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[sortofaman]

The Doctor found himself sometimes missing the oddest things. Momentary things, little quirks. A bottle of good wine. A chip shop. Bridges. Things came and went and didn't stay for very long, but when they were there, the feeling was quite intense

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[cavelion_totem]

Ayla watched him from the cover of the jungle. She was still unaccustomed to seeing men doing work such as this, and the cultivation, not simply collection, of plant life here was of great interest. The women of the Clan would often spill the seeds of plants and cover them to ensure germination for later collection, but they had not yet taken the leap to agriculture.

Curiosity got the best of her and she crept closer, out of hiding. She had learned may words of the Others, and had adopted some customs, such as wearing the strange covering called a shirt, but her appearance remained and anyone who might know could tell she was...primitive.

She ducked her head and averted her eyes, a lifetime of social conditioning influencing her behavior. She would not speak first. Not to a man. Not to the Doctor, even.

[sortofaman]

The Doctor looked up, flower in one hand, almost ready to leave the garden, having heard a step or two approaching. "Ayla," he greeted, posture and stance open to indicate that she could approach, though working with the whole submissive woman thing made him feel ill. Maybe she'd work past it eventually. Maybe.

[cavelion_totem]

"Doctor," she replied carefully, looking up at the flower in his hand as she avoided his eyes. "You have flower, is for...pret-i-fi-kay-shun?" she asked.

It semed to her that no one here was trained in medicine, and Glinda's lesson on the uses of floweres among the Others had been very helpful.

[sortofaman]

"Beautification," the Doctor clarified. "Some. For looking at. But also for good smells and for study. Learning." He slipped into the pidgin fairly easily.

[cavelion_totem]

"I know study. I study many thing. Things. I study plant and animal. I study people. Words, aye? Many things."

As she spoke, she crept closer, looking at the variety of the garden. Some she recognized, barely. They were useless for food or medicine, and mostly ignored by her people.

"You learning flowers? For why?"

[sortofaman]

"Studying is good," the Doctor said. "Knowing is good. Don't let people stop you studying." He offered her the flower to look at, having seen her interest. "I learning for myself. Just for knowing. Maybe someday will be helpful. Maybe not."

[cavelion_totem]

Knowing for knowing made sense and Ayla nodded sharply. "Yes. Studying is good. I learn speaking, study with Dan-yel, study people talking. Is not good, not to speak words."

[sortofaman]

"Speaking is good," the Doctor agreed. "Speaking means more knowing. Among people. Word for that is: communication." He emphasized the last word and carefully trimmed a dead leaf off one branch of a rose bush.

[cavelion_totem]

"Com..mew..ni..cay..shun," she repeated, then said it again under her breath until she had it nearly fluid. She'd taken pains to learn this language as quickly as she could, and that so many were understanding and helped her was a blessing. She didn't consider that it was talent or aptitude, simply a survial mechanism she needed to live with her new people.

"I know this word. Means teaching? Speak and know is learning and teaching me new things. Many teaching people. Many people help me learn."

[sortofaman]

The Doctor watched her as she learned the word, then considered her definition. "Means telling. Sharing learning among people. Telling of things so others know. Talking and speaking, communication." He wasn't about to go into books yet.