Meadowlark Prairie waiting on LA to come find me and be forgiven

this one caught on quick. no beating around the bush -- a directness qiao found endearing. she tossed the piece of meat to the black-plumed creature, so that it might inspect the worth of its barter first before accepting her mission.

"goods that require -- ah, wings." qiao's eyes sparkled. "south of here, there is a high ridge. along its eastern face is a series of birch -- white trees which lean against the wind. you will see some of these have mushrooms growing along them. those trees are marked for death. i can smell them on the wind, but the crossroad is iced over and i have no wish to break my neck for a morel."

qiao pulled from her deerpelt a thin wedgeshaped stone -- its surface glittered maliciously. "take this, and use it to carve them from the tree. do not use your beak, or you too will join the trees in their march to the end." she placed the stone upon the pelt and folded its edges together. "bring me back two loads, and i will pay you well."