Spirit Taming

Chapter 414: Roles And Goals

'Blue thorn bush- uncommon

The blue thorn bush is a plant and ice type beast. It likes to grow under the snow drifts to hide its main body. When it gets large enough it will sprout over the snow and look to capture prey within its vines. Its favorite food are snow warblers who will try and pluck the berries from its leaves.

The best way to avoid the blue thorn bush is to not touch its vines at all. It is able to send the warming touch of anything that does not keep itself at the same or lower temperature as it. That is why the winter geckos can climb on them and safely eat the blue thorn bush berries.

The berries the blue thorn bush produces are a great fruit that has the ability of helping someone resist the cold temperatures of ice and snow. This happens because it stimulates the body to produce more heat. To someone with a fever, this is poison but to someone with frostbite, it is a valuable medicine.

The best way to grow…'

Clark saw the vines of the blue thorn bush out of the corner of his eyes. He had not seen such a beast yet but was glad that he did. While the group didn't need to worry too much about the cold, he saw the dual ability to act as medicine and poison here great. Maria would be able to take it and use it for her own growth toward becoming an alchemist in a way.

They were still on the look out for another beast though.

Over their time in nebula, the idea had been pitched to Maria by Clark and was now at the front of her mind. She wasn't a good enough healer to help Ella's brother and she couldn't give him anything to help pain or anything else. That made her useless to her friend. She had hated that.

Therefore, Marai had finally been able to break the mental block she had about getting a third beast. The midnight eel had been living in her shadow perfectly. It was as if the beast was never there. a perfect hidden weapon to protect her. She even felt that because of her positive and safe feeling the midnight eel was able to become happier every single day. It was the perfect balance between them.

Lit, on the other hand, had been concerned for Maria when it came to healing. Lit had been with Maria for her entire life as her spirit beast. Their closeness was akin to sharing a soul. That was why Lit had felt that Maria needed to do whatever she had to to get stronger. Whether it was training or it was learning a new set of skills. Whatever was needed.

This is why when Clark gave the signal for Jerold to split off and the warning to steal and move fast, the rest of the group wondered what was going on. After they had seen Jerold steal a handful of the blue frost covered berries and the blue vine bush snap its thorny vines to where Jerold had just retreated from, did they realize Clark had seen some good materials?

"This should be a good start for you to use when it comes as poison and medicine. We can focus on other things later but a blue thorn bush has great berries." Clark saw Maria's understanding when Jerold handed over the berries. Isa jumped right in to explaining what they could and could not do. Overall, they had only halted for just a few minutes to gain this herb.

The effect it had on the group was very positive. The group knew that they could learn about the herbs around since it was clear that there was a need to find them. especially since knowing basic herbs would be invaluable if they were ever alone and in need.

"What else do you need?" The question popped up quickly from Isa and Grace since they could keep an eye on things around them.

"It really isn't what we need. But it's what we can start to gather to help Maria. Ella has a major focus on beast growth and recording data for that. Isa has merchants' methods down, Ralph has forging along with Brad and Reese's help lately. Maria has healing but wants to work Alchemy in to it.

I think Grace might be able to help with Isa since I know that she has been learning both data and watching Isa."

Clark rattled this off before he looked at Jerold, "And Jerold, you should enhance your scouting and information gathering. I want to be able to learn more. Basically, I want you to disappear when we get to new areas. Get the details we might miss because people are too tight lipped." Clark was sure that Jerold was already working in to this so it was fine to highlight it.

"So you want us to work on our own specialties so we can make sure the group is always stocked up? I'm fine with that. Can we keep moving though? I don't want to be stuck in the snow here anymore." Ralph was a little pushy because the cold was starting to creep in on them since they had stopped their movement.

"I would say we should move too, but I have my own specialty and that's currently finding the fact that three white bobcats approaching us from three sides." Clark had seen them the moment they had gotten within sight. He had already used the analysis on them and was waiting to see what the group would do since he knew that these beasts were easily handled.

'White bobcat- common

The white bobcat has pure white fur to blend in with the snow around them. They will make temporary homes within large snow banks blown by the wind. Their method for hunting is often to send the males out in groups of three to five while the stronger females remained beyond to protect the rest of the family.

They will often reproduce at a fast rate therefore never losing population and making them a commonly hunted beast.

The white bobcat relies on ambushing its prey using their fur to hide and their claws to strike. Even though they are smaller beasts, they have a powerful defense backed up by their ice type. The ice will catch in their fur making it denser.

They have the chance to grow in to…'

Clark had stopped reading at this point. He was sure that the rest of the group had caught on to his warning. Even though they had become distracted by the fact that Clark was going over what their current and future goals and roles were, they knew they had to handle the trouble. The best part was that the white bobcats would have followed them if they were still moving.

It was better to handle them in this open space before the group reached the nearby snow covered forests.

"Found one, you don't blend as well and my partner does." Jerold mocked the white bobcat that noticed the pressure of Jerold's eyes immediately. As it did, it tried to attack and save the prey it thought it would still get. Unfortunately, the attack had just been an opening for Jerold to use his dagger on. A single slice and the neck of the white bobcat was cut.

This sudden defeat scared the other two white bobcats. Unfortunately, Reese and Ralph had noticed the other two. Reese moved with a swift step and a harsh downward arch of his abyssal sword. The spiritual energy that blossomed split the white bobcat in two. He just stood calmly while feeling the lesser strain on his muscles from the spiritual boost since he had gotten stronger through his training.

Ralph's attack was more brutal. He had only used one of his axes but it had been enough to completely behead the white bobcat. He just put his ax back on his hip holster before looking at Clark with a face that said they would be wasting time standing here.

"Or we could just start running again. On the way I will take the lead and point out herbs I spot. Isa, you should also do that. You have a lot more herb knowledge than everyone else because of what you have seen through your family's merchant ties." The plan was already set and after grabbing the three white bobcat bodies they were off.

Weak beasts that attacked like this wouldn't be anything to worry about. But they were about to enter the frozen forests.

The frozen forests were the forests that branched out and became much thickened as one left through this pathway to the warmer southern areas of the world. The north was large but it did not have every bit of forest covered. Although this large section of forest was the coldest and always had permanent snow and ice. It was a bit dangerous, not that it was bad.

The group could train better while moving through it. They could also use it as a material gathering challenge. A good goal to have before they got through and caught up with the carriage carrying Ella's brother.