31st Trial of Ashan, 719
Phobius had never been to the Sweetwine Woods, before. He hadn't even heard of them until a few trials ago, when a nice man from Scalvoris Town had told him that he could find a lot of special plants there, if he looked hard enough. Some of them could be used as ingredients in food, like "Morning Savior" and "Baker's Wheatwort" — berries and mushrooms that tasted like chocolate and bread. There were others, but Phobius had really only remembered those two; he wanted to look for them, himself, and fill his pockets with as many as he could take home and cook.
The trip was long, and with no mount, Phobius was forced to make it on foot, but he didn't mind; he loved being outside. On this particular trial, the air was warm, and the sun felt nice on his skin, though there were moments when he found himself missing all the snow. Cylus hadn't bothered him as much as it had the rest of Scalvoris; he had had Mollie to keep him company throughout the worst of it and his hearth to keep them both warm. Only the darkness had unsettled him — that and the howling of the wind, which he had thought sounded like angry ghosts. At least the snowmelt would help new plants grow.
When he finally reached the edge of the woods, he stopped and gazed up at the trees. They were tall — so tall that they seemed to reach the sky — and although most of their branches were bare, some had begun to sprout baby leaves. After marveling at them for a few moments, he continued onward, gingerly stepping over their roots into the rest of the woods. The nice man from Scalvoris Town hadn't told him exactly where to look, but he knew that berries and mushrooms didn't grow in trees, and that at least gave him somewhere to start.
Phobius had never been to the Sweetwine Woods, before. He hadn't even heard of them until a few trials ago, when a nice man from Scalvoris Town had told him that he could find a lot of special plants there, if he looked hard enough. Some of them could be used as ingredients in food, like "Morning Savior" and "Baker's Wheatwort" — berries and mushrooms that tasted like chocolate and bread. There were others, but Phobius had really only remembered those two; he wanted to look for them, himself, and fill his pockets with as many as he could take home and cook.
The trip was long, and with no mount, Phobius was forced to make it on foot, but he didn't mind; he loved being outside. On this particular trial, the air was warm, and the sun felt nice on his skin, though there were moments when he found himself missing all the snow. Cylus hadn't bothered him as much as it had the rest of Scalvoris; he had had Mollie to keep him company throughout the worst of it and his hearth to keep them both warm. Only the darkness had unsettled him — that and the howling of the wind, which he had thought sounded like angry ghosts. At least the snowmelt would help new plants grow.
When he finally reached the edge of the woods, he stopped and gazed up at the trees. They were tall — so tall that they seemed to reach the sky — and although most of their branches were bare, some had begun to sprout baby leaves. After marveling at them for a few moments, he continued onward, gingerly stepping over their roots into the rest of the woods. The nice man from Scalvoris Town hadn't told him exactly where to look, but he knew that berries and mushrooms didn't grow in trees, and that at least gave him somewhere to start.