HelloHound

Thanks for y'all's patience, this month has been very *gestures* and I've just had zero brain cells to do much anything; honestly it's a stroke of luck I've managed to finish this chapter today rather than leave it to next week with an apology but I didn't have to so, woo

I blinked at her proud announcement and then shuffled close to Loup, kicking lightly at his heel so that he will pick up the pace.

    “Hurry up, I don’t wanna be out much longer.” I hiss at his unwilling glance and step around his lazy kick in retaliation. Loup grumbles under his breath but does pick up the pace after hefting his backpack off for me to carry. I shoulder it awkwardly, shifting it every couple of steps so it doesn’t slip low enough to knock behind my knees. I jiggle the straps, trying vainly to tighten them and keep them in place. A jerk in one spot and a slight decline almost causes me to stumble until a tight hand grasps my shoulder and Lucy pulls me into her arms.

    I try and glance back at her but my hair blocks my vision, wispy braids poking out like porcupine quills out the side and I try to smile. It feels stiff. “Thanks, Lucy,” I tell her before stepping away and continuing to follow Loup. Or trying to; I’m now held against Lucy’s chest as she rested her chin on my head. Again. Is her neck too weak to support her skull?

    I wiggle and tried to step forward but instead, I felt more weight leaning on me.

“Get off,” I state flatly, this is getting annoying- can’t she support herself like other people? Can’t believe someone strong enough to work at a mill has to be held up by a small child. Though, based on how she responded to Loup earlier, she seems to be skilled at making excuses.

    I walk forward, ignoring the faint whine from Lucy as she complains about dirt scuffing her shoe, shifting my head and shoulders to attempt and shake her off. I catch up to a crouching Loup closely inspecting a moss-covered rock.

    “Mourner’s moss, tends to grow after the mushrooms wilt away post-sporing; it’s a minor coagulant when ground up and put in a paste…it can’t’ve been long since then considering how soft it is.”

    At my look, he elaborates, saying that the moss grows short spines after a week of growth to catch onto the hides of passerby animals and to defend against grazing.

    “I think it’s like a metaphor?” Lucy pipes up. “Like how sadness grows sharper after time or something.” 

    Loup puts his hand on the back of my head and makes me nod alongside his blatant ‘I’m thinking seriously now’ face. I grumbled and smacked the hand away after the first couple of bobs. Sodhead.

    “So the mushrooms should be nearby right? What do they look like?”

    Loup scratched his chin thoughtfully while Lucy grabbed a nearby stick and drew in the dirt in front of me: a stout body with a tri-point crown with droopy tops. I don’t get the comedy here.

    “They’re light grey on the stem and usually- though I’ve heard of variations- are a bright red with yellow or orange tips at the tops. Typically those aren’t used unless it’s for alcohol or other…stuff. The stems are good in potion-making I’ve heard.

    Now what potions, I dunno, but they dry and travel nicely so it’s a consistent source of yearly” Now he rubs his fingers and thumb together for some reason. “So even if the guild lets kids get such a big commission from these things they still get a tidy profit.”

    “You gotta keep an eye out for this request though! Gets snatched up real fast” Lucy chimes in. Loup nods in agreement at her words. I nod at his nodding. Lucy joins in and we are all bobbing our heads together like a group of idiots before making eye contact and stopping abruptly. Loup pokes his finger up, points it in a random direction and begins walking quickly, Lucy and I trailing behind him as he advanced with a determined look.

    “You know where you’re going, right?” I call from way, way behind him. He pauses and looks back, face flushing a little as he chews the side of his cheek.

    “Yup.” He replies, not meeting my face for some reason. Then he shouts and points 

    “Oh! Over there! Told you I knew where I was going!” Now he looks smug for some reason; he told me he knew where he was going so why does he look so relieved now? 

    He rushes forward, Lucy close behind him and once again I’m at the back, but thanks to Lucy’s dragging of my arm I’m not as far behind as before. Still wished she wasn’t touching my hand but it’s not too irritating yet.

    Loup’s hand grabs the brightly colored mushrooms and he begins shoving them in his side-pack while I disgruntedly try and shake Lucy off of me. It’s almost fun until the bushes shake and the ugliest little creature on two legs stumbles out; it’s got a large, flat face with a nose shaped a bit like a leaf and small black eyes that glint beadily as it twitches its ears and scents the air. I feel Lucy tense around me and see Loup grip his almost-forgotten spear tightly enough his knuckles pale.