Berries, Berries, And Look, More Berries!

As the yearlings’ filter in, the lavender woman chuckles at Zion and Oleander’s enthusiasm and offers her winged nephew, Wylan, a sympathetic smile. Once they are all settled and mostly agree that they ready to learn, Andy comfortably settles back into the teacher roll once more. Lifting a slender paw to indicate the table behind her, she begins, “Behind me, you will find several bunches of berries. Some of them are safe to eat while others will make you ill.”

Paw returns to the ground as she meets each youth’s gaze while she continues to speak. Andy’s tone is calm and warm as she says, “Now, there are also several berries up here that can be used for more than just the fruit. For example.” quickly, she shifts, turning to pluck the bundle of blackberries that are dangling from thorn riddled branches with their leaves and even a few roots still attached. Turning back to the group, she carefully passes the bundle to Zion, indicating that she should pass it down the line.

With a nod toward the berries that are being passed around, Andy says, “Blackberries themselves are extremely delicious and a wonderful treat. However, the leaves and roots are also edible. When dried, they can be steeped in tea to help aid with digestive issues, general inflammation, and to help boost the immune system.” Once the berries make it through the line of students, she carefully takes the prickly berries and puts them back on the table before swiftly grabbing the bundle of alder buckthorn and turning back to the group so she can present it to them.

Turning it this way and that so that the torch light can reflect off the delicious, plump, red berries, Andy continues, “Now, this is alder buckthorn. The berries look delicious but they will cause intense nausea and vomiting if you try to eat them. For this plant, it is actually the bark that is usefully but it must be properly aged and dried or you risk having the same symptoms.” With that, Andy passes the bundle of berries to Zion and instructs her to pass them along. As it changes paws, she gently questions, “Any questions so far?”


"Andromeda Fatalis"