And Then I Turned Around

Lydia continued her journey west, taking a detour southward to avoid the packs that had settled in the shrine, the forest and the knolls. It was a frustrating development that led to increased travel time but it was better than taking the risk of trespassing in the strange, more aggressive packs. She didn't know much of them but she'd seen how Tyrannis and Chaos behaved in the last challenge at the battefield. She hoped for Kesali to remain beneath each packs radar. And so she'd taken a detour through the Seas's plain and the swamplands. It involved far more swimming than she cared for but thankfully she was able to journey along the beach that lay south of the shrine.

Lydia shifted her pack, jostling her sleeping companion, Bolla. The lemur grunted and muttered under her breath before adjusting her riding position. About the time noon rolled around she reached the Rio Grande. She set to traveling along the river looking for herbs to gather. She'd already collected some horsetail from the southern branch of the Rio Grande that passed to the east of the swamplands. Now she was looking for rarer herbs.

A plant caught her eye and she carefully maneuvered herself down the river bank to get a closer look. She saw a stem, nearly a foot high that branched out into numerous leaflets. Little clusters of blue flowers greeted her eyes as she reached out to sniff at the plant.  Yes, this was Blue Bells or Abscess Root as her mother had called it. What she wanted was, of course, the root of this plant which she could use to help with swelling and stomach upset. She knew the plant could also be used to help with bronchitis and the bites of venemous snakes though she hadn't given it a shot. It would've been useful to have when she'd run across the old man with a rattlesnake bite some time back.

As it was the root she wanted Lydia quickly set to digging, her paws working quickly to expose the slender rootstock. Carefully she worked the root free of the many stems that were branching from it. "C'mon Bolla, move." The lemur scowled and leapt up into one of the trees that was growing near the backs of the river. After she shrugged her pack off she added the root to her collection. Satisfied she slipped her pack back on her back and continued on her way.  She wanted to get a fair collection of items before she headed back to Kesali. It was true Kesali was awash in herbs but with spring in full bloom she was eager to get out and enjoy the weather with a good long walk.

She hadn't gone too much farther when she noticed another plant that caught her attention. If she wasn't mistaken that was Ardue, another plant that grew along the banks of southern and tropical rivers. She reached out to sniff the sedge plant, noting the sweet almost lavender like scent. Yes this was definitely ardue. What she wanted from this plant was the tubers so again she set herself to digging. Her paws were getting muddy and she wasn't fond of the feel of the mud between her toes but no pain no gain. Finally she revealed the deep red tubers that were connected by an underground stem. Carefully she worked the tubers free of the stems and added the new item to her bag. Excellent, so far so good. She paused to glance behind her and noticed Bolla asleep in a tree. She sighed and smiled softly. Her friend had exhausted herself last night finishing up some new sewing needles. Ardue was useful as a sedative but Bolla clearly didn't need the help. The herb could help with morning sickness which would be useful with the arrival of spring. Spring meant puppies and while she didn't know if any of her packmates planned on having pups it never hurt to be prepared.

It was awhile before Lydia found her next herb. She'd started working her way along the Rio Grande back along the west side of the swamplands toward the ocean when she noticed the Bayberry shrub. She grinned. Another useful plant though she normally saw them along the shores of large lakes. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised this close to the swamplands and the ocean. Bayberry loved the sandy shore. The plant rose five feet high it's shining leaves glistening in the dappled sunlight. As she got closer she noted the distinct fragrance of the leaves and bark. The bark was best gathered in the autumn so she opted to leave that for now. She could always head back later in the year now that she knew the plant was here. Ideally she'd be able to gather the berries. The wax from the berries was particularly useful but she didn't notice any. It was too early in the year.

So once more Lydia sent to digging. She wanted to gather a smaller chunk of the root to add to her underground healing collection. She had to work hard at it but eventually she was able to dig down far enough to work a few small pieces of root from the plant. She grimaced. It had an awful acrid and bitter taste but it was useful for inflammation of the throat and gums. Finally satisfied she shouldered her pack and called to Bolla who came swinging through the trees to land on her back. Satisfied she began working her way home.

"Talk"