The flame maned mare frowned in concentration, sniffing delicately at the aroma that rose from the mortar in front of her. The bowl shaped stone currently held her most recent herbal attempt, wooden pestle gripped firmly in her teeth.
That's enough willow, needs more meadowsweet... Nosing through her herb collection, Embri sighed in annoyance. Out of meadowsweet. Her batch of headache remedy would have to wait now. Slipping the worn leather band of her satchel over her head, she trotted out of the forest grove she called home and spread her wings, hindquarters bunching for the all important skyward leap.
The eastern meadows might still have meadowsweet from last year, if not I'll have to track down some chamomile.... or nettle. Nettles were a last choice, collecting the leaves without being stung was no easy task. The wind was wet and cold against her scraggly winter coat, without the harshness of winter but not yet warm enough to truly be called spring. Landing amid drifts of snow, brown grass and mud, the mare took to her task. She walked along the border between plains and forest, carefully scrutinizing the plants beneath her hooves for the desired herb.
Soquili grazed and played in the distance, enjoying the warm sun, but the alicorn paid them no mind. She had a job to do, after all.
