Immediately once they reached the top of the ramp it dropped off into a steep cliff overlooking a vibrant cavern of different glowing moses clinging tightly to the walls and ceiling and towering mushrooms, many of which wrapped themselves around ancient stone pillars like a child to its mother. Unlike the rest of the cave, this section looked practically alive: a rushing waterfall from another cliff on the far side supplying a churning river which ran through the whole clearing, giving the cavern a soothing, echoing hum; little glowing insects and animals scurrying about looking for sustenance, partaking in the bountiful floral and fresh water feast, many of which were completely unfamiliar to Kiva. There were deer with bright blue eyes and antlers grazing on the vibrant grass tufts poking out from in between cracked soil and sipping from the gentle, bubbling stream; little fuzzy squirrels with legs too long for their little bodies; and owls with a handful more eyes than she remembered. It was the make of a tiny ecosystem localized entirely within this tiny subsection of the cave system. Somehow within this dull, bland cave, they’d found a microcosm of life, a gorgeous fungal glade.

This was exactly what Kiva had needed, exactly what she had been looking for. Mushrooms were one of the most valuable types of plants a druid could get their hands on, their ability to decompose unlike anything else in the world, and there was an entire cave full of them, ready to be harvested. Not to mention they were a type she was unfamiliar with, luminous mushrooms, so they likely had a handful of properties she could exploit and experiment with. Moss, too, was very useful. In the past she’d used it to absorb sudden shock to great effect, cushioning falls and blows, saving her life on several occasions. Not to mention all the miscellaneous vines, grasses, and roots she could gather for general use.

Kiva channeled her energy through the stone, stimulating the grass some 30 feet below to grow wild, the thick strands knitting together into one big cushion for her to land on. Without hesitation, she leapt off of the cliff, sinking into the glowing blue, green, and purple grasses, completely confident in her ability to soften her landing. What a rush! The stale air had never felt so good against her skin, the adrenaline never so thrilling.

Kiva ran free through the cave with her arms held wide, tumbling over soft grassy hills, gathering as much as she possibly could. She didn’t have room to carry anything, nor the time to reasonably harvest that much, but a solid sample of everything was still beyond her hopes and dreams. She pried at the cracks in the ground, pulling the grasses out by their roots. She climbed the great mushroom spires, using a simple knife to slice through the hard, crusted outer layers and reach into the softer, more delicate interiors while remaining careful not to unintentionally burst any spore sacs nestled randomly within the mushrooms’ embrace. She even pulled a couple spore sacs that looked reasonably sturdy, excitedly stowing them away to test at a later date.

Kiva leapt from great mushroom to mushroom, swinging from one gargantuan vine to the next, cutting and sampling thick slices as she went, eventually rolling onto a large hill on the outskirts of the cavern where she took a moment to rest, gazing with wonder at the various little insects scurrying about the walls and ground, each one adorned with bright colors. It was nice to find such a peaceful little bubble in the midst of such a dangerous mission, although, admittedly, she was rather worried about the others. Maybe it was best to keep moving, finish up and find them before they got themselves into any serious trouble.

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Kiva rocketed to her feet, brushing dried soil and insects from her clothing, and ensuring that her storages of samples were all tight and secure before moving on, including her pouch of special seeds stored at her waist. She hadn’t had any for a while, so she’d kept it in her deep pocket for the last couple months, but now she had a couple she thought would be of particular interest, one’s she wanted to keep readily on hand. She didn’t really have the time to test them, though, so for now she’d just have to move on, and patiently wait for a better opportunity to see what they actually did. Afterall, there was something rather curious piquing her attention, drawing her away from even her new treats.

At the center of the glade was a gargantuan, thick white mushroom stalk stretching some hundred feet into the air with stubby branching heads of every color jutting out from the main body. From nearly every surface it oozed many hues of mysterious, viscous liquids, the whole structure swaying slightly side to side, clearly too big for its own good. It almost looked like it had engorged itself on the surrounding delights, taking from everything else to feed itself. At the end of some of the branches, it even bore bulging sacks of vibrant fruits, every one as tantalizing to the nose as to the eyes. It was like one melting pot of the entire scene around her.

To any normal person, it might’ve just been a neat looking mushroom, an oddity against the surroundings, but still a welcome sight. But to her, it was remarkable, unlike anything she’d ever seen before, kind of like the mother tree but much smaller and more parasitic. She’d need a sample of every branch, and definitely some of those fruits as well. She’d heard of foods boosting magical and physical reserves before, but thought them naught but fairytale, a maiden's means of personal escape amidst the dreary weight of reality. Yet, these were of a kind almost certainly to be notable, special delicacies she wouldn’t dare pass up. It was worth noting the possibility that they were poisonous, perhaps venomous too, so she’d have to be careful, but nevertheless, she continued onward.

Kiva approached the edge of the mushroom tree, absentmindedly looking for a good way to harvest some of the branches and fruits, her mind alight with the many millions of possibilities now open to her. She did like traveling with their little merry band, but it was hard to say she didn’t miss some flavors of home. First and foremost of which was cooking. She herself was no chef, medicine and healing rather her specialties. So for some time she’d simply been foraging what she could and eating it with a little bit of heat to ensure safety. On the best of days it was unappetizing, revolting on the worst. And it wasn’t any better traveling with a group.

In Wyrm’s Perch at least she’d had the comfort of a nice warm meal every now and then, but now that she was out and about, traveling once again, it was back to the standard fare. Trenton and the others were as clueless with a cutting board as she was, not to mention their lack of ingredients. She’d hoped that at some point they’d find someone with some capability to cook, yet here she was, still wanting. At least Sie was somewhat capable when they’d traveled together, but she was off doing gods know what. Still, if they weren't getting a chef, then it was down to the next best option–better food–and oh boy did those fruits look good. Maybe if she could get-

The ground churned underneath her as 7 colossal vines tore through the ground, lifting Kiva and various hunks of earth high into the air. In front of her, the mushroom shifted, its many markings splitting open to reveal many dozens of beady black eyes, each one rife with the spark of life. It turned out this wasn't a mushroom at all, or at least not in the way she typically thought of them. It was alive. Typically, a challenge like this might frighten her, only another drain on her already limited resources, and a certainly threat to her life. But with such an abundance of tools and toys around, she wouldn’t have to hold herself back. This was her domain, and her enemy merely a puppet. This might actually be fun.