“We have company!” Lily happily said before landing and sitting on my right shoulder. “Sara is keeping an eye on them in case you were wondering.”

“That’s good. It must be Van Hunter and his daughter,” I replied. “And yeah, I was wondering.”

“Yeah, it’s them,” Lily said. “I guess this means we have customers instead of company though.”

“Maybe a little of both. Van did say his daughter wanted to spend time with Sara,” I said.

“Eh…that means Sara has company and not us,” Lily replied. “They also brought his bloodhound familiar.”

“Did the pixie grapevine tell you all this?” I asked pushing a branch out of my way.

“You know it!” Lily replied. “Don’t use your hands to push stuff out of the way. Try using your telekinesis.”

“Ok. Practice is the only way I’ll get better,” I agreed gathering a little energy and pushing it towards a branch.

Lily flew up over my head as the branch flew back after the energy lost its hold on the branch and hit me in the chest. I muttered some curses and rubbed my chest.

“At least it didn’t hit you in the face!”

“That’s true,” I agreed.

“You know better than to just push out with the energy. You need to keep using it as a hand of sorts,” Lily lectured me.

“Yeah, yeah. Is that why you let it hit me?” I asked.

“Yep! You’re hardheaded and need to learn!” Lily sweetly exclaimed giving me a huge smile.

“Plus, you think it’s funny.”

“Boy, do I!” Lily replied.

“And if I had gotten hurt?” I asked.

“Don’t be silly. You know that wouldn’t have been funny until I made sure you’re alright,” Lily replied.

“Then you would laugh until your sides hurt.”

“Exactly!” Lily replied. “I’m so glad you get me.”

“You wouldn’t have helped that branch bounce back as a prank, would you?” I asked giving Lily a mock glare.

“No, but that’s actually a good idea for one,” Lily answered. “I’ll have to keep that one in mind.”

“Me and my big mouth,” I muttered.

“Giving me ideas just proves how much you love me,” Lily said landing on my shoulder and sitting down again.

“Maybe,” I conceded. “Anyway, let’s get home so I can make the potion, I mean tincture for Van Hunter.”

“Mush Jase! Mush!” Lily said pretending to crack a whip.

“That’s still not funny,” I replied.

“Depends on your point of view!”

*

“Hey Van,” I greeted the hunter as I walked up. Lily waved from my shoulder. I let my gaze flick to the young woman with him. She was tall with muscular legs and arms. I imagined the rest of her was just as defined. The girl’s dark hair was tied up in a high ponytail. I noticed that her eyes sized me up as well. “And this must be your daughter?”

“Yes. This is Meagan, my daughter, and one of the best hunters in the area,” Van proudly said. The man had a huge smile on his face and there was no mistaking the pride in his voice or the love he had for his child in the look he gave her. She smiled and blushed at her father’s praise. He pointed at his bloodhound. “That’s Bo.”

“Hi,” Meagan said in greeting. “You’re Jase and Lily.”

“We are,” Lily replied giving Meagan a wave. She flew off my shoulder and waved Meagan to follow her. “Come on, and I’ll introduce you to Sara while Jase makes your dad’s tincture.”

“Tincture and not potion?” Meagan asked. She had smiled at the mention of meeting the cougar, but frowned when Lily said tincture.

“Yeah. Alchemists don’t really make potions,” I answered. “Even the best merely makes tinctures, salves, soaps, teas, and the like.”

“Huh. Trinity always says she makes potions,” Meagan replied. “So, are you saying you’re not an alchemist or that alchemists like Trinity are frauds?”

“Oh! I like her,” Lily gushed. “She’s sharp.”

“Well, answer her,” Van said. “I’m interested in your answer as well.”

“I consider myself an herbalist or medicine man,” I answered after a moment. “Those two titles feel closer to what I do than alchemist does.”

“What’s the difference between an alchemist and the other two?” Meagan asked. Van nodded his head.

“An alchemist is someone that attempts to change, transform, or create things from alchemy, which is the forerunner of chemistry. Historically, alchemists tried to turn lead into gold and other such impossible feats,” Lily answered. Seeing some confused looks on the faces of the humans, she continued, “Chemistry is a science that deals with the identification of substance, what matter composes them, their properties, and the ways they interact, combine, or change.”

“Uh…” Meagan replied.

“Hmmm,” Van muttered.

“Lily, that might have been a bit much,” I added.

“Humans!” Lily retorted throwing up her hands while Bo huffed and laid down. “Sometimes I can’t believe your species created so much and then there are times like this I can believe your species threw it all away.”

“What?” Meagan and Van asked.

“Anyway, a medicine man or woman is someone that that the first nations or peoples called their healers,” I said changing the subject. “First peoples are those tribes that were on this land long before others arrived.”

“Mohe and Ama are Cherokee and would be examples of first peoples,” Lily added. “Those with white or black skin, like you guys, would be examples of those that arrived later.”

“And an herbalist is someone that uses herbs for healing,” I said trying to keep the hunter and his daughter from asking too many questions.”

“Interesting,” Van said.

“Thanks for being honest,” Meagan added.

“Let’s let Jase get to work on and see Sara,” Lily said.

“Sure,” Meagan agreed. Her eyes lit up at the prospect of meeting the cougar.

“May I watch you work?” Van asked me.

“Sure,” I said shrugging. Inwardly I groaned a little. I had gotten so used to using the lab equipment that I really didn’t want to use the more primitive alchemical equipment. Making it worse was feeling Lily’s enjoyment at those thoughts and feelings. I unlocked the metal door. “Let me open the curtains and light some candles so you can come in.”