Pentad of Un

Chapter 21 - Adif

     "Do you want help?"

     "Nope, I've got it." Adif set aside the vial she had finished washing before reaching for another one to clean. "Thanks, though."

     Jelro nodded and sat down next to her, taking off his shoes.

     "Just stay downstream from me," Adif told him. "I don't want to be cleaning these with feet-water."

     Jelro laughed.

     "Will do." He sat on Adif's other side and put his feet in the water.

     After it stopped raining, the group had decided to camp next to the stream they came across, since everyone seemed pretty exhausted from the events of the night.

     Adif cast a glance towards where Shayrow was napping at the base of a tree, nestled in the now-dry cloaks that everyone had taken off after the storm. The resident animals were all with Shayrow, either curled up next to him or draped over him.

     Adif was taking the opportunity to wash the vials and flasks she had used for the many potions and whatnot she and Shayrow had already made. She had filled a basin with the water from the stream to wash the containers in, as to not get any residue in the river. Then she filtered out the water and dumped the waste in a special container that she could empty out in the next town they passed through.

     "Is anyone else hungry?" Luss asked, plopping down on Adif's other side. Without his cloak wrapped around him, he looked like he was missing half of his body.

     "I could eat," Jelro said.

     "Hey, Kestek!" Luss hollered over his shoulder. "You in the market for some cooking?"

     Kestek drifted over and sat down next to Jelro.

     "That depends," she said. "We're kind of limited on ingredients out here in the middle of the forest."

     "Technically, I think we're closer to the west side of the forest," Luss said.

     Kestek rolled her eyes.

     Adif continued washing the vials while the others discussed food. With the sun out, she was getting plenty of energy.

     "You know how to make sjarvum?!" Luss spluttered.

     "Of course I do," Kestek said. "It's not that hard."

     Luss lunged forward and grabbed Kestek's hands, leaning across Jelro's legs to do so.

     "Please make some for me. I'm literally begging you."

     "Uhm..." Kestek uneasily pulled her hands away. "Okay...?"

     Luss pretended to swoon, nearly knocking a vial out of Adif's hands.

     "What is sjarvum?" Jelro asked, nudging Luss off of his lap.

     "It's an Asbvajian food," Luss explained. "I haven't eaten it in forever."

     "What's in it?" Adif inquired.

     "It's kind of like bread and rice combined," Kestek said. "Bready rice? Anyway, it's supposed to be served hot with strips of meat buried in it and a special sauce poured on it. It can be really spicy if you season it the way it usually is supposed to be."

     "That sounds simple enough," Jelro remarked. "Is there a reason it's a food that's specific to Asbvaj?"

     "Yeah, actually." Luss eyed his reflection in the stream and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's made entirely without water."