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AEPHIX SCRUBLANDS - MID-MORNING
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Nesseth yawns and stretches as he walks, feeling a bit tired after sitting through the third watch, but the prospect of returning home keeps him feeling at least a bit energetic as he scans the lands ahead of the group, aided by Kira's eyes up high.
Louma brings up the rear of the group, stretching her wings as she slowly catches up. Her anticipation of returning home is clear as she sidles up next to Nesseth, looking ahead at Garwin. "I wonder... You think there's a flower that will grow wings on all of you so we can arrive a little sooner?"
Nesseth looks over at Louma with a bit of a smile. "Considering what happened to Garwin, Victoria and Erika? Probably... I'd rather not eat any of the flowers without testing first, though. It'd be a little hard to explain to folks why we're all suddenly species-swapped or something like that."
Louma chuckles, glancing toward Nesseth. "Whole species, hmm? That would be pretty harrowing. At least these three don't seem too uncomfortable." She glances towards Victoria. "Perhaps a little too comfortable."
Nesseth looks over at Victoria for a moment as well. "I guess some folks adjust a bit more readily than others... It'd be pretty embarrassing to be a regular lizard, myself, though."
Louma can't help but grin, "I don't even want to consider what happens to is 'halfbreed' types."
Nesseth hums a bit, smirking at Louma. "I dunno, a snake with swan wings would be pretty unusual, don't you think?"
Louma chuckles, looking toward the other two. She can't help but shudder after considering the possibilities after a moment. "No, I don't really want to think about it. Hopefully this problem doesn't happen again." Her demeanor becomes more serious as she talks. "I'm going to have to discuss this with the other captains and the commandant. It might be wise to issue a warning of danger around Mean Peak... But not disclose the nature of it."
Nesseth tilts his head a bit. "Are you sure that's a good idea, leaving the details out? You know a couple of the rank and file guys are kind of gung ho about 'adventure'. Unless you mean giving enough detail to make sure they all avoid the flower, at least."
Louma nods, "You're not wrong. Letting people know there are dangerous plants would be wise, but I don't think telling people enough that they know there's a magical body-transforming plant growing there. I can't imagine very many legitimate positive uses for such a thing."
Nesseth shakes his head. "Yeah... no, probably for the best that it doesn't become known. The last thing we need is for random people to get subjected to that out of nowhere. Maybe it'd be best to put it out as something uncomfortably poisonous? Nothing deadly, just... uncomfortable."
Louma chuckles dryly, glancing towards the lizard. "That sounds good. Even claim the pollen causes the issue. As long as nobody takes too close notice of us as we arrive."
Nesseth blinks and looks down at his uniform for a few moments. "At us? What about us? I'm not changing or something, am I?"
Louma laughs quietly, shaking her head. "I don't know, do you feel any shorter? I mean that Gareth and Victoria are going to draw some attention, and while Gareth doesn't look like an uncommon bear, Victoria's patterns are a touch more unique."
Nesseth shrugs as he looks at Louma again. "Maybe so, but it's not like we have to say that the plant was the cause until we're in more private settings. Plume already knows, as does Erika, her parents and Cavro. Everyone else might just assume she ran afoul of some magic or something."
Louma sighs, nodding. "Well, you're right. Perhaps I'm looking too far towards the negative. We're a day from home, we found the flower, we found our fellow guards, and nobody got badly hurt. How are you doing, by the way?"
Nesseth rolls his shoulders a bit. "Not bad, considering. Still a bit sore, but I can handle the walk back without any trouble." He pauses for a moment, "But it might be a good idea to let Plume take a look at me for a proper medical evaluation, just in case. That was a lot of bear that knocked me on my ass."
Louma chuckles. "I was going to suggest that, but I suppose Plume was bound to wind up examining you either way."
Nesseth smiles. "I'm sure they'll want to give the entire group an examination just to make sure we all came back in one piece, like we said we would."
Louma: "True, and to make sure none of us are having any reaction to the plants. Honestly, I've been very concerned about carrying them in my pack, even as well isolated as they are."
Nesseth looks towards Louma's pack for a few moments. "Yeah, an exam might not be the worst idea. But going off of what Victoria said... it might just be extended contact that causes those changes."
Louma nods, not really reassured. "We were very careful while retrieving them, no physical contact, didn't disturb them too much. Kira was a great help with them, though her expression while looking at the flowers was... Concerning. I have to admit, I was strangely drawn to them as well, like the patch was inviting me to lay among them."
Nesseth frowns as he listens to Louma. "You... didn't, right? Either of you?"
Louma shakes her head, glancing toward Nesseth. "Of course not, I think you'd know if we had, considering how fast Erika apparently changed." She looks forward again, sighing. "They were so pretty, though."
Nesseth hums, throwing Louma a flat look. "Well... try to forget about how they look, because nothing good can come of them. In the wild, the more enticing something looks, the more dangerous it is."
Louma: "Sure, but did you see them? I've never seen a flower shimmer before. And the blue was so rich. You'll probably see the ones we give to Plume, but I doubt they'll be as vivid as in the forest." She chuckles, glancing towards him. "I'm more worried about Kira seeking them out again, considering her diet, though."
Nesseth shakes his head. "I didn't see them, and I really would rather not see them outside of maybe a drawing. If they're that enthralling, you might want to impress on Kira that she stay away from them for her own safety."
Louma shrugs, looking toward the moth in the distance. "I'm sure she can handle herself, she's very bold for joining us on this adventure, but she was also very cautious of the flowers. As pretty as they are, we could both feel there was something wrong about them."
Nesseth sighs a bit. "I hope so, because with those things, I'm thinking all it takes is just one little slip. At least we've got samples for the others to examine and maybe create a cure out of. That'd take a lot of the bite out of them if the cure's reliable..."
Louma nods. "Whatever happens, I'll be happy to return to normal paperwork. Not reading a single thing about magical accidents will be a blessing. Granted, they're far more interesting than day to day reports."
Nesseth smirks. "More interesting, but also a lot more disruptive. I still think paperwork is easier than guard duty... and while I'd offer to swap jobs with you again like last time, but I think we're both over that."
Louma grins, chuckling. "Certainly not easier, trust me. Patrol is actually interesting. You've seen what some of our fellows' penmanship is like, after all."
Nesseth hums, remembering how long he'd spent trying to interpret some of the scribbles some of the guards called 'writing' in their reports. "Mmh... I guess that's true, but even then, patrols are mostly just staring out at the lands we're walking over right now. We're probably the most interesting sight out here for the next few days, at least."
Louma looks towards the treeline that divides the lower foothills from the town as it appears through a haze on the horizon, their cool shade still a few hours hike, and not even a quarter of the way home from where they are now. "Either way, I'm glad that we've got most of our comrades home. If the expedition with Hooktail would return, that'd be everyone."
Nesseth nods. "They've been out for a while, but they've got a big enough group that their travels shouldn't run into any troubles." He pauses for a moment as he casts a look at Victoria again, "...Magical transformative plants aside, anyway. They're smart enough to come back at the first hint of a problem."
Louma: "Hopefully. I don't want to know what Hooktail would get up to if he discovered such a thing."
Nesseth chuckles. "Sometimes, Hooktail seemed less like a doctor and more of a mad scientist. Probably for the best that he doesn't know about the flower."
Louma grins, stretching her wings again and clearly a little anxious to get back. Louma continues to hang back with Nesseth as the group continues on their way back, discussing the possibilities of Hooktail's craziness before moving on to less vaguely unsettling subjects.
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XOCHI'S GARDEN - LATE AFTERNOON
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Xochi sits, coiled in her garden, thinking about Erika's predicament and how best she can help beyond words that feel they do not hit their mark and small gestures. She knows little of plants, and though Erika seemed to be somewhat inspired by her visit, it is still bothering Xochi as she absentmindedly waters her garden.
Kira flies over the yard, mostly just on her way home after being dismissed by Louma. She doesn't pay any mind to Xochi at first, but then blinks and realizes who the resident of the garden is after a moment. She spirals down lazily and lands on her friend and housemate's tail. "Xochi! I return!"
Xochi perks up in surprise, her face quickly breaking into a smile as she spies her friend and housemate, "Kira! Ah, I have missed you, indeed! I hope your return is a herald of good news?"
Kira sets down her pack on the ground and flies up to hug Xochi gently around the neck. "Yes. We were successful. We found the flower and the missing guards. No one was injured. It couldn't have gone any better, I think?"
Xochi lifts her hand to hug Kira back, "Ah, this is excellent news, indeed! I did not fully understand the gravity of your journey until I saw Erika myself. I still do not know the dangers you faced, but now you can tell me of your adventure!"
Kira smiles at Xochi. "It was such a journey! I've never seen so many places before, though I think I lived in one of them when I was just a crawler..."
Xochi giggles, glad to see her friend so happy, as well as imagining a tiny(er) Kira. "I had not realized you had not journeyed abroad. I wish to hear about them all!"
Kira flutters up and starts telling Xochi about all the lush landscapes on the way to the plateau as well as on the plateau itself. Her descriptions are different than what most would give, focusing a lot on smells and colors and the like. She also talks about the expedition team and had so many good things to say about all of them.
Xochi happily listens, closing her eyes to try and imagine the things and places which Kira is telling her about. "...such things, you see them so vividly. I am happy that you have gotten to add these experiences to your life."
Kira smiles. "And then there came the day where everything happened... We found tracks of the bear and followed them, and then I found the flowers..." She starts talking about the flowers but seems uneasy to think about them too much, so leaves her descriptions much briefer than most other things.
Xochi frowns, "These were the flowers which caused all this, yes? I am glad they have been discovered, if only to prevent them from causing more misery. Such a strange thing."
Kira nods. "There are samples to go to the doctor and hopefully the cure can be found from them..." She shakes her head again. "Were I not with friends, I likely would have been lost to those flowers myself..." She changes the subject quickly, though, starting to describe the encounter with the bear.
Xochi grows more curious, but does not pursue it any further, the description of the flowers disquiets her somehow. "The bear... is like Erika too, then?"
Kira lands on Xochi's tail again. " Yes, though less of his mind seems to be there... The cat is better off than Erika, though... No trouble speaking and seems fully herself..." She ponders. "If you think you might be able to help with the flower, I'm sure that all help will be welcome..."
Xochi shakes her head, "I can offer my assistance, but I am no doctor, and my magic is quite meager. I... do not know what I can offer that others such as Doctor Plume or Elizabeth could not."
Kira cocks her head curiously. "You have knowledge from another place. You might have insight that they don't. I don't know, though, but I know you want to help. I can see it in your eyes..."
Xochi nods, "I do... I truly do. Erika's plight is... hard to witness. She is struggling to find a way through it, and though I offered words of comfort... I fear they rang hollow in her ears. I do wish to do something more concrete. Perhaps I shall talk to the Doctor."
Kira smiles. "The doctor is very wise, but doesn't know much of magic."
Xochi chuckles, "I cannot say I know it either. But perhaps... you are right, I should at least present myself and see what I can offer."
Kira gives a little yawn as she flutters up again. "Forgive me friend, but I am very tired from these many days away. I think I'll rest now and we can talk more about my adventures later."
Xochi smiles to the moth. "Of course, friend. Go and rest, and I shall think on all that you have told me. We can always talk more."
Kira gives Xochi another hug before she retrieves her bag and flies up toward the roof of the house and her small nook.
Xochi returns the hug and waves to her friend, relieved that she has returned safe and sound.