Contain Your Excitement

A R Y T H M E T I K

Arythmetik cast a yearning gaze in the direction of his den. The wetness of his glistening, emerald eyes betrayed the fact that he’d woken up recently. He still remembered falling asleep the night before, an open book lying carefully on a bed of wide leaves in front of him. The flower stalk he used to turn the pages (so as to not scratch or crumble the aged paper) was still stuck between his toes when he woke. The rich, musty and invigorating scent of the pages still clung to his mottled brown fur, and he treasured it; books, after all, were quite rare, even in the College of Eòlas. He’d scavenged a few throughout the years, but most belonged to libraries and were generally forbidden to leave their homes. That didn’t stop him from reading as much as physically possible. From the moment he connected the strange symbols to the pictures in the faded diagrams, unraveling the meanings and piecing together the puzzles, he’d been enthralled by the written word. Even now, he pictured the smell in his mind, felt the softness of the binding beneath his tempered touch.


But the young man sighed, glancing back at the flowering patch amidst the trees. The last rebellion was a stark warning of his failures. Arythmetik may have been a brilliant learner, but his practical application of medicine was flawed. Inexperienced. If he wanted to earn his place as a professor, as someone to look to and guide others, then his practical skills needed to be as sharp as his theorizations. His shoulders slumped for a moment, but then the male’s back, limned with russet-brown and interlaced with all the colors of the earth, straightened. He looked over the various herbs that grew here despite the dawning autumn. There were so many, and most he recognized, but studying their shapes, scents, and uses was vital to his success. He shrugged and leaned in softly, basking in the faint warmth of the light that streamed through the Arboretum’s thick, intricate canopy. The scent of goldenseal and dandelion coalesced with the aroma of the pines. "Well, let's get started then."


Still, he’d rather be studying mathematics and physics.

code by claerie

Leilani as all days woke up early, very early, too much if others saw her. But as far as she knew, it didn't matter to the sandy-colored female whose passion to learn and become erudite in everything outweighed the sacrifices she had to make for that. Since the death of her mother and the unknown whereabouts of her father, she always had that hyper strict schedule of just focusing on her studies, as a way of escaping the reality of not really having others in her side. And like that she walked through the meadows toward the place she used the most to study, as the peace The Arboterum always gave the young wolf. The exquisite fragrances and the quietness were the best combinations for a good learning environment and like that she went ahead. Her expression reflected peace, serenity as with a big enthusiasm she walked excitedly to learn. And there she saw one of the teachers, though she always found it hard to learn his name. "Professor, excuse me?" She said approaching, wanting to announce her presence. "What are you studying today? May I join?" Always seeking to learn, regardless of the time and situation, never afraid of asking, and even less to older wolves like him. She sat down with excitement she could barely control. She hoped she wasn't intruding, she knew she came in a bit too soon, but her curious mind always made it hard to be more discreet. "Speech"

Code byt Cloudy
@Arythmetik

A R Y T H M E T I K

The scuffling sound of footsteps pricked his ears, and Arythmetik glanced over his shoulder to see the approaching yearling. He smiled, a tranquil light shimmering in his emerald eyes. Truthfully, he found it easier to study plants and herbs when someone else was around to motivate him. When left to his own devices, the scholar’s mind often wandered to less applicable uses for plants and herbs (like how they could be weaved together to create tools, or how their stems had to be strong enough to hold their heavy bulbs aloft). But he learned their medicinal uses better when he had someone to teach. His earthen tail flopped once in greeting as the female joined him. He could tell she was excited, too, but she did a good job of remaining polite.

“Er...Lei...lani, right?” The male’s voice was a smooth, tenor thrum, warm and pleasant but somewhat detached. He really hoped he got her name right, but that blonde fur and those grass-green eyes were hard to mistake. “You can call me Arythmetik, since it’s just the two of us. No need for formalities outside of official lessons.” He glanced back at the herb garden and sighed. “Actually, I’m glad you’re here. I’m reviewing the medicinal uses of dandelions. What do you remember?” He leaned forward, nudging one of the spiky-leaved plants with his brown nose. Tiny seedlings puffed from its flowering head, and he sneezed.

code by claerie

@Leilani :)

Leilani's chest was filled with joyw, with enthusiams and yet she did her very best to keep her emothions in check,not wishing to disturb her teacher,nor the peace that surrounded them now. She was glad her father had taught her about self control and how not to get dominated by the feelings and perhaps humilliate herself. And now that he was dead, she did her best to follow on those long ago teachings. Whatever she was taught she never forgot them, doing her best to keep them with her as far in time as she could. The wind in her sandy-colored coat felt well, cool as her olive green eyes were focused on her teacher and in what he was doing, hopping he wouldnt mind her prescence. "Yes, I am Leilani." She answered calmly, hiding the happiness that brought his approval on her being here. Sitting down she took a detailed glance into what he was reading and from time to time on his expression. So it was about dandelion. And soon she was asked about it. She took her time to think, she always gave her time to consider before speaking any random answer. "As far as I understand, Dandelion is for digestive issues, isn't it? Though I must admit I am not one hundred percent sure if I am right." She never saw herself as a genius nor someone who knew everything, she was aware that she could be wrong, doing mistakes like everyone else. "I am interested in herbology and medicine, but I don't know if I have an affinity in that area. How did you discover what you wanted to be? If may I ask?" "Speech"

Code byt Cloudy
@Arythmetik

A R Y T H M E T I K

The scholar grinned at his student, a glimmer of pride flickering across his visage. He appreciated that she waited before answering. There were so many wolves too quick to spout knowledge, when in reality, everything they knew was tentative to begin. Every day, even the brightest of academics were learning new things. So when a bright-eyed yearling was capable of such patience and consideration, Arythmetik was impressed. He nodded softly at her response, empathizing with her self-doubt. (That, too, was a symptom of being a good academic.) To encourage her, he replied with a smile, “Yes, that’s correct. The roots can be dried and chewed to alleviate stomach pains and aid in digestion.” He glanced at the dandelion, his tail thumping once more as facts came flooding to the forefront of his mind. “But the dandelion is an extremely diverse and useful plant. Even the flower, stems, and leaves can be eaten to reduce inflammation and help weak wolves gain nutrients.”

He was a bit proud that he remembered, to be honest. Without Leilani there to talk to, he would have been too bored to concentrate. But it seemed she was a bit distracted, too. Aryth blinked, tilting his head curiously at her personal question. He didn’t mind, of course, but it wasn’t often that students asked about his interests. “A fair question, lass,” his voice even, steady, and warm. He glanced away, seeming to ponder. “It’s natural to be worried about one’s path in life. For me, there was never any question that I wanted to study. I want to be a professor because, well, learning makes me happy. Figuring out how to read gave me a direction in life and I never learned back.” Aryth smiled at the girl somewhat sheepishly. “To be honest, I should focus more on herbology and medicine. But my real passion is reading. Why are you interested in herbology, Leilani?”

code by claerie

@Leilani <3