North Bank of the Great River
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You stand on the northern riverbank of the Great River, where it flows through Lantern Waste. The forest is more open here than it is to the west, so making your way along the bank is somewhat easier here. Below, the river babbles cheerfully along its bed, wider here than upstream but not deep enough yet to flow noiselessly. Forest creatures appear with surprising frequency, and there is a faint hum of activity all around you. You notice that the ground at your feet is rocky. The open woods to the north is also quite hilly here.
The riverbank continues upstream to the west and downstream to the east. To the north, a faint path can be seen leading through the trees to a small rise in the distance.
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You can go: Downstream <E>, Upstream <W>
Contents: A wolf with a limp and a wrapped paw (Pheeobe); An unicorn stallion with a marred flank (Petraverd); and An unicorn with curious and mischievous green eyes (Peridot).
Pheeobe walks along the banks of the river, brushing her tail along the water.
Caileana pads along next to Pheeobe’s other side, her pace sedate.
Peridot nods in acknowledgement of her mate’s words. “I’ve been studying plants much of my life and I still don’t know half of what Panacea knows.” Her ears prick forward, conscious of approaching beasts. She nods genially to the wolves as they come in sight.
Petraverd chuckles, bumping his mate lightly as he says, “Still more than what /I/ know, I’m pretty sure.” He lets out a light whinny toward the Wolves as they come into view.
Pheeobe ears swivel to the whinny and her face brusts into a wolfy smile. “Petraverd!”
Caileana similarly bares her fangs in a grin. “Hello, Petraverd, Peridot,” she says, padding towards the pair.
Peridot likewise grins. “Caileana, Pheeobe, how are you?”
Petraverd bobs his head, leonine tail swishing. “Hello, you two.”
Pheeobe smiles. “I am very well!” She looks to Caileana.
Caileana dips her head. “Also well.”
Peridot continues to smile. “Good to hear that.”
Pheeobe asks, “How are you two?”
Petraverd flicks an ear. “Rather well, for my part. Seemed a good day to spend some time out enjoying the Waste, and who better to do so with than my mate.”
Caileana pulls a face at the sappiness of the statement and then gives a small grin.
Pheeobe smiles warmly between the Unicorns. “That’s nice.”
Peridot bumps her mate. “I’m also well. I was telling Petraverd that I thought I saw a patch of coneflowers around the Waste. What better day to forage and walk easily?”
Caileana takes a seat and gives the two unicorns a midly puzzled look. “Coneflower? Which one’s that?”
Pheeobe tilts her head. “Is that the one that looks like a daisy?”
Petraverd says, “Sort of… a pinkish-purply one. There’s a patch of them out in the fruited copse.”
Pheeobe nods.
Peridot tries to explain, “They have a brownish bud in the center of the flower and the petals fall down from the center like a cone…”. She gives up and tilts her head toward her mate. “What he said.”
Caileana ahs. “Right, I know which ones you’re talking about,” she says, mostly after Petraverd’s comment about location.
Petraverd glances to his mate, smirking slightly. “And Glyn says I complicate explanations, sometimes.”
Peridot sticks her tongue out at her mate playfully.
Caileana chuckles. “What do you use those plants for?” She asks, after a moment, looking curious.
Petraverd looks to his mate again, then gestures, apparently deferring the question to her.
Peridot’s ears perk at Caileana’s question and she answers eagerly enough, “Well, you can eat it, although Panacea says that some beasts like to boil it like tea and drink it. It helps colds sometimes and gives you more energy.”
Caileana looks rather disturbed by the idea of eating it. “Well…that’s good, I guess.”
Pheeobe nods, interested. “That is very good to know.”
Petraverd nods to Pheeobe. “It’s one of those things I’ve kept in the back of my mind since I found out. Of course, Peridot’s far more well-versed than I am when it comes to herblore, for the most part.”
Peridot blushes in her ear tips and changes the subject. “So what brings you two out to this neck of the Waste?”
Caileana glances at her tenderfoot. “Just enjoying a walk in the spring weather as well. The exercise is always good.”
Pheeobe looks to Caileana and nods. “It is good to get the blood flowing.”
Petraverd chuckles. “Few places better than the Waste in spring. Although there’s much to be said of a few others, too.”
Peridot nods in agreement. “The smells, the fresh turf, fresh flowers, and the desire to shake off winter.”
Pheeobe smiles and does a little dance. “Oh yes! It is all wonderful!”
Caileana gives a shake of her fur. “I am enjoying the warm weather as well, I admit. Although winter is a close favorite of mine.”
Petraverd says, “Means I have more excuse to spend time at the Pool, too. Like I really need one.”
Peridot grins as she mischievously suggests, “And bumping certain beasts into said pool.”
Caileana harumphs quietly and grins.
Pheeobe ahs. “The famous love story.”
Petraverd turns to Peridot, asking innocently, “Are you volunteering?”
Peridot turns that mischievous grin directly at her mate. “Volunteering to push? Oh, why yes, I am.”
Petraverd says, “I suppose we just need to find a victim for you, then. I’d hardly be a good candidate, everyone knows I’d fling myself in of my own accord anyway.”
Pheeobe thumps her tail on the ground and looks to Caileana.
Caileana side-eyes her Tenderfoot. “I’m sure I don’t know why you’re looking at me,” she says. “I’ve been known to throw myself in on the rare occasion, but I’m certainly not going to volunteer to be pushed.” Her golden eyes flicker.
Pheeobe smiles. “There is no need to volunteer.”
Petraverd says, “Oh, if anybody /here/ were to be the victim, that’d half ruin it. Part of the enjoyment is the surprise of it, and we’d all be expecting it.”
Peridot shrugs, “I know I’ll get Sard one day.”
Pheeobe shrugs. “I suppose there is truth to that.”
Caileana chuckles. “You are a sound tactician in all things, Petra.”
Petraverd says, “It’s a talent of mine.”
Peridot bumps her mate affectionately. “That he is.”
Pheeobe smiles at Petraverd. “I would compliment you as well but…it may make your head grow…we wouldn’t want that.”
Petraverd gestures toward Peridot. “Well, that’s what I have her for.”
Petraverd says, “Among other things.”
Caileana snorts. “Yes, his head’s already large and pointy enough as it is. Whap me next time I decide to compliment his ego, hm?” She grins at Pheeobe.
Pheeobe nods. “Will do.”
Peridot giggles at the wolves’ antics.
Petraverd leans over to Peridot, and mock-whispers, “Took her long enough to realize that.”
Peridot giggles harder.
Caileana shoots Petraverd a mock-glare.
Pheeobe covers a giggle with her tail.
Petraverd just turns back to Caileana and looks Very Innocent.
Caileana shakes her head mournfully. “And I thought we were friends.”
Peridot shakes out her mane. “I wonder if we could convince Nevarre to join us poolside for a dip.”
Petraverd says to Caileana, “And so the Waste learns that creatures who always tell the truth can still, in fact, be deceptive.” He smirks slightly before he nudges his mate. “All told, though, I’ve a few arrangements to make with Torgin, so I’d best do so before it gets too late in the day.”
Peridot blinks out of her musing and nods. “And find a cone flower.”
Pheeobe smiles at Peridot. “Oh Nevarre…that could be fun…” She looks to Caileana and waggles her brows.
Caileana snorts loudly. “Over the Alpha’s dead body, most likely.” She looks amused.
Petraverd twitches his ears, remarking simply, “Oh, I don’t know about that…” before he nudges his mate again and trots off.
Remulus trots toward you from upstream, following the riverbank.
Petraverd trots upstream along the riverbank path
Peridot inclines her head with a grin to the wolves and follows her mate.
Caileana watches Petraverd go and remarks, “He seems to have a higher estimation of the Alpha’s capacity for amusment than I do,” to Pheeobe.
Remulus approaches from upstream. “Greetings Caileana, Pheeobe.”
Pheeobe bobs a head in greeting to Remulus. “Hello Remulus.” To Caileana she smiles. “I think he could get away with a lot more than we could.”
Caileana dips her head respectfully. “Hunter.” She glances at Pheeobe and chuckles. “Probably true.”
Peridot trots toward you from upstream, following the riverbank.
Remulus tilts his head. “Who could get away with a lot?”
Pheeobe smiles. “Petraverd.”
Caileana nods.
Peridot returns in a short time, a flower in her mouth. Seeing a third wolf, she approaches shyly, seemingly out of politeness.
Remulus says, “Don’t know what you mean by that.” He nods in greeting to Peridot. “Lady.””
Pheeobe smiles as Peridot returns.
You say, “Oh, Petraverd was going on about his usual habit of pushing folk into ponds again. He says he could probably get Nevarre. I’m a bit skeptical.”
Pheeobe adds, “I am not.”
Peridot dips her head, having been noticed. She drops the flower on the ground which she had had in her mouth.
Remulus tilts his head to one side. “Why would he want to?”
Caileana grins and says loftily, “Who can say?”
Pheeobe snorts and sits down.
Peridot grins as she hears the topic of conversation.
Remulus looks perplexed.
You say, “The unicorn has a peculiar fascination with being wet, as his mate can I’m sure attest.”
Peridot, the mate in question, nods firmly in affirmation. “Although it’s more fun to nudge an unsuspecting beast into the pool on a hot day- all in good fun and merriment. Of course, I’d welcome the return favor if there’s any beast with enough bulk which can.”
Pheeobe smiles. “If Caileana and I push we might be able to!”
You say, “I’m sure we could rope Glyn into it, too. ”
Remulus glances over Peridot. “I think we might be able to locate an Elephant…but it seems like a lot of work…and I’m not sure we could make it a surprise. Elephants are not very…quiet.”
Peridot snorts and laughs. “Now that would be a story worth telling! Ha! An elephant pushing a unicorn into the pool!”
Pheeobe laughs. “I would love that!”
Remulus says, “The Elephants would remember for a long time, I am sure.” He stretches, yawning widely.
Caileana blinks several times. “I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen one of those.”
Remulus says, “They’re big. And gray.” He rises. “And I must be getting back.”
Peridot inclines her head. “Rest well.”
Remulus says, “Thank you, lady. Goodnight Caileana, Pheeobe.”
Pheeobe nods. “I think I will follow him…” She gets up and stretches. “Good night you two.”
Peridot inclines her head in farewell again.
Caileana hehs and rises. “I probably should do the same.” She shoots an apologetic look at Peridot.
Peridot glances at the sky. “Perhaps we should all head back. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. Pleasant night!” She picks up the flower she had put on the ground.
Caileana nods her agreement. “Same to you, Peridot,” she says with a smile before she pads off towards the den.
Caileana 