Fyn.
In disbelief, Fyn pinched his arm to confirm that what he was seeing was real.
Standing just a few feet away from him are turnips. Turnips usually didn't leave him so bewildered. At the back of his hut, he would plant turnips, waiting for the time when he could pluck them from the ground and savor their crisp taste in early spring. He had a clear understanding of the characteristics of turnips, including their appearance, aroma, and flavor.
Fyn was certain turnips couldn't move, but the one in front of him appeared to be doing just that. Of all the vegetables, turnips are the ones that should definitely not have faces.
And most of all, turnips don't talk.
The turnip, which was only a few feet away from him, appeared to have limbs, a mouth, and eyes that made it look almost human-like. It stood upright on two legs and measured two feet in height.
Blinking rapidly, Fyn pinched himself again, hoping he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't believe what he was seeing as he stood there with his mouth wide open. To him, a telepathic snake, a demon with wings, antlers, and a tail, and a forest that moved on its own were all perfectly acceptable.
It was one thing to see a regular turnip, but a talking one was a different matter altogether.
With a deep breath, Fyn spoke out loud, breaking the silence.
"Havu."
The serpent coiled itself comfortably around his waist once again. One of the talking turnips had caught Kavan's attention, and he was kneeling beside it. He listened intently as the turnip spoke, his eyes narrowed and focused. To Fyn's surprise, he could comprehend every single word the turnip spoke. He stood just a few feet away, and yet he could hear every word being said as if he were right beside them.
"If you could give me a heads up about things like this next time, that would be great. I'm not up for being scared out of my wits every time I find something new in this forest."
With Havu wrapped tightly around his waist, he felt the vibration of its hiss as it darted out its forked tongue. "They are called Nǣps. The forest has more to offer in terms of sights, but it is advisable to observe them from a closer vantage point. Should it please the master, I would be delighted to offer you a tour."
Instead of answering, Fyn stayed quiet. Havu's statement sounded like the end of the conversation. His curiosity about the forest near his birthplace was strong, but he didn't want to spend his entire life there. With Havu as his guide, he felt like he could stay there indefinitely. Despite everything, he still longed for the safety of his hut.
"Master!" One of the Nǣps yelled out. The creature stood on its tiptoes and tugged at the animal pelt that Kavan wore around his waist. "My little one is ailing, master. We discovered a new fruit in the forest and my little one ate it before we could figure out if it was poisonous."
"Please," Another Nǣp mumbled, "Please help us, master."
Kavan's expression darkened as he delved into his thoughts.
"What kind of fruit did you collect? I've taken care to keep everything in this forest safe."
Fyn tried to hide his frustration, but his eye roll gave him away. In Fyn's head, he thought Kavan probably wanted that he should be the only harmful thing in this forest.
One of the Nǣps approached Kavan. The leaf basket that it carried was identical to the one Kavan had used to wrap the fruits for Fyn.
The inside was filled with an array of small circles, each one a shade of tan.
It took a moment for Fyn to realize what it was, but once he did, his eyes squinted and he jolted in place. He knew it was familiar! As he approached the basket, his thoughts consumed him, and he reflexively held his breath to avoid the putrid smell.
Fyn wrinkled his nose at the sickening smell of the fruit. He believed that the Nǣps' absence of noses might lead them to rely on taste over smell, explaining their desire to consume them. He cleared his throat, gesturing towards the fruits nestled in the basket.
"That's a ginkgo."
The Nǣps gasped, startled at the sudden recognition that Kavan was not the only one present. The leaf basket they were holding slipped from their grasp and hit the ground with a thud. Below them, the ground opened up, and inside they jumped. All that was visible were the crowns of their heads. If they had not been talking moments ago, Fyn would have mistaken them for nothing more than regular turnips.
"It is alright," Softly muttering under his breath, Kavan's words were barely discernible. Fyn was surprised to hear his voice, which was usually firm and commanding, now soft and gentle. Swiveling his head to the side, he looked at Kavan and raised an eyebrow. It happened so quickly, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. "You can trust that this mortal will not cause any harm to you."
Fyn wondered what Kavan meant when he said, 'This mortal.'
One by one, the Nǣps crawled out of their holes in the ground, their tiny feet scrabbling in the dirt. The ground seemed to spit them out as they jumped down, leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dust. Fyn noticed a towering Nǣp slowly approaching him. It seemed bigger than the rest, with its eyes downcast to the ginkgo fruit.
"This... Ginkgo is a novelty to us, as we have never seen it before. We have not foraged this section of the forest before. Please speak truthfully, mortal. Is there a chance that our little one will not make it?"
They were all taken aback when Kavan suddenly knelt down in front of the Nǣp.
"I have made it clear that there is no threat within this forest. There must have been a mistake somehow."
"That depends," Fyn decided to interject, "How did the... uhm, little one, eat it?"
The Nǣp looked at him with a tilted head, clearly confused. "My little one ate it like how a mortal normally eats something. We consume fruits using our mouths."
"Ah," Fyn scratched his cheek absentmindedly. He realized his mistake - he should have been more specific. "I mean, how did you eat it? Did you peel off the skin, washed it? Anything?"
"We placed the ginkgo fruit in the basket, and my offspring consumed it as is."
"There's your problem," Fyn pointed out, his nose crinkling in disgust as the stench of the ginkgo overwhelmed him once more. Its rotten smell always made him nauseous. The taste of a ginkgo fresh from the tree is divine, but the smell is unbearable. "Your little one didn't eat it right. Does your little one have a bunch of itchy bumps and blisters?"
A look of shock crossed the Nǣp's face as its eyes widened. "That is precisely what occurred to my little one, mortal!"
With a triumphant expression, Fyn cast a sideways glance at Kavan and lifted his chin up. A weary expression was on Kavan as he met his gaze. One hand on his hip and the other pinching his nose, he began to explain.
"It's not a good idea to eat a ginkgo right off the ground. There are toxins in this that you can find in poisonous plants. That's the problem right there."
"As I have mentioned before," Kavan's fangs were bared as he spoke through them. "There's nothing in this forest that can inflict fatal harm on any living being. This area is free from any herbs that may pose a risk of toxicity. The fruits existing in this forest can be eaten by all those who reside within."
Fyn's eyes narrowed as he glared at the demon in a fit of rage. "Can you not interrupt me? I didn't say it's not okay to eat. I only told them they got the eating part wrong."
Fyn's attention returned to the Nǣp, and he reached for the basket of ginkgo fruits. He was cautious not to come into contact with the pulp, handling it with care. "A ginkgo is edible, but prepare it correctly. The edible part of the ginkgo is the green kernel inside of this brown pulp."
Fyn grabbed a loose leaf from the ground, using it as a makeshift glove to protect his hand as he plucked one ginkgo fruit.
"Get the kernel out by squeezing the pulp," With a gentle squeeze on the leaf, Fyn coaxed a small, brown kernel from the pulp. Picking up a new leaf, he deftly removed the brown kernels and handed them over to the Nǣp. "Just rinse it in water to get rid of the pulpy goop. Get them boiling or steaming until the kernels pop out. No ginkgo fruit eating till then."
Fyn's face broke into a wide smile, his chest swelling with pride. "Keep in mind, only green ginkgos are good. A brown one? Not so much."
Nodding in agreement, the Nǣps selected only the finest leaves and set to work squeezing the ginkgo fruit. The tallest Nǣp remained in front of Fyn.
"My youngling, mortal. What about the bumps and blisters on my youngling's body?"
"No need to worry, the poison isn't lethal."Fyn said with a soft smile. He removed his hand from pinching his nose and forced himself to adjust to the putrid stench. "To soothe your little one's skin, just use aloe vera. The bumps and blisters will be gone in a few days with this natural remedy."
With a wide grin on its face, the Nǣp enthusiastically shook Fyn's hand with its small, delicate fingers.
"Thank you, mortal!" It shouted loudly, "Thank you so much!"
As if on cue, a chorus of thank-yous echoed throughout the forest for Fyn from the other Nǣps. He blushed, but greeted each Nǣp with a nod and a friendly smile as they came to thank him and shake his hand. The event unfolding before him was so strange that Fyn found himself relishing every detail.
The Nǣps fell silent after a while, returning to the task of extracting the ginkgo kernel.
"I am impressed," Havu communicated, squeezing Fyn's waist again. "I didn't know you knew so much, Fyn."
A small chuckle escaped Fyn's lips. Kavan rose to his feet and watched as the Nǣps followed Fyn's commands, taking a step back. Fyn's eyes were fixed on the demon as it leaned against a tree, exuding an air of ease. Kavan's tail began wagging like a cat once more as he crossed his arms and kept his eyes fixed on the Nǣps.
Fyn stood up and stepped back a few paces, clearing his throat before speaking.
The smell was too much still.
"You can find a ginkgo tree just a few feet from my hut." Fyn explained, suddenly remembering his small little hut, the warmth of the sun on his face and the sand between his toes. "I don't get out much. Since I'm far away from the village proper and no traveling merchants pass by, I had to go out and scavenge for food. I had to learn the hard way about the ginkgo, so now I know a bunch about it."
Havu slid off his waist and began to make its way up his neck, circling around him twice before settling in place.
"Still," The serpent hissed, "It is common for mortals to abandon consumption of a fruit once they determine it is toxic. You had bumps and blisters. Nevertheless, you persisted in proving that it was indeed something that could be consumed.
A thoughtful expression crossed Fyn's face as he chuckled. The memory of the answer to Havu's statement brings a comforting flutter to him.
"Inside my hut, there's a book. The book is chock-full of tips and information regarding the varied herbs, trees, fruits, and plants that exist in the vicinity of my hut."
"You are fortunate to have such a book, Fyn."
"Yes," Fyn agreed, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "My parents made it for me."
"When the forest ultimately grants you permission to leave," Havu replied, "Kindly extend my compliments to your parents for their bravery and intelligence. Despite the odds, they persisted instead of giving up like most mortals."
With a frown, Fyn exhales a heavy sigh.
"My parents are gone, Havu."
Silence.
Havu mumbles a quick apology, his voice strained with regret.
"My condolences."
"Oh, they're not dead," Fyn quickly corrected himself, then he paused for a moment, lost in thought. "Or at least, I think they're not."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It's like, one day I woke up and couldn't remember where they went. It's like they magically disappeared, couldn't find them. I've been on my own since then. I don't remember what they look like, to be honest."
Sliding off his neck, Havu coiled around his arm. Resting its scaly head on top of Fyn's forehead, the serpent lifts its head and stares into his eyes.
"I'm positive that they are proud of you, Fyn, wherever they might be. You are doing remarkable things."
Fyn's eyes fall on the Nǣps. Try as he might, he couldn't wipe the grin off his face.
He was about to speak, but Kavan's throat clearing halted him mid-sentence.
"It is time for us to make our way back home."