It was a warm day for the mountains, and so Comet and Crevasse had stepped out to go foraging for some poppies. It was still too early in the season to find berries, yet, but Noodle had asked them to find some poppies so ze could make some more painkillers. Mitro had agreed to show them where a good bed of the flowers were, and so Comet and Crevasse were waiting for them when they noticed some unfamiliar shapes circling in the sky above.

"Do you think it's Snickerdoodle or Sky?" Comet asked, squinting up.

Crevasse eyed them, then shook their head. "Different wing shape, I think. And it's not Mitro, his are webbed."

The two eyed the circling aerobics for a moment, then shrugged. If they wanted to talk, they could come down. Sure enough, the aerobics descended, cocking their heads at them, and Comet and Crevasse cocked their heads back.

"Hello?" asked Crevasse warily. "Who are you?"

"Oh! Oh my we didn't introduce ourselves did we? I'm Fog, this is Fallow. We're from the colony over the mountains! We wanted to say hello, since we noticed you were new."

Comet blinked around at all the mountains they were surrounded by. Which mountains?

Crevasse ignored their companion's mild bemusement and nodded to the aerobics. "I'm Crevasse, this is Comet. We were out gathering poppies for our physician."

"Oh, poppies! They're always useful. Do you know a good spot?"

"Well, we don't but someone we know does… And that's Mitro. Mitro, this is Fog and Fallow."

Mitro slithered up, blinking in surprise. "My, my. Didn't you say it would only be two of you?"

"Well, yes…"

"Oh, did we interrupt something?"

"No, no, we were just planning on gathering some poppies today, you can come along if it's alright with you, Mitro?"

Mitro shuffled their wings uncertainly. "Next time if there's a change of plans tell me beforehand… but this time I guess it's okay."

Comet thanked him for being so accommodating, and Crevasse nodded, relieved. Following the winged draconic, they picked up their baskets in their tails and gestured to the aerobics to follow.

"So, you been here long?" Crevasse asked Fog and Fallow curiously. "In Rekes, I mean."

Fog started describing their colony's past, with Fallow jumping in on occasion. Crevasse and Comet listened with interest, comparing notes with their own colony as Mitro jumped in on occasion as well. They walked through the forest, green shoots at the ends of the leaves peeking out after the end of the cold and the beginning of the rains. Here and there a spar of crystalline bone erupted from the earth, glowing softly in the shadows cast by the boughs above. Mitro lead them through the forest as the ground sloped up and granite boulders began to protrude from the sandy soil.

Eventually, they reached a sort of plateau in the side of the valley, with a stunning view of the treetops below and the peaks rising on all sides. A stream that was normally a trickle during the dry seasons was rushing through the middle, thick with snowmelt and rain, and on either side, poppies waved in the breeze.

The group paused to appreciate the view, Mitro looking very pleased with themself, before starting to gather. Crevasse and Comet let Fallow and Fog borrow one of their baskets to lay the plants in, while Mitro taught them about how much they could take before the poppies wouldn't grow back as plentiful. Comet could see why Mitro hadn't exactly been happy with the extra people along, but they were accommodating and instead limited how much all of them could take.

Mitro mentioned that if Noodle harvested the seeds right they could make their own garden, and Comet and Crevasse exchanged thoughtful glances. Perhaps that could be something to bring up, so they didn't have to trek into the middle of nowhere each time Noodle needed something… Food was grown, but so far they had still been getting used to the local herbs.

Eventually, poppies had been collected, and Fog and Fallow said their goodbyes and promised to return the basket. Comet, Crevasse, and Mitro waved them farewell, then went on their own ways home.