Babe POV

The bestower of mind has set me with quite the ordeal as my first task in their service. To scale this massive, as he puts it, snake-tus. The coiling plant, almost like a long path as I follow it, up. I could simply cross the lines it's spines grow out of, however, something in me views that as...wrong. After all, there are no shortcuts on the road of understanding. Contemplating this while making my way along that long, coiled, path I would snatch the occasional...thing out of the air to eat. From the knowledge that has already been granted to me they resemble the grouped insects a word of gnat coming across the bond shared with The Bestower. Perhaps more study of these things should be done in future to learn what they truly are?

They are not at all filling, doing nothing to help that not quite hunger gnawing inside me, yet I still snack upon them while continuing the trek to the summit of this plant. Each one eaten does bestow a small portion of power, yes, though does not serve to fill this strange, new, hunger I have gained.

-Perhaps things were better before knowledge, and a mind, were bestowed upon me?-

Suddenly my train of thought is broken as the Bestower of Knowledge asks a question of me

'Hey, Babe, being out in the sunlight is bad for you isn't it?' they would ask, notable concern in the voice that resounds in my mind.

It is touching really. Not only have they given me such a gift to be more than I was, but also seem to care about my well being as well, having at times referred to me as a friend instead of simply as their servant.

"If I were to stay out in it, fully exposed, for a good amount of time, yes. However, I should be able to get enough shade by taking refuge in the shadow of that flower atop this...I believe you called it 'snake-tus'?"

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Continuing to hike up the path to the Bestower my prior contemplation on how I was before being discarded, as while things were simpler then, it is not better. I am now so very much more than I was, and to be able to consider more than 'eat' and 'procreate' is so much more fulfilling. With that determination now solidified, the Bestower, once more draws me from my internal monologue.

'Good to hear, and yeah, I remember reading some where that it's easier to remember things as a memetic function of things you are familiar with. Cactus looks like a coiled snake, so, snake-tus fits well. Now then, what do you know of this place, anything I should be cautious of, or keep an eye out for?'

"It is still early in the day, but the wind feels calm, so we would likely not need to be concerned with a sandstorm. Otherwise the next biggest danger would be the sun, as for me I could dry out if left directly under it for too long. Then there are the furred tunneling horrors that would try to eat me, however, they cannot climb, so up here I am much more safe. Lastly there are various scaled ones that would also attempt to make me a meal, and, depending on what you look like, may try to grab you as well."

'Thanks for that info, if you need something of me, just...let me know, I'll do what I can!'

With that I find myself once more traveling, and snacking upon gnats, in silence. Lost to my own thoughts as I travel. Contemplating what could be done to best repay the gift of intelligence, once more that deep philosophical soul searching is interrupted.

'Hey, Babe, I hope your ready to see something nifty!'

Before I could even respond or react, some kind of grass structure would just, appear, in front of me, capping off the plant, and shading the entire flowering top. A large opening clearly added in to allow entry and exit from that covered area. Spines would suddenly sprout from that portal, not pointed in a way to catch or harm one that could easily fit through that egress, rather to stop those that would not be able to from trying.

'Now you don't need to worry about scuttling around the flower to stay out of the sun, and we're both safer!'

??? POV

Babe seems more than a little surprised by this, we'll give them a bit to take it all in. Now while they're doing that, a name. What goes in a name. With this new form of existence, perhaps normal naming conventions should just be dropped? Maybe a name that ties to that whole 'aspect of knowledge' thing. Hmmmm....and what's the point of knowledge if you cannot share it. Blindly sharing would be a bad thing to do, as who knows what some one can do with the wrong knowledge in their hands so I really should only share what seems less harmful for the most part.

That's it!

'And Babe, please don't call me the Bestower of Knowledge anymore, instead, please call me Curator.'