Herbs and Spices

Chapter 1 - A Jagged Life

The wood elf had woken with the sun, her journal haphazardly in one hand. Her back felt the slightest bit sore from sleeping on the ground, but it wasn't anything a quick stretch couldn't fix. She set her journal aside and stood up, feeling her joints crack from the movement.

This was the first day in quite a while that she had been able to sleep through the night. She was usually interrupted by the sounds of nature outside her thin walls, or those in squalor entering her hut, trying desperately to search for food.

She'd fallen asleep with her journal in hand, and opened it to find where she'd left off. She frequently traveled near her hut, taking notes of nearby flora, and jotting down notes about them. It was much easier to forage for food than to hunt. But she had seen the effects eating a poisonous plant could cause. She typically let others find out which herbs were safe. It was too dangerous to risk eating something harmful herself. Whether it was selfish or cautious, she couldn't decide.

She ran her hands through her stringy red hair, doing her best to brush out snarls with her hands. It didn't work well (it never did). Picking up her journal again, she ducked underneath the wooden doorframe of her hut to forage for some breakfast. She was quickly greeted by a few homeless people around her.

A light-skinned, purple tiefling was sitting outside of her house, leaning against a tree. He seemed to be sleeping, but as she snuck past him, he greeted her.

"Good morning, Wood Elf."

"Good morning, Tiefling," she responded, a hidden playfulness in her voice. Tiefling has been helpful in her quest to learn more about flora. While she was nervous to taste berries in fear they'd be harmful, Tiefling had no problem with it, grateful for the free meal... even if it meant the occasional upset stomach. She had yet to harm him severely! And that was all that mattered.

It was common practice in her "city" to refer to others as their race. Most had grown up here. Nobody purposely traveled to this part of Vulkri, they simply just found themselves here.

Her parents (as far as she knew) had dumped her here as an infant. How she was still alive was a mystery. There was no parental figure showing her the way, nobody to keep a watchful eye on her. She had learned through many mistakes. Many took pity on her as a child, offering scraps when they had the chance, and she learned the nearby forests made good cover from storms or beasts.

Now, she managed quite well. She found a passion in foraging, taking delight in determining each and every plant she came across. If she didn't recognize it, she'd bring it to her hut and sketch it. She kept small samples of any plant she came across in small jars within her house. Her hut was an unorganized mess filled with beautiful samples.

"If you happen to bring me back anything, that would be right wonderful," the Tiefling smiled, letting his eyes flutter shut. "Haven't managed a meal in two days. Not everyone can be as lucky as you." He had a rich accent, but she couldn't never determine where it was from.

She thought for a moment, doing her best to remember where she could find elderberry. It had rich healing properties, and the tart taste would certainly be right for her Tiefling.

"I'd be happy to. I'll try and be back before nightfall. Elderberries are a bit of a challenge."

His eyes shot open and he grinned. "Elderberries? Aw, missy, you treat me too well!"

She chuckled softly. "I try."

Despite Tiefling being almost twenty years older than her, they still had a wonderful connection. She brought him berries and occasionally spices (if she were so lucky) in exchange for wonderful stories. She could never tell if they were true or if he made them up just for her, but she didn't mind. There was little to look forward to in this town, and a little fiction never hurt anyone. Sometimes, a good story was just what she needed anyways. In this forest, people were sparsely populated. Everyone was trying their hardest to survive, and it came easier for some than others. Though she was blessed to have found a joy and natural whim for flora, others were not so lucky. It wasn't uncommon to hear about someone passing due to starvation. And though she did what she could to help those who needed it, it was never quite enough. People came and went, and she was careful with her relationships. Even at 14, she had learned the world was cruel.