She was returning from the expedition to gather and bring to her mom the chaga. It was clenched in the pelt in the antlers girls mouth and Jack was on her heels. They came in and made for the herb store immediately, ignoring the sounds of her brother sleeping and what sounded like Baecette still coughing. He was gonna need more yarrow leaves it sounded like. A sigh escaped her. She couldn't smell her mom in here but her sensitive nose did gather a scent that made her scrunch her nose. It was like decay and as she set down the mushroom's package she turned to the herb store. Mom was gonna be so upset she bet.

Something in the herbs was rotten and she wasn't sure what yet. So she set about doing something about it. She carefully moved each herb out of the storage, using the most delicate of touches. She like her mother had a knack for this sort of thing. Yes she liked to taste and smell and touch every herb she came across that was new but she was making sure she knew the herbs she found useful and not useful. Besides a little bit never hurt.

She was careful with ever herb. And was seeking the bad from the good, carefully sorting everything. She made note of the herbs she knew too. Yarrow, the chaga and many more. But it was when she came to the Yarrow she reeled her head back and scrunched her nose. Bacette better not of ate any of this today. She could smell it. This one was bad. So they would need to replace it. She used the delicacy that she had showed the others but made sure to take it directly outside as quickly as possible. Somehow moisture must of gotten to it. She definitely didn't want anyone having any of this. She disposed of it digging a small hole to bury it in quickly and not covering it. She needed to make sure that was all.

She moved back inside and went back to gently clearing out the herbs looking for other rotting or off smelling herbs. She had had her nose in this store so many times by now that she had learned what a good smell was and what a bad smell was. And the next thing she came to that smelled terrible was the horsetail. It was noted and she moved on. This was how she would be spending her day today it seemed, while she waited to show her mom the Chaga she had gathered. Jack was buying himself by also helping the cleaning. He went into the store and was bringing out things that couldn't expire so Tani didn't have to worry about those things. Horse tail hairs and other such things were on his job list. Neither made a lot of noise though as they didn't want to wake either of her sleeping brothers.

She would have to go out with either jack or her mom to get replacements for the herbs that they were finding to be expired. She wasn't sure where any of these grew though so she definitely would have to ask her mom. They could probably get the herbs replaced in record time if she gathered half of what had went bad over Auster's summer and her mom did the other half. Maybe she would see if her mom and dad couldn't make her a pouch so she could carry the herbs easier. It would definitely help to cut down how many trips they would need. And with auster's winter setting in in a few short months they would need to ensure the herbs were replaced quickly. Especially the Yarrow.

Words: 632

"Speech!"
Art & Code by Rex 2023

Art & Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Lucette had been less than pleased to find out that Vitani had been allowed to leave Ethne lands with only the companions to keep an eye on her. She had gone looking for her daughter, but by the time she had discovered the girl’s trail she was already on her way back. That had been a big relief to the pixie, picking up the pace until they were back in Ethne lands once more. The freezing temperatures of winter were already threatening the land, especially with some early snow. Wind whipped up around the femme as she crossed the dying grasses of the territory. She could hear the roar of the falls as she approached, relieved once more to discover that Tani’s trail had led her all the way back to the den. Good… she was going to have to give Bae-Syl a chewing out later for allowing their blind pup to go, but she was grateful for the help all the same.

She slipped past the waterfall, stepping in the cave system before quickly slipping off into the section that her family had calmed as their own home. There were more tunnels further in that could have been used as storage, but wanting to keep the resources and her family close, Lucette had decided to keep everything in the main cavern. A good thing too, especially with Bae on bed rest and Baecette still down with whatever illness had taken hold of him. Bae was out, and Lucy mentally scoffed at this. He was probably just stretching and checking a trap to bring some food back, but… still. It was in her nature to worry for her headstrong mate. Someone had to. He would push himself to the ends of the earth for his family…

What she hadn’t expected to find with Vitani sorting through her herbs. She opened her maw, about to ask what she was doing, when the smell of decay hit her nose. Oh, oof! Apparently her daughter had picked up on something having gone bad in the herb pile before she had. She stepped forward, claws clicking against the stone as she reached out to brush her nose against Vitani’s cheek. At least her little one was back, and she was working so hard to try and learn things as a healer. Despite her blindness, and eagerness to try each new herb herself, Lucy could see promise in her. “How many have gone bad, ‘Tani?” She asked softly, deciding that she could maybe use this as a learning opportunity for her daughter before they went to gather some new plants to replace those lost.


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Word Count: 439 Words (1,071)

"Speech," 'Thought.'