Welcome to Gaia! ::

Elza leaned against the open door frame, watching as a young girl of nine ran down the hill to the nearby town south of the house. Twirling a strand of her red hair and thinking, she recalled the girl’s terrified yet desperate expression. Numerous rumors, good and bad, circulated about the Flora Witch on the Hilltop. The young girl, orphaned and without a coin to her name, gathered her courage to request a tonic for her ill younger sister. Having been filled with fear, her body relaxed when Elza asked her about the sister’s symptoms and the duration of the sickness. After numerous questions, Elza determined that the little girl was suffering from an infection induced fever. The young girl agreed that once her little sister was better, both sisters would work in Elza’s garden and run errands for her for a few weeks. This would also permit the apothecary to keep an eye on their health and possibly even teach them a few useful life skills so they could continue to survive.

The young girl had disappeared from Elza’s view when she turned back into the cottage, closing the door behind herself. She crossed the room and entered the kitchen where she grabbed a few dried plants hanging near the window. She continued to her work room where a counter and several cauldrons stood in the center of the room while the walls were covered in shelving filled with miscellaneous jars, baskets, and odds and ends. She tossed the plants onto the counter while reaching for a few more ingredients and crystals for potions making. Only a few more things were needed and they were down below, in a secret little cavern hidden beneath the cottage. A stream of purified water from the northern lake ran through the cavern, which permitted Elza to grow unique and even some rare plants underground. She tied on an apron, grabbed a basket with shears, opened a heavy door, and began her descent down the stone stairs as she was greeted by cool air and a faint glow from the overhead crystal lanterns.

A gentle breeze rustled the tree leaves above the cottage as a few candles flickered on the edge of the porch. The faint moonlight permitted the three giggling children to see only a few feet in front of themselves. They cautiously approached the cottage.

“OW! Stop stepping on my foot!” a young girl’s voice gasped as she tried to not yell out.

“I can’t see a thing. Allie, where’s the light crystal?” a young boy demanded.

The first girl stopped and rustled through a bag. After a moment, a small crystal began to glow, illuminating the children in a 5 foot radius. “Better, Joque?” Allie questioned, as she pushed her curly brown hair out of her face. “Simon, what’s wrong?”

The third child, a timid boy with short black hair, stared with wide eyes at the railing on the porch. “Wh-what’s that?” he choked out. “I-is it alive?

Joque punched Simon in the arm. “You were up for proving your worth by going to the haunted house and now you’re shaking in your boots like a bitty weeing pup. Stop being a sissy!” He stomped over to the porch making as much noise as possible. “The stupid bird’s made of wood or stone. It’s not real. Look!”

Both Allie and Simon began to frantically wave their arms while whisper yelling for Joque to stop. He chuckled. “You babies.” He flicked the head of a crow statue expecting a thunk. Instead, the crow began to flap its wings and squawk in the boy’s face.

All three children screamed and they tumbled over each other while they tried to run away. In the chaos, Allie dropped the light crystal and left it behind. As the glow of the crystal faded the crow’s squawking continued.

The couriers that travelled the path near the cottage were used to being greeted with a wave and smile from a particular red headed woman. She was usually seen wearing some type of apron while sometimes holding a basket full of herbs or vegetables. During the colder months she’d invite the couriers over for a spot of tea to warm up before they continued their work day. It had been three weeks since anyone had seen Elza step out of her home.

As the sun began to set on another early summer day, a minty scent wafted through any opening in the cottage. Inside, Elza removed her apron, splattered in green and purple liquids, and set it on a hook. She slowly lowered herself in a cushioned chair, leaned back, and closed her eyes. She had been hyper focused on crafting regrowth elixirs a hospital two towns over had requested. An accident had occurred that injured thirty-two people, dismembered nine others, and killed three unfortunate souls. The hospital had run out of regrowth elixirs and had sent out a request for extras. When Elza heard about the accident she dropped everything she was doing and obsessed with crafting as many elixirs as possible. Her potions room was covered in used cauldrons, debris, and disorganized drawers, baskets, and jars. After several failures, Elza succeeded in creating twelve elixirs. After some rest and a meal, she would ride first thing in the morning to the hospital so the elixirs could be administered. The regrowth process would be painful, but at least the dismembered individuals could regain their livelihood.

Spring was approaching so Elza and Sullivan headed up to the northern lake. The sun was high and reflecting on the surrounding white. It was broken up by the sprouts and buds that were beginning to pop through the lingering snow. Standing at 16 hands, and weighing close to 1700 pounds, the dapple gray cheerfully trotted up the path. Sullivan was quite excited to get out of the shed like barn and move around. Elza smiled after seeing his cheerfulness. She reached forward and patted him on the side of his neck. “Happy to be out an about?” She questioned. Sullivan neighed, bobbing his head up and down as a positive response.

They reached the lake so Elza slid off the horse’s back. She grabbed a basket and headed over to the tree line. Some of the new sprouts would be ideal for tonics. Sullivan on the other hand wanted to explore. The hard snow crunched under his hooves as he moved around. He sniffed the ground up to the lake edge where the ice chilled his muzzle. He looked up and across the lake. The ice covered the lake except for the center, where the water rippled from a light breeze. Due to his excitement to leave the cottage, Sullivan hadn’t had much to eat or drink. However, now, after a brisk trot to the lake, he was suddenly thirsty, and the idea of ice cold water seemed rather appealing.

Sullivan placed a hoof on the ice, testing his weight. It was thick at the edge. He walked forward, careful to not slip. Standing about five feet from the edge, he looked over to his red headed human, making sure she wasn’t watching him. Happy she was busy plucking plants, he turned his attention to the ice again. The dapple gray took another step and placed all his weight on the front hoof. The ice creaked, signaling that it was ready to break at any moment. In response, Sullivan took a couple of steps back. He began to paw and dig at the ice with the tip of hoof. After a bit of work, the ice cracked up to where it was ready to give earlier. He pawed at it a few more times and an oblong hole formed. Lowering his head, he drank from the opening. The chilly water was quite refreshing.

“What are you doing?” Sullivan’s head shot up and turned towards Elza. She was standing, the basket hanging off an arm, staring at him with a hand on her hip. He neighed at her while bobbing his head then lifting it to the sky. “If you fall through that ice, that’s it. You’re gone.” She exclaimed, waving her arms while speaking. “Who knows what’s under there and how strong the current is.” Sullivan blew a raspberry at Elza. “Sulli-“ the dapple gray blew another raspberry, interrupting her. He slowly turned and walked the few steps back to the water’s edge. His human and her irrational fear of ice just had to ruin his fun.