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Autumn had always been a busy time of year for Aesling. Between her daily patrols of the forest and building up a larder for winter, she barely had time to relax before sundown, and it didn’t help when she’d need to help pixies rebuild their homes after a badger had come and raided it or when dryads would come crying about their trees being assaulted by parasites.
Markus would follow her around as she performed her tasks and helping where he could when he wasn’t off with Kyr patrolling the areas where the veil separating the fae woods from the mundane forest grew thin. Ashe was never sure if it was because he wanted to be useful in his new home, or if he just couldn’t stand to be alone for more than a few hours. Shorter days and colder weather made him slow and lethargic, though, so Aesling would more often than not find herself waiting for him to catch up with her as they wandered through thicker copses of trees.
It was about lunch time one day, when the pair were taking a break by the river and nibbling on some mushrooms and chestnuts they’d gathered earlier, that Markus decided to ask something that had been on his mind for a while now.
“Why do you always do so much?”
Ashe looked up from the water where she had been dangling one of her hooves. “What do you mean?”
“You know, all the stuff you’re always doing. You never have any time to just hang out. You’re always having to check on something or help someone somewhere or talk to someone. Why?”
“It’s my job,” she stated flatly, staring back at the water. “I’m supposed to look after this forest and the creatures that live in it. I am its guardian.”
Markus stared across the river. Absently, he flicked a stone across its surface and Ashe watched it bounce, falling just short of the opposite bank.
“I’ve never heard of a faun being a forest’s guardian before. Is that why Kyr reports to you, then? And all those other fae who always come talk to you?”
“Yeah. Kyr patrols the border, since humans are more used to seeing centaurs than anything else, and he’s strong enough to handle a small group of humans by himself if they cause any trouble. The others look after specific areas of the forest, the parts that are farther away than usual, and they tell me if something’s wrong so I only have to go there when I’m needed. Autumn is really busy though, because everyone’s getting ready for winter and not always being mindful of each other.”
Markus hummed his understanding, and then sneezed loudly at the river.
“Are you okay, Markus? You’ve been doing that all week.”
The naga sniffed deeply before looking up at the faun. “Either I’ve suddenly developed allergies to mushroom spores, or I’m sick. I’d bet on the latter.”
“Come here,” Ashe said, scooting over to where the naga was nestled in his coils. She had to stretch a bit and lean on Markus’ tail, but she reached up and put a hand on his forehead. Her nose wrinkled a bit as she focused.
“You know, Ashe, if you wanted a better look at my gorgeous face, there’s better ways to go about it.” According to the grin on Markus’ face, he felt the glare Ashe sent his way was worth the amusement from the quip.
“You definitely have a fever, so you’re right about being sick,” Ashe said, turning around to scan the ground around them. “Go on back to the cave, I can handle the rest of the foraging for today.”
With her tail flickering, having caught the scent of something, Ashe darted off, not bothering to see if Markus was following her instructions or not. It wasn’t long before she came upon an elderberry bush, from which she promptly cut two clusters of berries. Actually, she recognized this bush as being one of her usual markers for a nearby pixie hollow. Twelve steps to the west of the bush and Ashe found the copse of intertwining birch saplings which about a dozen or so pixies called their home.
The tiny faeries looked up at Ashe as she peeked into their domain, several giggling at remarks she couldn’t hear. Their apparent leader, a slightly older looking pixie with chestnut coloured hair and a bluebell dress fluttered up to Aesling to address her.
“What business do you have with us today, Guardian?”
“I was wondering if you or anyone nearby was in possession of a pot or kettle. Preferably one without a hole in the bottom.”
“Hmm,” the pixie seemed to consider for a moment. “Find the gulley pixies north of here. Last I’ve heard they managed to procure a kettle from some unsuspecting villager whilst he was watering his garden.”
“My thanks, noble pixie.” Ashe gave the creature a small bow and offered one of the flowers from her pouch, some sweet peas. The exchange complete, Aesling set about the path she was given.
It was nearly dark outside by the time Aesling returned to the cave, arms and basket both loaded with a vast assortment of mushrooms, berries, herbs, and wild vegetables and roots. Dangling off one arm, and nearly as stuffed, was a small brass kettle.
“Blessed spirits, Ashe, how long have you been carrying all of that? How are you carrying all of that?” Markus rushed up to help the faun with her load, sneezing three times in rapid succession almost the moment he got to her. “Pardon me,” he sniffed. He sounded noticeably more stuffy than he had earlier that day.
The faun waved him off, with great difficulty given that her hands were otherwise occupied. “Shoo shoo shoo shush! You lie down. I’ll handle this.” She set down her armload first, then set about gathering a small bundle of twigs and such to arrange in the tiny fire pit Markus had set up near the cave’s entrance a number of days ago. Several muttered spells and a few minutes later, and Ashe soon had the kettle boiling away over the small fire she’d made.
“So, are you going to tell me what’s in the pot?” Markus asked, tongue flicking in and out as he tasted the air in an attempt to discern for himself.
Ashe looked up briefly from where she now was with the day’s pickings, whispering magic over them so that they would keep through the coming winter. “Lemon balm, nettles, elderberry, thyme, and feverfew. My mother taught me how to make it for when I’d get sick during winter. It doesn’t taste great, but should help with whatever you have.”
“Aww, that’s really sweet of you, Ashe.” Markus slithered up to her and pulled her into a hug.
“Yeah, well, I sleep here with you most nights now, and snakes aren’t so good with the cold to begin with. Honestly, you’re the best company I’ve had in a long time. I’d miss you if you died.”
“Ashe, I thought I was supposed to be the dramatic one here.”
The faun shrugged and flashed Markus a smirk before returning to her preservation task. There was a broader grin from her when she heard the naga’s initial reaction to her homebrewed remedy, not that Markus could see it beyond the extremely amusing face he was pulling.