"We're almost there, chin up now. Just a little further and we'll be safe and sound proper." He said, though really it was more for himself than Yucca. Instead of the fertile hills of the steppes where his extended family lived, there was a sickly green stone wherever they went. He knew it when he saw it, malachite. But seeing it take over everything like yeast in dough? Now this was new. When they were in the safety of the Heartstone Camp at last they could finally catch their breath. The trip had taken a turn for the worse once they passed into the steppes, or what it once was. Delanac was hoping he could see a few familiar faces, wondering what had happened to Sviet. It started when Yucca's pet pig Enokitake lost the spring in his step. The little trotter had a big personality, and when something was wrong with him, it showed. Bran was starting to get more tired too, not to mention losing his appetite. And for the jackal, food was one of the things he loved most. Setting down his pack of supplies, he pitched a tent and started building a fire pit. Unlike the other folk running around, he and Yucca weren't here to fight or tend to people's wounds. Instead, they were here to tend to their bodies and souls–through cooking. With his handy Goddess Cube, he didn't have to worry about losing equipment while traveling.

Lighting the coals with some dry tinder, the orc began to salt some meat in preparation for a roast. Red meat would help the fighters renew their strength for another round up the spire. Potatoes were both simple and filling, and he'd spice those up with some garlic butter. For those who needed something to cut loose, he had a tankard of ale that never ran dry. It was a real prize to get his hands on, especially for making beer battered fish or ale served straight after chilling. The orc chef poured the contents of the mug into other tankards forming a small line on the refreshments table. Bran was sleeping in back in the tent, but Delanac hoped he and Enoki would be back to their usual selves soon. "Grilled strip steak with a side of garlic buttered potatoes and beans. Might add some parsnip and turnip to balance the flavor. If there's anything we're running short on I'll use my staff of feasting as much as I'm able." He said to Yucca, taking inventory of their stock. 

“I’m so worried about Eno Del…” She looked down at her bag to where the little piglet was. He was sleeping instead of being active. It wasn’t like him and luckily they had enough storage of truffles it hadn’t affected their business at all. “I should have Mama look at him.” She had told him bits and pieces of who her mother was but not the whole truth as she thought it would be too much for him.

Together they had locked up The Bramble & Ivy leaving a note that they were going to help out the cause in Mo’Mey Steppes. Yucca’s long red hair was braided down her side and she had on her traveler set of clothes. Her eyes were the same cerulean blue as the ribbon on Eno’s neck aside from the fact that edges had a ring of gold. She took over a foot shorter than her companion at five feet two inches tall, but she had on boots with a bit of heel at the moment. They were comfortable for her at least.

“I don’t think we need to worry too much about providing ingredients ourselves.” Yucca was going to have to come clean to her partner now. After all, it was only a matter of time. “Once we see her, we can finish setting up and yell for people to come to eat.”

She took a big breath. “She can give us the ingredients we need and probably set up an eatery for us to use. These guys will need good food to continue the fight.” Taking Del’s hand she moving with the crowds, she could feel her mother not far. They were stopped at a large tent at the center of it. It was a research tent from the looks of it. There was a guard in front of it and Yucca got stopped by her.

“Only people allowed past here are visitors approved by the Goddess Angela.”

Yucca struggled for a moment and looked back at Delanac. “Tell her that her daughter Yucca is here.”

The guard nodded and went inside the tent. There was an awkward silence before she came back out and opened the door for them. “She’ll see you now.”

There were stacks upon stacks of books on the inside. Maps were everywhere. Alchemy sets were everywhere. Angela was working at the center desk with disheveled red locks and drinking a cup of coffee. “It’s not often you come home. I was looking forward to your next letter.” Angela didn’t look up but when she did she was shocked to see someone with Yucca. “Who’s your friend.”

“He’s… my um…” Yucca blushed a bit and looked up at Delanac. This was the absolute worst timing.

Hearing that Yucca's mother could easily cover any ingredients they were missing was music to his ears. "Tidy! You're just full o' surprises, aren't you?" Delanac said with a chuckle, not realizing how on the nose his words would be. Following her lead, when they were in front of a guarded tent he started to have questions. But before he had the chance to ask, he got his answer. "Only people allowed past here are visitors approved by the Goddess Angela." Yucca answered back after a pause, "Tell her that her daughter Yucca is here." The orc's eyes went wide as that just about did him in. Here he'd been thinking that she was some healer or member of the clergy, but the Goddess Angela? Delanac had to pinch himself to see if he was awake. Without further ado, they went in and came before her ladyship herself. Yucca's mother was busy as can be, from all the books and things everywhere. You could build an entire house out of those hardcovers, shingles and all. Empty cups of coffee were sitting cold, stacked up wherever they could sit. 

Right away he was being asked who he was to Yucca, in that familiar roundabout way his aunts and uncles would do whenever they caught sight of him walking with another girl. With a silly little grin, he rubbed the back of his neck as he finished Yucca's sentence. "–Partner in business, like. Opened up a little tavern o' sorts up in the big city by the river o'er in Parvpora. The Bramble & Ivy's what it's called, proper tidy name isn't it?" In times like these, he learned you had to grin and bear it. Cousins, sisters, even great-granduncles were all nosy enough to pry if they hadn't seen you in a day. Delanac's big family and life in a close-knit community in Yovaesh had given him a bit of experience under his belt when it came to unexpected questions. Looking over to his friend, he added. "We thought we'd bother you for a few things, mostly ingredients. Our bags couldn't carry much coming in all sudden-like." With the entire area around the camp as good as barren, getting supplies would take some time unless you had a mage with their spells ready. Even meat from the Highlands needed more than a day by wagon. Spices were definitely out of the question. 

With learning who Yucca's mother was, it slipped his mind that there was another thing they were here for. "Knickers, nearly slipped my mind! If you've the time, could you have a gander at the little trotter? Him and Bran have been under the weather ever since it all started. Ol' Bran's my pup, I'll bring him over from the tent in a minute." 

“More than you know…” Yucca hesitantly let it slip out of her mouth as she smiled at him. They were still discovering things about one another and this was just another puzzle piece.

Once they were in the tent Yucca was looking at Delanac to make sure he was fine. She had a habit of not telling people who her mother was for her own safety. She didn’t want someone taking her hostage or trying to sell her back. Hell, there were tales of people doing ritual sacrifices of deities’ children. But now, he could learn and figure it out for himself what he wanted to do with the information.

Angela could tell right away it wasn’t the whole story as Yucca blushed. “It’s a beautiful little name that fits Yucca and yourself I’m sure.” Then as casually as Angela could she shrugged. “I don’t know why you bother lying about your relationship to me.”

Yucca probably would have spit something out if she was drinking. “WE’RE NOT LYING. You are reading too much into it…” Her voice got quiet as she looked at the look she was getting. “Okay, so we lied.” Yucca would have thrown her arms up if it wasn’t for the fact she had Eno in them.

There was a nod from the goddess as she got up and took Enokitake from Yucca. She was rubbing his little body and giving him a hug. There was a sad look on the goddess’s face. “It only feels like yesterday when I made Eno for you. You were leaving to explore the Highlands for the first time. Said you would be back but I knew you would get sick with wanderlust. So I created Eno so you wouldn’t be lonely ever. A pet that would never age and was smart enough to keep you out of trouble.” Angela chuckled a bit as she massaged the poor thing’s soft skin. “He smells like buttermilk.”

“He loves buttermilk baths…” Yucca said calmly. “I’ve been doing it every night thinking it would help him.”

“Your love helps him even if it doesn’t show physically,” Angela spoke as magic left her fingertips. Slowly Eno perked up until he hopped off and onto her desk. “How rude. You could have let me hold you longer.”

Eno let out an oink and jumped down excitedly as he ran around Yucca and then Delanac. “Thank you, Momma!” Yucca laughed as she swooped down and grabbed Eno. He let out a few squeals as the two rubbed each other’s heads together.

“You can go get Bran now.” Angela smiled at Delanac. “Also, you can pull anything you need out of my storage. I have a portal from my realm to here nearby. All you have to do is slip into the kitchen and take what you need. I don’t mind at all.”

Just like great-aunt Betrys, Yucca's mother went straight to the heart of every father and mother's thoughts when they saw their boys and girls walking with a new face. Yucca flushed red like her hair, proper mortified at her mother's blunt asking. Delanac had nothing more to add, keeping a smile on his face. He'd never been much of a talent for magic, so when her ladyship worked hers on the little pig he was surprised. Hearing the truffle-hunter was something the goddess had made herself for her daughter left him lost for words, to which he let out a low whistle. The orc raised a brow when she mentioned 'never aging'. For a while he had wondered how Enokitake was able to eat so much and stay his size, and now this was a mystery solved. Yucca had been worried sick when he started feeling under the weather, even after getting his favorite buttermilk baths daily. It didn't take long for the little trotter to be up and running once he was better. 

"There he is! Look at that spring in his step!" The orc laughed. The little piglet was good as new. "Thank you kindly, ma'am. We'll give these folks a proper home-cooked meal for their troubles." Giving a nod, he ducked out of the tent to fetch his own pup. All in all, he was taking this surprise rather well. Delanac could understand why Yucca was always hesitant to talk when it came to her mother, after all telling folks you were related to one of the gods made you a proper tempting target for kidnapping. Soon he was back inside the tent with the jackal pup in his arms. "Proper good sport you've been, Bran. Easy does it, you'll be bright-eyed in no time! Here he is." He said, handing the black dog to her ladyship. Bran's normally wagging tail was limp and he looked so tired. He let out a whine and pushed his nose into his owner's hand. Delanac scratched behind Bran's ears with a smile, letting him know everything would be alright. "We'd better get right to cooking soon, once Bran's back on his feet him and the little trotter'll be ready for a three-course meal." He grinned back at Yucca. A hearty appetite was always a good thing to see when it came to these two. After days of not being able to eat much, the little pig and pup would be starving.