Welcome to Gaia! ::

As Tam walks along he notices something hanging on the branch of a bush along the path.

"Look, Salunia... a chrysalis... poor fella... wrong time of the year... must have been hatched out of season... Do you know what a chrysalis is?" he asks breaking the branch off carefully and showing it to her.

Tam shakes his head. "Not exactly, but yer close. Moths make cocoons. a butterfly makes a chrysalis. This little fella may be able to winter over, but he might not make it. I say we take a quick detour up to Shar and see if she'll let him stay. One tiny butterfly probably can't do any damage... no mate to create baby caterpillars with. Shall we?"

Tam leads the way up the hill to the temple, Salunia carrying the branch behind him with a determined gentleness. Hopian brings up the rear of the procession, muttering under his breath that any fool creature who is foolish enough to undergo metamorphosis in the face of winter storms deserves it's fate.

The corner Shar in her office and Tam sits Salunia with her precious burden on the healer's desk. "Dawnmistress, we've come begging sanctuary for one who is in sore need." begs Tam in an urgent voice.

Shar does a double take then picks up the branch and examines the chrysalis with a touch of surprise. Then she looks at the three before her, Tam grinning face, Salunia's hopeful face, and Hopian's disgusted face and smiles. Standing up she walks into her greenhouse and finding a pot of dirt, sticks the branch in it and places the arrangement at the base of a trailing vine.

"There... he'll be the luckiest birdwing to have ever invade my garden. Thank you for bringing him here. I'll take good care of him, little one. So why are you three off gallivanting about this evening, rather than sitting at home by the fire?"

"Bubbly? and Rotten juice?" echoes Shar with a touch of alarm.

"Sparkling juice for the princess and Kero... and a bit of wine for the elders. We're celebrating... Salunia caught her first rabbit today." says Tam with a chuckle. He rubs the cubs ears and smiles proudly.

"Well, that indeed does deserve a celebration. So allow me to provide the beverages, my friends. Would some honeyed mead do instead of wine?... and I've some fresh pressed apple juice made form the best apples in the world... grown right here at the temple." says Shar with a smile for the cub.

Tam winks at Shar and laughs. "I don't believe Hope has ever tasted honeyed mead. Or he'd not be so unhappy about it. Still I promised him a bottle of wine and he does so love his wine. Maybe I can take a rain check and come back and drink it with you at a later date, as for the apple juice... what say ye, Salunia? Would ye rather have some apple juice. It's sweeter than the cider we serve at home."

"Ye should have seen yer face, old friend, when she offered it. But if Hope's willing to try it, we'll be glad to accept yer generosity, Shar. I can always pick up a bottle of wine on the way back to the cottage. But I can't juggle three bottles on my own, someone is going to have to help me carry them. Just because they are called spirits doesn't mean they'll float on home by themselves." laughs Tam with a grin.

Shar chuckles wisely and tells them to wait there in the greenhouse, knowing that Hopian is enjoying the forced heat and greenery. While she is gone to fetch the bottles, Salunia goes around the room exploring it thoroughly.