Near the outer edges of the Swamplands sits a small shophouse that sells potions and natural medical supplies. Run by the outgoing and caring Kaara alongside her familiar Tobi and friends Osyris, her tail Apep, and Iyesai, the shop hosts a wide range of different potions, ranging from simple medicinal potions to elixirs for stamina or “stamina”, to unique ones like portal creation, holy protection, and so much more. Almost every potion created in the shop had its ingredients grown in Kaara’s garden, or sourced from the swamp itself, allowing the alligator taur to live off the land fairly well, and those that weren't were typically sourced from reputable traders that pass by. As a result, Kaara's shophouse is always busy either making potions in the back or trading and selling ingredients and potions respectively in front.

Today begins like any other with Kaara and Tobi going over their current stock, which included checking their supplies from ingredients to bottles and markers. However, it was during their checks that Tobi happened to chance upon a strange potion seemingly left alone atop one of the shelves. It was purple with a misty white substance swirling inside it, small bubbles lightly floating from the odd liquid. Tobi had never seen this before, and they often worked on potion making with the others. As such, the nb demon goat made their way over to give it a quick check. They couldn't see the label as it was facing inwards, and it was in a bottle that they hadn't had noted in their list. Its mystery only drew Tobi to further investigate, grabbing a stool to get a better look at the strange bottle.

They had barely reached the top when Kaara, holding a couple of empty bottles and ingredients spotted Tobi. Worried for her familiar's safety, she called out to him with a worried tone, taking a few steps closer to them should they fall. "Tobi, what are you doing up there?" she asked.

"Hmm? O-oh! Hi Kaara!" Tobi would slightly turn their head when called, maintaining balance while holding onto the shelf with one hand. "I'm just checking something out, is all. Found this odd looking potion bottle and I don't recall ever seeing it before..." they replied, turning back to reach for it, if anything to at least check the label.

"What potion?" Kaara asked, moving closer still, unable to properly see the bottle given Tobi's head and softly glowing front horn were blocking her view from it.

"That's what I'm checking," they replied, reaching for the bottle to check the label, only to frown when they found it blank. "Huh, that's odd.."

"What is it?"

"There's no name on this thing..." Tobi said, turning around while keeping balance, showing Kaara the bottle. "It's just... blank. And the liquid inside seems to be moving on its own, like it's swirling or something..."

Kaara would take a step closer, checking it with her own eyes, surprised that she had never seen it before either. "Well that's strange. I don't recall ever making a potion like that and I'm certain Osyris, Apep, or Iyesai would've mentioned something like this to me if the made it,"

Tobi would effortlessly hop down to the floor with bottle still in tow, holding it carefully so as not to drop it. "Don't suppose the mouse brought it?" they suggested, thinking about Iyesai's pet Kubra, though in their mind they knew that was probably unlikely given the bottle's size compared to the pet feral mouse friend that hung around Iyesai.

"Well, whatever it is, I think it's best if we test it tonight after the store closes. It could be dangerous I don't want it exposed to our customers. Keep it in the back for now in one of the closets. If this thing's been open for a while I doubt there's any airborne effects to worry about," Kaara said, watching as Tobi nods and trots away, placing it inside a different shelf in the back outside the customer's view. Whatever it could be, it certainly seemed harmless enough, Kaara guessed, and seeing as there didn't feel like any changes since she first got here and today, she guessed it was probably something safe, if not something to be left alone for now. She'd probably need Osyris to research it later in the day, but for now, it was time to get back on the grind and prepare the store for the day.

Hopefully, it was nothing to worry about...


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Aw MAN, this pic was super fun to draw, but hard to write for. I experimented a lot with lighting, background, and shading for this, and I think it turned out pretty okay. I'm really proud of it, and thanks to this little pic I plan to work my way up into building a little series of stories based on the gang and this strange liquid. What is it? Where did it come from? And what'll happen next? All questions I do plan to answer down the road, but for now, here's more of the swamp gang, and the introduction of the newest member, Tobi, the demon goat familiar! :D