Spring week 4
Since this ailment doesn't cause any real discomfort to the patient, I decide to try and find some extra reagents while I am out in the Grove. Rawr likes it in the woods, there is lots for her to investigate, though she never strays out of eyeshot. The first ingredient on my list is Coffee Cap, this high energy plant can deliver quite the shock to the system and will help to bring my patient back to their senses.
I round a corner on the trail and see before me a large spreading oak tree, however my attention is captured by the poor creature standing dejectedly at its foot. A wild maned forest pony is standing on three legs, holding its fourth up off the ground. It looks at me with pained, frightened eyes and makes an attempt to hobble away. I make soothing sounds and project a calming aura, Rawr chitters comfortingly from her perch in the oak's branches, and the frightened look fades from the creatures eyes.
I approach and it nuzzles the hand I hold out, its nose is velvety soft. I stroke its forehead and neck, and then run my hand across its shoulder, and gently down its right fore leg, which seems to be the problem area. I see the wound straight away, a jagged gash on its fetlock, by the swelling it is starting to become infected. I didn't have anything on me to treat it right now, but I know of several things in the woods that can help.
As I turn to leave, telling the pony I will be back soon, I catch a glimpse of the plant I was seeking, tucked amongst the roots of the tree in the dappled sunlight. I bent to collect some. Then hurried off in search of something for the wounded pony.
In my hurry I realise I have wandered too close to the domain of the spiders once more. My terror nearly takes over me, but Rawr's comforting prescence helps me control my fear. A giant web blocks my path ahead and I can hear the sounds of scurrying and chittering from behind me. There are no handy bushes to dive into this time, just dense vegetation to either side of the small path. Suddenly I remember my new sickle and begin hacking at the vegetation to my right, I trip over an exposed root, and suddenly I am tumbling down a steep embankment. I land in a heap at the bottom, with the wind knocked from me but no serious injuries.
I stand and look back up the slope to see if the spiders are pursuing, but it looks still up there. I brush the dirt and leaves from my clothes, as I look around to get my bearings. It is a grove of large trees with several small stone circles between them, which are moss covered and slightly overgrown. To my delight I spot a Nurse Willow, the sap from these rare trees is well known to speed up the healing process, and help prevent infection. This is exactly what I need to help the pony.
It takes a few minutes to get my bearings, but it doesn't take too long to make it back to the oak tree. The pony is still there and this time, whickers softly in greeting. I clean out the wound gently with some fresh water from a nearby beck, and then slather the thick sap over the cut on the pony's lower leg. letting it lick the remains from my hand. After a couple of minutes the sap solidifies into a flexible seal over the wound. It will heal much faster now, and no longer risks an infection. The Pony nuzzles me affectionately, and I get the sense that I have made a friend. I feel my connection to these woods deepen.
I come across some boar tracks and something tells me to follow them, they lead to a small clearing with another surgeon sap tree. I collect another vial full. A few metres from the clearing I hear an evil laughter, too late a troop of fairies sweep down from the treetops above an snatch up my basket, flying off with it. I see something drop to the ground, so does Rawr they fly off and come back with Tthe Coffee Cap plant clutched gently in her claws.
I catch a fleeting glimpse of a unicorn ahead of me on the path, it looks at me almost dismissively before bounding off into the trees and disappearing. I still go towards the place where it stood, and a magical sight greets my eyes. I can feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck and the slight electric feeling in the air, that is enough to let me know there is a magical ley line here. If that wasn't enough then the glittering motes hanging frozen in a line the air, would have been a sure give away. It was still early spring in the highlands and it had snowed a little last night. It had all melted now, but these flakes had been caught in the magical field of the leylines, and frozen in time. This along with the Coffee cap would be enough to create the potion I needed to cure my patient, but I would have to head home straight away as the magic on the snowflakes would only hold for a few hour
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