Snoozer Shroom

I've come to appreciate the quiet of a snowy forest. The soft, muffled silence is perfect for contemplation. My mind relaxes with each step through the snow, allowing my unconscious to reflect and explore a world of possibilities and potential solutions for the Spindle Tree. The muted crunch of my feet sinking into the snow is all I hear… until an expected sound nearby snaps me out of my musings. I turn to Spike, but no, the noise didn't come from him. I stand completely still and listen carefully. The source is nearby, and as I begin walking towards it, each step closer reveals a little more about it. A slight vibrato... wait, is that a snore? Who could be sleeping out here? Behind a tree trunk, I find a young Ordis recruit, stretched out on her back and sleeping like a baby. Not sure that a snowbank is the best place for a siesta…

As I reach out to her shoulder to shake her awake, I notice something on her chest, gazing thoughtfully at her sleeping face. It's a mush. Well, a Snoozer Shroom to be precise. I quickly notice that a bit of its cap has been nibbled away. Well, I guess that explains the soldier's untimely nap. Another novice who didn't pay attention during their training about the dangers of the forest. Still, the mush's red cap with blue scales should have been an obvious warning. I borrow the recruit's waterproof gloves and pick up the little mushroom, which then offers me a bit of its cap. No thanks, little one, I just ate. And I know all about your narcotic properties. But I'll save it for later so I can make a soup that brings on a deep, refreshing sleep, like certain moms do for their overactive kids. In the meantime, I'll need to brew some herbal tea for the recruit, who'll likely wake up with a nasty cold… What was she doing out here all alone, anyway?

ARJUN

393 AC