"Alrighty." Ashera stood up straight after dressing the deer Wyll caught for everyone "Astarion here you want the heart?" Ashera holds up a sack clearly with the deer's heart in it
"I'm full up right now." Astarion tells her
"I'll save it for you." Ashera sat down the bag "Hey Gale you ready to make us a nice big roast tonight?" Ashera called over to the wizard
"Most certainly." Gale walks up and looks at the big chunk of meat
"It won't take long for it to cook...""I'll get it all prepped." Gale pats her shoulder before picking up the deer meat by the parchment paper
"You still have those potatoes and carrots we found?" Ashera asks
"Yes I've been saving them." Gale nods
"Oh yeah that's going to be good." Ashera smiles
"I'll try to out do myself." Gale smirks before going to prepare the roast
"Ashera." Halsin says getting her attention
"Hey there." Ashera turned around to look up at the handsome elf
"Is there enough to make some deer jerky?" Halsin asks "I couldn't tell you the last time I had some."
"Most definitely there'll be enough I'm actually making some for everyone." Ashera smiles up at Halsin, sharing that part of her past with him lifted a weight off of Ashera. She hadn't talked to anyone but her mother about what happened to Daniel. It was nice to talk to someone else about it.
"I don't know what we'll encounter in the Under Dark so I want to make sure we all still have something to eat."
"Oak father bless you, that's thoughtful." Halsin chuckles "Would you like a hand?"
"Oh um sure." Ashera smiles, if she was a dog her tail would be wagging a mile a minute
"Where do you need me?" Halsin asks
"Well now that I've got a good chunk of clean meat I got to cut it quickly so I can get it soaking in the brine." Ashera explains "Which Astarion is supposed to be working on." Ashera looks back at the vampire lounging by his tent making googly eyes at a wine glass but still manages to stick his tongue out at her.
"Charming." Halsin smiles before finding his spot next to Ashera "I'll take his place then."
"Thank you." Ashera pats his shoulder getting Halsin to smile at her "Okay so while I cut this meat into 1/4 sections which I find is the sweet spot you take these ingredients here." Ashera tried not to huff when handing Halsin the basket full of ingredients to him.
"Just these 8 ingredients make the brine?" Halsin asks
"It's pretty simple." She nods "You just combine it all and salt to taste but I find with this group a tablespoon is more than enough." Ashera tells him "And don't tell them this but I add just a hint of lemon."
"The secret ingredient revealed." Halsin smirks
"Yup and since we need to get a move on I'm going to smoke the jerky so it's ready by morning." Ashera tells him trying to not get overly excited while talking
"Are you sure you weren't a leader before this?" Halsin asks combining the ingredients into a bowl
"I could barely take care of myself but for some reason these crazy people look to me for guidance still I think of it as a team effort I couldn't do anything without them." Ashera shares with Halsin
"I can see why." Halsin smiles "You are kind and generous however you protect each of your party like they're family." He says
"Oh gosh I don't know." Ashera focused on cutting meat "We're all in the same boat it only makes sense for us to stick together."
YOU ARE READING
The Sorceress and her Bear
FanfictionA story following the sorceress Ashera who travels with people who would become like her family and her love for a certain Arch Druid Halsin
