Blossom Bower — [Open - AW] Familar Enough Habits

"So am I," Larkspur hummed in agreement, smiling slightly at the snake wrapped around their neck. They figured it was because Folke was young, clearly not an adult snake quiet yet although it still didn't answer all of their questions given Larkspur thinks snakes were some of those 'once you've left the shell, I wish you well' style parents and so shouldn't really imprint on anyone. But it was like there was a rapidly forming special connection, an intangible link forming between wolf and python, that was hastening the process. Larkspur themself already highly protective of the creature as it were. "Giving her a name seems to have endeared her to me." That was when they'd noticed the bond forging so rapidly between the two of them. "Very strong - though I suppose that's how you know it works," the wolf remarked, giving a light head-shake to dislodge the remnants of the sharper edges wafting through her nose. Folke lowered its head curiously, so the wolf obligingly crouched closer to the bowls. The python extended its body, flicking its tongue out curiously in the direction of the bowls before recoiling even more sharply than Larkspur had, going as far as to raise itself back up and wrap its way around their neck once more. Larkspur chuckled to themself but pulled away from the bowls, amusement rippling through their body language. "Seems it was a bit too strong for Folke." They allowed the snake to settle down on their neck where it was, instead tugging the bowl of salve for Balthazar towards themselves. The soreness of their wings was slowly fading in the warmth of the sun, leaving only the pains of the bruised and scraped places, but the weeping patches of skin showing through dark fur were only getting worse and worse by the second. The smell was more than enough to dissuade them from attempting to scoop up any of the salve in their mouth, so Larkspur dipped a gentle-chocolate colored paw into the bowl. They scooped a decent amount of the viscous liquid onto their pad and began drizzling it across the vampire's shortened coat, focusing on the patches of visible skin first and towards the still covered areas. They kept their movements slow and methodological, careful to ensure their claws weren't scraping the already irritated skin or tearing over new patches. When they had covered all the spots they could easily reach, they swapped to lightly massaging the liquid in. It was soothing, really, to be healing again. "Are you comfortable with me touching your wings?" they asked automatically, eying the rest of the red patches on the thin membranes. It was a wonder that he was flying back and forth so quickly - she feels like he's one too tight of a turn from tearing the tender, delicate skin clean in half. They snapped out of 'healer-mode' when they heard their name, tuning into to the hyena's question as they considered it themselves. They were a wandering wolf, an explorer with no real ties to any one location. They weren't exactly afraid of water now, though the idea of being completely surrounded by the powerful element didn't exactly reassure them by now. "... I have a sibling to look for once my garden is up and running," Larkspur decided on finally. They would feel like a complete monster if they didn't at least try to see if Snapdragon had somehow ended up in this strange world with them. As frightened and discombobulated as the chocolate furred wolf was when they'd first arrived, they couldn't imagine leaving their sibling on their own to adjust to this new world if there was a chance that they'd ended up here too. That said, after that everything was up in the air. "Once I find it though... I suppose it depends. I have been a wandering wolf since I first left my birth pack, a lone one that healed when others asked. I suppose there's nothing wrong with setting up a second garden on the island, though." They mused to themselves before adding, "And both you and your Reed have... endeared yourselves." To an extent anyway. It was nice to have others willing to fill the silence without judgement over Larkspur not taking the initiative to do it herself. --- OOC Notes: just clarifying, this thread is happening in the Blossom Bower, near Verdantis not the cove. I can say Larkspar has visited the island cove, though. Text. Speech. Thoughts.