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Mrithun had dove head first into a plush bush. Wiggling to try to get through the tangled branches and find the thick plump leaves. He was sure this type was meant to be the leaves and not the shining orange berries to his left. It certainly wasn't the roots...

He started to back out of the bush to get one last look at it. This was the one they learned about on Tuesday, right? Fireburn, or Thornsherry was it? He'd get a look at the berries and think on it. As he brushed leaves from his furr, he heard the movement of leaflitter. Mrithun froze, his fight or flight response making his adrenaline curl his claws into the clay.

Mrithun's ears had spiraled to his right before he was able to lock eyes with the large horned stallion. He spoke nothing as his mind reeled for the proper response. His furr almost tingling as the stallion's muzzle clipped by his toes.

Finally a breath could release as words flowed in the clearing. "oh----oh!" He responded. "My aunts sent me on a mission to find some supplies, but I'm a little lost trying to match names with leaves. Do.... D you know a lot about plants?" At this point he couldn't help but side eye the wonderful little pouch the other had.

Mrithun's shoulders relaxed. He was not afraid to ask for help. He was relieved someone who knew about the surrounding flora of the region. "My aunt said she was looking for something of flavor to mask a thick medicine." Mithrun paused as he had to keep a small chuckle from releasing at the last question.

"My name is Mrithun. But I had a lisp as a foal so my aunts called me Mr. Chewy." At that he did let a chuckle escape. He thought of them fondly. "I am a friend" and at that pointed to his forehead.

Mrithun's ears perked happily as he nodded his head. "Spearamint sounds familiar! And maybe the salt too." He tapped a claw against the ground as his eyes wandered off to the distance in thought. "But I think the salt was more for lasting and not taste in the lesson I had." He focused his eyes on Birch once more and smiled. "It can be used as other things as well?"

Mrithun shuffled his paw against a small pile of dust as he mentally crossed his toes. "May--maybe you could tell me while you lead me to the good tasting leaves? Spearmint you said?"

Mrithun's eyes went a little wide at the mention of passing gas. As much in awe as mirth and surprise. His aunts would never allow him to get away with such a joke. Even if sometimes their swamp home held in some of the stinky smells of their surroundings. He took this chance to giggle along with his new cohort.

He listened intently to this enlightened stallion. "Steep?" He gave some thought to this. "My aunts have mentioned single pool sized hot springs up in some far off hillside." The youngness in him showing slightly as he envisioned a hillside coved in white. "I wonder if there could be a benefit to bringing a good amount of the stuff with you and climbing into the pool. Almost like bathing in tea."

"Oh, I hope so." Mrithun said in a gentle wistful way. "My aunts seem to know so much of all the plants in our swamp. I was hoping to try and bring back some new types of plants home. If they can do something with it, maybe we can make our collection of balms bigger and have more options for the neighbors to buy."

As he walked on, he was glad for the ease between them on their walk. He often silently thanked his aunts for charming him after finding him as a foal. And even more, give him something to work towards. A purpose other than shedding blood and harming. In his new, grown and mannered self, he felt more at home in his skin. Without the constant itch of moving and hunting all of his time. Instead he was able to enjoy the breeze that had just ruffled the wings of the flutter walking besides him. Admiring the iridescent ghostliness of the pail white.