🍄!
foraging for mushrooms and other treasures in the forest nearby. you’re friends with all the woodland critters. you collect trinkets along the forest path and fill your wicker basket. the cool earth beneath your feet. the sound of a babbling brook beckons you. you make offerings to the forest fairies.
Jojo is gentle with her touch and the lizard even seems to lean up to her fingertip for another pet. Across the other side of the creek Henri pats the dirt off another honey mushroom and tosses it into the woven wicker basket that was brimming with berries and other mushrooms he could identify in his handy Scout’s book as edible. They began their journey in the mid morning, venturing out hand in hand to spend the day exploring what hidden secrets Lunaville had to offer.
“Henri, wait!” Jojo’s alarmed voice rings over the babbling water. The eight year old stops mid-step, he sees his friend pointing to a circle of mushrooms and his eyes widen with realization. Jojo is by his side, as she skillfully jumps from rock to rock across the creek. “You could’ve been a goner.” She sighs, relieved she saved her best friend from a certain fairy doom.
“Merci,” Henri nods. Her jaw moves from one side to another in thought. “Maybe we should leave them a gift?” He asks her. Jojo perks up at the idea, and reaches into her pocket. The glint of the shiny rock catches in the sunlight. It was one of many they found further in the forest. Carefully they move around the circle and toss the shiny rock in. It sinks in the damp moss, as if their gift had been accepted happily.
Jojo claps her hands clean. “Would you save me if the fairies caught me?” She asks suddenly. Henri looks at the ring, and if he didn’t know any better, he would say that the rock seemed to have sink further.
“Yeah. Or we could both join them!” Henri replies. Jojo giggles, and they continue their journey, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it made its way higher into the noon sky.