silver beneath the surface

Ella smiled as Atreyu carefully harvested the Ghost Pipe Mushrooms, appreciating her friend's growing understanding of the delicate process. Bigs' comment made her chuckle softly, and she nodded in agreement. "They do look otherworldly, don't they? But yes, they are definitely mushrooms."

As she gathered the last of the mushrooms, Ellara carefully bundled them in the sheepskin cloth. Atreyu's question about preparing them was a good one, and Ellara was glad to explain. "To use them properly, yes - we will need to dry them out first. Once dried, we can grind them into a fine powder or steep them to make a tea. The tea is especially good for pain relief. Drying them helps preserve their potency and makes them easier to store and use when needed. There are other ways to cure them, but those ways require preparation I have not had the time to do - so we will make do with the drying route."

She stood up, mindful of her shoulder, and gave Atreyu a warm smile. "Let's take these back to camp and start the drying process. It'll take a little time, and we'll need to find some place dark, but once they are ready, we can use them together."

Ellara appreciated the bond they had formed and knew this was just the beginning of their journeys together. "Thank you for everything today, Atreyu." She smiled and carefully picked up the bundle, starting to make her way back to the camp with her tail high and swaying happily. She felt a deep sense of gratitude for Atreyu, and it would shine through everything else today.