Krista brushed back the tendrils of curly auburn hair that had fallen across her eyes. The forest was just starting to wake up and it was her favorite time of day. A scattered songbird here and there twirled his good morning song in the cool crisp morning air of the forest. In places the morning fog still hung close to the ground in isolated pockets of the forest.
Some might have been afraid to tread the mist shrouded forest for fear of what unseen mysteries and dangers the mist might hide, but to her it was as the comforting folds of a warm blanket on a cold night. She had come earlier than usual to the forest this morning to collect the herbs that she and Sansa needed to make the cough medicine they were going to make later in the day. She had to go to town and purchase the alcohol needed for the medicinal tinctures.
She was not looking forward to that. She never did. She avoided the town and its occupants, as if there was a plague upon the place, but Sansa was too feeble to make the journey any more. Krista knew what awaited her and she couldn't help but cringe inwardly.
Later after she had picked the Amarano leaves, the Vantak roots and the Zantar blossoms that they needed for the cough tinctures, she found Sansa by the old kettle in front of the small cottage that she had called home for many years now. She came up to Sansa and sat down the bag of herbs. She leaned forward and kissed the old woman on the head fondly.
"A watched pot never boils dear Sansa."
Sansa looked up and patted Krista's hand. Krista's eyebrows quirked up and a smile teased at the corners of her lips.
"Sansa?"
"Yes?"
"Your pot is boiling."
"Oh you rascal you! You've done it again. Off with you to the town to get the tincture fluid."
Krista moved off towards the town with a laugh getting a weak pat on the bottom as she slipped past for her impudence. Krista's good mood departed as soon as she had lost sight of Sansa.
The thatched roofs of the village by the river appeared soon, with its cultivated firan cane fields spreading out and around it. Instead of going down the main street she slipped down the back streets trying to keep a low profile and not be noticed. She made it to the general store without being noticed that she was aware of. She made her way to the front of the store on the main street by way of a side alley.