Chapter 23: Foraging the forest

Under the soft, early morning sun, Livia, Darius, and Rhea found themselves standing on the lush, green outskirts of the school grounds.

Along with twenty-seven other students, divided into nine similar small groups, they were bundled up and ready for their first foraging adventure. Leading them was Miss Lila, their Botanics teacher. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she looked upon her charges, her ever-present smile comforting the students.

Each student wore simple and comfortable clothes with earthy tones of brown and dark green, and on their shoulders backpacks prepared by Lila herself like a mother hen.

The expansive forest beckoned them. Tall, proud trees stood like age-old sentinels, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, creating a soothing symphony. Sunbeams filtered through the verdant canopy, painting a picture of light and shadow on the forest floor.

"Morning everyone! Are you ready for adventure?" She asked flexing her right arm and giving a wink. "I took the liberty of preparing a little pack for each of you, nothing too extravagant, water, some dry rations, a foraging kit, gloves, and for every team a surprise that will come in handy if you meet any kind of trouble." She added a few more lines of introduction and then lead the group forward.

They began their journey under this verdant archway, with Miss Lila leading the way. She shared her wisdom, emphasizing the importance of understanding local flora and fauna. She pointed out various plants, distinguishing between harmful and edible ones, while weaving in anecdotes of her adventures.

Her words filled the air, absorbed by eager young minds. Livia's hazel eyes sparkled with curiosity, Darius' hand moved diligently over his notebook, capturing every detail, while Rhea scanned the surroundings, her keen gaze missing nothing.

After they had reached sufficiently deep into the canopy, Lila stopped and turned around, "This should be enough, time to split, remember your lessons, and have faith in the knowledge you've acquired," Miss Lila gently spoke, her warm voice carrying through the serene forest. She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing.

"Remember to identify the plants accurately, exercise caution when foraging, and always prioritize safety above all else." She waved a finger in the air as she left her last warnings, then, with a smile, she shooed her students away.

The small team formed by Livia, Darius, and Rhea walked away in a random direction, the woods seemed darker without the bright teacher cheerfully filling the silence with her lessons.

As the trio kept walking, Rhea couldn't contain herself anymore and let out an excited cry. "Yaaa! We are on an adventure! I wonder what we will find." She cried out with stars in her eyes, Livia, on her left smiled brightly. Darius, on her right, was busy taking notes, he didn't share in the same excitement as his teammates.

"I hope we find some rare flowers that we can't study in the classroom," Livia said, her voice filled with wonder. "Imagine being able to discover something new out here, we could become rich and famous like Dean Roderick!"

"Fat chance," Darius replied bored, then added. "This forest has been explored multiple times, and its proximity to civilization means that anything worthwhile has already been found and probably picked clean, leaving us only the scraps." His cold logic poured like cold water on their excitement.

"Spoilsport." The two girls muttered at the same time, giving him evil side-eye glances. He shrugged and continued walking forward, the two girls following in tow, still chatting animatedly from behind.

As they walked, the forest grew denser and the trees taller, casting a deeper shade on the forest floor. The silence was only broken by the occasional chirping of birds or rustling of leaves.

Suddenly, Rhea stopped in her tracks, causing Livia and Darius to halt as well. They looked at her quizzically, wondering what had caught her attention.

"Shh, do you hear that?" Rhea whispered, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

Livia and Darius listened intently, hearing a faint sound of running water in the distance. "I think it's a stream," Darius said.

Excitement replaced boredom as the trio quickened their pace, eager to find the source of the sound. As they walked, the sound grew louder and eventually, they saw a small stream flowing in front of them, shimmering in the sunlight.

The three of them smiled at each other, relieved to have found something interesting to explore. They walked along the stream, watching as it twisted and turned through the forest. The water was clear and cold, and they could see small fish swimming in the depths.

On the riverbank, a plethora of plants grew, their vibrant colors creating a kaleidoscope of nature's beauty. Tall reeds swayed gracefully in the gentle breeze, while delicate wildflowers dotted the landscape with splashes of pink, yellow, and purple. Towering willow trees stretched their slender branches towards the sky, their long leaves whispering secrets to the passing wind.

Among the plants, a cluster of water lilies adorned a tranquil pond nestled between the riverbank's pebbles. The lilies' round, emerald leaves floated gracefully atop the water's surface, occasionally revealing the enchanting sight of a delicate white or pink blossom, exuding an ethereal fragrance that perfumed the air.

But what immediately caught the group's attention was a single flower growing in the center of the pond. It possessed the regal crown of a rose, while its petals were composed of swirling, transparent water, it didn't have a stem, silently hoovering over the water.

"Wow, what is that?" Livia asked, staring at the impossible flower, neither Rhea nor Darius could offer an explanation.

Shaking herself awake, Rhea took a few steps forwards, approaching the little pond, "No point in staring like dumbstruck idiots, let's go check it out!" She said with wild excitement in her eyes.

The two other students looked at each other and then advanced, Darius already sketching the strange hovering water construct. "Darius, what was that about nothing worthwhile being left?" Rhea mocked.

Darius felt his ears getting redder but decided against replying.

As the trio was surrounding the strange rose, taking notes and speculating, the petals suddenly unfurled, revealing a small figure within.

It possessed the upper body of a human, seamlessly merging with the tail of a fish. Barely ten centimeters long, it was crafted from the same transparent water as the rose itself, rendering it invisible through the ethereal petals.

The trio stopped talking, just looking at the strange turn of events. The little water creature opened her eyes with an adorable yawn that sounded like a bubbling brook. Then seeing the three humans surrounding her, she let a surprised yelp and jumped in the water disappearing under the surface.

An initially speechless trio soon erupted in excited chatter, with Livia enamored by the creature's cuteness and Darius, forgetting his earlier skepticism, exhibiting a surprising fascination with the strange phenomenon and Rhea looking into the stream looking for signs of the little water spirit.

"Oh, look! The rose isn't dissipating, do you think we can take it?" Livia noted the strange flower appeared undisturbed.

"I... think we should look for Lila." Darius offered weakly. After a moment of thought, the other two agreed and sent Rhea to pick the teacher.

Lila arrived almost half an hour later with Rhea. She had an excited look in her eyes that grew bigger as she saw the water flower still intact.

With a sense of awe enveloping them, the students watched as their excited instructor treaded lightly across the water lilies, her gaze intent on the mysterious aquatic flower. The plant stood, seemingly unperturbed despite the disappearance of the creature within.

"Goodness, it's real!" Lila exclaimed as she reached the mesmerizing flower. Her face glowed with anticipation as she expertly coaxed the water-blossom into a prepared vial, the shimmering petals swirling within the glass container as if longing to return to their tranquil pond.

"Believe it or not, my young explorers, we've just stumbled upon what is often referred to as a Water Sprite's 'egg' or 'blossom,' though neither term quite does justice to this miraculous piece of nature," Lila declared, holding the vial up to the sunlight. The radiant illumination refracted through the glass and liquid petals, casting an ethereal glow that left the students spellbound.

"Does any of you practice water magic?" She asked with a warm smile.

Darius was about to raise his hand and speak up when the girls next to him spoke up. "Darius! He does water magic and all that stuff." Rhea said beating the young man to the punch.

Darius cast a sidelong glance at Rhea, then smiled awkwardly at Lila. The teacher's eyes twinkled with an almost impish glee as she carefully unscrewed the vial, her nimble fingers plucking one of the petals of the water blossom.

"Well, Darius, care for a taste of magic?" she asked, extending the petal towards him. Darius hesitated for a moment, then nodded. With a deep breath, he reached out and took the petal from Lila. It was cool and delicate, with a jelly-like texture and shimmering with a soft blue glow, as if imbued with the essence of the stream from which it came.

He placed the petal on his tongue. The taste was light and refreshing, reminiscent of early morning dew and the crispness of the purest mountain streams. As it dissolved, a tingling sensation spread through his body, like cool water running down a parched throat. His senses heightened and he could almost feel the magic pulsating in the air around him.

Lila watched him, her eyes soft yet intensely focused. "The petals of the water blossom," she began, her voice echoing through the tranquil forest, "contain a potent concentration of magic. Consuming them can significantly enhance one's affinity with water magic. It's like taking a piece of the stream, the rain, the very essence of water itself, into your body."

"Now, I have to keep an eye on the others," Lila said, patting the bottom of her dress. "I'll see you all later, good luck with finding more forest treasures." This said she left the trio.