ORIGIN - Adventures in the Swamp

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Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion walked at a leisurely pace through Eridanus and to the tunnel James had told him about. James would be along anytime as it was. The young boys were out on an adventure of their own, heading to a place called Cetus. James had told Aristotle about it and how to get there. It was a single tunnel on the other side of Eridanus that led to a place called Cetus, a place that was supposed to be a forest just like Eridanus but different. The thought of that had Aristotle chomping at the bit to go look at the flora and fauna that lived there.

Broad powerful paws carried the young lion quietly along the bare tunnel. He was careful not to be too loud in the tunnels. Not after what James had told him. He was sure to be extra careful when traversing between places now. James had come home from the quest thing he had wanted to do early apparently because the others hadn’t returned yet and so the quest items couldn’t be given out yet. At least that was the jist of what the young lion ahd caught from the colt.

Just as the young lion walked out of the tunnel, he found himself wrapped in a heavy mist, one that dampened his sense of smell and his ability to see very far other than just shadows. The young lion let out a soft growl his entire body stiffening. He didn’t like not being able to know what was around him. Rounded audits pressed back into thickening mane. The young lion lifted his muzzle testing the air and seeing what was around him. His rounded ears were assaulted with the sounds of rushing water but was unable to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. The young lion found his broad paws keeping him from sinking to far into what could only be called mud.

However though the mist dampened his senses, the young lion was able to pick out a single scent. One that smelled intriguing. It was a pleasantly spicy aroma that lured him in. I caught a scent. I think this will be a good one. It’s got a spicy kind smell. I like it! The young lion commented as he began to lead the way allowing his sense of smell to lead them. It didn’t take the lion long to find a small open area filled with small white flowers on light green stalks. Getting closer you could see that the stalks had small fuzzy green leaves. I think this is it. Aristotle mused aloud to his best friend. His rabbit skin bag hanging empty around his neck. He always carried the bag Aunty made for him, just in case he found something interesting to take home.

@James

James cantered all the way from Orion to the tunnel to Cetus, his chest heaving by the time he finally arrived, a little late.

"I'm here!!" James yelped, feet squelching in the mud as he winced, trying to find a drier spot of land to walk upon.

He trotted after the faint gold he saw in the mist, and quickly came upon Ari, nudging him gently, "Hi!! Sorry I'm late- I grabbed some things."

A bauble with a loop of vine around it to match Ari's own necklace, to light the way through the dark fog, and a net bag to carry things. He stick-walked his way forward to stand beside Ari, excited and in a damn good mood for once.

"Do you mind if we talk a bit? I understand if you want some quiet, of course," James said, his tail flicking back and forth in glee.

He was much too excited for what was basically a hike through a swamp.

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion stood waiting not far into the new area, he was waiting for James. And it didn’t take long for Aristotle to hear the young colt coming. He could hear him squelching through the mud. His hooves did not keep him on the surface as Aristotle’s paws did for him. Then the young lion heard him call out he was here. I’m over here James! The young lion called out to ensure his friend knew where to find him in the thick mist.

Aristotle let out a very pleased and happy purr as James nudged him. He was happy his friend had found him so easily. He was actually worried, he wasn’t sure how sharp the horse's senses were compared to his. Hey James, you’re fine you’re not that late. I just got here myself. The young lion noted aloud to his friend. He hadn’t honestly been waiting long. A rather amused smile caught on the young lion’s muzzle as he watched James walking through the mud awkwardly. He felt bad that he had little trouble with the mud due to his broad paws, they kept him from sinking in because they displaced his weight evenly across the soft ground.

I don’t mind talking, tracking scents doesn’t require too much effort. So what’s on your mind? Aristotle asked looking up at his best friend as he inspected the flowers in front of him.

Tentatively the young lion bit off one of the plants severing the stem with his teeth, he bit the stem in two and chewed the remaining stem in his mouth. It became more of a slime as he chewed slowly turning to a paste. Aristotle took a single claw and ran the sharp tip along the front of his leg. Slowly blood began to bubble to the surface. It wasn’t a deep cut but the place he had chosen was sure bleeding a lot for such a little cut. Then the lion took the paste in his mouth and slathered it over the wound, which completely stemmed the bleeding in a matter of seconds. Hmm so this plant is good in stemming bleeding. The young lion turned to James and smiled. Let’s dig up a few and put them in your net. The young lion suggested with a smile, he had figured out yet another use for a new plant.

With that said the young lion set to digging up a couple of the flowers being careful not to damage the plants root system to much.

@James

"Okay! It's a good thing plants aren't scared away by noises like animals are, but anyway!" he gathered his thoughts before beginning his tirade, "I was talking to Pride the other day, and I offered the idea of him being a teacher to younger Gembound like ourselves, who wish to learn and grow, either magically or by expanding our knowledge. And we expanded upon the idea by holding gatherings. Depending on who teaches that day, the class focuses on sparring, magical training, perhaps medical training, like learning to identify plants that are healing if you don't inherently have healing magic."

James grinned and looked at Ari, "And! Pride has a son. His name is Mercurius or Mercy, and he's a white lion who created the glowing clearing in Eridanus... I'm sure you've seen it, he covered it in baubles and made it beautiful. He knows plants like you do, Ari. And I'm sure you two would get along if you wish to. But um..."

He trailed off as he followed Ari, a bit disgruntled by the fact that he cut himself to experiment with an unknown plant, but held his tongue out of politeness.

"I've also been thinking... I'm generally over at your place so often anyway, and I've already moved my plants in and my collection so I can keep an eye on them... what if I moved in entirely? We could watch over Abraxas better, too. And then it wouldn't be as tedious to move back and forth from my place to yours. And um... I like you, Ari. I think I'd love to move in with you. And then we could go on these excursions together and I could teach you magic- Oh! Right, magic. You wanted to learn if you could learn how to do what I do, right?" he said, turning to Ari to smile at him happily.

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Yeah I suppose it is a good thing they aren’t. The young lion confirmed before rounded audits swiveled to catch his best friend talking. As James talked Aristotle nodded his head thoughtfully taking in what he was saying. As James paused, Aristotle looked at him for more. Okay? The young lion commented wondering where his best friend was going with all this.

As James continued explaining that Pride had a son, a white lion. Aristotle flicked an ear. So there were others like him, just like Aunty had said. I’ve.. Actually never seen the glowing clearing. I’m normally too busy looking for plants or hunting to have really explored the place I was born. Aristotle hadn’t actually done much exploring. He had met James rather quickly after he had hatched, and then he had moved to Orion to be with him.

Aristotle glanced up at James and found his rather unhappy look on his face, when he had cut himself simply to test what a planty could do. Sorry. It was the best way to see what it could do. He lifted his leg and smiled. But look it completely stops bleeding. Isn’t that interesting? Aristotle asked hoping to maybe quell James’ irritation with him.

Then James started talking again, and the young lion tilted his head in thought. James moving in? He didn’t mind the idea. They were together so much already what could it hurt. A bright smile spread across the young lion’s muzzle. I’d really like that James. Aristotle agreed to having the horse move in. His bed was big enough for both of them and he could cut his pelt pile in half to make it bigger for them. And if need be he could always go hunt a couple more deer to make the bed bigger. And then James hit another point Aristotle had asked about before James had left for his quest. Yeah I was wondering if you could teach me how to use what did you call it.. The young lion paused thinking. Telekinesis! The young lion blurted out finally thinking of the word.

After placing the new Yarrow flowers in James net bag, the young lion lifted his muzzle looking for a new scent. However it would seem that the mist was dampening the scents around them to much. Aristotle would have to walk farther along to be able to find anything. So with that thought the young sighed. I can’t smell anything this mist is messing with my nose. Aristotle mused as he began walking in a direction looking close to the ground for anything that looked like a good plant to use.

@James

James beamed at Ari's affirmation, and tossed his head before bounding forward in a show of uncontainable excitement, "Yes!! Yesyesyesyes- Oh Ari, I'm so happy!!"

He trotted back after Ari and nuzzled him sweetly, what could only be called a purr rising up in his chest, "I'd love to teach you- I can start now. There's stuff that I need to explain before we try to actually do it."

"So... magic can be divided into different categories. A Gembound is born with an affinity for one of these categories, and different spells belong to each one. Telekineses belongs to mine, Arcane! You have an affinity for Plant magic, so you can grow plants and allow them to flourish. Though a Gembound doesn't have to remain in their category. Bauble, the spell I use to make things glow, is a Light spell! So there is the possibility of learning other spells that aren't of your magic's category," he said with a smile, "So all we need to do is to help you learn to branch out. You can detect magic, which is a spell that doesn't belong to any group, so you have that capability already! You know how to reach into your gem to your magic... but it's a matter of reaching even deeper."

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle grinned from ear to ear as he watched James beam with joy. Aristotle of course being the calmer of the two simply smiled and gave a pleasant purr. He was happier than words could express but he just didn’t jump for joy. Though he was on the inside. Me too James. The young lion mused happily his voice ringing with the happiness he didn’t show outwardly.

As James nuzzled him the young lion gave another pleasant purr. He so enjoyed the affection that James showed him. It for some reason brought him so much joy that he didn’t know what to do with himself. Aristotle smiled brilliantly. He gave a little prance in place as he grinned up at his best friend. I would really like that James! Aristotle gushed his excitement bubbling over as James spoke.

As James spoke Aristotle listened intently, his head bobbing thoughtfully. So there was a possibility that he could learn telekinesis. However he should already have known that, but he wasn’t aware that he even knew Detect Magic, even though he used it to find the life inside Abraxas. But he was a bit slow to realize these things. He was more attuned to plants and they seemed to be a part of his magic in the very least. Then James said he could detect magic, that got a strange look directed at him. I can do what now? The young lion asked confused looking at his friend. Reaching deeper? He was already reaching as deep as he possibly could to make plants bear fruit and that wasn’t getting him anywhere. How could he go even deeper. James, I don’t understand. I’m already pushing myself to make plants bear fruit, but that’s getting me nowhere. How can I go even deeper? The young lion questioned. His friend was knowledgeable in the ways of many things that Aristotle was not privy to. He had spent so much time alone that he had not learned from many.

Lifting his muzzle once more the young lion attempted to scent any herbs in the nearby area. AH! There it was! He finally found it. It had just been a matter of getting closer to the herbs in order to get their scent in this place. Apparently the mist was effecting his senses more than he thought. But following his nose he found a plant with many stalks like a shrub of sorts that grew tall with tiny green leaves and just as tiny little purple flowers. Here! This one! I know this one! It’s Rosemary, it helps muscle pain and spasms. The young lion jumped enthusiastically at knowing this. Think we can fit one of the smaller plants in your net to take home? The young lion asked looking up at his best friend.

James nodded as he thought about how to explain the feeling he had. He very gently pucked the herb at the base, uprooting it carefully, an expert at doing so with all the grazing he did. He lined the base of his net with leaves and put the plant inside before nodding to the lion.

"Detect magic. When you felt Abraxas inside of her egg. That was detect magic," he said, "Essentially you felt for the energy that lay within the gem, and you can do it with any gem, or in a room. Before I teach you to use different spells, I think we ought to start with you trying to grasp the knowledge of how to use spells your magic is unfamiliar with. Do you want to do it now?"

James took a nibble of a few leaves as an afterthought, and made his way beside Ari, eyes narrowed, "... Bleh, I like Eridanus shrubbery better."

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion gave a soft murr as he watched James work. Ya know its a lot more fun collecting herbs with you here. Usually it's so quiet I start talking to the plants. Aristotle let out a bright and cheerful laugh. He did too. He would often ask them what they could do for him, and tell them what he thought about them. Them normally didn’t respond unless he was really really tired then things got a little weird.

He listened as James explained Detect Magic. I see, so I have a nonplant based magic spell that I can use? Do you think I could find other gems like Abraxas? The young lion mused thinking of building himself a big old family. So he would never be alone. This thought perked the lion and caused him to let out an excited murr mixed with a purr, and he gave a little dance.

The young lion tilted his head to one side giving it a thought. Try it now? What could he even look for? But what could be the harm in trying? If James thought he could do it, then why not try it. Sure, but what will I even look for James? The young lion asked completely at a loss as to what he would do with the spell.

As James took a mouth full of leaves, Aristotle lifted his muzzle sniffing the air. He was looking for a new herb scent to latch onto. Again the mist was destroying his sense of smell. The young lion let out a mildly irritated growl as he lowered his head and began walking along what he found to be one of the dryer paths for James’ sake.

@James

"This is fun, I really enjoy stuff like this.
Just exploring and looking around the caves. You have to watch out, though, because further in Cetus is just deep water, and I don't think it's safe for either of us to swim it. I don't even think I can swim," James said.

He looked around and shrugged, "I think so? I'm not sure if you'd find one right away, you'd have to search and search, that's for sure. But if you want to practice, I'm here. If you try to sense magic, then you'll definitely be able to feel me. My gem's full of magic, and so is yours. But try to find that feeling you had when you felt Abraxas."

James pulled his legs out of the muck and made a noise of disgust before jumping onto a craig that stuck out of the swamp, mourning the loss of his white feet. It took so long to wash them off last time...

@Aristotle

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