[PRP] Morning Dew (Chloris and Edelweiss)

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Chloris picked her way through the dew covered flowers that lead from her private bower towards the meeting place in the center of the herd lands. The herd had grown again with the arrival of a sprightly young mare and Chloris had found herself being tapped to give the newest member her orientation, tour and cover basic duties. Chloris had to smile to herself, it wasn't that long ago she'd gotten her own rundown of the workings of the herd so she was at least prepared on that front even if role of teacher was one that she'd never found herself in before.

She tossed her head shifting dark curls away from her face and noticed just in a time a stick on the path that she gracefully lifted her feathered tail to avoid getting it tangled. It wouldn't do to have a stick hanging out of her tail while she was having a serious conversation with this new mare and as she'd left her companion, Verdant asleep in the bower she didn't have a handy way to remove it without making a fuss. Same for anything caught in her long mane. She'd almost wished she'd woken the little bird to do a check over of her appearance before she'd left but then he'd have wanted to come along and Verdant could be...a handful. Especially when someone else was taking her attention away from him.

She ducked under a low hanging branch of the trees surrounding the meeting space and looked around easily catching sight of her student for the day the bright green mare standing out against the darkness of the surrounding grass in the early morning light. Chloris put on her best smile and stepped closer her pale eyes glowing in the darkness. "Good morning."
she said her voice deep and rich like amber colored honey. "Edelweiss was it?"  

[Kyjoto]

Edelweiss had greeted the sun this morning for she was unable to get a wink of sleep. The sounds of the rest of the herd sleeping didn't help, she had only two companions before she joined the herd. Ed didn't chalk it up to anything other than a mess of butterflies in her stomach, which she enjoyed, even if she was incredibly tired. Ed picked up her braid and threw it over her back, shook her tail and each leg to free any dirt and she wandered her way to the meeting place.
She was told someone would be around to help her learn the ropes, but she hadn't expected such a stunningly beautiful mare. Sure, her mothers were lovely, and her friend Ajaxis had her own curious beauty but this mare was splendid. It was probably because of the dark, feathering tail and the double spread of emerald wings. Edelweiss hadn't seen many winged soquili, and Chloris was a treat to behold.
"Good morning! And yes, it's Edelweiss. Or Edel. Or Ed. Anything really, my brother used to call me Rockhead, but I'm not sure he meant it in a nice way." Edelweiss was excited to meet someone new, and someone so pretty at that! " I just have to say, you're as beautiful as apples taste. Golly." Ed chirped, in awe of Chloris's beauty. She had a million questions, and she couldn't help but to unleash them.
"So...how can I help? What is my job gonna be? Why are you so pretty? What's this herd called again? Tell me, there's a lot of flowers and stuff right? I really like flowers. Oh and there's butterflies and other animals too?" Edelweiss stopped herself, sometimes she forgot to shut her brain-to-mouth system, sometimes it just overflowed. Ed looked away, slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry, should I go slower?"

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Lady Argentum Draconis

 

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

At least she hadn't misheard this young mare's name when she'd been given it. "Brothers certainly be a trial." she said with a sympathetic smile, her own brother certainly was, brash where she was serene. "I'm sure he cares very much for you despite his choice of nicknames." she hoped at least. She knew that siblings didn't always care for each other but there was a hope that whatever issues lingered on the surface were only that and not down to the core. She also knew she shouldn't presume such things but...well it was said and she couldn't unsay it. "I think I will stick with Edelweiss, at least for now. Until we know each other better." she said nodding her head. "I am Chloris Nyx. You may call me Chloris."

The sudden deluge of questions took her aback for a moment and was surprised that hidden in the pile was one about her. "Ah," she she smiled again this time in amusement and laughed a bit. "Maybe a touch." her eyes glowed slightly brighter with her good humor and she stretched a wing towards the way she'd come. "Please, this way and I will answer as quickly as I can so that you may ask more." she chuckled again and waited a moment for the mother mare to begin walking before turning and gliding along with her.

"We call ourselves the Harvest Herd and we are under the guidance of the Angeni Sephia and Ignis. Sephia is our greatest healer and the spirit of the herd while Ignis is her protector and our law maker." she motioned around them. "There are many types of flowers, trees and other plants growing in this valley and we work to help them flourish. Sometimes we are called away to places damaged by disasters to help nurse not only the land but those who live there back to health. Your duties typically will depend on what your strengths are. If you are good with plants you may be assigned to help tend the fruit trees and other growing things. If your interests lie with animals and their care then animal lore will be your field of study, same goes if you wish to learn herb lore or healing. It is my duty to assess your abilities to see that you are properly guided in the direction that will suit you best." she gently steered the other mare towards the direction of the area that was under her care. "There are many animals that live here. Butterflies and other insects, birds and other small creatures, I believe there are some deer that pass through on the occasion."

She mentally checked her list of Edelweiss first set of questions and found she was only left with the one about herself. She colored slightly and cleared her throat before answering. "As for myself...I...ah, will admit to a certain level of vanity. I try to ensure I am presentable in most situations although I will get my hooves dirty when necessary. If you are curious as to my heritage my father was an Angeni and my mother was a Hippogryph." she nodded and came to a stop under one of her favorite fruit trees. "Here we are. This is were I personally reside." she indicated around them.

Kyjoto

 

[Kyjoto]

"Chloris it is then." Edelweiss kept telling herself to calm down, that she was being squirrely. Her siblings always made fun of her for rambling and being 'out there'.
She felt small after she released her battering ram of questions. She followed Chloris towards the clearing, listening intently as she spoke. Occasionally she would repeat words that seemed important, trying to remember as much as possible. Although she knew she would forget, eventually she would remember. "Harvest Herd. Sephia, Ignis. Lots of lovely, living things here. Strengths, tending, growing. Animals, herbs. Got it."
Edelweiss wasn't sure exactly what she was good at, but she was sure she would figure it out eventually. She wanted to be as helpful as possible. And she loved plants, healing, insects, and animals. As well as rocks, but they were for collecting. Edelweiss shook the thought of rocks from her head.
She was curious as to why Chloris seemed to blush, and Ed hoped she hadn't embarrassed her. "Well, your parents must have been a beautiful pair! My mums are cerynei. They're the best." She widely smiled, surveying Chloris' area and the lovely fruit tree. How marvelous all of this was.
"This is just plain beautiful. It looks like poetry." Ed's tail wiggled in excitement.
"But, I'm not really sure what I'm good at. All of those duties sound like fun, and things I know a little about. But I'm really not sure what I'm best at." Her smile became unsure, but her positivity wouldn't allow it to become a frown.

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[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Chloris didn't mind the random repetition of what she'd said. She knew that everyone learned and remembered things differently and key words and phrases was one of the many tricks one could use. She herself was a doer and often learned by doing a task several times under supervision until she felt confident enough to handle it herself.

"Thank you." she said managing to keep her color in check. She was used to being just another flower in the garden around here with so many lovely angeni about that Edel's admiration of her had caught her off guard. "You have two mothers?" she asked, curiously. It wasn't that she was opposed to the idea, just hadn't run across a same gender pair before. "They must be wonderful to have had such a lovely daughter." she said nodding her head.

She let Edel admire the area around them and then smiled. "Thank you, I do what I can. It helps I have some of the magics innate to angeni that allows me to preform some rudimentary blessings to help my plants flourish. Although I suppose you won't need teaching in that direction...of course if you did I'd be sending you to one of the others since my powers are limited being a half-breed." she finished without malice or distaste at her status. It was what it was and she was proud of that she could do.

"Well, we will find out together." she said with a gentle smile. "First things first we'll do some simple maintenance around the trees and in the flower beds and see where the rest of the day takes us."

Kyjoto

 

[Kyjoto]

Edelweiss continued to repeat words in her mind, trying to keep track of everything she needed to know and remember. She was sure it eventually would all become habit, and although the words might escape her, the task at hoof would not.
Chloris's personal area was gorgeous, filled with beautiful bulbs, and soon flowers when the spring reared its head from the bitter winter. While this area was marvelous, Ed caught herself looking at Chloris, admiring her leisurely way of moving about. There was a lovely grace to her movements, as if each step had a gentle purpose.
"It must be nice to have some real magic." Edelweiss smiled, the only magic she had was her imagination, which often ran like wild fire. She was glad that Chloris seemed so certain that Edelweiss would find her place. Her own feelings were mixed, knowing she would enjoy all the tasks, but not knowing which one she would enjoy doing everyday, and if she would even be good at it.
"What kind of maintenance?" Edelweiss looked at Chloris gleefully, excited to start helping.


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Lady Argentum Draconis

 

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

"It is a burden and a blessing. It has taken me many years to learn to use it as much as I am able to currently. It was frustrating at first to know that I had the ability within me but could not get it to do as I wanted when I wanted. It is still slow going at times but I find that when I am trying to rush or am bothered by something it responds slowly or not at all. Proper frame of mind is key." she smiled at the other mare. Thus far she was pleased with the other's attentiveness and apparent dedication. It would make teaching her less of a chore since she was eager and willing.

Chloris drifted towards one of the beds that seemed to be filled with herbs and the like. "This winter has been mild so many of the plants and trees have already started to grow early, I want to make sure that they aren't going to come to harm from their early start, also make sure the soil is properly prepared in the flower beds that haven't been planted yet, there is also the vegetable garden, and there are the emergency preparations in the event of a late frost. It would be very hard on the fruit trees if they were to lose their early growth." she said. "We should also check the seed stores. See if there is anything new I'd like to add to the grove. A very busy morning." she smiled and laughed a bit. "Shall we get started then?"

Kyjoto

 

[Kyjoto]

If Edelweiss had one thing she wished she could fully control and use it would be her mind. So often it seemed it just wasn't quite all there, and although she could make anything a positive, it felt like more like a curse. She knew she wasn't the smartest of the bunch (of anything), she sure knew how to lighten the mood. Reminding herself of her strengths made her smile inwardly, as she took in Chloris' struggle with her own abilities. Ed couldn't say her mind was always in the proper frame, but if she tried she could get it there.
Edelweiss nodded in response and followed the mare towards an herb bed that was filled with tiny heads and sprouts arising from the rich soil. It made her grin, big and wide. Watching things bloom was so magical and amazing. She let out a low whistle and looked to Chloris.
"Do you use fertilizers like old fruits and veggies and leaves for the soil? It looks so rich and beautiful." Her mothers had tended a small garden of "treat" plants as they called them. Mints and herbs that added flavor to the usual foods. She never really took to gardening, not that she couldn’t do it just that she never really tried, but she always loved how her mothers seemed to relax and really get into it. There seemed to be something so wonderful and magical about it. Her mothers were both so in tune with nature, and Edelweiss hoped she would be too. Ed sometimes felt the forest and greenery call to her, seeking to hold her in it’s ever loving arms. Even when fall reared it’s head it would whisper.
"No, no a late frost would not do these little guys well, I don't think." Edelweiss lowered her head to take a deep, hearty sniff of the little buds and that filled her with a great sense of purpose. She hoped there wouldn’t be another frost, she imagined it would disappoint Chloris.
"How lovely this all will be in a few more weeks."
Watching plants grow was very exciting for Ed, and she would help in anyway she could.
"Let's get to it!" Edelweiss grinned and followed beside Chloris as they trekked to the seed stores. How wonderfully interesting joining a herd has been, she was glad she had at least found someone she would consider a friend. She only had her siblings and parents as friends, and while that was okay for awhile it got a bit boring. "What do we do incase a late frost comes? Cover them up?" Once again, a thousand questions were running through her mind, but this time she was surprisingly able to let just two out. At least the questions were related.


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Lady Argentum Draconis

 

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Chloris nodded and pointed off towards a direction. "My compost is over that way. I turned it recently so it won't need tending for awhile yet." she smiled in an almost mischievous way. "However yes, I do use a special fertilizer on my plants." her eyes darted as if it was a conspiracy. "The secret ingredient is fish heads, guts and tails." she pulled away a bit. "There's a stream not far off and while you won't catch anything of remarkable size the fish you do pull out are perfect for getting your soil to go the extra distance. Don't worry, there's no waste. I trade the bodies with a family of raccoons for seeds and nuts." she knew that was a concern that some would have, that she was just leaving the bodies to rot after removing the parts she wanted but she'd have never started fishing if she hadn't found a use for flesh of the animals.

She peered down at the bed and frowned at one particular little sprout with it's starter leaves. "You don't belong here." she said and picked up a stick with a forked end and carefully dug the sprout out and removed it from the bed. "Weed." she said once she no longer had the stick in her mouth. "Best gotten rid of now than allowed to get any further."

She nodded in response to the frost comment. "I have some special covers, nets really made with leaves that can be pulled over the bed in the event of a frost. It doesn't always keep them warm enough but it is better than just letting the frost have it's way." she smiled at the younger mare. "I do look forward to seeing it all in bloom. There really is nothing more beautiful."

She moved along with Edelweiss and nodded. "Covers for the small beds that have already sprouted. Just let nature have it's way with the ones that haven't been planted but the trees..." she trailed off and gestured with a wing over the other mare's back towards what looked like the starts of a bonfire. "We have those. They're spaced around the whole valley where the fruit and nut trees are and if it frosts they're lit and then it's a very long night keeping them fed and those of us with wings fanning the warm air around to try and keep the worst of it away." she looked exhausted at the mere thought of having to do that and hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She motioned the other mare inside of the little covered area that served as the store house for the valley's seeds. "And here is were you find your seeds." they were all labeled more or less with either a carved picture of a fruit, nut or flower while some had dried version hanging next to their basket to ensure there would be no mix-ups of what you were picking up to plant. "Feel free to look." Chloris said nodding while she went off to browse herself.

Kyjoto