Welcome to Gaia! ::

A dark forest that lays on the border of the two kingdoms, most find it dark and mysterious, spooky to travel through at night. Ne'er-do-wells have used it for ambushes, and to catch their prey. They say an old wise hermit lies in the center, and if your purpose is true, he'll give you what you wish, or that he can heal any hurt. Actually, the clearing isn't in the center of the forest, it's closer to the Arikani Kingdom's side, and it's not a hermit, it's a female shaman. And she didn't usually grant wishes...but she did heal people. Being able to communicate with the trees and hearing things carried by the wind, she held more knowledge then most people cared to learn, and she tried to use it for the good of others, and healed all that came to see her, in one way or another. Not may really know about her, forgetting her existence until they or someone they knew needed her help. The villages nearby knew her, for she would visit them for market days, selling and bartering for supplies, refusing to take things for free. Then she would return to her little cottage, not a tiny hut, and experiment there. She preferred privacy, having been made an outcast from her tribe, and exploring with her as-yet full known abilities.

Liatha moved around, picking herbs that grew around the forest not too far from her cottage. She stood up and wiped her brow, puffing out a breath. She looked around for her basket, and had to chase off some rabbits from nibbling on its contents...and the wicker *hey, that's my last herb basket....!! ghit...!* she yelled at them, shooing them off. they just wriggled their noses at her *but we're hungry, and they taste so good.....* they replied, hopping closer. Liatha facepalmed "oi....." she said to herself, looking up at the birds that almost always accompanied her in her walks *what...?* she asked them, using the tongue all animals understood *n-nothings, nothings at all!* they tweeted happily at her, a few flying down and around her as she rolled her eyes "whatever...." she grumbled, picking a few mushrooms then leaving to go back to her cottage, closing her eyes since she knew the way by heart

a badger came up to liatha *hey you....* he started grumpily. she didnt mind is rudeness, knowing most badgers where like that *yes...?* she opened her eyes and looked down at him *there's an injured HUUUMAN thrashing around and trampling everything in the forest* he replied, grumbling as he left,not bothering with a reply "huh...they don't usually 'thrash' AND 'trample'...." she said, smiling. then she sighed "guess i better check on him....." she got directions from other animals finding her and reporting, and when she arrived she had been surrounded by birds, mice, a few rabbits (including a couple with wicker hanging out of their mouths), and even a few snakes. she saw the man, bleeding ichor "not a human then..." she whispered to herself, sniffing. "musty, almost dusty with a touch of spice and zing....." she murmured, approaching him covered in an illusion of a young black haired girl "lost your way here mister?" she trilled at him, her voice higher and airier than she liked to use

Liatha blushed, thinking he saw through it, but on the off chance he couldnt "no, im real...." she said, putting a hand on her hip. she raised her eyebrows "at least, im as real as YOU are, mr....?"

nose twitching in annoyance, liatha walked up to ceasar, and smacked him upside the head "idk who this 'nine' is, but your own illusions cant hurt you, can they? jeesh, you must be one of the most clueless or stupid patients i have ever tended to...." she muttered, the animals watching interestedly "well, go on! you know what to do...!" she shooed them off, the ones in contact with her most often understanding and directing the rest "lucky for you i was out and about today..." she said, her pointed ears appearing through the illusion, but she didnt care"....you would NEVER have made it to my...home" she said, poking gently at his wounds, peering at him and around them for plants she would need "and DOUBLY lucky i grabbed lireinhnn toatha...." she said, grabbing a mushroom and brushing the dirt off of it. she stuck it into his open mouth, and put her dirt-covered hand over it "chew..." she commanded, staring into his eyes "chew and swallow....itll help, trust me" she said, as her illusion melted off of her

"....someone who is helping you....now shut up............please" she said, grimacing as she turned around, her illusion completely gone now i must have been gone from polite company for a while.....or is it that im just uneasy? liatha wondered, as a snake came up holding a bandage roll,birds came in dropping berried into her open palms, the disgruntled badger from before grumbled as he hauled her mortar and pestle. she thanked the mall, and they all stayed...except for the badger, of course, who complained even more as she took a single hair from his passing body. she crushed the berries and stuck them in her cup-shaped mortar and pestle, and slathered the paste on the bandage, which she wrapped around his major cuts, saying a quick word leraihn. the blood stopped immediately, ceasar's body responding as flesh appeared and healed the cuts, the part of it considered earth responding to her command. "it will tingle a little bit, and probably itch, but that's okay....." she turned around to face him, smiling "that is good, means it took properly" she said, grabbing a few more herbs and sticking them in his mouth "eat..." she said, working her mortar and pestle again, tis time with dried herbs a few squirrels brought her. crushing these, she added water, to scrape up the berry paste on the bottom too "when you are done chewing those, drink this...." she said, handing him the cup as she sat down by him, doing a strange gesture that aerated the brew making it froth, and adding a clear sweetness.

Shruikan stop by the forest. "Hm, maybe I ahould go find the shaman.." Shruikan enters (Nice look nowe)

(thanks Glylith smile )

Ceasar watch her go he then looks down deep in tough . he then looks to the animals . "you dont have to guard" me he said to dem aldo de probebly couldent understand him sins he could only speak humans and the ancient language of the dragons . he tryd to get up agian but couldent becous he wasent fully heald yet .