I'm Nakao, patriarch of Ara macao village. My home is in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by tall trees and rivers. My people have lived here forever, caring for the land and a family heirloom. Recently, a female arrived with special beauty and the power to transform into a beast, L with her husbands. Lalabel is tall, with hair like the night and eyes that look as if searching for answers.
-It is not a good time for visitors. A rare epidemic is affecting my people, causing a constant fever and feather loss among other symptoms. No one knows what it is or how to cure it. Many are worried, some are afraid. I have tried many things: herbs, prayers, but nothing works.
She has two marked tetra males that stand behind her like solid trees, I see something special in her. She speaks firmly, says she can help. I decide to trust her, even though I don't know her. I take her to the farthest hut, where the sickest are. The air there is heavy, the smell of sweat, fear and despair.
Lalabel watches the sick carefully. She seems to have the eyes of an expert. After a while, she says she knows what the disease is. She uses strange, difficult words, but I understand that she has seen this before.
The female approaches her group of companions and orders two of her companions away. She watches her every move in silence. She approaches me, tips on how to get the sick out of the dirt. With some novel ideas.
()()()()()
When Lalabel thought of the name she knew about that disease "Avian Salmonellosis", the system automatically threw me a warning:
You have discovered black wing disease.
A second message appeared giving me the reward, a recipe
Recipe: Elixir of the wise.
The box of latex gloves
A third message appeared was a mission
Mission: gather all the ingredients.
Reward:
—Let's check how many ingredients, we need five ingredients:
—"mmm, wild white litiuna,it's a white lily-like flower,another was a blue lily, aloe, moonshine water, jenginiki root, it looked very similar to ginger."
Lalabel instructed Nakao to clean or move the patients to another hut that was clean. I am going to prepare a personal hygiene item, that will help alleviate the early symptoms of Fallen Wing Venom.
Lalabel gave some ideas to make a stretcher to move the patients who could not get up from the straw beds.
Before continuing, -My name is Lalabel, I and my companions will help you with this epidemic. -Lalabel introduced herself, in a kind and respectful way.
()()()()()
He watched Lao as he prepared to leave with the messenger from the Ara Macao tribe. I feel a mixture of urgency and anxiety in my chest. My feline instincts tell me I can't let him go alone. Something inside me tells me that following Lao is the key to finding Lalabel.
The morning heat begins to intensify as the sun rises in the sky. I take a deep breath, feeling the moisture in the air and the scent of the surrounding vegetation. I look at Lao and the messenger, who are ready to leave, and decide I can't stay behind.
—"I'm coming with you," I say to Lao, my voice firm and determined.
Lao looks at me with surprise, but nods slowly. - "I understand, Tarish. If your instincts tell you to follow, then come. But you should know that this could be dangerous."
I nod, aware of the risks but driven by a greater force, an intuition I cannot ignore. We head deeper into the jungle, following the trail that leads to Ara Macao village. The dense foliage closes in on us, creating a tunnel of greenery that filters the sunlight in beams of dancing light.
The atmosphere is stifling and the air is thick with humidity, but my senses are alert. I can hear the rustle of the jungle, the rustle of leaves beneath our feet and the distant chirping of birds. Every sound, every movement, keeps me in a state of vigilant tension.
As we move forward, I can't stop thinking about Lalabel. My heart pounds every time I imagine her face, her smile, the scent of lavender that always surrounded her. Concern for her drives me on, despite the fatigue and uncertainty.
()()()()
The hut is full of light filtered through the gaps between the leaves and branches that form the roof. The air is fresh, and the smell of wood and damp earth surrounds us. After finishing moving the sick to a clean hut, I turn to Nakao. Her gaze is intense, full of concern but also hope.
I turn to my husbands, who have been quietly helping at my side.
—We need to prepare handmade soap," I explain. The first thing we need is lye. We must boil the wood ashes until a dark paste forms. We will also need animal fat and flowers to give it a good smell.
They nod, ready to follow my instructions. The urgency in their eyes reflects the gravity of the situation. After giving them detailed instructions on how to make the lye and prepare the soap, I approach Nakao again.
—Nakao, the cure for this disease is the elixir of the wise," I tell him in a firm voice. We will need five ingredients.
Nakao nods slowly, realizing the importance of what I am telling him.
—Nakao, we will need these ingredients for the elixir: wild white lithium, blue meadow lily, moonshine water, aloe vera and jenginiki root.
Nakao listens intently and then lets out a high-pitched shriek, summoning five males. The warriors quickly assemble, ready to leave. Nakao explains the mission, and they scatter in different directions to search for the necessary ingredients.
Time passes slowly as we wait. The tension in the air is palpable. The sick rest in the hut, their breaths slow and heavy. Finally, two of the males return, panting but with determined faces. They bring with them wild white litiuna, a lily-like flower, and aloe.
—We have found these two ingredients. —says one of the boys, showing the plants proudly but also wearily to Nakao.
—Thank you, you have done a great job," Nakao said with a slight smile.
I look at Nakao and the other villagers gathered around us.
My stomach growling, indicating that I should pause to eat, I walked away from the hut and returned to where my husbands were. Nakao assigned a hut near theirs.
()()()()()
Yang had that creative instinct to make things by hand, with wood he created molds to pour the lye paste and the other ingredients, to form a small block of soap. Liam and Noir followed him and each also made a bar of soap. After pouring the mixture into the molds they set it out to dry in the sun.
Yang, Liam and Noir in their heart of hearts liked to help Lala with this strange idea she came up with in times of crisis like these. In the distance, they saw their beloved Lala approaching and went running to greet her.
()()()()()
The sun begins to descend, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink. Soft light filters through the trees, creating dancing shadows on the jungle floor. My stomach begins to growl from hunger; it has been a long and tiring day. Nakao, noticing my fatigue, approaches with a sympathetic smile.
—Lalabel, you need to eat and get some rest," Nakao says in his deep but kind voice. I'll assign you a hut near mine so you can get your strength back.
Yang, Noir, Teru, Liam surround me and stand around me, I smile when I see him come to my side. My husbands bring out their possessive side, to keep me away from Nakao. I nod gratefully. Nakao guides me to a cozy hut, built with logs and large leaves forming the roof.
—We say goodbye to Nakao. As we enter, I feel the warmth and protection of the place. My husband Teru, with kind eyes and skillful hands, begins to prepare the fire in the center of the hut.
—Lala, what do you prefer to eat today? —Teru says to me while fanning the flames.
—I would like a soup with vegetables and pieces of meat," I answered her warmly and then pressed a soft kiss on her cheek.
The simplicity of the place, with its palm mats on the floor and clay utensils, makes me feel a little more comfortable. The smell of burning wood and fresh herbs fills the air, further whetting my appetite.
Then I approach Noir, -Noir, how are your arms, —dropping me on one of the mats.
Noir, smiles and sits down next to me, —My wounds heal faster being a marked tetra, I'm fine now,-his face illuminated by the glow of the fire.
—Your effort today has been invaluable, Lalabel. How do you feel? —Yang asks me, her tone full of concern.
—I'm tired, but hopeful. I think we're on the right track," I tell her, my voice reflecting the mix of exhaustion and determination I feel.
Teru soon brings a steaming bowl of soup, made with roots, herbs and small pieces of meat. The aroma is comforting, and I take the first spoonful eagerly. The taste is simple but delicious, and I feel the warmth of the food revitalize my body.
—Thank you, Teru. This is just what I needed," I say, smiling between bites.
As I eat, Liam watches me with a mixture of curiosity and affection.
—Yang, tomorrow you can help me look for the Jenginiki roots, I'm sure with our beast form we can get it.
Yang, he approaches me and kisses me briefly on the lips, for today we rest and tomorrow I will accompany you.
I continue to eat my dinner, I share a pleasant moment with them, my eyelids start to feel heavier.
Yang, transforms into wolf form, Noir lays Lalabel down on the soft and fluffy fur so that she would sleep more peacefully.
()()()()()()
The next day, at dawn, the village awoke slowly under the pink and orange sky. The air was fresh and full of birdsong. Lalabel and her husband Yang prepared to go into the jungle. Determination shone in their eyes, knowing that the search for the missing ingredients was crucial to saving the village.
—We must find the ginger root first," said Lalabel, looking at Yang earnestly. It is essential for the elixir.
Yang nodded and, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a white wolf, his fur glistening in the dawn light. Lalabel, with a nimble movement, became a panther, her figure sleek and powerful ready to take on the jungle. Together, they began to sniff the land, searching for clues to the jenginiki root.
The jungle was alive with sounds and movements. Insects buzzed and birds flew from tree to tree. The ground, covered with tangled leaves and roots, emitted a scent of moisture and life. Lalabel, with her panther-like senses sharpened, caught a faint scent of jenginiki.
—"This way, Yang," she growled softly, leading her companion through the thicket.
Yang, still in his wolf form, watched the surroundings, his eyes alert for any possible danger. After a few minutes, Lalabel managed to dig up a small amount of ginger root. Yang sniffs the Jenginiki Root for recognition. - Yang lies down on the ground.
—We should look for some more roots, —this time I climb on her back and then in my dimensional space the roots. Yang starts to walk through the jungle.
The ground under her paws is damp and rich with smells. They begin to sniff the ground, looking for jenginiki root. Their animal senses give them an advantage in this terrain, every smell and sound guiding them in their search. The vegetation is dense, and the path is full of intertwined plants and roots.
—Here, I sense something," Yang says, his voice now more guttural, but still clear.
Lalabel approaches, her nose close to the ground. With a quick movement, she starts digging with her hands, digging up the roots. They find several pieces of ginger, and the sense of accomplishment cheers them up.
—Good job, Yang," Lalabel says, her eyes shining with gratitude. Yang nods, his wolf form exuding confidence. I keep the jeginiki in my dimensional space.
—Now that we have it, we can go to the river, I need to take a bath! — I look at him with a tender and pleading look.
Yang nods in approval and turns on the ground so I can climb on top of him, lalabel's still and perverted mind is planning something fun, since they were alone.