Alter grimaced as he pulled yet another wilted plant from the soil surrounding the greenhouse. The once-vibrant foliage had begun to wither, their leaves curling and browning at the edges- a sign that the rising toxicity levels were taking a toll on the flora surrounding the greenhouse. He supposed they were lucky they managed to catch it in time, but if they didn’t act quickly, it was only a matter of time.

 

Looking over at Watch, Blast, and Snap- three whelps who had volunteered, or rather been _volunteered_, to help him in the clean-up- Alter sighed. The trio wasn’t exactly getting much done. Instead of pulling up the dead plants, they were busy squabbling, their voices rising over the quiet rustling of leaves.

 

"That one doesn't look dead yet!" Watch snapped, pointing at a plant Snap had just yanked from the ground. "You’re wasting time! It's leaves are still green!"

 

"It _was_ dying," Snap retorted, his small hands gripping the wilted stem. "I was just trying to stop it before it spread more. Look at the stem!"

 

Blast rolled her eyes. "You both don’t even know what you’re looking for. I told you, it’s the roots that matter. If they’re black, it’s too late anyway."

 

Alter let out a deep sigh, pulling off his gloves and heading toward the group. He wasn’t surprised by the bickering- it was common, especially when Watch was involved-but it wasn’t helping the situation. They had a job to do, and one that had to be done fast.

 

"All right, enough," Alter said as he approached, his tone firm but not unkind. "We don’t have time for this right now. There are still plenty of plants to check, and we need to make sure the toxins don’t spread any further."

 

The three whelps fell silent, though they exchanged looks that made it clear the argument wasn’t quite over in their minds.

 

Watch, always the most defensive, raised his head defiantly. "I was just saying—"

 

"I know what you were saying, Watch," Alter interrupted gently, "but right now, it doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong. What matters is stopping the spread. Let’s focus, okay? Most of the plants around here are weeds anyways, so if it looks sick just pull it out."

 

Snap looked at his feet, nodding sheepishly. Blast, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the reprimand, already reaching for another plant to inspect.

 

"If any part of the plant looks bae," Alter confirmed, giving the three a nod. "the plant’s done for. We need to stop the spread- even if it means tossing some plants that could still be saved. So in a way, you were all correct."

 

Snap frowned, though he didn’t argue further. "Okay, okay, I get it now. But how do we know which ones are spreading the toxins? Is there a way to tell?"

 

Alter picked up a nearby plant that was still clinging to life. "This one’s a good example of what we’re looking for. See how the stem’s still firm, and the leaves, though wilting, aren’t completely brown? It doesn't matter if it's still fighting, we need to get rid of it, or we'll be here again next week."

 

Watch and Blast nodded, seemingly more focused now that they had a clearer understanding of their task. Alter watched them for a moment as they went back to work, this time with a little less care and attention. They were young, but they were learning quickly.

 

As the sun started to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the garden, Snap broke the silence. "Do you think we’ll be able to save anything?"

 

Alter paused, turning to the young whelp. He could see the worry in Snap’s eyes, and for a moment, he considered giving him a hopeful answer. But honesty felt more important now.

 

"I’m not sure," Alter admitted, wiping the dirt off his hands as he stood. "But we’re doing everything we can. Since we caught it spreading so soon, we can hopefully stop it from spreading to the rest of the garden. We might not save every plant, but we can still protect a lot of them."

 

Blast, who had overheard the conversation, looked up from her work. "What happens if we can’t stop it?"

 

Alter didn’t answer right away. He glanced around the garden. "If we can’t stop it, we’ll have to find another solution. We can replant, maybe even move the garden and greenhouse to a safer spot. But for now, let’s focus on what we can do. Let's not give up just yet."

 

Watch, who had been unusually quiet throughout the exchange, finally spoke up. "I heard the researchers are working on something. Some kind of filter for the water or a way to clean the soil."

 

Alter smiled softly. "They are. And they’re working hard, so don't worry too much. But while they do that, we need to do our part. The more we push back, the more time it gives them."

 

The whelps nodded, determined as they bent back to their task. Alter watched them for a moment, feeling a surge of pride. They were learning, not just about plants, but about working together, and that was even more important.