Fable - Ask A Cabin In The Woods

[Ysobel]

"Perhaps not, but you wouldn't have wasted your time looking for him had he told either of us where he was going." She shrugged, still sheepishly making an attempt to apologize after Chasmine rejected the first. Having spent no time with the girl when she was alive, Ysobel's first experience with Chas was shockingly pleasant. She could admit that she appreciated having company, but the company of someone who had gone out of her way to force Ysobel, who'd for all purposes been rotting in bed since Gaage left, out of the house to do something as simple as flower picking...She was grateful. Genuinely, truly grateful that she had shown up when she did.

Her eyes followed Chasmines up into the trees. Everything looked the same to her. Herbalism classes had been lost entirely on the blonde. It was probably a good thing, she'd never had to forage for food on her own, else she'd have been dead five years ago.

"What kind of medicinal property would you get from eating tree bark?" She wondered aloud, continuing on with, "did they call it dogwood after a dog's barking?" and a quiet giggle.

 

[Chasmine]

Had she wasted her time? Chasmine did not like to think so. Her time here, now, was serving her a purpose - she just didn't know what that was quite yet.

"Well, you don't eat the bark," the ghost replied, her gaze looking to the tree in question, "you boil it to make a tincture or a tea. Though I suppose you could chew on it for more immediate benefits."

As for the origins of its name? Chasmine smiled wonderingly, "Maybe ... I think the name has something to do with the taste of the flowers. They are edible, but do not taste very good. Not even good enough for dogs, as the farmers would say."

Her attention strayed toward a larger clearing some distance away, "There are likely wildfowers over there. Perhaps some native lilies..."

 

[Ysobel]

Ysobel listened attentively while Chasmine explained the dogwood's preferred method of use, ripping a bit of the bark and placing it in her mouth to chew as she continued. It was nasty. Bitter and unpleasant. How that could aid in helping one's health, Ysobel could not understand. That was, unless it was used to make someone vomit so that they were no longer nauseous. That had to be it.

She spit the bark out on the ground.

"I can only imagine how awful the leaves must taste if the bark is this awful." Her tongue burned as she spat out the last chewed up pieces. "I think it may be best to just keep the flowers in a vase. Far, far away from my mouth."

Similar to the times before, her gaze followed Chasmine's and she listened to her information on the next flowers, though this time she had little to say. Ysobel waited a moment for more, but got nothing. "Native lilies? Are they good for anything?"

Chasmine

 

[Chasmine]

"Mmm," Chasmine wondered at that, "perfumes. They have quite a lovely aroma. You can also eat the bulbs... they are similar to onions, but less bitter."

 

[Ysobel]

"Perfume?" She trudged along to the next patch of plants. "I like the taste, but I can't imagine anyone wishing to smell of onion." Finally approaching the plants, she crouched down. "Maybe I can use them to make us something to eat."

She had neglected to consider that her new friend may not be able to eat. "Or...I can save them for next time Gaage is home. I don't suppose you have any tips on preserving plants..."

 

[Chasmine]

The ghost offered a wane smile at the misunderstanding. Imagine, lilies smelling like onions. She did not bother to correct the other girl, for Ysobel would discover on her own that the lily flowers smelled quite lovely indeed.

"Oh yes... it's quite easy to do."

They collected more plants, roots, fungi, and flowers for the next hour before returning to the small cabin. Though it would take quite some time to learn it all, Chasmine offered rudimentary preservation methods for Ysobel to try. As the daylight waned, however, her ghostly companion had begun to grow ever more pale.

Finally, when a fire crackled softly in the fireplace, she had to bid her new friend farewell.

She would not return to the place again, and maybe might only be thought of as an odd dream brought on by cabin fever.