Submission (#6494) Approved

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Submitted
21 December 2023, 13:39:55 PST (4 months ago)
Processed
25 December 2023, 00:41:57 PST (4 months ago) by tatter

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Hi there!
Thank you so much for the constructive feedback!
I really appreciate it- I'm a bit new to this and still getting my head around the requirements. I have a vision of Cassie being a herbalist travelling and studying to one day own a tea shop, so my mind was probably a little close to home in describing earthly peppermint. Curse my tea cravings. In future I'll try to put more of an Eyresian spin on my herbs ^^

I've updated with colours more fitting for Bellmoril as suggested, this also helped me to add more depth and add a 'Don't judge a book' metaphor to the piece xD

Please let me know if it needs more work!

All the best,

Syl ^.^

Content

December 2023 - Regional Flora Prompt
 
“So what’s the big deal about you and herbs, anyways?”  Satsuki had been pondering the question since the night before and pitched it bluntly to Cassie as they ambled through the autumnal forest of Bellmoril. 
 
As though waiting for the question, Cassie turned bright eyed to the fox-like kittom and beamed.  “I thought you’d never ask!” She replied with vigour, launching into an encyclopaedic rant about the uses and tastes of various herbs.  
 
Satsuki knew not the can of worms she had unleashed! Her many tails twitched in irritation as she tried to force a smile, unprepared for so much conversation so early.
 
“Thats.. A lot of a deal about you and herbs, heh, but listen sunshine, Maybe I might understand a little more of you showed me rather than told me in all those posh words you seemed to have picked up along the way?” Satsuki enquired.
 
Cassie paused and her brow furrowed in thought before she smiled once more, “Follow me!” She directed.  This raised an eyebrow with the ginger kittom but she complied, following Cassie into the brush.  After some searching and following her nose, Cassie stopped suddenly in front of a large bush.
 
Emerging from the thicket behind her, Satsuki regarded the patch with a raised eyebrow. It was large, sure, but the colours were a swirl of deep oranges and yellows which meandered accross the broad, serrated leaves.  This helped the bush cut a form that blended in well with the dappled undergrowth.  ‘What’s the deal? it looks like half the other shrubs around here?’ Satsuki mumbled to herself.
 
“Behold! Bellmoril Peppermint!” Smiled Cassie.  The sharp, minty smell coming from the bush billowed across the soft forest floor as the two kittoms took in the aroma.  They were in luck, the great bush was in bloom and Satsuki’s hard gaze softened.  Her nose twitched at the scent as it dawned on her  that some plants, while ordinary at first, may indeed be special.  
 
Great, bushy white flowers blossomed forth from the upper section, cotton-like in nature which swayed gently in the morning breeze, wafting lazily beneath the boughs.  While mostly white, the golden beams that streamed through the wooded paths caught the tufts and accented them in soft lavender hues.  
 
The amber streaked foliage was lush and plump with a surface like velvet, carpeted on the undersides with soft hairs.  The ragged edges of the leaves them a rough appearance, possibly to deter those who might choose to graze upon the maple shaded bounty.
 
Still not enough for Satsuki, she looked at the great, bushy herb before her and then back to Cassie, repeating the action a couple of times before she cleared her throat. A plant is a plant, right?  “I mean, it’s a nice plant? It smells nice? But what about it? What’s so special about it other than that?” She pondered.  
 
A step ahead of the question, Cassie had already pulled some of the more lush stems from the amalgamation while her pomu pushed forth a set of sturdy teacups and a kettle from shadowy storage.  “Suki dear, would you be so kind as to help me get a fire going? We should get the water boiling post haste, the leaves are in excellent condition.”
 
Although she would have preferred to keep moving and somewhat wishing to have kept quiet, Satsuki’s curiousity was piqued. “Eh. Let’s see where she’s going with this,” she mused.  Soon the tea kettle was boiling and bubbled gently, steam rising in great clouds through the chilly autumn air.
 
The peppermint brewed beautifully into a bronze hued beverage and the two kittoms soon enjoyed a refreshing brew.  Birds sang softly in echoes which soared through the branches in a gentle chorus.  Satsuki was touched by the sensations that followed, the mint invigorating to the senses and she breathed with renewed clarity from the first sip,  “Not bad, marshmallow,” she quipped.  Cassie chuckled awkwardly at the comment, but proceeded to enlighten her new friend on the benefits of the peppermint she had worked to find.
 
“I read about Bellmoril Peppermint a while ago, but this is my first time finding it in the wild.  The colours don’t make it easy to find, but it has properties that help digestion and a sharp flavour that clears the airways. You just have to follow your nose!” Cassie grinned, pausing for a moment to sip gently from her tea and regard her companion’s pensive mood.  
 
“I thought on a cold morning like this it was the perfect way to start the day.  The stems are also very woody, you can strip the fibres and use them to craft strings, but.. I’m more interested in the leaves, admittedly” Cassie continued.
 
Ever the trickster, Suki would ordinarily have loved to parry Cassie’s comments with a joke, but the soothing aroma of both the plant and the tea took the edge from her impish nature. She settled into her nest of tails and purred softly as the steam danced into the amber boughs above.  “Like I said, not bad, Marshmallow, not bad.  Maybe there’s something to these herbs of yours after all.”
 

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Thumbnail for ELN1237: Satsuki

ELN1237: Satsuki

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Thumbnail for ELN2280: Cassie

ELN2280: Cassie

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AP (Bellmoril) (Currencies) 1

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