[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

Arath was freed from the conversation just a second later. A grotto that resembled a miniature swamp appeared on the horizon. Inside it, was a tiny pond with green, turbid water, surrounded richly by green ferns and grass.

Noemi and Pavaja pricked up their ears, there were two recurring hisses that were heralding a potential danger. Pavaja pointed at the bushes, her keen eyes spotted a two-headed hydraling strolling between them.

The cave was small and had no other entrances, so both girls assumed that it's safe to engage in combat.

“Hyacinth.” - Pavaja whispered and the man nodded, then started to silently hum a melody that increased accuracy and reflex of allies.

Noemi focused the beast's attention on her, flanking it from the left, while the elf circled around to gain an advantage. The hydra set its two heads in motions, her teeth-brimming jaws smashed against steel surfaces of shields. Two fighters bullied the foe to a corner, but the desperate beast was unable to break through the defenses and died by being poked to death.

Pavaja wiped her forehead and huffed.

“That was easy. In my village, we used to hunt Gorgdans in a similar fashion. You prove once again to be a knowledgeable warrior, Pavaja. It's a great pleasure to assists you.”

“Thanks... you're also an excellent warrior! Your instincts would hardly have any match in Asdor.”

“You flatter me...” - Noemi tried to hide her blushing smile.

“I'm one hundred percent honest!” - Pavaja declared.

Both girls giggled, just when Hyacinth approached, asking. - “Having fun?”

Pavaja and Noemi both smiled, it was their answer.

“The place seems safe.” - The cantor informed.

“Then, it's supper time!” - Noemi yelled with positive energy.

Arath pretended he didn't hear. Instead, he inspected the fallen corpse. - “Inedible.” - That was his answer.

“What!?” - Noemi protested.

“Its flesh is literally soaking in venom.” - Arath explained, then lifted hydra's upper lip with a knife. - “One cut could be lethal. You're too careless.”

“We've Hyacinth! No poison is a threat to us!” - Noemi exclaimed.

“Noemi, I can't cure all poisons.” - Hyacinth admitted. - “Arath is right.”

Arath ignored the further talks and forced the fangs out, collecting them to a jar.

“Hey! What are you doing!?” - Noemi suddenly protested.

“Scavenging.” - Arath answered, then took two vials and filled them with poison.

“It's my and Pavaja's trophy, mushroom boy!” - Noemi cried out.

Arath slowly stuffed loot in his pockets, then calmly asked. - “May I ask, what are you going to do with the corpse?”

“It doesn't look particularly useful to me...” - Pavaja responded. - “...he can have my part.”

“I will not share unless I receive a tribute.” - Noemi crossed her arms.

“I can make you a satchel.” - Arath bargained.

“It's not enough!” - Noemi smirked, haggling was a hobby of hers.

Arath moved away from the body, resigning. - “I have nothing to give to you.”

“Ooh, you're no fun!!” - Noemi replied. - “You will just find something to pay me later.”

“Deal.” - Arath accepted and started the most time-consuming activity, which was the acquisition of a hide.

While Arath was occupied, the remaining party members discussed the matter of rest.

“We'll have to bear with it and go back.” - Hyacinth noted.

“We can map other chambers while we are at it.” - Pavaja noticed.

“I wouldn't want to fight hungry.” - Noemi objected.

“We will only take a peek, perhaps we can find something.” - Pavaja suggested. - “Walking all the way back would take more time.”

Noemi pouted. - “Arath, maybe you saved up any snacks...”

“No.” - The boy replied as the blade of his knife was cutting through the hydra's underbelly.

Noemi turned. - “Fine. We can all go for a short adventure.”

“I'll stay here and finish preparing the leather.” - Arath responded, all focused on a task.

“No!” - Noemi protested. - “It's not safe here, I've to be watching you.”

“I'll be fine. It's a nest of a dangerous animal, nothing will come close to it.” - Arath reasoned.

Noemi was unconvinced.

“I will ward the place with a guardian sigil.” - Hyacinth suggested. - “It's not an unbreakable chant, but usually works against any animal of the size that would fit these tunnels.”

“I'm not taking risks.” - Noemi approached Arath and grabbed him by the collar, then dragged him outside.

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

The party returned to the last crossroads, there were two more uncharted passages. First, they've checked the one to the left. It had a single chamber holding a rectangular water pond surrounded by the common, bioluminescent weed. The liquid inside was in pristine condition, but its surface was almost entirely covered by tiny plants shaped as circles of one-centimeter diameter. One could compare the relaxing ambiance of the place to a candle bath. Nothing lived in the waters, so the group moved back to explore the right passage.

That road led to a region of many joint circular caves, all with numerous small ponds, puddles, or flooded holes. These last gaps were a form of natural exit that was connected to the lake beneath and around the rock structure.

Noemi leaned over one of the holes. Numerous groups of fishes swam over a meadow of dim underwater lights, but they were far away since the water was very deep. She wouldn't risk diving.

Arath crouched next to one of the ponds too, then said. - “We could've killed one of the tripods and took their nets.”

“Shame we didn't think of that.” - Hyacinth commented and joined Noemi, to admire nocturnal waters.

Arath stood up, then searched some of the ponds. A lot of oysters were inside them, but to the man, it looked like a pile of rocks. Arath grabbed and examined one, finding the small chink at the side, he took a knife, then opened the shell. - “No idea If it's edible.”

Hyacinth came closer and uttered a short prayer, then responded. - “It's not poisonous.”

“Food!?” - Noemi asked with excitation.

“Yeah, food.” - Arath tossed an opened oyster away. - “I'll gather the greens.”

[ ––––––––– Ϫ ––––––––– ]

The party was back in the hydra lair, sitting around a bonfire. Arath brought a plate of oysters and three bowls of sauces. There was a juice extracted from a lemon-like fruit that floated on the surface of the water in clusters of leafless stipes, there was a fresh, green pesto stored in a mortar and there was a hot, red sauce based on the equivalent of chili peppers that grew under leaves of crimson ferns.

“Is it... raw?” - Noemi was surprised.

“Yes.” - Arath sat down and didn't bother explaining. He just gulped down the first oyster himself, while everyone stared.

Pavaja grabbed a shell with the wobbling meat. She looked at it and had an expression of disgust. - “Raw meat. What a... novelty.”

“Shouldn't it be cooked somehow, Arath?” - Noemi asked.

“It's best raw.” - Arath responded.

Hyacinth was a bit more open-minded. He looked at the contents of the shell, then picked them with a fork and dipped in hot sauce. - “Hey, that's pretty good!” - He spoke with a full mouth. - “Not as good as the fish fillet, though.”

Noemi added green pesto and tasted her oyster. Her eyes opened wide. - “Wow! You were right. Arath, you're amazing chief!”

“Are you all sure we won't get a disease?” - Pavaja was still reluctant.

Noemi and Hyacinth looked at Pavaja, then at each other.

“I never got a disease in my life.” - Noemi replied.

Hyacinth was more worried. - “Arath, did you eat raw food before?”

“Yes.” - The boy responded.

“...what kind?” - Hyacinth asked, a bit disturbed.

“Raw rats.” - Arath spoke while stuffing another oyster in his mouth.

“...and did you get sick?” - Hyacinth continued.

“Many times.” - Arath replied.

Hyacinth didn't speak, he put away his next oyster.

“Oh, don't overreact!” - Noemi supported the chief. - “He is alive, it wasn't anything serious, am I right, Arath?”

“I was on a verge of death almost every time.” - Arath responded.

“Okay, I'm not eating it!” - Pavaja placed the oyster back on a plate.

“...then, why did you eat raw rats, Arath?” - Noemi asked.

“I lived in the streets for some years. I was hungry.” - Arath replied.

“Wasn't there anything else to eat!?” - Noemi couldn't believe it.

“Garbage, If I got lucky.” - Arath responded.

Pavaja and Hyacinth saddened.

“Then... If it's all true, how are you still alive?” - Hyacinth responded.

“I got immune over time.” - Arath continued.

“Arath!” - Noemi was a bit angry. - “You only think about yourself! What If Hyacinth gets sick!? Why didn't you tell us the risk!”

“I should be fine.” - Hyacinth responded. - “I can call gods to cure diseases.”

“Still! It's was unmannerly and dangerous!” - Noemi argued. - “Don't be so lenient towards him.“

“Lynn was plagued by disease and full of filth, unlike this place... and I learned how to tell difference between diseased animals during my cooking practice. The risk is small.” - Arath explained.

“But there is a risk!” - Noemi accented.

“There always is a risk. It's all new food, nobody knows what's truly inside. Even boiling can't always get rid of all parasites.” - Arath said. - “You can either take a higher risk and enjoy the flavor or waste the time and cook it yourself.”

“Arath! We still have the right to know what's the choice!” - Noemi protested. - “Promise me that you won't try to hide any details like this again. It wasn't an okay thing to do.”

Arath chewed down an oyster and replied with no care in his voice. - “I promise.”

Hyacinth lifted the plate, then moved its contents to a pot. - “I guess that I'll just boil it...”