Cold as Night ((OPEN))

[Django]

"If the Fates exist," Soladeo Gloria muttered darkly, lying sprawled at the bottom of a steep incline in a pile of rotted bark. "I bet they're laughing. Laughing so cruelly." She rolled onto her back, wincing at the sharp pains that throbbed through her limbs and torso. Looking up the incline, she grimaced as she counted all the boulder she'd hit on the way down. She lay there for a few minutes, allowing the pain to subside, contemplating her misfortune.

Finally, she gingerly lifted herself into a sitting position, questioning her sanity. That moss-covered log, now a pile of broken bark, had looked like a nice place to stop and rest for awhile. And she had seen no sign of the steep drop on the other side of it. But as soon as her full weight had hit the log, she had begun the painful journey which had roughly deposited her here, amidst the decaying mulch of the log.

She scanned her body for bruises, yelping in pain when she touched her right arm. Was it broken? She held it up and discovered a painful gash in one side, but no fractures. That was somewhat of a relief. But it still hurt like crazy! She leaned against the exposed roots of a nearby oak, spitting her sacrilegious vocabulary at no beast in particular. Out of breath, she leaned her head back, gazing up at the sunset sky. Wonderful. Not only was she injured, exhausted, and completely lost, but now she was going to end up as a midnight snack for some bigger creature. Or perhaps an easy target for some bullying gang.

Pulling her bag close to her chest, the rabbit opened the flap and took out her most prized possession: her blue cameo. It was of fine craftsmanship, and she polished it every day to keep it in mint condition. She would rather lose her entire bag of trinkets than lose this. Tucking it into her shirt, she vowed to make it as inaccessible as possible to any hostile beast who might cross her path.

As she lay at the bottom of the incline, Sola vaguely wondered if she would really survive the night with no incidents. But, knowing her luck, that was most likely not the case. Her sensitive ears picked up a noise form the underbrush, and she quickly drew one of her hook swords for defense. "Show yourself!" she demanded hoarsely, taking no chances. Night was setting in, which always made her edgy.

[King Benon]

Anise maneuvered through the forest, collecting herbs. She had discovered a wonderfully large patch of snail's cap mushrooms, a rare find in Mossflower Wood, not only did they have a wonderful nutty taste and were chock full of protein and vitamins but they also had wonderful medicinal properties and would burn bright blue, wonderful for scaring off primitive tribe beasts. She picked the mushrooms, careful to let the caps drop their spores in the patch of earth she pulled them from. She made her way along a tall ridge line, stopping at a giant fallen log, completely rotted through. She took a small skinning knife from her bandolier and began harvesting the moss and russala mold ridges from the decaying sides of the dead giant. She was about to move on from her find when a swaying flower caught her sharp eye, down at the bottom of the ravine.

She made her way carefully down the side of the ravine, nearly slipping several times. She made it to the patch of flowers, growing out of the base of an old oak tree, the flowers grew from a creeping vine twined around the exposed roots at the base. She again took a small curved pruning knife out of her bandolier and began trimming the flowers, leaves, and vine pulp leaving enough roots for the vine to grow back. After this harvesting she stalked off, looking for a stream.

She found a small stream, fed by a natural spring only a few hundred yards from her vine discovery and running over a line of pebbles. She sat down at the spring, marveling at how the water bubbled up so peacefully. She dipped several of her vials and canteens into the water, collecting the fresh cool liquid. She collected a few twigs and dry leaves and set fire to them, making herself a little cooking fire.

She brewed herself some nettle and mushroom tea, cooked herself a small stew of dried fish, nuts, various mushrooms, and hotroot pepper. After her short respite, she set herself to potion making. She made several medicinal cordials, some poultices and compresses, and even a vile of incendiary powder. She enjoyed the powder, it wasn't fatal and wasn't even very dangerous, but it was quite surprising if one wasn't expecting it.

((OOC: The above was earlier in the day, before Sol's Fall, the rest is what happens during/after for Anise.))

Anise was finishing up a delicate pruning chore, peeling the outer skin off of one of her vine flower petals to expose the moist pulp underneath. She had on her magnification spectacles, square glasses that were over-sized for her slender vixen face. He tiny paws and even tinier skinning tools looked enormous through the spectacles, she had just begun to pull the skin off of the second to last petal when she heard a noise. Her ears picked up a faint snappinng sound, a yelp, and the sound of a none too gracious slide down a hill. Knowing it must have been the ravine, she scooped her belongings into a pile and threw her cloak over them, disguising them so she could come back later if she had to flee. She leaped up, drawing her rapier in her right paw and her loaded blowgun in her left, she stalked off toward the source of the noise.

Her vulpine swiftness spirited her towards the base of the ravine. She hid behind the trunk of a tree, in her haste she stepped on a twig and it wouldn't have snapped if it hadn't been ancient, dry, and brittle. But snap it did, alerting the fallen beast to her presence.

"Show yourself!" a voice demanded hoarsely

Anise stepped out from behind her hiding place, rapier and blowgun in paws. She pointed her rapier at the rabbit, always cautious.

"You don't appear to be in the condition of making demands, rabbit...." Anise said, sounding immensely more confident than she felt, she just hoped the rabbit didn't notice the trembling of her paw holding the rapier which looked enormous, owing to the fact that she was still wearing her gigantic spectacles. She detested using the sword, preferring to dispatch her prey with her blowdarts and remain an anonymous killer, unless her prey was other black foxes or vermin under their command. But this rabbit was neither black fox nor vermin, and judging by its belongings could be a wonderful source of resources to Anise. Perhaps she could work out an exchange for her services. Her fertile mind racing, she finished her statement with "but you don't look too worse for the wear, nothing I can't fix in any case."

[Django]

"You don't appear to be in the condition of making demands, rabbit.... but you don't look too worse for the wear, nothing I can't fix in any case."

Sola glared at the fox, her hook sword still held straight out before her in defense. Judging by the way the vixen's paw trembled, Sola guessed swordplay was not her forte. But that blowgun might put Sola at a disadvantage. Wrapping her free arm tighter around her green bag, Sola decided to play nice for now. "Oh, yes, of course," she replied, smiling disarmingly, lowering her sword. "I was just hoping a nice vixen would come by to fix me up. That's exactly what one expects after a nasty dive down a hill, isn't it? Or, at least it's one's hope, so I've heard."

Though she had tried to come across sarcastically, her cynical tone gave up and she began speaking sincerely. It was night, and she was a tad desperate. "But, if you wouldn't mind helping me. You look like the type who's knowledgable about fixing beasts up . . ." The rabbit noted the flasks and other implements hanging from the vixen's belt. "Or, even, tearing them down, but, nonetheless, as you've pointed out, I'm in a rather bad way, as the hares say. So, if we could possibly make a deal, yes? You patch me up and I'll give you something in return. How does that sound?"

As soon as the words had left the talkative Sola's mouth, she slightly regretted them. She didn't know this fox, nor what the vixen was capable of. Those implements could be used for something other than what the rabbit thought. This vixen could be an evil witch, roaming the woods for innocent rabbits like Sola to use their various organs in her wicked potions.

It was late, and Sola was on edge. And quite possibly about to fall off the edge.

[King Benon]

"Oh, yes, of course," she replied, smiling disarmingly, lowering her sword. "I was just hoping a nice vixen would come by to fix me up. That's exactly what one expects after a nasty dive down a hill, isn't it? Or, at least it's one's hope, so I've heard."

Anise recognized the cynicism in the voice of the injured rabbit, enjoying that she had come upon another beast in the vast woodlands with a darker sense of humor. Most woodlanders found it distasteful and most vermin were too stupid to find sarcasm interesting but those vermin who were smart enough were quite dangerous and ended up dead with a blow-dart in their necks. The hint of a smile crept onto Anise's lips.

"But, if you wouldn't mind helping me. You look like the type who's knowledgable about fixing beasts up . . ." The rabbit noted the flasks and other implements hanging from the vixen's belt. "Or, even, tearing them down, but, nonetheless, as you've pointed out, I'm in a rather bad way, as the hares say. So, if we could possibly make a deal, yes? You patch me up and I'll give you something in return. How does that sound?"

Now here is a beast I could enjoy Anise thought. This rabbit wasn't just a whimsical woodlander, and she certainly wasn't vermin. Helping her probably wouldn't hurt anything so she agreed. "Wait here, I need to go collect my... implements." She winked at the prone rabbit, a wink that she had been trained to use to set jealous males against each other and keep an air of mystery about herself. Whether it'd work with this rabbit was inconsequential, she really did have to get her possessions.

She retrieved her equipment quickly, not wanting the hapless rabbit to be left alone too long, and not wanting to be gone from company too long either. She loved company, and she was determined to make the most of this chance occurrence. After stowing all of her things, she made for the oak tree.

She found the rabbit still sitting at the base of the tree, Anise plopped down opposite her, with her own back to a tree. She set fire to a few sticks, and began slicing a mushroom. "This will keep any vermin away tonight, there's a camp of primitive tree rats here-abouts, but they are very superstitious." After slicing the mushrooms she cast a piece into the fire, it immediately began burning bright blue, casting eery shadows around the woodlands. Anise began to set up a pot of nettle and mushroom tea to brew, and then she unloaded her poultices and medicinal herbs, speaking to the rabbit rather business like. "I'm making a little tea for us, it'll keep you warm and help you sleep, and I'm going to patch you up with a poultice of dockleaves, dandelion milk, root pulp, and snails cap mushrooms. Maybe I'll put a compress on you too. I need to see where you've been injured."

[Django]

"Wait here, I need to go collect my... implements."

Sola would have collapsed with relief had she not been already sprawled against a tree. She returned her hook sword to its place and set her bag down, looping the strap around her uninjured arm. As she waited for the vixen, she quietly hoped she had not been left alone in a deceiving ruse.

Had the stranger promised to go get something that would aid her and instead left Sola to writhe in pain? No, no, that wasn't how it worked. That would just be rude. No, if the vixen truly wanted to take advantage of the rabbit, she would have asked for payment for 'treating' Sola's wounds before disappearing to fetch her implements.

Sola's spirits soared when the fox returned, carrying her fetched implements. The rabbit offered a smile, which came out rather well considering how painful her injuries were. "Oh, thank goodness," she breathed, watching as the vixen plopped down opposite her and began making the fire. "I was dearly hoping you really would come back. I mean, I knew you fox types were honest and all, but one can never be too careful." She meant that last sentence as a good-natured joke, of course, trying to keep her sense of humor in proper working order.

"This will keep any vermin away tonight, there's a camp of primitive tree rats here-abouts, but they are very superstitious."

"Ooooooh," Sola breathed, gazing at the blue flames. "What kind of plant was that?" If she knew what that plant was, she would spend nearly every day searching for it just to make her late-night fires burn this marvelous shade of blue.

"I'm making a little tea for us, it'll keep you warm and help you sleep, and I'm going to patch you up with a poultice of dockleaves, dandelion milk, root pulp, and snails cap mushrooms. Maybe I'll put a compress on you too. I need to see where you've been injured."

"Of course," Sola replied, taking on a serious tone, as well. She held up her right arm, showing the gash which began at the outer side of her wrist and ended just before her elbow. "And, here," she rotated one drooping ear painfully towards the vixen, revealing a bloody scrape on the backside of it. "And also here," she extended her leg with a yelp, displaying a line of cuts across the shin bone and calf muscle. "Those are the worst ones. The others are mostly just bruises."

She glanced at the fox's pretty black and white fur and realized they didn't know each other's names. "I'm Soladeo Gloria, by the way," the rabbit said. "But most call me Sola for short."

[King Benon]

"I was dearly hoping you really would come back. I mean, I knew you fox types were honest and all, but one can never be too careful."

Anise almost let loose a bitter laugh, the only honest foxes she knew were dead and buried. The dishonest ones were also dead, for the most part. Still, she appreciated the chattering of the rabbit, this medical visit promised be pleasant, rather than the oppressive silence of her other patients who were almost always scared of her. She enjoyed the rabbits reaction to the mushroom, Anise herself had always enjoyed the blue fire.

"Ooooooh," Sola breathed, gazing at the blue flames. "What kind of plant was that?" "Snail's cap mushrooms, I found scads up on the ridge-line you fell down when I was looking this morning. I could give you some if you wanted, when they dry out the effect is much more potent than when they are fresh." Anise loved plants, and loved telling other beasts about them. The exchange reminded her that she needed to make journal entries for her finds, and the rabbit's injuries, medical practitioning, is just that: repeated practice. She extricated her journal out of its oil skin bag, reconstituted the dried ink vial with spring water, and began scribbling away in her beautiful spidery penbeastship.

She began concocting her remedies as the rabbit listed her injuries,

"Of course," Sola replied, taking on a serious tone, as well. She held up her right arm, showing the gash which began at the outer side of her wrist and ended just before her elbow. "And, here," she rotated one drooping ear painfully towards the vixen, revealing a bloody scrape on the backside of it. "And also here," she extended her leg with a yelp, displaying a line of cuts across the shin bone and calf muscle. "Those are the worst ones. The others are mostly just bruises."

Anise sidled over to the rabbit, pushed the gigantic magnification spectacles back up her nose from where they had slid down, and began setting her poultices and compresses: she slathered the rabbits wounds with a numbing agent made of aloe leaves, stream algae, bog bristle pulp, toad stool stalk powder, and mud. Then she laid dockleaves and crushed snails cap on top of the mud, binding the wounds with strips of bandages made from woven grass fibers. Often she had to cut away the rabbit's chocolatey fur and rinse the gashes with spring water to get the wounds clean prior to treatment. She did this all whilst consulting her journal, making notations, and sputtering medical jargon to herself.

As Anise was going about her task, the rabbit piped up again,

"I'm Soladeo Gloria, by the way," the rabbit said. "But most call me Sola for short."

"A pleasure, Sola. My name is Anise Odell Betony.", she sighed, "I never have anyone around to call me anything though, there's a cruel shred of irony there as it turns out..." Then she chuckled, remembering a time long ago with a tribe of vermin she had frightened, "Actually, the tree rats have several ... choice names for me, especially when I show them a trick or two."

[Django]

"Snail's cap mushrooms, I found scads up on the ridge-line you fell down when I was looking this morning. I could give you some if you wanted, when they dry out the effect is much more potent than when they are fresh."

"Oh, fascinating," Sola gushed as the vixen began making notes. "Are there other mushrooms or plants that can turn flames different colors?" That would be simply astounding. This blue flame was beautiful, but was there a tulip that made the flames turn pink? A grass that turned it green? Easily amused, the rabbit would love to chatter on and on about plants with special properties.

She held back her cries of pain as the various remedies were administered. The rabbit tried to focus on something else besides the pain, like the vixen's oversized glasses. They dwarfed the pretty white snout, but somehow they made the fox look cute, in an intelligent way, if that made any sense. She was about to mention them when the vixen answered her introduction.

"A pleasure, Sola. My name is Anise Odell Betony.", she sighed, "I never have anyone around to call me anything though, there's a cruel shred of irony there as it turns out..." . . . "Actually, the tree rats have several ... choice names for me, especially when I show them a trick or two."

Sola giggled, but cut herself off with another mild yelp. "I can't even understand those little buggers," the rabbit replied. "But I'm sure they're terrible at coming up with nicknames. Having come from a family of numerous siblings, shortening names for the sake of kitschy endearment was an art form of the highest or-DER!!" She winced as another remedy was applied, "Anise? Is it? I'm terrible with pronunciations."

[King Benon]

While Anise patched Sola up, even spreading soothing salves on the rabbit's bruises, the two kept up a lively dialogue, warding off the darkness and loneliness of the night.

"Oh, fascinating," Sola gushed as the vixen began making notes. "Are there other mushrooms or plants that can turn flames different colors?"

"Absolutely, any fruit or plant roots found in or near arid localities tend to turn a fire green, if ground into a powder; and soaking anything in salt water for long enough will get you a pink flame, more on the magenta side, though. These mushrooms tend to grow in soil that's suffused with sulfur, giving them the blue flame" Anise answered, remembering the concoctions she herself had made, and her own studious notations in her journal, and throwing another mushroom slice into the fire before the blue burnt itself out. This rabbit, Sola, with her curious nature could be great to keep around, if nothing else than for small talk, but she seemed able to hold her own, judging by her swords and demeanor.

"Anise? Is it? I'm terrible with pronunciations."

"Yes, you're saying it right, Uh-neese." Anise responded to Sola's questions selectively. She was not used to such talkative company, but it was certainly welcomed after her long stint of loneliness.

After working her patient over, she took off her giant glasses, stowed them in their pouch, and stood up to stretch her long slender legs. She walked to her side of the fire, a courtly stride, one foot in front of the other with deliberate and fluid movements, not the undignified scramble common to woodlanders. She sat herself down and got out two beakers for the tea which was just coming to a boil. She poured the two portions of tea and set the kettle down at the edge of the fire, fishing out some raw ingredients to grind up and make a little cake for a late dinner. As she ground up the barley grain, mixed it with water and kneaded it with salt, a tiny pinch of hotroot pepper, slices of the nutty snails cap mushroom, and various savory vegetables the tea sat to cool. After rolling the mixture into a cake shape and placing it on a flat stone to cook, she took the tea over to Sola.

Handing the beaker to Sola, but keeping her paw lightly touching Sola's to steady it, she said to her patient, smiling, "Drink this, it'll make you feel stronger, foods on its way."

[Django]

"Absolutely, any fruit or plant roots found in or near arid localities tend to turn a fire green, if ground into a powder; and soaking anything in salt water for long enough will get you a pink flame, more on the magenta side, though. These mushrooms tend to grow in soil that's suffused with sulfur, giving them the blue flame"

"Stupendous," Sola exclaimed. "I'll have to search for these plants sometime. Especially these wonderful little mushrooms!" Thanks to the vixen's salves and such, the pain had lessened in the rabbit's limbs.

"Yes, you're saying it right, Uh-neese."

"Good, good," Sola murmured, gingerly testing her injured limbs. "Oh, Anise, you're a marvel! I'll be good as new in no time!" She watched as the vixen prepared the tea, inhaling the pleasant aroma of the brew. Sola hadn't had good tea in years. And she did rather like the look of that cake thing Anise was making. "So, not only are you an expert healer, you're a chef, too?"

"Drink this, it'll make you feel stronger, foods on its way."

"Doctor's orders, eh?" the rabbit giggled, taking the tea cup gently. She held it in her uninjured paw, sipping it carefully at first, making sure it wasn't too hot. Then she downed the rest of the cup, smiling as the liquid warmed her up right down to her paw tips. "Delicious! Is this your own brew?"

[King Benon]

"Stupendous," Sola exclaimed. "I'll have to search for these plants sometime. Especially these wonderful little mushrooms!"

Anise smiled openly at Sola's excitement, she always loved when another beast shared her love of botany, even if it was for the aesthetic side of things.

"Delicious! Is this your own brew?"

"It's a family recipe, I learned it as a little kit. In reference to your earlier question however, I am numerous things: healer, chef, and herbalist are only a few but I am still measurably less than what I was brought up to be." Anise found herself with tightly clinched paws, bared fangs, and hunched shoulders, she inwardly cursed herself for letting her temper run away from her as she finished her sentence, she hated her past and all the evil beasts that had so horrifically besmirched it.

Easing herself out of her momentary lapse of lucidity, she slid one of her broadbladed knives under the cooking cake, finding that it did not stick to the cooking stone, she flipped it over, inhaling the tantalizing aroma of cooking victuals and noting the golden brown searing on the cooked half of the cake.

"What is it you do... with your time?" Anise asked Sola, gesturing with her now soiled knife, hoping it sounded more polite to Sola than it did to herself.

[Django]

"It's a family recipe, I learned it as a little kit. In reference to your earlier question however, I am numerous things: healer, chef, and herbalist are only a few but I am still measurably less than what I was brought up to be."

Sola leaned away from the vixen as she got into a fighting stance, wondering if Anise was alright. It frightened her to see the gentle-looking fox so aggressive-looking, so the rabbit kept her mouth shut for the moment. She set down her cup and pulled her bag in closer.

"What is it you do... with your time?"

Sola tried not to look guilty as she thought up a story to explain herself. It wasn't like she wanted to blurt out to this fox that she was a full-time thief. "Well, I was once in the circus," the rabbit began, gaining her confidence. Once she though up the story, the rest was easy, just sprinkling fact over the fable.

"However, I retired, becoming a solo performer after seven years of travel with the delightful group. In my free time, I practice my contortionist act, and my juggling. I would practice my tightrope performance, but it's a bit difficult when one's out in the wilderness, you see."

[King Benon]

Anise's outburst had visibly shaken Sola, she could tell as she watched the rabbit curl herself up into a defensive position. She felt sorry that she had caused her new companion any sense of grief, especially in the rabbits condition. She should be resting and not moving too much. Anise softened her demeanor, trying to put her patient at ease.

"Well, I was once in the circus, however, I retired, becoming a solo performer after seven years of travel with the delightful group. In my free time, I practice my contortionist act, and my juggling. I would practice my tightrope performance, but it's a bit difficult when one's out in the wilderness, you see."

Anise's fit of rage had passed, and she dearly wanted to console Sola, she didn't need a high strung rabbit on her hands, especially since she wanted to keep her around. She said soothingly, "Well, if you relax and let my medicines do their stuff, you'll be better in no time. You'll have to teach me some of your tricks when you're on the tightrope again."

[Django]

"Well, if you relax and let my medicines do their stuff, you'll be better in no time. You'll have to teach me some of your tricks when you're on the tightrope again."

Sola perked up and thought for a moment. "Perhaps so," she replied finally. "Though I would be hard-pressed to find a professional tightrope out here, a thin branch might do in a pinch." She glanced at the branches above her head; they were lost in shadows above the blue flames. "Of course, you're right. There's no way I would be able to perform in this condition."

A comfortable silence settled between them. After awhile, Sola seemed to remember something. "Oh, goodness! Your payment!" she cried, opening her green bag. She slid it towards the fox, adding, "Take anything you want. They're just little trinkets I've collected over the years."

The bag was practically bulging from the pile of odds and ends stuffed within it. There was jewelry, small books, lengths of silky fabric, silver and gold figurines, little woven bags, and a myriad of other things too numerous to name.

[King Benon]

"Oh, goodness! Your payment!" she cried, opening her green bag. She slid it towards the fox, adding, "Take anything you want. They're just little trinkets I've collected over the years."

The bag was practically bulging from the pile of odds and ends stuffed within it. There was jewelry, small books, lengths of silky fabric, silver and gold figurines, little woven bags, and a myriad of other things too numerous to name.

Anise sat across from her new friend, enjoying the comfort of each other's company she looked up at Sola's stash of goodies. She fancied the woven bags and the books, but she as she thought about which to choose, she stopped. She enjoyed her new friend's company too much to just part ways with a little trinket, she wanted the rabbit to stick with her, or to be able to go with the rabbit.

After the collection of trinkets, her fertile mind began to put together that this rabbit was no mere circus performer. Her mind was racing when she blurted out before she had completely formulated a plan, "Those are wonderful Sola, but I was wondering if we could work out a more... permanent arrangement." She almost stuck her paw into her mouth with embarrassment, then slightly recovering added, "since your wounds arent all healed yet, and as a performer you never know when you might get hurt again."

[Django]

"Those are wonderful Sola, but I was wondering if we could work out a more... permanent arrangement."

Sola's interest was piqued, and her good ear perked up a bit. "Permanent?" she repeated curiously. "How so?" She admitted to herself that she enjoyed this vixen's company. In fact, Anise was the nicest fox Sola had ever met (besides the one from the circus, but he didn't necessarily count.) So to spend more time with the fox was not at all an issue to the rabbit.

"Since your wounds arent all healed yet, and as a performer you never know when you might get hurt again."

"Oh! I get it!" Sola caught on. "You want to travel with me. Is that it?" She exhaled shortly, not quite a chuckle. "It's always nice to have a traveling companion. I warn you, though, I never stay in one place for too long." And though Sola was embarrassed to say it, there were many beasts out there who would love to see her hanged. She didn't even pretend to know how she would explain to her new friend that she was a full-time thief. But, if the vixen did come with her, once she was all healed, they would just have to cross that bridge when they came to it.

[King Benon]

"It's always nice to have a traveling companion. I warn you, though, I never stay in one place for too long."

Perfect Anise thought, she never had any need to stay in one place and usually circulated around Mossflower wood and the surrounding countryside without any set plan. She was beginning to put together what Sola actually was, and that suited her perfectly, perhaps she could learn a thing or two or teach Sola a trick she didn't know. In any case, the pairing could be drastically advantageous for the both of them.

"That sounds splendid, Sola." Anise replied to her rabbit friend. "Absolutely splendid, Mossflower Wood gets a bit boring and lonesome from time to time, it'll be good to have someone to travel with." She threw a few more twigs onto the dying fire, bringing it back, and tossed another slice of mushroom, watching the fire flare blue again.

[Django]

"That sounds splendid, Sola." Anise replied to her rabbit friend. "Absolutely splendid, Mossflower Wood gets a bit boring and lonesome from time to time, it'll be good to have someone to travel with."

Sola's smile wavered a bit. "Oh, wonderful," she replied, half as eagerly. She hated to bring this respectable vixen into her vagabond lifestyle, but Anise just looked so excited to have some company. Sola knew how lonely the woods could be. She sympathized completely with the fox.

Clearing her throat, the rabbit tried again. "Yes, yes, wonderful! You know what they say, 'Two's company' and all that!" Her jovial smile returned. She figured if and when Anise found out she was a thief, the fox could either leave or stay. Sola would be right back where she had been all these years if the vixen left, so not much lost there, right? And yet, some part of the rabbit didn't want her friend to leave. The thief business will have to stay private for as long as possible, she resolved.

"So, ah, how long did you say it would take for my injuries to heal?" the rabbit asked. It wasn't a completely irrelevant question. If Anise wanted to travel with Sola, Sola had to be fit to travel first.

[King Benon]

"So, ah, how long did you say it would take for my injuries to heal?"

"Oh, you'll be able to travel slowly by afternoon tomorrow, my remedies tend to take effect quickly, but I wouldn't expect you to be fully recovered for a couple of days atleast, and I would prescribe a period of careful observation and restful journeying for at least a couple of weeks." Anise winked slyly.

Anise knew, sensed rather, that the rabbit wouldn't be terribly forward with her in concern to what Sola actually did, and that was okay. Their traveling would certainly prove to be a good experience no matter what Sola did for her profession.

Noting the position of the moon, she said to Sola, "Its awfully late, Sola, you should probably try to sleep. The tea should be taking effect soon and you don't want to fight it. It will help you heal, I'll keep watch tonight."

[Django]

"Oh,you'll be able to travel slowly by afternoon tomorrow, my remedies tend to take effect quickly, but I wouldn't expect you to be fully recovered for a couple of days atleast, and I would prescribe a period of careful observation and restful journeying for at least a couple of weeks." Anise winked slyly.

Sola giggled again, a little delirious. "Perfect," she replied with a smile. "Thank you once again for fixing me up. The Fates must have been angry with me tonight or something." She sighed in dramatic remorse, draping a paw across her head. "But we all have those days, I suppose."

"Its awfully late, Sola, you should probably try to sleep. The tea should be taking effect soon and you don't want to fight it. It will help you heal, I'll keep watch tonight."

Sola cleared her throat, stifling a yawn. "Oh, yes, of course," she said. "Sleep well, then, Anise!" She curled up on the ground, getting herself into a rather contorted position, which she was most comfortable in. It had been a long day, and she was already tired, but the influence of the tea escalated her fatigue greatly. She was asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.

((Feel free to time skip to the next day, Ben!))

[King Benon]

((OOC: I'll do the time lapse then))

"Sleep well, then, Anise!"

Anise didn't sleep though, as much as she wanted to. After meeting her new companion, Anise couldn't just drift off to sleep in a remote part of the woodlands. She began brewing herself up a bit of honey-mead, it'd revitalize her and keep her awake through the rest of the night and day. She would occasionally watch Sola sleeping, in her uncomfortable looking position, and eventually when the cold of the night sat in and her new friend began shivering in her sleep, Anise crept over and covered Sola with her cloak, it was warm and camouflaged. The sleeping rabbit blended in with the loamy soil, leaving not a trace of her sleeping form to the passerby.

Anise kept watch through the night, the only movement she detected was an overly inquisitive tree rat, sneaking a peek at the blue fire. Anise scared it away with one of her blowdarts, she shot it in the stomach with a mild poison. The poison would not kill the hapless rat, but it would suffer hallucinations for the next few days. She hoped Sola didn't stir during the confrontation. After the incident, Anise settled down beside Sola and kept a weather eye out for other beasts in the forest. There were none, and when the sun had fully broken the horizon, she gently shook her sleeping friend awake, saying to her with her musical, courtly voice:

"Sola.... Sola.... Wake up Sola. Its morning now, we can leave after you eat breakfast."