Sharkbait, Akira, and Shenzi had promised the pup Crushclaw her first ever trip away from their camp in L'Hatzif. It was a bit bittersweet to the three adults, as now they've raised two pups without ever seeing the colony's original base. Quite a ragtag group they were–a large tsabhua, but missing her arms, a tall blue belemoid, and an unrelated red pup–all being followed by a draconic tark'ee. ((Nevertheless, as they rounded up that rocky ridge, Crushclaw ran ahead, surmounting the grassy knoll with bright wide-eyes.

Behind them, the rugged terrain and sand of Issiq, and ahead–nothing but golden-hued fields. In the skies overhead, bright blue dipped between soft, cotton-candy clouds of light pinks and oranges. Here and there, small white flowers spotted the field, and in the distance, an old windmill sat as ruins. It's cobbled foundation gave rise to wooden and white walls, leading up to the frames of long-forgotten blades.))

"It's so beautiful!" Crushclaw gasped. Her extra-large paw–her namesake–clutched eagerly at the earth below, gripping a clod of dirt and even a squirming worm. "It's so… Boring!" Sharkbait, Akira, and even Shenzi's face fell from the unexpected shift in tone. "Whatever do you mean?" The draconic tark'ee gestured around, "It's everything! There's no kelp, no water, it's fields of rolling grass and flowers–on dry land! What could be more exciting than that?"

Shenzi's eyes caught a jaebo bouncing by, and Sharkbait gave a frantic "no" wave, forcing her to dial back her predatory instincts. "Well, I mean," Crushclaw rolled her shoulders and gestured with her large paw. "We came from, like, a giant jungle filled with mushrooms and vines, and venomous scorpions, and jaguars!" She rattled off, "And I like this more than that desert place we passed, don't get me wrong–but don't you think it's all… A little… Boring?" She rolled one claw in the air.

"She needs more to do," Shenzi pointed out to Sharkbait. He referred to his friendship bracelet, the battered basket in his hands, and his knowledge of herbs. "W-Well, we brought you out here for a very special mission!" He blurted out, "As you know, our Captain Skritch is sick. And the red flowers here are the cure–they're called… Poppies!" That got Crushclaw's attention. "So I can save him–I just need to find some dumb red flowers?" She blurted.

"Yep!" Akira agreed fondly. "We all need to," Shenzi pointed out, glancing sharply between the party members to ensure all recognized her demand. She gripped her own battered basket closer. "Well, that's all you needed to say!" Crushclaw grinned from ear-to-ear and rushed down the hill after every flower that speckled the valley. So–they all got to work.

Shenzi hunched over her large body and picked tiny flowers, while fighting to resist the urge to chase varmits. Sharkbait accompanied the young belemoid, telling her what medicinal or herbal use each plant had as they came across it. "Oh! Ginko leaves–these make excellent teas!" He exclaimed. Akira slithered through the golden hillside carefully, trying to avoid crushing any flowers with his large body.