Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:20 PM, Post Subject: Fieldwork [P]

When the two boys were inside, they'd find the inside of Nerine's tent to be a bit of a cluttered mess aside from one spot–the bedroll. In fact, she probably didn't even use the blanket anymore and had just collapsed on top of it all. There were some sketches of plants that could be found in the area, and small containers of cuttings in water and soil. For her notes, it was obvious where she had dozed off as the neat handwriting devolved into illegible scribbles and finally into a straight line. So far she still had one thing left to find, and that would be the most frustrating. The other wildflowers were easy to locate, and she could take some any time. But the Eyota blossom was like a fickle friend–you never knew when they'd show up. Coming back with a few loaves she squinted as she noticed a lizard mount outside her camp. Frowning, she was expecting some nosy thief had taken time to rifle through her things when she stopped in her tracks.

Looking up, she strained her bleary eyes to see if what she was seeing was real, or just a hallucination. Up high in the air, there was that tell-tale pink blossom the size of a few feet wide. It was hovering almost above her campsite, gently hovering in the morning sun. Nerine groaned. "Of all the places to appear, you had to come now?" Projecting her inner voice as much as she could, she tried to speak to the levitating flower. "Do you mind if you could maybe float a little lower? I could bring you somewhere much nicer and safer." The plant's reply came after a very long pause, and when she heard it she set her gaze into a hard glare. "…Oh don't you yawn at me you lazy windflower! I swear, you're all alike! Sluggards!" To anyone else she was yelling at the flower in the sky like she was disciplining a troublesome child. Pointing at the Eyota blossom, she raised her voice again. "Just you wait, I'll get you down out of those clouds and plant you in a greenhouse!"

Author: Rohan, Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 6:22 PM, Post Subject: Fieldwork [P]

"This is it, De, Etoya Etu," Rohan announced as they arrived at the edge of the purple and orange rock canyon. Far beneath them, white sand beaches curled in the strangely spiraled canyon with its crystal clear blue waters. "Canyon of Twilight Skies, it's beautiful isn't it?"  Rohan cast a glance back to the white haired companion who had followed behind him. He yawned and exposed his fangs as he did so.    
"Right, pretty. I am guessing it is called that because of the purple and orange rocks?" De'Zhelis asked in a bored tone, a bushy white eyebrow raised. "Of course. They look like the skies at sunset," Rohan replied simply as he walked back to the riding lizard he had used to get to the canyon.  
"Remind me why you dragged me out here again?" De'Zhelis asked sounding rather grumpy. 
"Because Hazel was getting worried about Nerine and you've been skulking around the manor going stir crazy," Rohan answered. "And this was your idea of fun?" De'Zhelis asked. 
"Come on, I wasn't about to come out here alone on account of both the Desert Tribes and the orcs that are constantly raiding the Etoyatians," Rohan pointed out. 
"Heh, look at that, the kid learns," De'Zhelis comment. Rohan stuck the shifter with a glare, while De'Zhelis just looked smug. The breeze carried the scent of coffee across the breeze. 
"I'll bet that is her," Rohan said optimistically. "Come on."

A few minutes later by lizard back and wolf paw, the came upon the small campsite that was semi-walled off by rocks. 
"I smell coffee and hunger," De'Zhelis commented.
"She's probably been out all night cataloguing the plants," Rohan replied. "Let's get something ready for her to wake up to."

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:03 PM, Post Subject: Fieldwork [P]

The cliffs of Eyota Etu weren't too far off from Arri, and a journey along with a caravan brought her back to the great canyon. With this place being so close, Nerine chided herself for not visiting this place more often. Today she was planning another attempt to capture the elusive Eyota blossom, and maybe bring back more to cultivate. The juniper saplings were doing well already at the plant conservatory, and she was looking for more flora samples to collect which could be of use later. She was feeling tired from staying up the night earlier scouring the area for night-blooming flowers, but come morning she did find a handful of the white ethereal blooms called 'Desert Stars'. Most of the plants here were succulents and cacti, and Nerine wasn't thinking of having an entire section dedicated to the same rosette-shaped pale plants or spiny stems.

She was sitting outside her tent in the shade of the canyon, looking at sketches of various plants she had intended to find. "Succulents…succulents, and more succulents. That leaves only wildflowers left." Rubbing her eyes she put her notes down and poured herself a cup of coffee from a kettle. She really should've taken a break and given up halfway last night. Having stayed up until dawn, her eyes kept trying to close shut. Hiking was out of the question today. She had made a little low wall of raised stone and brambles to separate the area around her campsite. Too tired to think of cooking breakfast, she headed towards one of the market stalls following her nose to see what she could buy.