Can’t you walk any faster? Keep up with an old crow, won't you? At this rate, we’ll be lucky to make it back to the Keep before sundown. Serves me right, I suppose, listening to Sir Shortcut here…

…And don’t jostle about so! You’ll ruin those herbs, and then what will Helene say? You crush a single one of those buds and you can forget about any more favors from her, if you catch my meaning. I don't see why she bothers with you anyway, with so many other errand boys at her beck and call. Well, next time she can find another poor bird to suffer your company…

…

…You're quite certain you’ve come this way before? Perhaps I ought to fly ahead for a spell: these woods only grow thicker as we go along…

…

My dear boy, must you always move so recklessly about, or only when you're carrying such delicate goods? Look: you've nearly trampled a spotted mushroom cap here. An odd one at that, lucky I spotted it! Eh? See here, this one's a belligerent little fungus, flailing about. Well, you won’t get a good look at it from up there! Come, you oaf, down here!

What are you—don’t pluck its arms off, they're not flower petals! You truly are a vicious child…see if you can’t stick that bit back onto the stalk, and then we'll be on our way.

…Incidentally, I’ve heard it said that these little fellows don't actually move of their own will. Rather, it's an enchantment of the Dryads, meant to keep watch over the edge of the forest. It's only hearsay, I suppose, but the Dryads don’t often venture out of the deep wood. Why, you ask? How should I know? I don’t make the rules, that’s just the way it is!…Looks tasty, doesn’t it? No, stop, you mustn’t take a bite! It is never—or almost never—wise to ingest an unfamiliar fungus, enchanted or not! But you should know that without me telling you so. You’ve tested your luck plenty already, plucking its arms off like some stink bug.

Well then, we’ve dallied long enough here. We’ll be lucky to make it out of the woods before nightfall. Come along, you great lump. I do hope you haven't crushed those herbs. Helene won't take kindly to another delay…

Are you quite finished, boy? I won’t soon forgive you if we're eaten by some forest beast.

…Are you all right, boy? You look quite pale. And…a bit spongy. And your hair…is that your hair? It’s gotten awfully big…Good grief, it’s grown spots! Bless me, you look just like a giant m—

You didn’t—you didn’t eat that mushroom…did you? Don’t tell me you ate that mushroom, after I specifically warned you…oh, my dear, brainless boy…but what will Helene say?

Entered by: 0x1075…4bBA and preserved on chain (see transaction)