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Riyen tended to his garden, gathering seasonal veggies such as carrots and beets. Every so often he wiped at his forehead and face with his garden gloved hands, smearing soil across his face.

Fengod was simply strolling down a well-worn path when he came upon the sight of a fellow taur presumably working in his garden. He approached casually, looking the guy up and down with scrutiny. "You seem to have something on your face," he said, his face nuetral

"And you seem to be too clean a taur" He smirked lifting his attention from his garden. "Passing by?" He asked casually.

He came to a pause close to the other taur. "Too clean? Is there such a thing?" The edge of his lips twitched in a smile briefly. He took a casual pose leaning on one side with a hand on his hip. "And I could pass by if you wish, though I'm curious what you're planting there"

"There is." He stated, smiling, only ever known the hard Labour of caring for produce. "I'm gathering the seasonal vegetation, would you like to help?" Seeing as the other was so cleanly he wondered if he would actually take up the offer or not

He'd never darn any farming before and he had mild concern for his carefully manicured nails, but he was also bored and this was more interesting than simply wandering. "I wouldn't mind seeing what this farming stuff is all about," he said, flipping his hair back out of his glowing eyes. "My name is Fengod, by the way. You can call me Fen."

"Riyen" He nodded in acceptance of his openness to new opportunities regardless of his Intensions. "Happy to meet you, Fen." He emphasised. "Let's start out small" He offered him the basket of already gathered produce. "What are your favourite meals? Maybe we can make one from what we are gathering today."

He took the offered basket skeptically. A whole meal from the one garden? Reflecting on it he realised he had no clue how to cook. His mother handled all food prep at home and when he moved out he simply would eat at pubs and taverns rather than cook for himself. He bristled at the thought. He needed to learn to cook lest anyone find him less than perfection. He silently chided himself for not learning before now. "There's a soup my mother makes. It's made with carrots and...probably other things," he finished with embrassment and looked away.

"Your mother has great taste" He commented looking over the vegetable patch with great consideration. "Must have been parsnip" He thought out loud. "We will likely have to gather some herbs from the herb garden but it's doable." He gave the other a thumbs up. "Great suggestion, it should be a tasty soup."

He returned the thumbs up slowly, unsure how to even begin making soup from things in the ground. "I'll take your word for it. Now, what do I do?"

Riyen laughed gently and came to a stand, wafting his hand for the other to follow him inside the neighbouring cottage. He put the pan on the stove and gestured to the fire sprites to ignite the fire. "Chop the carrot, parsnips and onion first" He suggested, gathering a pan of water to boil.
He looked over at the other uncertainly "Do... you need help chopping?"

Fengod's face was implacable but internally he was screaming. He knew that chopping involved using a knife to cut up the vegetables but was there a certain way they needed to be cut? He stepped over to the counter and lifted each item in turn to look at it. As the other taur offered help he scanned his tone for any hint of mocking and found none. "If you show me how I can learn quickly," he said

Riyen nodded understandingly and smiled appropriately. He moved over to the over taur and stood behind him, using his hands to cup his around the specified utensils. "Cut them like this." He guided his hands carefully. "It takes some time but with practice you will be a natural in no time" He encouraged, stepping back to see how he did on his own.

Fen was slightly shocked when the other taur wrapped his arms around him. He tried to focus on learning the cutting technique while his heart beat loudly in his ears. He dipped his head slightly to let his hair cover his face. "Like...this...?" He said haltingly as he tried to replicate the chops Riyen had done.

"Like that exactly" Riyen encouraged proudly, going back to the stove to turn the heat down now that it had time to pre-heat. "You have talent." He complimented looking back at the taur. "Haven't you ever considered cooking as a profession?" He asked, glancing over at him as he stirred the pot.

He couldn't say that he had considered any profession before. He didn’t know what he wanted todo with his life. "I do?" he asked. He was dubious at best ' still he chopped away happily ' 'I guess cooking is cool. " he smiled under his hair. He scooped up some of the chopped carrots and held them out . "How muchdo we need?'

He smiled happily at the other seeing the obvious handful. "As much as you want." He stated, accepting that he could drop the handful in to the pot. He turned the stove to simmer and then gestured for the other to follow him. "Let's go gather herbs now while the main vegetables simmer in the pot." He smiled hoping to space out the learning.

Fen found the process interesting. They started outside, came inside, and now back outside. No wonder his mother always said she was tired. "Lead the way," he said, gesturing for the other to go in front of him. He glanced around the cottage, trying to get a sense of his companion. It was strangely homey here. Fen hadn't been much for "home" for a few years now. Ever since... No he wouldn't think about that. He didn't want to get emotional in front of a relative stranger. "When did you settle here?" He said instead.

Riyen dipped his head in thanks to Fen as he offered him the lead and headed out the door, turning in the opposite direction to the front garden to head towards the rearside of the cottage. He looked over his shoulder at Fen following behind and saw his expression sadden momentarily and became a little startled at his question, wondering if the other had found him staring. "A few years ago now." He said softly, turning to face the herb garden. There were rows of raised wall structures with evenly spaced out plants growing inside them. "How long have you been travelling?" He asked, equally curious.

Fen followed behind as they went back outside. He took in Riyen's answer as he looked around at all of the different plants but he stopped dead in his tracks when the question was reciprocated. "Oh..." he started slowly. "I've been travelling a couple of years." He shrugged weakly. He'd started travelling on THAT day and hadn't really looked back.

It seems their lives had taken different turns around the same time. He looked back at Fen and offered him an understanding smile. "I never really travelled, I just moved from one job to another, cultivating a skill until this is all I have ever known. You must have seen some sights, had experiences I could only dream of." He admitted, gathering some thyme and parsley.

He kicked at the dirt a little woth his hoof. "I guess that's true, but travelling didn't afford me any skills." He offered a slight smile, looking up at him for the first time since mentioning his travelling.

"Does it matter?" He asked in earnest. "Tell me of your stories, of your experiences. I will happily listen." He stated. "And in return..." He passed him the thyme and the parsley cuts. "I will teach you in the skills I have acquired."

He took the bouquet of frangrant plants and sniffed them as if it were flowers. "These smell wonderful" he said. "I can't say my stories are very interesting. I've mostly just wandered about the wilderness." He shrugged shyly. "What do we do with these now?" He held up the herbs

He chucked gently at his humbleness. "We chop them and add them to the pot." He advised but not without grabbing the watering can and passing it to him. "But first, we nuture the plants we aren't gathering."

Fen took the watering can and a wider smile crossed his face. "This is where my manicure gets scuffed, right?" He said with a small laugh, only half-worried about his nail polish.

Riyen laughed. "No." This was the least of Fens worries if he was solely focused on his manicure. "This is me trying to save your manicure from being scuffed." He smiled, trying to be considerate of the preferences he'd observed.

He nodded and flipped his hair out of his eyes. "So how do i know how much water they need?" He nodded at the plants, then looked at his hands which were now full. "Should we set the herbs down somewhere?"

"Only on the counter to be chopped" He smiled. "Just a cup fill or however much you feel you would need yourself." It wasn't really a science it was just showing you cared. He waited for him to water them and then took the can, placing it aside and then held his hand leading him back inside. "Chop them in to small pieces and then add what you have in to the pan" He instructed.

He let the other taur lead him by the hand back into the cottage, though he had forgotten entirely what they were even cooking. He peeked into the boiling pot of carrots and remembered and felt foolish. Fen let his hair cover his face. It felt hot. Was he blushing? He hoped Riyan didn't notice.
Be followed Riayan's instructions and began chopping.

Riyen smiled watching him chop the herbs and headed over to his storage cupboard. There were rows and rows of pickled veg, Fruits and cooking alternatives. He git the plant based cream, veg stock and salt and pepper closing the doors and placing the ingredients on the counter near Fen. "A quater veg stock and cream alternative, a pinch of salt and pepper. We wait a little while and viola, you have a homemade meal."

This was more delightful than he had imagined whrn he first saw this dirt-covered boy. He felt more relaxed than he'd been in a while and found the cottage and its occupant pleasant. "It smells great" he said as he dumped the last bit of ingredients in. "This has been really nice Riyen" he said softly. "Thank you for sharing your talents with me"

I hope that you would stay a while" He added, seeing him dump the last of the ingredients in and nor wanting the pleasantness if his company to disappear so soon. "It has."

“Of course I’ll stay,” he said with a smile. “I have to taste the soup.” He wasn’t sure how much he had actually learned about cooking but he was having fun anyway. When was the last time he had had fun? “How did you learn to cook?”

Riyen laughed gently at Fen's response "of course, the soup." He agreed though that hadn't been what he meant, he found the comeback rather adorable. "I guess it's all part of the trade? I paid my way by working hard. Which meant caring for crops, learning how to preserve them to stop them from spoiling and sometimes cook for either families or businesses depending on where I was at the time." He could credit everyone he had met, having learned valuable information from all of them rather than a single person. "So, do you think cooking could be for you?"

He looked at the bubbling concoction they had made and back to Riyen. "If you'd teach me, I think cooking could be nice." And if would be nice to stay in one place a while, he thought but didn't say. He felt weary down to his bones from running and now that he had finally stopped long enough to connect to a friend, he felt how truly tired he was. "I wonder if there is somewhere nearby I can stay, so I can come by for lessons."

"I'd be happy to." He smiled warmly, signalling for the fire sprite to exstinguish the flame. He watched as it inhaled the flame and then grabbed a ladle and a couple of bowls, separating the portions of soup evenly and then placing them on the table. "You're always welcome to stay here" He suggested, looking at Fen. "Though if you would prefer to stay else where I can show you the way to the nearby town."

He watched with fascination as the fire sprite put out the fire, then turned his attention to the soup. It looked and smelled good. He gave some thought to where he wanted to stay. It was tempting to stay with Riyen, but he also wanted to see the town, not to mention have a place where he could be alone to process the feelings that were bubbling up today. "I'd love to se the town" he said with a smile.

Riyen nodded in understanding, they had only just met afterall and while they had an enjoyable day, the other must have been tired and weary of his new found company. He lifted a spoon of soup to taste it "mm." It turned out delicious." He praised. "Once we've had dinner ill show you to the town if that's agreeable?"

"Wow it really is good." He was surprised. Maybe cooking wasn't as mysterious and difficult as he thought. "I'd love if you showed me to the town," he said with a soft grin beneath his hair. He wasn't in a hurry to leave and sipped his soup slowly. "This was such a surprising day." He mused quietly. "I didn't expect to make a friend. Thank you for taking the time"

"Me either" He stated smiling back at Fen "this was entirely unexpected but I've had the best day, so thank you" He emphasised, collecting their bowls once their meals was finished and washing them. He collected a small portion what was left over in the pan in a miniature bowl and gave it as an offering to the fire sprite. "All ready to go?" He asked, drying his hands.

He smiled at the fire spirit's little bowl, finding the creature adorable. "Does he have a name?" He looked closer at it, watching it take on a slight green tint from his glowing eyes. "Hello there" he righted himself and announced he was ready to go. "Let's go check out the town"

"His name is Erotan buuut I call him teacup." He laughed in amusement. "He has taken to curling up inside them." He smiled. Erotan slurped away at the soup, the eye closest to Fen growing bigger to take in the reflection of the taur. Once he finished his soup, he stretched out making a contented sound. "Come on, teacup." He lifted the sprite in his palm and placed him on his shoulder, collecting an empty lantern that was hung up in the doorway on their way out.

He found the fire sprite and his name charming, or maybe it was the host. Fen wasn't sure but that wasn't important. What was important was the promise of tomorrow, of learning new skills, of new possibilities. It somehow felt like some of the weight on his shoulders had been lifted by the simple kindness of this stranger. Or was it something more? His heart fluttered as Riyen lead him outside and towards the town. The sun was beginning to set so Fen could see a few lanterns begining to be lit as they approached. "This place is so beautiful," he said half to himself. He turned to Riyen at the door of the inn, hesitating awkwardly. "Can I come by tomorrow for more lessons?"

"Of course, you can come by anytime." Riyen stated genuinely handing him a small bag. "Would you mind passing this to the taverns owner for me?" He asked hopefully. He always passed good will to the tavern when he passed by but he also knew this would give Fen some good will until he got his footing in the area. "See you tomorrow, Fen." He waved, heading back towards his home.

He took the bag with a nod and a smile. "Leave it to me, I'll be sure they get it." He clutched the bag to his chest and waved back at Riyen as he walked away. "See you tomorrow" he said quietly as Riyen went out of earshot, then turned and ducked into the tavern to find the owner.