(Thanos Voice) Fine. I'll do it myself.

Virosa was growing weaker. It needed sleep, and prayer. It didn't need to circle the drain with these two. They didn't understand. They couldn't. No matter how much talking it did. Its throat ached from the wasted effort.

The sprouts were getting weaker - no, harder to control. Another plume of leaves ruptured from its shoulder, weighing it down ever further.

"I need to rest." It hissed, before disappearing into the undergrowth.

She nodded to Virosa, understanding. Even if they disagreed...well she wouldn't say she particularly liked the valkhound, but it was an ally. And a useful one.

But now to watch the fungus disappear, she was awed by its sudden purge, but the moment was ruined a bit by a pang of mild discomfort. She glanced back at the tree - it wasn't actively repelling her, but she didn't feel welcome here. Perhaps the corrupted are affected more so.
"Well then." She huffed and shook her head out. "I breathed a bit in. If you wouldn't mind pulling it out for me?" It wasn't a pleasant thing, but she hoped Mother got a bit of a glimpse. A bit of her satisfaction before it was gone.

She waited for the spell to work and groaned as bits of white mold bloomed on her scales. It wasn't too bad - it was only a little she'd breathed in and it had only been seconds since it happened. But everything was alright now. Eridanus was, hopefully, cleaned up at last. And they learned to stay out.

"Thanks for your help, Rift. Good luck with your Sanctuary." Her parting words were brief, but she wasn't sure how to feel about the cat. And she had a feeling that he wouldn't be so willing to help in the future.

*exit

Rift glanced back at Tectus and had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Would she only treat him as a fungus-pulling machine? Existing here just to do this service for her?

Well...he owed her that much, at least, for helping. A quick flick of magic and the fungus was pulled out. He didn't say anything else to her as she turned around and left. He watched her go, and then he watched the forest. Was it enough?

After a moment, he turned back to the Sanctuary, where the Shepherd was sitting, statue-like. He didn't talk much, but Rift didn't mind. He liked to sit next to him, pressing his pelt to the larger cat's and just breathe in the smoky scent that reminded him oh so dearly of his brother. It wasn't him, of course, but...it was still nice. He wasn't alone here.

He rested like that for a while, simply sitting with the Shepherd, warmed by the heat coming off of his skin.

Something was gnawing at him. Why? His eyes blinked open from where he'd begun to doze and then turned. Ah... on the other side of the sanctuary, just outside, a bit more tenacious mold trying to thread its way into the plants.

He stood and stepped over. His magic was weary, but he wasn't far from the Sanctuary. It was all too easy just to scrape it away with his claws, cringing a bit as he tore leaves and grasses, and paw them past the barrier. A moment later, they withered. Gone. Done.

Feeling much better now, he returned to the Shepherd and collapsed next to him, falling into a proper slumber.

*exit