I step through the Mond das Tor vines and into Viscaria. The very air tickles with magic today. Wispy white clouds move at a snail's pace across the bits of sky I can see. Lush growth and the pleasant temperature under the trees almost lull me into complacency. A stick cracks loudly under my foot and I heed the need to be careful and quiet. I'm a trespasser at best. I follow my trail of colored marker rocks through the trees and brush. Most animals are long gone ahead of me, and I'm not sure if I should be praying that continues. I really need to learn more about the plants and beasts here. My hand tightens on my ax. The biggest weapon I have. I've tried throwing it like I've seen done at games near the bouts, but the results are pretty disheartening. I will keep trying when I'm safely at home. Unless I can get someone to teach me how to use a bow.

Reaching the final stone I placed last time here, I study the woods ahead and to either side. A gentle breeze rustles leaves and brushes my body. A few loose pieces of my hair get in my face tickling my nose. The breeze is coming from a diagonal, ahead and to the right. Maybe it's fate. So I head into the breeze as it fades away. Marking and walking, my head is constantly looking around. Ears straining and my feet gliding as quietly as possible. From time to time the breeze returns keeping my direction steady. I note things I will gather on the way back home. More of those purple mushrooms, some clear blue egg shells, berries, and other fascinating finds. I see that ahead the trees are thinning out. My pace slows and I crouch a bit. I'm back to darting from tree to tree, afraid I am approaching a home or village. No smoke appears in the sky and I can't smell any.

The final line of trees was hiding a house. Far across a field reverting to the wild, a burnt husk of bricks that used to be someone's home. The field is not huge and seems to have a variety of crops and wild plants. There is no movement except bugs buzzing about the plants and a tiny bird picking at something near one of the brick walls. Using the trees to hide, I circle the field and head towards the back of the decrepit home. When I reach the south edge I go around a half dozen yards south. Checking for other signs of people, Fae. I move to the east side of the field, where the bricks end several yards from the woods. Again I search half a dozen yards from the field, this time eastward. I do the same on the north side of the field before making my way back to the building.

There is a well and a collapsed shed of some type. The brick house has no roof and is full of leaves, spiderwebs, and blackened bits of, perhaps, furniture. The falls feel solid even though they are scorched. A cute rounded chimney of gray stone still stands inside. I am grateful that I see no bones or remains that seem to be anything but recent rodents. Who lived here? Where did they go? Now I can fully investigate the field itself.

Running short on time, I give up much of my cautious stealth and pace the rows. There are tiny ditches that run through parts of the field. I've seen something similar in one of my mother's other gardening books. An irrigation system of some sort. Something to explore more in depth later. A few plants look standard. Onions, carrots, and tubers. All a bit seedy from being left on their own. I recognize the flowers and vines of a variety of Fae melon. A few other plants look to be stalky crops clustered together for reaping. Some wide vines and weeds have moved in and choked out whatever had been planted originally. Nearest the well and house was a huge patch of herbs and some companion flowers. I will have to bring a much bigger piece or more pieces of paper and charcoal to sketch out the field and my newly discovered plants. For now I pull out a small bundle of loosely bound paper scraps and start sketching a few of the interesting looking herbs.

After three sketches with rough notes I pack the writing materials away. I'm going to have to jog back if I want to stop for the items I marked. Settling my bag on my back, something moving in the trees to the north catches my attention. My head swivels in that direction and my hand reaches for the ax. A bushy, humongous tail disappears into the tree shadows and undergrowth. My eyes must be tired. Or strained. Chest tight, I watch the nearby woody shade, looking for whatever it was to reappear. Nothing but leaves rustling in the breeze. I'm just on edge. It was probably a fox and it just seemed larger. Being in the Faelands certainly strains my nerves. It could be a Fae beast, drawing close to eat a delicious human. Or it could've been a curious fox or fox-like creature, wondering why I'm here. Blessedly, I am not going that direction anyway.

I run across the open land, back to the west side of the field and reenter the woods. I switch to a slow jog. When I pause, I gather and pack away quickly. Moss will be done with his work, even the extra assignments I gave him. I send a plea to whatever gods prowl Viscaria that he will not get so bored at the bridge that he comes looking for me. Realizing too late I missed the purple mushroom and a few other items, I grunt in frustration and pick up my pace. Even though I am no longer creeping and hiding in the woods my body is tense with fear. I can't breathe comfortably until I walk back through the vine arch into Linnaea.

When I reach my brother he is leaning against part of the broken down bridge and skipping stones down the river. He doesn't jump up eagerly when I draw close enough to call out. He looks irritated with me. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Moss."

"Uh huh." He throws another rock and then stands, turning fully towards me. Gods has he grown another inch? "Where do you go that's so important? And why can't I come with you?"

Smiling faintly I answer, "I go south. Looking for new spots and gathering." All technically true, except for the part where I take a sharp turn east and cross into the Faelands. "We split up so we can get twice the work done. You know that."

"But that's not all though, right? You're hiding stuff still." His cheeks are red and his eyes are darkening into their purple. Taking a step closer to me, he continues, "I finished early since something or someone sprung all my traps. I went south and saw no sign of you. Not on this side of the river."

"Well I did cross the river for a bit today. That's probably why you couldn't find me."

"I love you, Jax, but you are really pissing me off."

"Hey!"

"I'm old enough you don't have to hold everything together on your own. And you better not be taking any crazy risks because you think you owe it to me!" He is shouting by the end.

I don't look away from his eyes, and the pain and anger there. He's right, at least partly. I'm not sure what to say to him without lying or giving away things that could endanger him. Or maybe, I just want the moon portal just for myself. Am I that selfish? Can it just be worry for him? I think it's likely a bit of selfishness. A magical place just for me. However I would never recover if he was caught in Viscaria and hurt, turned over to our own crown, or imprisoned.

"Know that any risks I take are for you. But also very much for me, cub. Every moon I feel a trap closing on me and I don't want that." I sigh. "Do you understand?"

"You don't want to marry because you have to. I wouldn't want to either."

I laugh. "Luckily, you probably don't have to worry about that."

A tiny grin peeks from his face. He gathers his bag and pulls an impressive string of fish from the river. Today was a good day for him even if someone did trifle with our traps. It bothers me though. Who would mess with empty traps? No one else is setting traps in the area around the shrine and east. At least I've never seen evidence. "Moss, did you see anyone else's traps anywhere near your lines?" He shakes his head from a step or two ahead of me. Could it be Stendel or one of his bullies? Why? Moss hadn't seen any of them around lately. Maybe they are getting better at stealth or planning. We won't get answers today. Not sure I want any either. It's pretty late in the afternoon and we still have a decent walk to get home.