A few days later, Zeni found herself standing in the apothecary's shop once more, her heart fluttering. Hesira had delivered a scroll to Neith’s home for Zeni the night before, which Zeni thought of as a blueprint. It detailed the basic preparation techniques and the first concoction she would learn to brew: a mildly energizing, non-magical tea. She’d spent an hour or so studying it before coming to realize that potion brewing was going to be a lot more difficult than she initially assumed.

As she took her place beside Hesira, Zeni marveled at the vast array of ingredients that surrounded her. Jars filled with colorful powders, vials of shimmering liquids, and pouches of fragrant herbs covered every available surface, a veritable symphony of scents and textures that enveloped her in a warm embrace.

Hesira stood before her, the stern visage tempered by a glimmer of warmth in her eyes.

"Now, Zeni, let us begin. The first step in brewing any potion is understanding the properties of each ingredient. In this case, we'll be working with dried leaves from the yerba mate plant, which has natural energizing properties."

Zeni nodded attentively, her eyes fixed on the vibrant green leaves as Hesira scooped them into a small, ceramic bowl.

"Next, we'll need to coax the essence out of these little devils by grinding them into a fine powder," Hesira continued, handing Zeni a mortar and pestle that had seen better days. "This will help ensure the maximum potency of our tea, or so they say."

Taking the tools in hand, Zeni began to grind the leaves under Hesira's watchful gaze. The rhythmic motion felt almost meditative, the scent of the crushed yerba mate filling the air with its invigorating aroma. The warmth of the room and the gentle murmur of the bubbling cauldron in the background seemed to lull Zeni into a state of calm focus. After several minutes of diligent work, Zeni looked up at Hesira, seeking her approval.

The old apothecary peered at the results with the air of a stern school mistress, and then nodded, a hint of a smile sneaking past her strict facade.

"Well done. Now, we'll introduce boiling water to the powdered leaves and let them get acquainted for a few minutes. The heat will draw out the beneficial properties and infuse the water with their essence, if we've done our job right."

As Zeni carefully poured the steaming water into the bowl, she felt a thrill. This simple tea may not have been a magical potion, but it represented the first step in her journey to mastering a whole new realm of knowledge. She could already imagine the comforting warmth of the brew, the first tangible result of her efforts.

As the liquid took on a rich, amber hue, Zeni's heart swelled with pride at her accomplishment. Hesira watched her with a pleased expression, the cozy atmosphere of the apothecary shop adding to the sense of achievement that settled over Zeni like a warm blanket.

"Now, we wait," Hesira said softly, as they both observed the steeping process. The shop was filled with the soothing sounds of simmering brews and the rustling of leaves, punctuated by the occasional crackle of the fire. In this moment, the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the comforting cocoon of the apothecary.

As the minutes passed, Zeni found herself growing more and more at ease in Hesira's presence. The old woman's stern demeanor seemed to soften as they worked together, the two of them united in their pursuit of knowledge and mastery of their craft.

Finally, Hesira deemed the tea ready, and she instructed Zeni to carefully strain the liquid into two cups, leaving the spent leaves behind. The tea's rich, amber color seemed to glow in the dim light of the shop, and as Zeni lifted the cup to her lips, she could smell the invigorating aroma of the yerba mate.

"Drink up, my girl," Hesira encouraged her gently, her eyes crinkling with warmth as she sipped her own cup. "This is the fruit of your labor, Zeni. Savor it and let it remind you of the importance of patience and perseverance in potion-making. And don't forget, there's always room for improvement."

Zeni took a cautious sip, the warmth of the tea spreading through her body as the energizing properties of the yerba mate began to take effect. It was a simple brew, but it represented so much more: the start of her journey, the blossoming of her abilities, and the beginning of a deep and meaningful relationship with her mentor.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

As they sat together in the apothecary, the late afternoon sun filtering through the windows, Zeni felt a profound sense of contentment. She felt as though she’d made some headway since her first, awkward introduction to Hesira, but knew that she had only just begun to scratch the surface of what she might accomplish.

“Stop chewing your nails, dearie,” Hesira said scornfully. “It’s unbecoming.”

A few days later, Zeni found herself in the desert with Hesira just as the sun began to rise. They were gathering ingredients for the apothecary, the arid landscape offering up its bounty in the form of medicinal herbs, roots, and various other flora.

Zeni felt a bit out of her depth, her focus on potion-making thus far having centered primarily on the actual brewing process. Hesira, however, moved through the desert with an air of familiarity, her keen eyes picking out the valuable resources hidden among the sands.

"Now, Zeni," Hesira began, plucking a small, purple-flowered plant from the ground and handing it to her, "this here is a Desert Snapdragon. Useful for soothing inflamed skin when prepared properly. Just don't go mixing it up with the Death's Kiss, or you'll have a rather nasty surprise on your hands. And possibly no hands."

Zeni chuckled nervously, trying to commit the plant's appearance to memory.

"I'll, uh, keep that in mind, Hesira. I do have a particular fondness for my hands."

"Keeping in mind is well and good, but experience is what will truly teach you," Hesira added, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Remember, knowledge is like the ocean: vast, deep, and full of wonder, but it must be navigated with care. Or you might find yourself capsized and overboard in the belly of a sea beast."

Zeni nodded, chuckling at the metaphor.

"So, is there a trick to telling the difference between those two plants? I'd rather not learn the hard way."

Hesira grumbled something about "young gulls" and then pointed to the leaves.

"The Desert Snapdragon has a slightly serrated edge to its leaves, like a dinner knife, while Death's Kiss has smooth edges, like those delicate hands of yours. Pay attention to the details, dearie, and they'll guide you true. Or at least, less wrong."

"I'll do my best," Zeni replied, her eyes tracing the serrated edge of the leaf in her hand, then to her skin.

Soft edges? Maybe she thought that was a barb, but that’s a pretty great compliment. I was starting to worry about these bad girls since the moisturizer situation here isn’t exactly ideal.

As they continued their journey, Zeni began to notice the long silence and her brain told her to fill that void with conversation. She’d never been much for pregnant pauses.

"So, how did you get into potion-making, Hesira? Was it a family trade?"

Hesira let out a snort.

"Hardly. My family were fisherfolk, can you imagine? I was lured into this life by the promise of adventure and a chance to delve into the mysteries of the world. But be warned, young one: adventure has a habit of finding you when you least expect it. And sometimes, it's not as fun as it sounds."

Zeni smiled at the thought.

As they moved on, Zeni watched her new mentor, her long, flowing robes seeming to float over the sands as she walked.

Zeni followed, trying her best to keep up and learn as much as she could. As the morning wore on, their banter continued, with Hesira's gruff exterior occasionally giving way to an unexpectedly warm sense of humor.

Eventually, as they traversed the desert landscape, Zeni's keen perception caught sight of a creature lying on the ground, its shallow breaths labored and pained. The Traveler could see, to her great disgust and shock, bone poking from one of the creature’s limbs. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a desert fox, but with some strikingly unique features. Its fur seemed to shimmer with an almost iridescent quality, as though the strands were woven from moonlight and starfire. The colors shifted subtly, ranging from silver to a pale, ethereal blue, as if the creature were a living embodiment of the desert night sky. Its unusually large, golden eyes sparkled with an inner light, imbuing it with otherworldly beauty and wisdom.

Zeni marveled at the creature, her heart aching for the pain it was clearly experiencing. She felt a sudden deep and powerful connection to this being, as if the desert itself had entrusted her and Hesira with its care.

"Look, Hesira!" Zeni exclaimed, concern evident in her voice. "It's injured!"

Hesira hushed Zeni gently and approached the creature with a slow, measured gait, her movements deliberate and cautious, like a dance with the wind. She reached into her satchel, a leather bag worn from years of use and imbued with memories, and removed a small vial of potion that seemed to contain the very essence of life itself. Along with the vial, she retrieved some cloth bandages, their softness spoke to the loving care that had gone into their creation.

Zeni watched in rapt fascination as Hesira knelt beside the fox, her hands moving with the practiced precision of a master artisan. The potion glistened like dewdrops as she applied it to the creature's wounds, the liquid seeping into the fur and flesh, mending the broken parts with an almost ethereal touch. She then wrapped the bandages around the injured limb, the cloth embracing the fox like a tender caress from a loving parent. All the while, Hesira murmured soothing words to the fox, a lilting lullaby that seemed to carry with it the promise of healing and comfort.

Under Hesira's gentle ministrations, the fox's breathing steadied, its eyes losing the haze of pain and fear as it began to relax. The moment felt suspended in time. The old apothecary's actions were a study in care and efficiency, the intricate dance of her fingers betraying years of experience. Zeni realized that she was witnessing not only Hesira's skill as a healer but also her compassion and connection to the natural world.

As Hesira finished her work, the fox looked up at her with its large, golden eyes, gratitude shining within them. It gingerly stood, testing its newly bandaged limb, and then, with a nod of thanks, bounded away, disappearing into the desert.

Zeni stood in awe, her admiration for Hesira growing with every passing moment.

The old apothecary turned to her with a twinkle in her eyes and said, "Well, Zeni, the desert is full of surprises, isn't it? Now, let's continue our gathering, and perhaps you'll learn a thing or two about the healing arts along the way."

With that, the two of them resumed their journey through the desert, the sun climbing ever higher in the sky as they continued their work.