She lowered an elongated snout to sniff the lichen attached to the side of the mangrove tree. The scent was a combination of musk and earth. "It is not yet ready..." She mumbled under her breath. Mud was waiting for the lichen to be just right. She used it medicinally as her parents taught her, and preserved it as a snack. Thankfully the deer were not yet so desperate to brave the dangerous swamp for the lichen yet. Soon, she would need to collect what she needed before the deer enjoyed their buffet.

Mud paused by a tangled mass of flowers. One that stood out to her was what she called frogfruit. She used to for a variety of things, but specifically for worms in the stool. Something important to have on hand and she couldn't pass up the opportunity. She began harvesting. Mud removed a bunch of the flowers, root, stem, and all. Then, a pile of just the flowers. She left plenty of roots intact and made a mental note of the area for next year's harvest. Once she finished, she reclined and looked at her pile of flowers. To her dismay, she had over-harvested. Waste was not something Mud was comfortable with. She pondered for a moment making multiple trips back to her den but ultimately decided to ask a friend. "Detka, sweetheart, could you come forward, please? I require your aid." She couldn't see the caiman but knew her beastly friend was lurking beneath the waters.

A ripple below the surface revealed two amber eyes. Hardly any of her reptilian faces was visible; everything else was hidden beneath the murky water. The dwarf caiman lifted her head slightly and cocked it to the side. She did not speak but made it known she was listening. Mud smiled warmly at her. "Detka, my love. I located this plant - frogfruit - it is a cure for wolves suffering from worms in their stool. It is a remarkable plant. Unfortunately, I collected far too much for myself to carry and I do not currently have a bag. Ah, it is a pity. I would like to ask if you would carry some of my frogfruit back to my den. But, if you are busy, please, take your time, as I do not need it so urgently." She watched the caiman carefully. Detka blinked each eye independently while staring at Mud, then let out a soft, pleasant hissssss. Mud's tail swooshed softly; it was a yes. "I will go ahead and take as many as I can carry, love. I will meet you back at home."

With a mouthful of purple flowers, Mud began the walk back to her den.

An early rise this morning had left the young healer with plenty of spare time to hunt for herbs, of which there were numerous lurking within the boundaries of the mangrove. After a brief examination of the chicken of the woods mushrooms that had been slowly accumulating in a spot deeper into the mangrove, he decided they needed a few more days before they'd be ready to harvest. He wanted to try them out as stuffing for one of his cooked meals, since their texture was surprisingly similar to meat when properly harvested. He'd been picking his way towards some little ironweed plants he knew were growing near the shoreline at the outskirts, when he noticed a shape drifting through the tangled waterways. Pausing in his journey, perched safely on the gnarled roots of a mangrove tree, he watched the small caiman pass by. Crocodilians were a common sight around these parts, but this one happened to be paddling lazily onward with a hint of colour poking out the side of its mouth. A wry grin curved across his maw, keen viridian gaze catching sight of a very distinct marking across the space between the caiman's eyes. He knew this critter, and it was only confirmed by a familiar scent drifting into his nostrils on the breeze. With a series of giddy yips, the lichen dappled wolf leapt from his perch and into the water in front of the caiman. He trusted Detka not to attack, just as she would no doubt trust him to keep his claws away from her hide while he swam in awkward circles around her with a goofy grin on his face. "What'cha got there scales?" he barked, kicking his hind legs to spin his body and allow him to float alongside the caiman with his limbs tucked loosely to his trunk and one emerald eye turned her way. Chin barely lifted above the water, he waited for poor Mud to come rushing in and admonish him for terrorizing her companion. "speech" thinking "others"

The sound of wolf yips out of nowhere made the caiman freeze momentarily. She instinctively let out a soft hiss to warn the intruder but cut her threat short. Ah, it's just Bog. The little wolf was all over the place. She exhaled and tried to summon her patience. "Flowers... Mud is, ahh.. prepare, for winter times." She said, doing her best with the language of the wolves. "She cut too many." Detka blinked a warm amber eye at the wolf. He was such a little thing. Wolves didn't usually come in green, like a reptile. Green was about all they had in common. Detka was interested in serving and living with Mud, but that didn't mean she had some sort of comradery with all wolves. Most of them she found either perplexing or infuriating.

"You.. mm. You come to see her?" Detka asked as she swam. Speaking caused her to drop a few precious petals and she felt guilty for losing them. Maybe she could go back for them later. Maybe she could remind Mud to bring a bag when she explored. Bah.

They were getting close to Mud's den. Mud was planning a newer, bigger den, but this was where she called home for now. It was laboriously crafted by finding a perfect natural shape of mangroves that provided a covering. A smoke hole towards the center allowed for good ventilation. Mud and grasses were layered tediously to create walls to keep warm. A small window, which she created with her nose, for peeking outside. Various decorations covered the outside - beautiful stones, dried herbs, and flowers. Because of her herb collection, it smelled like a botanical dream. Racks and racks of plants hanging by the roots to dry layered the walls. Her bed was created from a few furs she collected from her various kills. She also had a small organized pile of shells, rocks, pieces of scrap - the pieces of her heart.

Sure enough, he managed to keep all of his important bits and the small caiman simply let out a short hiss in protest- or perhaps warning? However, he was still rewarded for his poor behaviour in the form of a response from the long-suffering caiman. "Flowers... Mud is, ahh.. prepare, for winter times." Detka hissed slowly, struggling with the pronunciation only slightly. It seemed that reptiles and amphibians weren't the best suited to the languages of most mammals. Bug wasn't that great at talking either. Green tipped auds flicked lightly in acknowledgement, though he remained mute in case she was preparing another sentence. "She cut too many." the caiman added shortly thereafter, to which he giggled softly. A few short strokes of his forepaws, reaching out and pulling himself through the water with each stretch of his limbs, kept him in line with the caiman. "At least she'll have extras to trade at the next Gatherin' if she wants." he offered helpfully. "You.. mm. You come to see her?" Detka asked next, and a few vibrant petals spilled through the gaps between her fearsome teeth. Viridian gaze followed their whorling path out and away from Mud's scaly companion. He knew the plant, but wasn't entirely familiar with all of its uses. Perhaps he'd ask Mud about it. Bog shrugged as best he could while he floated along. "I was in the area and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try and sneak up on ya, but I won't turn down a chance to hang out with a good friend." he drawled with a grin, pulling himself along with another few lazy strokes of his forelimbs. He could smell the mixed scents of herbs drifting his way, and knew they were getting close. As it came into view, there was no smoke coming from the little chimney, and he wondered if she was even home yet. "speech" thinking "others"

Mud was outside her den anxiously preparing the frogfruit. It had to dry upside-down, so the medicinal qualities of the plant would be most effective. Mud trimmed unnecessary leaves and branches with her teeth and claws. She was trying to go slowly and take her time, but she was mentally preoccupied. She needed to finish quickly as she had many other things to do today. The season was fast approaching and she needed to have a full supply. Who knows what could happen during the winter?

Mud glanced towards the water where she left Detka. She need not worry for the beast - she was able to protect herself and then some. Plus, her lessons in common wolf language were going well, so if she did encounter a swampland intruder she could communicate. But Mud knew Detka's best skill was her ability to entirely disappear. Just a few inches of water were enough. She could flatten her body and lurk just beneath the surface. She was an incredible creature. Mud's heart warmed with love for the creature.

She looked back down to her task and continued working. Voices in the distance tickled her ears and she glanced back in Detka's direction, surprised to see a wolf traveling with her caiman. Was that Bog?