Just Another Day

Summer came to the prairie and passed peacefully. The Sylvans kept themselves busy with various chores, alternating between staying with the Heyen and visiting the Birchfields out with the urych herd.

"Want some honey?" Katari asked Dai one sweltering day just after the height of summer.

"If the bees aren't burnt to a crisp in this heat, yes, honey would be nice," Dai replied.

Armed with a few clay pots, kindling, a waterskin, and what was effectively a hooded dress, Katari went out into the hills and very carefully smoked a few hives and took a portion of their honeycomb. After recovering each of the hives, he returned back to the Birchfields with his prize.

"That waterskin depleted much too quickly for my liking," Katari said as he quickly removed his robe, his skin glistening in the sun from just how horribly hot and sweaty he had gotten. Shanku started snorting and giggling.

"What's so funny?" Katari asked with annoyance.

"Your hair and feathers are sticking up all over the place!" Shanku guffawed. "You should have shifted human to avoid half that."

Katari rolled his eyes and promptly jumped into the river to cool down. "Much better!"

"Watch for kitties and turtles!" Shanku called after him.

"I'm more worried about thieves taking my beeswax!" Katari called back as he washed off the grime.

"We'll keep her out of it, don't worry," Dai chuckled.

Shanku stretched out on her stomach on a grassy bank nearby as Katari bathed. "So when'd you learn to hunt bees?"

"It's one of the last things they teach you before the journey," Katari replied. "Not something for little cubs since you have to be slow and patient, otherwise, you might get stung to death."

"I always thought you just hunted for meat," Shanku said as she tilted her head.

"We learn to hunt animals of land, water, and air, their caches, and give back to each of them somehow," Katari said. "For bees, you cover their hive again, and only take a little at a time. There are beekeepers back home that only do bees and wax, so some of us others are basically just rudimentary scouts to find new hives in case something happens unexpectedly to our colonies."

"Out of curiosity, did you bother to bring fresh drawers with you to the river?" Shanku asked slyly.

Katari paused for a moment, and then groaned. "Would you mind fetching a pair for me?"

"I'll think about it," Shanku smirked and got up. Katari just glared at her as she left with a foreboding grin.

Ina stared at Shanku curiously as she started to dig around in Katari's pack. "What are you doing?"

"Somebody forgot their clean clothes before hopping into a bath," Shanku giggled. "Jumped in, pants and all!"

"Can't say I'd blame him with you nearby. I haven't forgotten how you put my shirt on a high branch in the Nyre!"

"Helped build your wings for the long flights, didn't it?" Shanku replied, still grinning like a fox.

Ina sighed and watched helplessly as Shanku returned to the river. "Mercy be on the poor lad for whatever she has planned."

Shanku simply laid his pants on a convenient rock and disappeared again. Katari was greatly suspicious and frequently watched her out of the corner of his eye when he returned to the Birchfield camp.

"What?" Shanku asked innocently.

"What prank have you planned that I haven't triggered yet?" Katari asked distrustfully.

Shanku started grinning again. "Maybe I have to be good from time to time, just to keep you on your toes." Katari just watched her further. "Oh, just enjoy the fruits of your labor this afternoon and relax!" Shanku exclaimed and gave him one of his pots.

Katari quickly looked down into the pot to check the contents. "I'm surprised nothing is missing."

"Again, gotta keep you on your toes," Shanku said sweetly. Katari sighed and began separating the honey and beeswax so he could wax future threads. After a few days of careful work, each of the Sylvans had a new hip pouch for carrying small things in quick reach.

The Sylvans stayed long enough to enjoy the Heyen clan's annual autumnal celebration before their annual return to the edge of the Nyre, while the Sylvans afterward took their leave to explore a new direction.