Medicine Dance

More questions erupted from the boy and Io, being the lovely teacher that she was, answered in time. "Steeping time depends upon how fresh the plants are. It's best to steep dried plants and the longer they steep, the more beneficial the brew." A light shrug was given. "And also the more bitter the brew. Perfectly safe to mix with a bit of honey to lighten the flavor." Bitter brews were hard to drink but honey made most things go down easier.

A moment after she warned him against the thorns, he'd pricked his paw. Io smirked and finished her task. These weren't large plants. She'd seen much, much larger. It proved just how water deprived this bit of desert was.  Other greenery was scarce as well which didn't surprise her. Only the heartiest of plants could grow in such desolate climes.

The boy soon gave his name and, just as he had, Iolaire accepted it with a nod. "And what are you doing here? Truthfully, this time." It didn't make sense for him to just be exploring a desert because he'd never seen one. He was in the area for a reason. The boy was still young and shouldn't have been too far from home just yet. He was hiding something.