Clutching his stomach he didn't realise how hungry he actually had been. The matter was made worse as the campfire where the food was, hadn't been as close as he thought. Eventually he saw Tobias waving his hand signalling him to come over. As he walked he saw that some other soldiers had sat down to eat, a few had grins while others looked aghast as the leafy gruel they were handed.
'Ah, you're here. I saved you a portion of the one I made. Eating anything Dominic made now wouldn't do you any favours.' Smiling he handed him a bowl of gruel but unlike some of the other soldiers this had a thicker consistency and didn't look like it was as watery. 'By the way I added some sliced beef, uncle always forgets the beef is way too salty and adds extra salt.'
'Thanks, for the meal.' Crim thanking him sat alongside the others and began to dig in. Scooping up the white and green gruel with shredded bute, each warm bite was delicious. The herbs had a little sweet taste and spicy taste, with the filling feeling of the grain which was smooth helped it taste even better with the salted beef. It was probably the best meal he's eaten in a while and looking at some of the unlucky few whose eyes were plagued with jealousy he felt glad Tobias left him some.
'Hey there stranger.' Came a voice behind him slapping him on the shoulder.
'Uh, hi.' Crim replied nervously at meeting the stranger. The slap on his arm hurt quite a bit but he didn't want to seem rude. 'I'm Crim, might you tell me who you are especially after scaring me like that.'
Turning to him he was tying his hair back to reveal a set of pointed ears and some blonde hair roots contrasting the brown the rest of his hair had been. 'I'm Regan. Regan Marks the camp's resident scout. Looking at your bowl it seems you managed to score a bowl of Tobias' Beef gruel. Take a mug of mead. At least it makes it so much better.' Passing him the mug Crim took a sip of the mead he grimaced at the sour taste. Surprised he spat it out.
'God, the hell was that mead it was so gross.' He was wiping the remaining amount from his face staining himself and his clothing cherry red.
Taking it from him, Regan had a swig of mead. 'It's perfectly fine it's got the fruity taste it should have. I mean it has a heavier taste of alcohol but it can't be that bad. Wait a sec,' he got up and called over a friend. It was a green haired woman who seemed to be quite lean. 'Jane, take a swig yeah. Apparently it's sour.'
'It better not be another one of your stupid concoctions. Dimia already warned you twice.' Jane gave him a harsh glare that made Regan who was taller than her step back.
'I swear it ain't, even though I drank some apparently it's sour.'
Looking at him she shrugged and sipped some from the mug. 'It's fine. In fact I actually enjoy the taste of alcohol in it. The mead normally just tastes watery.'
'So I wasn't crazy.' Regan looked relieved that he was the normal one. He turned to Crim, 'look go check with Dominic. He might know why.'
Nodding Crim decided to finish off his meal before asking. The food didn't taste as good since his taste buds seemed to be traumatised by the mead. It felt like he drank a pungent puddle of sewage and acid. Walking up to Dominic he tapped him on the shoulder.
'Huh, oh it's you. What do you need sir?' Dominic remembered he hadn't known his name.
'I decided to go by Crim,' Crim smiled, obviously happy at the fact he had a usable name.
'Crim, by any chance did a black haired dwarf about this tall,' he indicated around his waist height.
'How did you know?' Crim was surprised he knew so easily.
'Tolburd likes to name people by colour. He called me Onyx for quite some time. Anyways what's the problem?'
'Well the mead taste gross and after drinking it I felt sick.'
'Okay, first take this bucket. I don't want a poppy field to give away who you are. Also lets head to the medical tent. It's easier to talk.' Handing him a bucket near the kitchen station he was working. They headed into the red tent of the medic station. Sitting down on the bed and seeing Dominic pull up a chair they continued.
'Describe the taste of mead.' Dominic pushed up glasses he seemed quite serious.
'It tastes pungent and like sewage. As I drank it my throat felt as if it was set alight.'
'The only thing I can assume is you have a reaction to the lycan berries the meads made of. Wait a minute didn't Tobias say not to drink mead?'
Chuckling Crim said, 'yeah, I forgot. An elf handed me a mug saying it made the food taste better.'
'That's true, I can't cook for the life of me but Toby can. A swig of mead is the best thing to drink alongside it.'
'The gruel was indeed delicious, the mead ruined it though. How come you cook if you're aware of how bad you are.'
'Simple, my dishes taste horrible but the soldiers that work the hardest need it to help them keep up their strength. The stronger herbs with boosts to your stamina, mana and healing are only used in the stuff I make.'
'That makes sense, but why didn't you let him cook them into his dishes.'
'You need to use alchemy and the broth I cook it in helps increase their strength. Potions happen to be reduced versions of it with added ingredients. Much more effective but can be too addictive to some. So we have to minimise potion usage.' Suddenly it dawned on Dominic he was getting off topic. 'The thing about the mead that is special is the fact the base is lycan berries.'
'What are lycan berries?'
'A type of green looking blueberry. It doesn't taste good unless brewed into mead since the alcohol helps clear out any bitterness. Farmers use it where Lycan berry bushes don't grow to prevent wolves from getting too close. Dog-like species such as Anubi or Kobolds can't drink it at all. It functions closer to a laxative or a weak poison to them and that's only in mead. The juice of a single berry can stop them healing for upto 3 days, even mere grazes. Fortunately most can identify it by the smell and avoid it.'
'So I might be a lycan,' Crim looked at him confused at what it would mean.
'I mean you did take a hit from a ferrous sprinter without losing your arms and are nearly healed. By all means you might even be the child of a werewolf. Except we won't know till next full moon.'
'Wait, next full moon?'
'Damn, I forget you don't have any useful memories. A werewolf undergoes a trial in their own mind every full moon while their body goes out of control. If they succeed they become able to transform at will however some go on such extreme rampages they die beforehand. If you are a werewolf we can use a solarium orb to stop the transformation but your body will be in suffering all night and you won't be able to pass the trial. Or we can use chains to lock you down.'
Thinking it over he didn't want to harm anyone, 'the orb would be best.'
'Foolish, a mere orb won-' a voice whispered in his head but seemed to be abruptly cut.
'Did you say something?'
Dominic looked confused, 'no I didn't. It might be best for you to rest so the moon will be full in a couple of days.' He chucked him the blanket which was at the foot of the bed.
Laying down, Crim remembered something, 'Ah tell Tolburd I can't help him with the sticks.'
Laughing Dominic said. 'Don't worry I'll tell him. They'd be done now anyways. So go to sleep.'
Nodding he began drifting asleep but he couldn't free himself of worry.