CHAPTER 2

Flara woke up early one morning. she had been spending more and more time in her secret everbloom. gathering more and more things that she held dear. taking a deep breathe she grabbed the journal that the stranger gave her and tucked it into her satchel. smiling wide as her blazen colored ears twitched. she took one step out into the sun. it was just rising as the horizon was a myraid of pinks and yellows and reds. smiling as the suns rays warmed her fur making her feel energized. she had never left the confines of the safety of the colony before. this was all new and exciting to her.

Flara set out and folowed the direction of the horizon letting the sun guide her paws. each determined step drew her ever closer to the mysteries her heart longed to find. after walking for what seemed like forver she ran into a patch of small multi colored berries of various shapes and sizes. quickly she grabbed the journal and flipped through it. she identified a few different berries that were good in healing potions as well as some she knew were sweet to the taste. she grew more excited as she picked a few here and there. placing a few of some sweet, bitter, sour. she grabbed some small aloe leaves to make salves. continuing to look through this berry patch she began to get even more excited as she starting seeing new species she had never seen before.

picking a few she found a purple berry that smelled like the morning dew. curiousity driving her every move she licked the juice oozing from purple berry and found it taste to be very fresh and grassy. smiling she laced a few in her satchel. continuing she ran accross some dandelions and collected some of its pollen and green leaves. she continued to walk when she suddenly stumbled over a root sticking out of the ground. she had never seen it before and quickly turned to the journal to help guide her in identifying this strange root. after flipping though a few pages she found the strange root and found it to be a valerian root. the journal had a few lines of information on the root.

after sitting and reading for abit she found out that the root before her was good for headaches and stress. so she quickly placed a few pieces into her satchel. she had gathered a few different things. looking up she noticed it was already midday. she would be due to cook the conlony a meal. she was eager to be able to try some of the new berries she had found. especially the ones that were sweet and grassy. she wanted to use the aloe gel as a thickener. along her treck back to the colony she found a few different earthy mushrooms that could give her dishes some body and substance.

reaching the colony easily she bobbed and weaved between the few Alvulp's wandering about. she stopped inf ront of the cauldron in the center as she smashed a few of the grassy flavored berries and added a touch of honey and the dandelion pollen for color. she stirred it for abit then looked at as she then threw in some tiny edible mushrooms. making something that resembled a berry stew. she took a small taste of her creation and smiled joyfully as she enjoyed the honey sweet grassy and earthy flavor. grabbing the cap of a nearby acorn she dipped it in and took some for herself before the colony conveined for their meal. she knew if she didnt grab a taste now she would not get any.

as the cheifs and others filled in Flara took her leave to settle into the confines of her own little everbloom. sitting down she dipped her paw into her meal and took small licks of it enjoying the texture and taste. she grabbed the journal out of her bag and began to sift though it looking at the pictures and words of some of the plants and herbs that were held within. she flipped about 6 pages in and gasped as a beautiful blue and rep tipped plant filled the page. she had never seen a plant this vibrant in color. she began to quickly read up on this new discovery hoping to one day catch a glimpse of it. she read that the plant was called a gully fern. it was used as a spice to lighten the taste of a meal along the lines of basil just with a bolder taste.

shifting through a few more pages she came across an illustration of a thick yellow gel like substance that came out of a rather ugly looking brown root that came from a blazing red flower. reading on she learned that this flower was called a devils ear but it worked as a good antiseptic. it could be found near flowing water in dark areas. growing more excited with each picture and entry she planned her next adventure for the following day. she wanted to go by the small stream that ran though an everbloom patch to see what she could find there.

she woke up before dawn to get a head start on her day she packed a few berries and a bottle of honey dew necter. she had planned to make it a most of the day outing. traveling for abit she soon found the mouth of the small stream that lead to the everbloom patch that was her destination. making slow progress she finally reached the patch and she squealed a happy sound as she suddenly covered her mouth with her paws and looked about like someone would heqar her and find her out. setting in she gently weaved through the everbloom bases taking care not to harm a single specimin. stepping into the trickling stream the cool water elicited a small shiver from her as her paws sunk beneath the surface.

looking back at her journal she took note and eteched the picture of the flower into her mind. searching along the banks of the stream Flara was having no luck in finding such a rare yet beautiful flowef. sitting on the edge of the water she grabbed her satchel and popped a few grassy flavored berries into her mouth. she then took a sip of her honey dew and sighed softly. her ears twicthing as she heard a comotion behind her getting up quickly she looked about to find 2 mice fighting over a seed. watching intently as she giggled softly they knocked into the edge of a dead grasy area. a few dead blades of grass fell as she then gasped. could her eyes be deceiving her had she found this elusive devils ear flower. rushing towards it she gently dug it up with a stick she found making sure not to harm the brown root. picking some off she then replanted the flower in hopes it would still survive and grow. placing the roots in her bad she tried to figure out a way she could use the roots to aid the colony is disenfecting wounds.