Never really was a big tea drinker until I tried it with cream and sugar, and now I've seen the light. Yeah, I guess it's technically not as healthy but I don't give a frick, I like it when it tastes better than just hot leaf juice.

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October 24th, Sometime After All The Other Nonsense

Sam had definitely been through a lot these last few days. Just recently, he'd been the victim of a friendly kidnapping, a giant spider, and a giant snake. To say he'd been put through the wringer was not only a pun, but a massive understatement. Normally unfazed by the various supernatural goings-on of The Woods, the horrible confluence of misfortune specifically happening to Sam rattled him more than usual. He needed some extra help for this one.

His dearest other half, Lyna, suggested he pay his deer-est friend Sajj a visit. Not for lack of want on Lyna's part, but this didn't seem like the malaise she was equipped to handle. And she was right. It had been a while, too, and if Sam ever needed a more supernatural solution to a supernatural problem, Sajj was just the deer for the job.

Only, upon arriving at the rinky-dink abode, Sam discovered that someone else had the same idea. Aggy the squirrel had already beat him there, slumped over miserable in a chair and nursing a steaming, freshly-brewed cup of tea. Sajj and Em flanked her on either side, consoling her. The deer listened patiently, while the mouse knelt beside her, a sympathetic hand on Aggy's knee.

Sam knew this problem was a little more routine, blunt as it was to say. Laurent cheated on her again, a simple moment of eye contact with Sajj wordlessly confirmed that. Sam plopped himself down on the ground with the rest of the group and listened to Aggy ramble on and wax romantic about her fundamentally broken relationship with Laurent. Sam did his best to empathize, admittedly finding it somewhat difficult to relate to the life endangerment he'd experienced the last couple of days.

Em then proposed a fantastic idea. Lately, she'd been working on something special, something with her plant magic she thought would provide Sam and Aggy with the mental relief they needed to move past these unfortunate happenings. Aggy absolutely leapt at the chance, her demeanor changing instantaneously. Sam agreed, if a little skeptical, like always.

As the deer and the mouse departed to get some supplies, Sam took to chatting with Aggy, trying to keep up her good spirits. Sam only knew it was a matter of time before she slipped back into her unhealthy attachment to the fox, and for her sake, he wanted to prolong her positive attitude as long as he could. Then, all too quickly, he spotted Sajj and Em returning. Aggy clapped her hands in delight as they approached.

“So, like I was saying...”, Em began, eyes alight with proud anticipation, “I think that I've got just the thing for you two. If you'd just want to kneel down next to each other, we can begin!”

Sam, already on the ground, shifted into a kneeling position, cooperating. Aggy set her tea on the ground and launched herself off of the chair, throwing herself to her knees next to Sam, who scooted a few inches away. Sam watched carefully as Em revealed a carved fetish from behind her back, already raising it close to her lips as she eyed the two of them. Aggy practically vibrated with excitement.

“With this, I will wash your thoughts away...”, she droned, as if reciting an enchantment, “And your woes will vanish into the ether.”

Nose twitching, Sam silently regarded Sajj, who stood a few feet behind Em. The deer sniffed. Sam didn't dare interrupt, he didn't want to be rude. This was all coming from a place of genuine compassion, and he wouldn't dare snub that. Em raised the totem to her lips, shut her eyes, and silently blew.

At once, thin bundles of vines grew under Sam and Aggy's legs, enveloping and consuming them. Rooted to their spots, the tendrils gently took hold of their wrists, forcing them behind their backs and lashing their hands together, tethering them similarly to the forest floor. Aggy gasped allowed, not able to help but squirm as she was bound. Sam held fast, barely bothered.

Before the two of them, the bud of a flower rose from the ground, a thick stem supporting it as it arose, creeping up and up until it crested above their line of site. It's petals burst open, revealing a vibrant, flourishing red and white pattern that appeared almost as if to swirl merely standing still. The head of the flower slowly tilted downward, until it dominated the vision of the squirrel and the rabbit.

“Now, gaze deep...”, Em continued her soft command, “And allow yourself to be liberated from strife, from worry, from sorrow...”

As she spoke, the flower gently spun itself. Slowly, at first, the tips of its petals swaying in the air as the white and the red flashed a hypnotic swirl, dipping further down and closer towards the two.

Aggy, immediately, was utterly lost in the color and the rotation of the plant, her eyes drooping already, her mouth slightly agape. Sam just stared at the flower, blinking. He did truly focus on the admittedly lovely flora, but his eyes did not droop, his mouth did not slacken. His bunny nose only continued to twitch. He glanced back at Sajj.

“...Did you not want to tell her I'm immune to hypnotism?”, Sam finally decided it was fair enough to interject.

Sajj just shrugged. From past the flower, Sam heard a disappointed groan. He tried to tilt his head to see past it, but it really was that large. Sam tugged a little, and he felt the vines binding his arms and legs fall away. A thin line of drool had begun to slip from Aggy's mouth.

“Hey, really, don't be hard on yourself, you're doing a fantastic job!”, Sam encouraged Em, hopping up to his feet and brushing past the flower. The mouse pouted a little, but remained focused on the working task at hand. Sam turned his attention to Sajj, “I really just wanted some of that tea. Is there any more tea?”

Sajj nodded, smiling as they beckoned Sam over to the cabin. Sam made sure to give Em a big, double thumbs up as he passed her. He really did mean it. Truly. She just blew the totem again in response, more vines creeping from the ground and encircling higher on the pacified Aggy. Sam really did just want some fucking tea, that's all.