While the hospital was quickly beginning to feel like a home, Luvena wasn't entirely certain how fond she was of the swamp, especially now that summer was upon them. and the heat of the summer quickly revealed a stench that had been hidden before, as the water began to stagnate. Picoro, on the other hand, was thriving in the environment. It didn't take long for a layer of Algae to accumulate on his cream fur, and he spent far less time hanging from her neck since he had plenty of branches to choose from. That was a relief, as much as she loved the little creature, he was far too heavy these days for her to carry him for long.
At least with the sun came the drying of the mud, so the ground no longer sank beneath her hooves, and she could walk freely between the patches of water, which had grown smaller now with less rain and more heat. She walked around now, looking for fresh patches of moss. She was hoping to start a small garden within the hospital so that they could grow the herbs usually found in the other lands right there, which would make everyone's job just a little bit easier. She had already dragged back a great deal of soil from the susurro fields -She had bundled it in large leaves and Picoro had held one while she held another. it had taken a few trips - and laid it out in front of the hospital. The fresh moss would be a good way to retain water, plus it was for bringing water to those who were ill or to stop bleeding. She wanted to start keeping a reserve of creek water in the hospital as well since the swamp water was beginning to seem... questionable at best.
While searching for a patch that wasn't soaking in stagnant water she noticed a familiar bay plodding around nearby. She lifted her head slightly and let out a whinny in greeting while walking towards him. "Rhone!" she called "Good morning, I haven't seen you around the swamp before"
The temperatures of the summer were beginning to soar and it reminded the bay of his time in the volcano. There, the air was always hot, hot enough to make him swear profusely. And yet, the stallion had never seemed wet. Just as soon as his body would release the water to cool his skin, the air would suck the moisture right off of him. Unlike the volcano, however, this climate was much more humid. The sweat clung to him and made his mane stick to his neck. It was definitely not the most attractive look, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
This particular morning, he had ventured into the swamp in search of a particular species of moss. While his affinity for the earth would allow him to simple create the moss from nothing, he wanted to find some in the natural habitat. There was something about coming upon a natural plant that made the bay smile.
However, as he was searching, he heard his name being called form off in the distance. At first the voice didn’t register, but then again, they rarely did. So many knew him by name and yet, he didn’t know everyone. But when he looked up to see Luvena, he offered her a smile.
As she began to walk towards him, he changed his course to meet her half way. He was careful as he sidestepped over the different pools, careful not to find himself stuck too deep in the mud. "Good morning." His words were soft and light, his smile translating into the softness of his tone. At her observation that she hadn’t seen him around the swamp before, he offered her a light chuckle. "I have been here once or twice, though I much prefer the cliff side." It was no secret that the bay was growing a large oak tree at the apex of the cliff. It was also no secret that he would come there to watch the sunrise and the sunset. It made him think of Asterion and all the good memories that came from that line of thought.
Once he came up upon her, he fell into step with her. "What brings you to the swamp today?" This was definitely not his favorite spot. The humidity and stench was a bit much for him, but he knew that some really liked it here. He would remain quiet on the matter, not wanting to offend her if she came here often. The last thing Rhone wanted to do was upset someone.
He met her swiftly, and kindly as usual. She smiled at his words "It's certainly not for everyone here, I can't say I'm a fan of the mud... I've landed in it more than I'd care to admit" she confessed with a quiet laugh. She kept an eye out for a non-contaminated patch of moss while she spoke to him, determined to find at least a small piece that would be usable for her garden. Keeping herself busy was helping her adjust, and too move on. She still thought of her past and the things she had lost often. Some days they filled her with sorrow, but she was meeting new people and finding new things in Novus. and trying to move on, she had lived through far too much to stop living now. So though she couldn't do much or go very far. (The two years she had spent traveling had taken their toll) she could still tend to the hospital and help in the small ways she could find.
"I've been living here" she replied "Well, in the hospital. The stocks were low when I arrived so I stayed for a while to gather some more and then I just... never left. I can't say I love the swamp itself, it's rather... Musty. But the hospital is comfortable. and safe" she added at the end. "At the moment though, I'm looking for some moss that isn't drenched in swamp water, I want to start a garden to make upkeep easier." she paused and lowered her head to sniff a piece that looked as if it might be suitable. stagnant. She wrinkled her nose. Looking back up she glanced at him. "and yourself? Not to be rude but, it doesn't seem like you enjoy it very much here."
