouldn't help her unease.
Uther chuckles, a deep low thing, at her declaration. "I would hope not. A knight should inspire hope, not fear." Though he doubts he looks much like a knight at the moment, still healing from his own escape. Soleil's question drags him from his reminiscing. "Seeking sanctuary, just as thou seeketh it. My own hurts have yet to mend, but I cannot rest these weary bones until I know no villains here be."
A pause. A pondering flick of the ear. "Hast thou knowledge of herbs, young lady?"
A knight, was he? Soleil nearly laughed at that, though the old man's grave tone made her hold her tongue. A knight? What was he playing at? Surely they were just cub stories for imaginative little princes and princesses? It was surprising to find something amusing again. She'd been so plagued with anxiety and fear for days at this point, that it was refreshing and a little startling.
"How... how do you make sure there's no, um," she tilted her head slightly, still sitting reservedly, "villains, here?" Soleil's grey eyes were a touch skeptical behind her dark lashes. Was he just an eccentic old lion, or did he actually have some sort of... thing. It was believeable.
Uther's questions on herbs drew new hesitation onto Soleil's features. She was too proud to admit the gaps in her knowledge, but if he questioned her about the topic, then she was anxious she'd make herself a fool. "Um, not exactly." she admitted at a mumble, "Not yet."
[attr="class","uthsim"]A fair question, particularly for one as wary as she. "It is a lot of wandering, and a lot of wondering," Uther admits. "And, of most importance, it is a lot of conversation. Assaying to peer into the waters of those one meets, and ascertain whether they be safe in which to wade." Not that he's had much luck on that front. "Admittedly, thou art the first I have encountered in these strange lands. So fortunate news," A warm smile. "No villains as of yet."
The girl hesitates to admit her lack of knowledge, mumbling her answer, and Uther gives an understanding nod. "Well," He starts, grunting as he rises once more to his paws. His flank aches in protest. "I recall some learnings of use, and, as we both could use some cure for our hurts, mayhaps thou wouldst assist me in gathering them?"
No matter the circumstances in which Soleil may find herself in, it would be of great use to know some helpful herbs. 'Feed a man, he eats for a day; teach a man to hunt, and he eats all his life', or however the phrase goes. How the sages praddled on about such things during his childhood.
It was hard for the inky girl to keep up with his way of speaking, but equally it was entertaining. Soleil found herself listening extra carefully to his words. For a moment she thought he meant literally wading into the lake, following his eye with a worried expression. Taking a swim at this time of year didn't seem to pleasant. The water had been delightfully cool to drink, but she wasn't too keen on taking a dive in the summer, let alone the chilly evenings of early spring.
Then she realised it was a metaphor and felt a touch embarassed, but it was overlaid by relief. If he hadn't found any so-called villains yet, then Soleil could feel a little safer. "Thats good." she agreed, shyly. Because it was.
The lilac lion's demeanour was calming, and she found herself less embarassed about her knowledge gap as he suggested action. Soleil rose gingerly to her paws, stifling a wince as she put a little too much weight on her injured shoulder than she was ready for. It seemed to have locked up in the cold, and she was aware of the ache in her muscles. Nevertheless she nodded and peered expectantly at Uther. "What're we looking for old man?"
[attr="class","uthsim"]At least his words seem to offer some relief to the dark girl. He doesn't know what circumstances forced her to flee, but it was clearly bad enough to fear the possibilty of malicious strangers. Though, he supposes most people fear such a possibility - it was one of the reasons the Order was established so long ago, after all.
Soleil rises with him,, ready to assist despite the obvious pain of her shoulder. Uther nods decisively, begining his slow lumber along the pebbly bank of the lake. "To our fortune, many a mending herb doth grow by the water. We seek two kinds - marigold, a bright gold blossom with a head like an orb, and horsetail, tall fuzzy reeds."
Soleil picked her way after the old lion, casting a precautionary glance over her shoulder. It felt like she hadn't checked her surroundings for a while, having been a touch too focused on the conversation. Finding nothing immediately out of place in the dark bushes behind them, she turned her focus back to Uther. As he described what they were searching for, she scanned the bank, glancing over the lightly-rippling water and into the scraggly grass that was pushing through the sand and rocks. It was a little difficult to tell colour in this time of the evening, but she figured reeds wouldn't be too hard to find.
Proudly disguising the slight hitch in her step, Soleil gave a determined nod of understanding and began to inspect the closest cluster of reeds to them. They all kind of smelt the same - like grass and lake water and mud - but she paid careful attention to the tops. Hmm, there didn't seem to be any in this patch.
She wasn't dismayed until the third patch of reeds she checked didn't seem to have any fuzzy bits and she lifted her head to peer at Uther with a vague note of frustration on her muzzle. "Are you sure they grow around here?"
[attr="class","uthsim"]The girl's determination is refreshing, and as she heads towards the reeds Uther begins his search for the marigold. Colours are difficult to determine in the lowlight, but he's fairly certain he can remember the smell of the flowers - the Order's herbalist had smeared him with enough of the stuff in his youth.
Rather quickly the girl seems to run out of patience, questioning whether or not the horsetail really could be found here. "They should," Uther insists, lifting his head momentarily to speak to her. "Search for cracks in the rocky bank. They prefer soft bedding when it can be found."
Slowly skirting the lake's edge, Uther's own confidence was just starting to waver when he picked up the familiar scent - there! With a rumble of satisfaction Uther would call, "Marigold! Soothly a sight for sore eyes."
Despite Uther's reassurances, Soleil was beginning to grow a little doubtful. What if the plants here weren't the same as the ones the old man knew? With an agitated flick of her tail she renewed her efforts, scanning the pebbly banks for cracks like he'd suggested. The call from further up the bank made her pause, peering back toward Uther with a nod of understanding. That eased her worry a little more, and she focused on the patch a few steps to her left. Oh! Was that it?
Ears pricked, Soleil dipped her head to inspect the plant. Reed-y, check, fuzzy tops? Check. With a pleased snort to herself, the inky girl bit off the bottom of the stems and swept them together with her paw - it was the little she could remember from those boring lessons. The thought of mother made her chest hurt again. With a sigh Soleil gingerly picked up the small bundle of reeds, and carried them toward where Uther had found the marigold.
"Wha' now?" she mumbled past a mouthful of reed, coming to a halt near him.
