The broken gear

Hiking trail

"Anyway, where is the hiking trail?" asked Thomas.

"Right there," Nelle pointed to a sign a couple of yards away from them.

"Let's go," Thomas walked into the hiking trail.

"Wait."

"What is it?"

"There's a carnivorous plant that's about 10-11 feet tall, look," Nelle showed him the hiking trail in the map that had a warning sign for the plant. "I kind of want to see it."

"We probably shouldn't get too close."

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure it has a fence or something around it."

"It would be nice to see it, but I'm not sure."

"I know how to convince you," Nelle said with a smug look on her face. She began to run in the direction of the plant.

"Wait!" Thomas yelled as he began to follow her.

Nelle stopped in front of the warning sign for the plant and was waiting for Thomas. He arrived a couple of seconds later and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"You're faster than I thought" said Nelle without feeling tired.

"How are you not out of breath?"

"I told you I could convince you, anyway we're near the plant now."

Thomas had caught his breath now and was far less tired, "Why did you run off."

"You wouldn't have gone to the plant if I didn't."

"You could have convinced me, I was on the fence on whether or not I should go."

"Fair enough."

Thomas and Nelle continued to walk towards the plant.

Thomas stopped himself before he tripped on one of the plant's tendrils.

"I don't think the plant should be this big," he said.

"I think it might be able to feel us approaching."

"Is there a way we can return it back without fighting or being seen?" Thomas whispered.

"Yeah, an anti-fertilizer should do it, but unfortunately we don't have any." Nelle whispered back. "There could be some in a botany shop though."

"We should probably go back."

Nelle agreed and both of them walked back to the intersection cautiously.

Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close, where's the nearest botany shop?"

"We don't need one"

"I'm sorry?"

"We should just be able to use a plant reduction spell or be able to make a potion similar to that."

"Can you do that?"

"Somewhat."

"What do you mean somewhat."

"I'm not an expert in plants."

Thomas pondered for a second. He thought about what to do. "Maybe that's why no one is here," he said.

"Maybe."

"So, are we going to do the spell, potion, or get the anti-fertilizer?"

"For the potion we'll need ingredients, for the fertilizer we'll need to leave and come back, but once we leave we most likely won't need to return, so we'll use the spell."

"Are we going back in?"

"Well this spell is ranged so yeah, also if the plant attacks then I need you to distract it."  

Thomas grabbed his sword and took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go in."