Free (Closed.)

[The Skarzs]

Garth sipped at his canteen. "Well, I think that we might be heading toward a large body of water: The trees are thinning, and I think I saw a gull."

[Cornflower MM]

"Gulls live by the sea." Arya thought out loud. "Well, the sea's a nice place, so long as you avoid the occasional searat and corsair raid."

[The Skarzs]

". . . Which we would still encounter if we went on a ship." After a moment, Garth grinned. "This might be fun."

[Cornflower MM]

Arya swallowed, then said, "A ship? Now, that would be interesting." She smiled, and drew back her hood.

[The Skarzs]

"Of course, that's provided we get on a ship." The male squirrel packed his canteen. "Ready?"

[Cornflower MM]

Arya tossed the last bite of her cheese into her mouth and nodded. She geztured with a paw, meaning for Garth to go first.

[The Skarzs]

Garth nodded, and began walking. The air smelled different, containing something he hadn't smelled for a long time. "Yes, we're definitely heading toward ocean," he remarked.

[Cornflower MM]

"Smells salty." Arya remarked, with a sigh as she pulled her canteen out while walking.

[The Skarzs]

"Indeed; salt water. Haven't been near the stuff for a long time." He grinned crookedly. "Last time I came to the ocean I ate shark."

[Cornflower MM]

"Have to admit I've never tried shark." Arya said with a grin. "But the last time I came to the shore I ended up avoiding this one really pushy, really annoying squirrel." Arya commented with a shudder. "Although he di back down after I threatened to set his brush on fire."

[The Skarzs]

"I would imagine so," Garth said, raising a brow. "Hopefully this won't bring back too bad of memories." Now the dirt under their feet was becoming sandy and thin, the trees growing few and far between and coarse grasses growing instead of shrubbery.

[Cornflower MM]

"Nah, it shouldn't." Arya replied, flicking her brush.

[The Skarzs]

"Oh, I never did tell you how I came to learn some healing from a witch." Garth winked at Arya.

[Cornflower MM]

"No, you didn't. Care to explain now?" Arya asked curiously, glancing at her traveling companion.

[The Skarzs]

Garth started his story.
"It was a long while ago, when I was far south of here, I had come across a vixen. She was old and small, couldn't have been an taller than me, and always used a dark hardwood cane with her wherever she went. Actually, it was she who found me, when I was taking a rest in a tree.
'Come down here, brushtail!' she had called, and I asked her what she wanted. 'If you do something for me, I will teach you something you will never find amiss.'
I agreed to help her; (there really wasn't much she could have done if I had refused) she brought me to her. . . house, if you could consider the rotting hollow tree she called home a house, and showed me her problem: a couple grass snakes.
'Moved in here a couple days ago, and took it like it was their own house!' the fox had sniffed. She sat down and stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to solve her dilemma.
It took me a while, but I eventually killed the two snakes; I won't go into how. Also, I still don't want to know what she wanted with the two carcasses after I was done with them." Garth grimaced, but continued. "True to her word, the fox taught me what she new on healing, and a lot on poisonous and helpful plants. In addition to that, in appreciation for me taking care of the snakes, she taught me some 'magic spells', as she called them. Supposed to turn creatures into bugs."