Babe POV

Completely and utterly embarrassed. This is the only way to put my current emotional state. Not only for feeling so jealous of Vekla, but also of it being so palpable that Curator was able to pick up on it and felt the need to speak on it.

"My apologies Curator, I...I simply wish to feel like I am truly helping out. It will not happen again."

'Babe, it's fine, honest. I understand quite clearly the frustration feeling of lacking a definitive purpose. Just trust me, and be patient, please.'

Once more it is humbling to see just how much Curator has for a scion. I am unsure if this is something all dungeons act like, or if this is specific to this particular core, but their patience and understanding with me is shocking. It's almost as if they've gone through the same feelings and emotions themselves in the past, and I should ask them about this in the future as well.

"Scion Babe, if I've upset you any, please, let me know so I can make amends as I do not wish us to be on bad terms"

"It is fine, former shaman, and now Magical Researcher Vekla. I am simply impatient to know my purpose, and here you have only arrived and have been given a task to research magic for Curator. I should not have allowed myself to grow so envious. As Curator said, I would normally be resting at this time and they merely wished to ensure I was well rested before giving me such."

Curator POV

Good, good, looks like they're making up well there, don't like to call it out so publicly, but envy and discord can't be allowed to fester here. Especially when there's an upcoming calamity. Even if that's a few years out....and I don't know what will cause it or what kind of calamity it could possibly be. Either way, I will want my...kingdom or domain to be properly self sufficient by then. It won't do to learn and collect knowledge if it can't come to use some day after all.

'Now that the air is cleared on that side of things. Vekla, should we send you back to your clan, to let them know it's safe to start heading this way, did you wish to rest for the night, or perhaps have Poppit let them know to start heading this way? We could also have Poppit return close to dawn so as to ferry you back quickly so your people can have time to pack their things and get ready to head this way?'

"As much as I would like to stay and leave in the morning, with the amount of packing up to do, and how delicate some of my things are, it would be best to try and get packed up mostly before dawn, so at dawn we can start making our way, so as to, hopefully, beat as much of the heat as possible. We are hardened by it, however, it still is taxing, and we have little enough water there to spare."

'That is something I can probably help with, we could empty out, and clean out, the water containers they have and refill them with clean stuff I bet let me just try something right quick...and I've got just the thing to try with. Now, could you describe which tent is yours?'

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Listening to Vekla as he describes the tent while dividing my focus and 'poking' Poppit to check out the former shaman's tent. It's a strange sensation only hearing from where my core is but 'seeing' the area around Poppit, but mostly through his eyes, as the alight on the mana pot. Focusing and pulling that into my 'pocket', I'd thank Poppit for all his good, quick, work and return my senses and focus to my core chamber. Waiting for Vekla to finish, I would put the mana pot behind him. While I'd love to investigate it in heavy detail in my pocket, as a tool to show I can help with the immediate water concern is more pressing. Plus, it's still his and wouldn't want to break it randomly!

'Hey Vekla, you should look behind you and tell me if that looks familiar. As that should help also solve the water issue like I figured, and, might also help with other concerns as well.'

Vekla POV

Stopping mid description of the things in my tent to stop and listen to Curators words, with a simple nod, I would heed them. Turning and seeing my mana pot there, burned gems facing me an all, it'd be no small wonder why a small step backwards in surprise would be my first response. Thinking on the implications of this...Curator was able to secret it here in mere moments from the act of me speaking on my home of the last...who knows how long.

"This is...how do you get this here, and with nary a sound either!"

'Simple, using your descriptions I guided Poppit to your tent. Then I pulled that pot into my...well...the best way to put it would be to call it a 'pocket' based on his proximity. Which was a bit more taxing than doing the same for things here in my domain proper, and from there pulled it out of my pocket to place behind you? That's the best way to describe it, and how it feels. I...don't know if that pocket space is really there or not, so for now, we aren't putting any living folks in there unless they do something horrible or otherwise very bad, just to be safe.'

"That....makes surprising sense, and don't know why I didn't think of something similar when you told me you didn't conjure the water or that tasty leaf but instead brought them from elsewhere. Yes, that could make things easier. Do you think I could take some more of those leaves with me back to camp. Just two or three should do more than enough to sweeten the deal, and give a more...tangible reason for folks to make the trek in the morning."

'Yeah, that's perfectly find Vekla, just...don't take too much from the plant. Only have the one for now, and we'll want to cultivate a proper amount before they can be used as a more staple food, and drink, source...heh.'

"How long would it take Poppit to get here to take me back, so there's plenty of time to get ready?"

'If he's moving quick, less time than it took you to get halfway up the stairs earlier, and by quite a large margin. Don't really have a precise way to measure time yet, but, that's in the works and can be discussed more later.'

Responding with a nod and stepping carefully around the mana pot, I would scoop up that leaf before quickly heading back down the stairs. Taking them to at a time with, surprising easy, my descent would take mere moments compared to the comparative eternity my ascent had taken. Really have to hand it to Curator, while my form has changed much, the vigor with which I can move now compared to before is the difference in night and day. With the combination of longer, and faster, strides it would take almost no time at all to reach that basket bowl I'd ridden out in and but a moment to set that leaf inside it. Heading back around the south side of the core's, more or less, temple, it wouldn't take long to find the dug out area to shape the oasis and already it's clear to see that crisp clean water slowly filling it in. The sight is still breath taking and were it not for pressing maters, I would happily sit and just watch that beautiful, life giving, water. Instead my eyes would look past it and, easily, spot the, frankly, massive blue-green plant.

"That...is much bigger than I would have thought"

Heading over to that sharp leafed monster of a plant it's hard not to gawk. This thing is bigger than me, and I can see the roughly clipped leaf that Curator had plucked for me. Reaching in and using on of my shorter, but stouter claws, it'd be almost easy to remove it near the base of the plant. Choosing to pull from the same spot on the opposite side incase this strange flora needs symmetry, it'd only take one full extra leaf. Satisfied with that amount of food I'd carry the massive thing back only to be greeted by Poppit who looks at me quizzically before nodding with understanding.

"Nice to see you again scion Poppit. Let me get seated and secure this bounty before we head out please."

It's odd really, this morning just the sight of Poppit would have terrified me. Now though, I feel being around them is one of the safest places in the sands. Reaching out to give them a gentle stroke over the head, like one would to comfort a scared hatchling before clambering into that grass bowl and bracing myself for the upcoming travel. Poppit does not disappoint, it seems they're much more bold with my new form than the old, as we travel fast enough that in the cooling air of the desert evening there's a faint chill on my snout, a new sensation to be sure. At this rate we'll be back at the camp well before nightfall.