When you say inhospitable, how inhospitable do you mean?

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright. Sometimes Ray truly didn't understand her own thought process. When she heard about the Climb and it's barren lava landscape she was excited. And when she heard rumors about The Mountain's Roar she was ecstatic. Ray's mother used to tell her that some of the most unique herbs grew in extreme conditions. Harsh soil and lava? Possibly. Secret waterfall in the middle of a barren landscape? Far too tempting for her not to pack her bags and take a trip. So Ray grabbed some ration bars she'd made herself, a canteen for water, and some emergency aid supplies. She also packed her sketchbook to document any interesting plants she found. Ready, Ray set out on her impromptu trip. And now she found herself at the mouth of a cave in the middle of a lava infested wasteland where supposedly a waterfall ran beneath the surface. r a y The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. —Albert Camus

DELPHINE

Delphine was curious about The Climb. She had heard about it from, well, various sources so it was time to explore it! She packed some food and water, well aware that the area seemed to be a barren wasteland of lava, an opposite to Halo it'd seem.

She didn't bother with emergency aid, after all, she was a healer. She was out to seek a hidden waterfall, because that was likely to be the area that held the most herbs. Anywhere there were new herbs to be discovered, Delphine wanted to go.

She did have a sketchpad, some vials and jars to collect things in. She was always prepared to study herbs. As she came to the entrance of the cave, she caught sight of a stranger and cleared her throat. "Hiya. Are you exploring too?"

What's that thing they say about a rose by any other name?

Dandelion, dandelion.

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright. Ray glanced behind  her when she heard an unfamiliar voice. "Oh, hello. Yes, I'm trying to learn about this area, it's too intriguing for me to ignore. I'm hoping to discover a new medicinal herb or something else of use for my shop. I'm Ray by the way, nice to meet you." She greeted with a warm smile, curious about who else would be out exploring in this wasteland. If this newcomer was friendly, maybe they could explore together, safety in numbers and all that. Who knew what lurked beneath the waters of the waterfall? Actually Ray was certain she'd find something of use growing beneath the water's surface. r a y The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. —Albert Camus

DELPHINE

Delphine nodded, grinning thoughtfully. "Oh! We're here for the same reason. Do... you run an apothecary?" It piqued her interest. She moved closer, offering her hand out for the other woman to shake. "I'm Delphine, I'm actually a healer." She exclaimed, friendly as could be. Delphine, unless she had a reason to be anything but friendly, was extremely friendly.

"I'm glad there's someone else here, I'm not sure I'd want to go alone..." She rolled her shoulders, she'd made it this far in the wasteland alone, but...

Having someone else was an agreeable change.

What's that thing they say about a rose by any other name?

Dandelion, dandelion.

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright. Ray grinned. "Awesome! And yup, I run an herb and spice shop in Torchline." Ray explained, already happy to have someone with her of similar interests. And Delphine seemed nice, plus being a healer was a bonus. "That's fantastic. I'm glad we met up. Having two people who know what their doing looking for herbs will make it easier on us. And exploring is always better with company." Ray said as she started to carefully make her way down into the mouth of the cavern. "It's a little slick so be careful." Ray warned, holding onto the walls of the cave for leverage. r a y The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. —Albert Camus

DELPHINE

"Huh... I might have to look you up next time I'm in Torchline," she mused. She followed after Ray, careful though certainly not as careful as she'd be if she couldn't heal herself. "You know, if you're ever interested in help at your shop... I live in Halo, but I'd not mind making the trip." It wasn't like she had to walk to Torchline, she could just take the portal, after all.

"I'm hoping we find something useful down here," She added, pressing her hands to the walls of the cave.

What's that thing they say about a rose by any other name?

Dandelion, dandelion.

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright. "You're welcome anytime if you want to stop by. I could always use another pair of hands." Ray responded as she walked with a hand on the cave wall. "I'm betting that there's likely some interesting herbs or plants growing in the water beneath the falls. The combination of the heat from the surroundings and moving water sounds like an interesting combination for plant life. At least I hope that's my hunch. We'll see if I'm right." Ray stopped talking for a moment as the cavern turned slightly and angled deeper into the earth. She could just barely hear the sound of rushing water. "I think we're on the right track." r a y The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. —Albert Camus

DELPHINE

"Mmm... That's a good hunch. I think if there's anything useful, it'll definitely be at the falls." She agreed, falling silent to listen to the rush of the water. "I think so." She stayed close behind of Ray, ready to catch the other if she tripped or slipped, and eager to reach the falls.

This was the most exciting thing she'd done in a while. Hopefully, they found something interesting so she could tell Noah about it. She checked briefly to make sure that her sketchpad was still on her person, bobbing her head when she found it. Then she returned her hands to the walls. "I'm a bit excited." She murmured softly, "I've always liked experimenting with herbs."

What's that thing they say about a rose by any other name?

Dandelion, dandelion.

A panther in the night, a fire burning bright. "Me too. Finding the unique ways that the herbs react to each other and then using that to craft medicine or other necessities is one of my favorite things." Ray paused a the sound of the water became loud enough to echo in their ears. The path opened up into a cavern where a large waterfall poured down from a small opening up above. The small fragments of light that came through painted the entire cavern in an almost eerie yet whimsical glow. Sure enough, growing along the water's edge and peaking through the surface were plants that Ray had never seen before. "Oh wow." Ray said, momentarily speechless. r a y The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. —Albert Camus