& ((Kea FWC: 1005 | Drani FWC: 1031))
The sun hadn't even started to rise when a golden figure emerged from the darkness on silent feet. The rest of the herd slept on as Rosalva made her way from the sleeping grove to head towards the gardens. While there were several that spread across the islands in the swamp, hers were the only ones that contained the precious herbs that allowed their lighiche to work their gifts. It was her responsibility to keep these plants healthy.
Once the sun rose and the herd began to stir, she knew the quiet would be gone. Gods knew that as soon as Knack joined her, she wouldn't have a moment's peace until his beloved Aisling came to collect the hyper young stud. The mare chuckled with a fond head shake. Oh, he was a good lad and helped her a great deal, but she didn't think the boy knew how to stop talking. Something that just made her value this peaceful start to her day even more.
Peach stretched as she rose for the day, her small wings splaying out before fluttering. The temperatures were rising, things blooming. The swamps were alight with color in a way they weren't most of the year, flowers opening on all the vines, even the moss having little buds. Water plants were pops of color just beyond the murky shores, and many families welcomed foals to the world. She loved it, loved the way it looked and smelled. A look at the water brought the sight of little kelpies popping their heads out, one lifting a lily pad. The mare chuckled, smiling affectionately at them. "Good mornin', wee ones!" With a plunk, they vanished back into the water, making Peach chuckle again.
She began to make her way through the area, greeting everybody as she passed them. She saw Sheridan run through, his wings all tucked up to make it easier. He tossed her a greeting, and then he was in the air, off t o who knew what. Peach smiled, watching him go, heart swelling with pride. Her walk soon brought her to the gardens, where she found Rosalva. "Good mornin', Rosalva, how goes it today?"
Turning to the sound of hoof beats approaching, Rosalva bowed her head in respect, "Bright morn to you, Archdruidess....or should I say grandmam?" Her tone turned teasing as she smiled at the mare moving to the side to allow her to enter the sacred garden. "[color-burlywood]I heard our sweet lass has finally given birth. Five healthy wee ones." It boggled her mind that the slender young mare had been able to carry so many foals, doubly so with how large her mate was. Still, it gave her a chance to tease the other mare, "How long until yer littles and theirs overrun this whole herd?"
The smile she returned was impish and delighted. "Aye, the wee'ins are finally in their baskets. I anticipate at least one will be small as my dear little Freddie." She had no doubt at least one would be big like Uriel, but she hoped one was small like Fred. The older mare chuckled, head wings fluttering in amusement. "Oh, surely it won't be too long, Kel and Mickey's are old enough to start lookin', and I'm sure it won't be long before Fred and Uri's littles are runnin' about and causin' trouble."
Looking to the plants, Peach asked, "How's the garden doin' today? Spring's upon us and most things should be bloomin' with the warmth." While snow didn't typically touch their corner of the world, frost sometimes did, but she hadn't seen any in more than seven sunrises. She liked the cold and all, but the swamp just wasn't the same when it wasn't hot.
Laughing in delight, Rosalva shook her head, amused, but honestly, she shared in their leader's joy. Oh sure, she may tease Peach about her family's...fertility, but it was a sign of the gods' blessings upon their herd, at least to her thinking. Why else would so many foals be born to them in such a short span, all healthy and thriving, when life in their swampland homes could be a harsh and dangerous one?
When she asked on the garden, the golden mare smiled happily, stepping to the side to allow the other mare entrance to her little 'kingdom'. "Come and see for yourself, my lady."
Walking carefully along the flat stones that the caraideans had helped her lay in the ground to allow for easier passage but also to mark of sections she led her first to the most used and most harmless of the herbs, "As you can see the yarrow, thyme, lavender, sage, nettles, plantain, and mugwart are all coming in well." She led Peach through each patch of ground, pointing out the different herbs and plants, their stages of growth as she talked about the difficulties that had been had.
Moving deeper into the less trod paths, the ones that Rosalva alone of the Cruinniche tended. Swarths of willow, hawthorn, and yew trees in various stages of growth separated the two gardens from each other as well as protected the more dangerous plants from the curious eyes of little ones. "The monkshood is blooming well as is the foxglove and belladonna; however, I am afraid the whole crop of poppies failed." At this, she laid her ears back, ashamed. "I don't know what happened, my lady, yesterday morn the sprouts seemed fine and then by nightfall they all withered. I had planned to come to you about the issue later today after I walked the grounds to make sure that was the only patch affected."
The laughter was infectious, Peach joining in the delight. Oh, if she knew what Rosalva thought, she'd certainly agree! The family Sinclair was prolific, between Kel and Mickey's pair and the five from Fred and Uri. So many foals... She was sure one day she and her beloved would fill the swamps with more of their own, too.
Following along behind Rosalva, the high druidess took the garden and all its growth in. She paused to examine the yarrow, the thyme, the lavender and sage, the nettles, plantains, and even the mugwarts, letting out pleased sounds as she went. All were growing quite well, leaves full and buds plentiful. It was beautiful to see, and perfect for their needs. Those that would need the herbs would be able to get them this year, the crops thriving in the warmth of the swamplands.
As they went deeper into the garden, along the paths less trodden, Peach took in how the plants back here grew. These were the more dangerous ones, the ones that if the mix was done wrong could have dire consequences. Willow was good for arthritis, but too much in the tea and it could kill, to say nothing of the foxglove and belladonna. The mare paused at the poppies, frowning at the withered plants. She leaned in close, inspecting them, then pawed at the ground around one of them. "The seeds must have been bad. It does happen sometimes. If we store them too long then they can simply die before planting, which means these ones must have been stored before you arrived." She'd have to go through their seed and bulb stores, find the ones that had been stored too long so they could get rid of them. "That or some of the seeds meant for use in treatment got mixed in with the ones meant for planting...." It was, honestly, a fifty-fifty shot.
"Oh, thank the gods," Rosalva sighed in relief, her posture relaxing. "I was afraid it was some new blight that I could not sense for some reason!" Tilting her head, she came to stand by Peach's side, also closely examining the withered sprouts, "Now that you say that, I do remember some of the seeds feeling duller than the rest, but I assumed the bulbs simply were still in hibernation and would wake with the thaw with the rest of the garden."
Still, she sighed, looking over the dead patch, mourning the long work that had gone into the planting and the long work to come as she had to tear the garden up to plant anew. Thankfully, it was early enough in the season that she could replant and just expect the harvest to be a bit later than the rest of the crops. That thought, though, made her look to Peach, concern evident in her golden eyes, "Are we going to have enough poppy milk to last until a late harvest?" She knew they didn't plant the poppies every year as it wasn't a medicine they liked to keep too readily available, what with how addictive it was.
"Aye, the seeds bein' old is probably the more likely answer, some'a them sprout but the sprouts don't last long... Like this." She lightly touched a sprout with her horn, but nothing came of it besides moving the withered leaves. Letting out a light sigh, Peach lifted her head, then smiled at the other mare. "We should be fine with the poppy milk for now, aye. Need for it is typically low, so it shouldn't be much problem. We can make do with other solutions in the mean time, until the new ones are ready." If anybody had complaints, she'd talk to them herself.
"So how would ya say the rest of the plants are doin' this spring?" The poppies aside, there were plenty of other plants that needed tending to and attention. The uses were many for some of them, others very specific, much like the poppies. "Spring means we're sure t' see more sniffles about as foals start playin' more and underestimate how cold some things still are."
"Well, as you were able to see, my lady, the rest of the garden is well in hand and right on track ta be ready for harvest in time for Mabon." Rosalva gestures for them to head back towards the main parts of the garden. She would get with Knack when the lad arrived and set up a work rotation to get the poppy patch cleaned out of the dead plants. Normally, she would never dream of letting the lad handle the deadly plants, but since they were only dead sprouts, there should be no danger...long as the youngster didn't try to eat them. Mmmm, maybe she had better not...
"I will have Knack get the patch cleaned out by week's end if you think that is enough time for you to have a moment to sort through the pods with me and determine which would still be viable for re-planting?" She knew how valuable Peach's time was between being the Arch Druidess, the matriarch of Clan Sinclair, and now a doting grandmam to a whole passel of youngsters, but this was also important, and Rosa didn't want to risk another failed round of planting. Too late in the season, and they would risk a frost killing the plants before they could be safely harvested.
Peach nodded, following along, then got a considerate look before smiling. "Glad the lad's workin' out with helpin' ya." It had been a surprise when the rabbit brothers had shown up. What had been even more of a surprise, at least to Peach, had been the fact they'd taken to Mickey's twin sisters. She could only begin to imagine the chaos that would ensue once the two pairs started having little kits of their own. Would they be foxes, rabbits, some combination?
"Stars above, still gotta figure out what we're doin' with the other brother..." Maybe a foal sitter... Knack had proven good with plants, at least, but Knick... Not so much. He was too devoted to and head over paws for Aoibhinn to focus on anything. Or was he focused on Aisling? She'd double check with Mickey later... And maybe wrangle a clan name for the whole lot, since Mickey was with the Sinclairs and Moina in Potter. Well, that was a problem for... Later. Much later. There more pressing issues for now, after all.
