Today was mostly a “let’s just go explore” kind of day. Specterdust, with Kevin’s help, had harnessed up with her baskets. In one they had food rations and left the other empty for any fun finds. To even it out, the other side held a jug of water. A large canvas was carefully folded and rolled up and then tied to the harness directly over her back. “Nice and secure,” Kevin said as he sat upon the rolled canvas, this was his seat for when he didn’t want to walk. “Were are we going?”
Specterdust had taken off at a light trot, it wouldn’t expend a terrible amount of energy but also helped them move along quickly. “Oh I think we’ll just follow the outskirts of Homewood. Mostly along the side opposite of the barrens. I’m curious how far it goes in that direction,” Specter replied. The trees were lush and so was the area underneath. The nouls had expanded Homewood quite a ways out in this particular direction, over a large amount of time, she guessed. The nouls seemed more focused on expanding out into the barrens now and healing the ruins and bog these days. But Specter hadn’t heard much about the backside of Homewood. Was there more barrens out this way?
After part of the day had passed them by, the scenery had been steadily changing. The trees were still there but they were no longer alive. “I wonder why all the trees are dead over here?” Specter mused allowed. She felt Kevin shift and then hop to the ground. He ran up to a tree and investigated around it’s base. He looked over at Specter and shrugged, “Dunno.” She made a face and then followed the truck of the tree all the way up to the canopy. She tilted her head and squinted a moment. “Hey look, Kevin, seeds! Or at least I think those are seeds.”
Kevin looked up to see what Specter was looking at. “They do look like seeds of some sort. Maybe seeds for these trees?”
Specter nodded. “Maybe we should bring some back to Homewood. Maybe the botanics would know what to do with them.”
Kevin tilted his head at her. “You are a botanic, Specter,” he remarked with a flat expression.
She looked over at him and frowned. “Not much of one,” she muttered and continued to walk.
“Hey wait,” Kevin said running after her, “Aren’t we going to get some of the seeds down?”
Specter came to a sudden halt. “Oh right,” she said sheepishly. “So how do you suppose we get them down?”
They both looked up and studied the dead trees. The canopy was heavy with dead branches but there were some closer to them along the lower trunk. Specter looked down at Kevin, he had limited flight but what if she helped him? “Could toss you part of the way,” she said. Kevin looked at her bewildered. “You’d throw me?” He replied aghast. Specter rolled her eyes, “Oh stop it, you would enjoy it and you know it.”
Kevin shrugged and grinned, she knew him too well. He’d become a bit of a daredevil and didn’t mind the more reckless ways of getting into places. Her idea also had a chance of working. “I could sit on your back and you buck me up,” Kevin finally replied. He hopped up on her rump and tucked in his wings, he’d open them once he was airborne and flap the rest of the way. It wouldn’t be too difficult to reach the closest branch that way and then he’d fly hop the rest.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Ready,” he replied.
Specterdust turned and aimed the best she could and then bucked with all her might, sending her familiar flying into the air. Kevin caught himself and flapped the rest of the way, just barely making it. He turned to face her and put his wings up, “Tada!” Specter laughed at him.
“Ok you goof, hop up and get above the seeds. See if you can shake them loose.”
Kevin worked his way up to the seeds and carefully walked across the dead branches. Placing his weight in the wrong spot could snap one and send him tumbling to the ground. Below, Specter stood under him to make sure he was okay and watched the branches to make sure they weren’t about to give out. He made it and carefully began to shake the branches, his heart lurched a bit but settled as the branches held. An “EEK!” below let him know the seeds were indeed falling. “Ack!” he heard again. “Ok ok! I think we have enough!” he heard Specter call up to him.
He made his way back down and glided the rest of the way, landing next to Specter. There was numerous seeds lying around her and he bounced happily. “Let’s pick them up and fill our basket,” she said. So together they worked on retrieving as many seeds as possible. WIth a full basket, Kevin plopped himself on the canvas bundle. “Before we go, maybe give this spot a nice dose of pollen? Can’t hurt,” Kevin told Specter, who rolled her eyes. Of course he’d find a way to make her use her ability, even if she didn’t want to. “Fine,” she said, “Cover your face then.” Kevin pulled an empty fabric pouch over his head and waited.
Specterdust reached deep down for her magic and pulled it forward, she wasn’t sure what good it would do but it couldn’t hurt as Kevin said. Her horn gave off a green glow and she sent pollen up into the air. “There,” she said, “Now we leave.” She turned on her heel and trotted off back towards home. However, it seems they had gotten themselves turned around. As they stepped out of the dead woods, they came out next to a building, in the ruins.
Specter’s mouth fell open while Kevin said, “I don’t think we where in Homewood that whole time.” Sure enough, Specterdust and Kevin had found themselves in an odd part of the ruins that neither had been to.
“We’re going to have to follow the ruins back this way then. It should bring us back to a familiar part and we should be able to find our way home,” Specterdust said after she took a glance at the sky. “We’re loosing daylight too.” Specter took off at a light run, keeping the buildings to her left and hoping for a familiar sight. After what seemed ages, Specter slowed to a trot and found a familiar path back through the woods, away from the ruins. Homewood once again.
WC: 1,113
Ability Used: Pollinate, Specterdust
