24.Sep.12, 09:59 PM
It had taken much more convincing than Jisralna had thought would be necessary to garner a ride from a dragonrider to the edge of the Western Forest and she’d garnered no promise of receiving a ride home as she did not know how long it would take for her to finish her task. It was probably just as well because the walk home would be invigorating and refreshing. So, with a polite thank you to the rider as they took off, Jisralna secured her jacket more tightly around herself and gathered up the basket and folded satchels she had brought with her.
While she knew that it probably wasn’t the best idea to go traipsing off into the jungle alone, she justified it in her mind by pointing out that she had tried to get several others to join her and they’d all declined. Besides, very little was known about the dying properties of the Southern Continent plants so really this was just a short expedition to gather what she thought might work well in stead of more familiar Northern ingredients. Her solitary state was also justified by the fact that she’d registered her whereabouts with the proper people and she didn’t intend to venture too far into the forest. From what she’d been told, the more dangerous species of wildlife were generally only encountered deeper into the vegetation.
It was a beautiful clear day and Jisralna took a moment to simply breathe the air; so very different from the crisp air of High Reaches or the salty air of Southern Boll. It smelled of lush vegetation and very faintly—if the wind shifted just right—of dragons. And, as she often did when she was alone and content, she began to hum a tune that was familiar to all of Pern. The Duty Song swelled until the words broke free, clear and delightfully in tune.
”For our world be lost or our world will be saved, from those dangers that are by the dragons braved.”
She finally stepped into the forest, eyes scanning the undergrowth for anything remotely familiar or anything that caught her eye as being potentially useful. And as she continued on her way, she sang. There had always been something comforting about The Duty Song. Maybe it was the promise inherent in the words; that dragons would always and forever be the salvation of Pern even when they were shunned and forced to live like savages in an unforgiving land. In her child’s heart she’d never stopped believing that dragons were out there and then two years and seven days ago her childish hopes had come to be true. B’jin and Larriketh had brought her here. It hadn’t been perfect or anything like she’d imagined but she was still grateful. If given the chance she would have followed the Greenrider all over again.
”Weaver and farmer and miner and smith, tanner and herdsman, all Lord Holders with. Our harpers attuned to the lessons we learned—remember our duty to those who saved Pern.”
Spotting a promising looking stalk plant she hurried over and knelt down, thankful she'd chosen to wear a sturdy brown gown that day. Grabbing a nearby stick and reverting to humming once more, a word or two slipping out as she began to dig at the base of the stalk, she was pleased to find a root bulb very similar and much larger than anything she'd found of its kind on the Northern Continent.