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Patchwork could be done anywhere. Essentially the holes in the thatched floor would lift as the leaves of the great tree grew and died. The job was simple, mind-numbing, and tedious for Veera. It didn't require much thought and there was a system to follow for every rising problem. That was the problem for Veera. She liked being busy but turning her brain off to do the work was impossible. In the silence of the task, her thoughts grew to a deafening roar. The task didn't help her to overcome the thoughts like the tree did. There was no comfort here, just enough work to keep her defenseless against her thoughts.
It helped to have Damon though. He could make any task engaging and fun. It's just a shame that he would rather talk about what I want to forget. Veera thought as the two neared their assigned location. The lowest canopy's needed the most patchwork. It was the foundation that their community was built on and received the most wear and tear. Wide, thick green leaves were thatched together by her people and needed attention. The outpost would send a pair to patch these holes daily.
"Do you see any major holes yet Veera?" Damon was using his hands as a shield against the sun, scanning the area. "If not maybe we can go back home huh?"
"You know that's not how it works. Let's land and get to work." Veera dropped down and began testing the leaves with her foot for any give. Week areas would need nutrients from their pack. They had received a patcher's pack from outpost three before going to the sector for the day. New leaves would need to be grafted into the framework and sealed down so they didn't grow in a rough pattern. Old leaves would eventually turn brown and wither, they needed to be cut out and disposed of so there was no rot in the lower canopy. As she toed around Veera found a new sprout peaking out from the canopy; curled tight and ready to snap open. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6UpK32Pix
"Got some new growth! Damon bring the kit!" 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeS5SQ23fv
Veera crouched down and began testing the new sprout for any deformities as Damon came back from his search. Light green and attached well, the sprout was read to be sealed down to the rest of the canopy.
"Do you have the sap ready?" Veera looked up to Damon who was fumbling through the pack.
"Got it right here oh great commander!" Damon replied pulling it from the back and handing it over with a flourish and a bow.
"Oh knock it off." Veera grabbed the bottle and began applying the sap to the top layer of the canopy where the new sprout would settle. "Do you want to channel Damon or should I go first?"
"I'll let you have the great honor of being first. I like to watch the process."
You like to not do any work, more like it. Veera thought chuckling under her breath. "Ok, then but you're doing the next one, Mr. Watchman."308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUAfdA0FDh
Veera cupped the sprout in her hands and began to channel. "Life Giver, breath on this sprout; let it grow forward and out." As she whispered the words over the little sprout she felt a life force flood through her and into the sprout. It twisted open with a snap and began growing bigger as Veera guides the little leaf atop the sap she put down. The leaf bound properly she feels the last of the life energy given dissipate. She finished the task by smoothing her hand over the edges of the leaf, making sure that everything was tamped down by the sap. and all leftover reside was wiped away.
"That never gets old," Damon spoke first barely above a whisper.
"More, Veera, do more!" The wind was restless now after the life channel was opened up. No thank you, I'd rather not rile you up anymore. Veera got up and began wiping her hands off.
"It does and it doesn't. The energy always feels nice but once we do this a couple of hundred times today I'm sure even you will feel tired Damon." Veera handed Damon back the sap and watched as he tucked it away in the kit.
"Well if you want to feel the energy Vee, all you have to do is tap into your gift. You don't even need to speak the words. I'm sure it would be fun." Damon said picking at the sap that got onto his hands.
"We've talked about this Damon. I don't want to rehash it." Veera said starting to search the ground for more spots.
"You know Vee, I'd jump at the opportunity to know my gift! I don't understand why you are so shy with yours." Damon turned to Veera and stopped walking on the canopy.
"That's the thing, Damon, the more I explore this gift the more that's expected of me." Veera huffed and paused in her throw investigation of a could be turning brown leaf. "Everyone seems to know what I should do with it except me. I'd like to decide on my own without the interference of someone else."
Damon took a breath. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEbn9zPAF4
"Vee, how are you gonna know what to do with a gift you aren't willing to explore?" 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvl7scAATJM
The question was hesitant. They had rarely broached the topic before today. Damon not being the type to pry only helped Veera in avoiding the topic altogether. However, the long hours of the night coupled with the flame dying on her anger had left Veera more open than she was ready for.
"I don't know Damon. What I do know is that I like the way things are now. There's nothing I want that I don't have, so I guess I feel more frustrated when people suggest I need something more. I know things can't stay this way forever but I want to enjoy what I have now." 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnoJsoFKui
Veera started walking. Her chin was up, and her shoulders back, implicating that the conversation was done.
"Ok, Veera. I understand. We don't have to talk about it." Damon picked up his pace and caught back up to Veera. "I just want to say though that I feel Ozzie's gift is related to the Great Tree." He threw out.
"Maybe you're right Damon." Veera considered. "But... I believe it's the life gift of plants. Not just the Great Tree."
"What makes you think that? I've never seen Ozzie interact with other plants before. Only the patchwork." Damon tilted his head as his toe caught on the ridge of a browning leaf. "Got an Oldie hear Vee."308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEY5v8tmJj
Veera reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of sheers for Damon.
"You got lucky, this one didn't need any channeling." She handed the clippers over as Damon crouched down and got to work clipping away at the dying leaf, carefully removing it from the patchwork of the canopy. As gentle as Damon tried to be plants were not his area of expertise. He hacked and tore at the poor leaf until the remnants of it were gone. The canopy was fine but the leaf itself was cut into ribbons.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZPUqVwMBH
"Yeah, yeah. No one wants me to botch a new sprout anyway. I'm just not good at laying them down like you and Ozzie are." The leaf freed from the patchwork Damon handed the shears back and placed the cutting in his disposal patch. "I don't think that leaf would have been good for propagating anyway"
"I'm only good because mom makes me do it at home. Although now that Ozzie's old enough she's been having him do it." Veera said once again scanning the terrain for more clippings.
"Aw, how sweet, little bro is helping around the house!" Damon wiped his brow and joined the search as well. "He's going to grow up to be quite the ladies killer I tell ya. If he keeps helping your mom out all the time the girls will be all over him."
"Uh-huh, I'm not convinced that's the case but he has shown an interest in the garden. He's been speaking to the plants more often and recently has been able to channel without a petition." Veera felt her foot dip as a certain spot in the canopy thinned out.
"Well, that's a tell tail sign that his gift has to do with plants then! Veera why didn't you share the good news?"
"Because it just happened yesterday. I've had a lot on my mind since then." Vera stopped walking as the thin section seemed to expand longer than usual. "Hey Damon come here, the canopy has a big weak spot"
"How big is it?" Damon asked tamping his foot around the area to feel.
"Bigger than normal. This might be leaf rot." Veera was starting to pull out a marker to tag the area. Rot was a serious issue and their inexperienced hands weren't qualified to handle it.
"Man, what are the patchers in this area doing to not notice an area this big?" Damon said crouching down to look closer. "Want to hand me the marker Vee? I can get it."
"Oh sure, Damon. You want to do this one so that I have to do the next channel. I see." Veera handed him the marker but Damon's face turned down with a perplexed look. His brown eyes were almost black with concentration.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZNvPn4zlu
"Hey is this spot moving to you?" He rubbed his hand over the canopy, smoothing it over the thin spot that now seemed to buck up and down.
"That's weird, Damon I wouldn't touch that if I were you. It might be some kind of parasite." Veera said backing away slightly. The bulging of the canopy was getting bigger than before.
" I think you're right Vee, I'm just gonna-" Damon was cut off as a knife swiped through and over the canopy layers, followed by a hand. Damon leaped back as another hand reached up stumbling for a hold on the smooth expanse of the canopy.
"What is that??" Damon shouted, scrambling to his feet. The arms had a firm hold and began pulling up the rest of the being they were attached to. Ash-colored hair drenched in sweat poked through the tear accompanied by several grunts.
"I think it's a person!" Veera shouted watching as the hair moved to uncover bright blue eyes focused on the task at hand. The person was making great headway on pulling himself out of the tear.
"What should we do? It's not like there's a protocol for an unidentified tunneling object in our training! Unless that was in a lesson I missed." Shaken and the unexpected visitor he began to wring his hands.
Now the man was fully out of the tear. He looked strange to Veera, obviously lacking the necessary wings to navigate the sky Veera wondered how he even reached the bottom canopy. His ash-colored hair was straight and framed his face with sweat. He had muscle but not like Cade. The stranger looked underfed but sturdy as if his physic was more a byproduct of his lifestyle than a desire to be strong. His clothes were dingy and his hands looked ragged, covered in scrapes and bruises. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRW6whsSW3g
"Grounder has gone top side." The wind was cautious, something Veera wasn't used to seeing in her constant companion. The man's gaze was intense as he approached the pair. Words seemed to fling from his mouth as if he was demanding something from the pair.
"I don't know Damon, but whatever we do we need to figure it out fast," Veera said as the man lunged at them.
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