The Search for the Cure

**ERICKSON'S POV**

The moment we made it into the city, I directed the horses toward the market on the southwestern side of the city. There were markets in each of the outer corners of the city. Those markets were for the lesser and commoner wolves. Each of the markets were typically specific to different trades.

This part of the city was where I always did the bulk of my work. The shops over here focused mostly on food and the different specialties relating to that. There were fresh ingredients and butchered animals. There were dried herbs and pickled ingredients. There were even some pre-made meals to eat while walking. I had heard that the upper class markets had places that you could sit down inside and eat hot food made when you ordered it. That was unbelievable for me.

Not only did the upper class part of the city have those places where you could sit and eat inside, but all of their shops were inside buildings, like my shop back home was. The lower class shops were all outside in little stalls. Some of the shops over here weren't even covered so it must have made the work for that day miserable for those poor workers.

"OK Dad, where do we start?" Arthur asked me when I brought the horses to a stop and started to dismount.

"Well, son, I wish I knew. The thing is, I don't know what type of shop might have the cure that we're looking for." I could feel the disappointment in my voice as I told him that, but it was the truth. There was nothing that I could do about the fact that I didn't know who in this city could help us, or who would even be willing to help us.

"OK, so what do we do? Split up and start asking people who might know where we can trade for a Flourish potion?" He wasn't wrong. That was probably going to be the best option that we had.

"I think that will be what we need to do, in all honesty. I will let you start over here, where you are more familiar. I will head to the eastern side of the city and check there. When you finish in this market, I want you to head to the northwestern market and check there." I gave him my instructions as I climbed back into the wagon.

"But, Dad, the northwestern market is only for carpentry related items. They wouldn't have the potion there." I saw the shock on his face.

"I know that, Arthur." I gave him a disappointed frown. Did he think that I was unfamiliar with this city and what the markets in the outer sections sold? "But remember, we are not looking to buy the potion, we're looking to trade for it. Briar said that no one would sell it to us, no matter how much money we have."

"Yeah, I remember." I nodded his head and I saw the embarrassment set to his shoulders. He hadn't meant to make it sound like he wasn't paying attention, he was just eager to help his sister.

"Alright, Arthur, let's start trying to find someone who is willing to trade for the Flourish that we need." I nodded at him as I started the horses toward the opposite side of the city. "Good luck, son."

"You too, Dad." There was a fierce look in his eyes that I hoped would pay off for him.

When I made it to the southeastern part of the city, and into the marketplace that was over there, I saw a similar set up with the shops with the stalls. However, it was very easy to see that all of their wares were different.

Over here, the shops focused on textile goods. All of the shops sold thread, fabrics, dyes, clothes, anything and everything that you might need for making clothes or other cloth related items.

North of this market was the craftsmen market. That was where you would find anything that was not related to textile, food, or carpentry. That also meant that it was the market with the biggest variety of items for sale.

If there was a shop in the lesser and commoner part of the city that would have the Flourish potion, it would most likely be in the craftsmen shop. Right now, though, I was going to start here and see what I could find.

"Good afternoon." I walked up to a shop with as bright of a cheery smile as I could manage.

"What do you want, human?" Most of the shop owners that weren't used to dealing with me tended to talk like that. Most of the wolves hated us humans. This one, an older looking woman with nearly black eyes, dark skin, and long braided hair that reached the back of her knees, was no exception.

"I am looking for someone to make a trade with. Do you happen to know someone who would be willing to make a deal?" My words were ambiguous, but my tone of voice spoke volumes.

"Yeah? And what is it that you're looking for? The item you want will depend on who I send you to. Not to mention the finder's fee you're willing to pay." I figured there would be something like that coming.

"I can definitely pay a small fee for the right information, providing that it is good enough." I knew that those in the other two markets were likely to be more open with Arthur since they had dealt with us many times before.

"The information is what it is. Good or bad. Pay before you hear it."

"You don't even know what I want yet. How do you know if you even have someone you can send me to if you don't know what it is that I need?" I wasn't liking how this was going, but I couldn't anger a wolf, they would be likely to kill me if I did.

"Fine, human, what do you need? I will send you to someone that can help you."

"I need a Flourish potion."

Obviously, the shopkeeper thought that was hilarious because she started to laugh long and loud.

"I guess I won't be taking your money then." She was still laughing. "That's ridiculous. You know that is not something that we're supposed to sell to humans, right? Why do you even need it anyway?" She may have been laughing at me, but she was also looking at me with an intense and serious look in her eyes.

"My reasons are my own." I pushed her question away without answering it.

"Well, I can tell you that you will most likely not find anyone that is willing to help you."

"Thank you for the information." I nodded at her and continued on my way.

I hate to admit that most of my conversations went very much the same as that one had. Most people didn't want to talk to me once they found out that I was after the Flourish potion.