That was only the beginning. The scent when exposed to it for long periods of time generated paralysis or sleep based on the mental and physical exhaustion of the person though there was another aspect to it too. Not only was a person a sitting duck but a good whiff caused arousal too.

Birch grabbed her waist to keep her from falling over and injuring herself. “You see, and that is with just a single good whiff. Prolonged exposure can be worse, much worse, and with some of the things out here … well, it isn't fatal but you can guess that there are those that are not as kind or caring.”

¨t-then will you p-protect me? i-i can um offer you something to.¨

lily nods shyly.¨y-you keep me s-safe from them and m-monsters a-and ill give y-you my nectar.¨

A future arrangement. “I cannot leave these jungles and they are fairly large though I could arrange for such protection within a large portion of it if aware of your presence. Of course my territory will provided you a haven. Only Slarr comes by and he just wouldn't be interested in you when he does.

“Otherwise we are in agreement. The more willing participants I have the easier life is on myself and those that happen to pass through. A well fed Birch safeguards your peers.”

lily nods and sees a shrivaled younge tree.seeing your anguish at it she calls on her power revitalizeing thd poor tree showing her love of nature.

“Remarkable. More impressive than the conjuration of the water.” He nears her mostly naked body. His eyes look passed her at the tree inspecting it then he wonders something, wonders about one of his own abilities. “Can you cure any sick tree?”

¨i-it depends on if its a natural illness or another p-plus how far gone the plant is.¨

“Hm ...” he considers. “If I pass through a plant with organic matter if will die soon after. Hence I travel alone when discovering that. If I pass through the same plant twice it sickens and dies.” He thinks of experimenting a little by passing through a tree once and seeing if she could find anything wrong with it that may have been altered at his passing but he picks up on her stutter.

“The roses … the scent is getting to you, is it not?”

lily nods her legs trembling feeling her energy drain. she leans back into him¨i-if you take me to the plants i-i can see what i can do. though i warn my power is super weak on this island.¨

He nods. Rather than subject another plant to his unique abilities there are those he passed through while chasing her down. He picks her up, chest to chest with her and leads her away to one of them.

“This one is showing no signs of sickness but if I pass through it again it shall die. Do you feel any difference in it? And if the effects of the roses grows too great … I can always eat more ...”

lily puts her palm on the tree.¨i-it seems as you pass through it drains them of water and if you pass through again its to much for the tree.¨lily begins to manipulate the water flow seeing it revitalize and turn green falling back the use of so much power draining her.

Birch had been curious as to what was happening. He was no scientist or versed in the arcane arts like she but it was important enough to know that he could not use the same tree twice without a cost that he was not willing to pay. He catches her as she falls back though.

“That will be enough for today. I simply wished to know what was going on.” The water loss must have been great since the tree probably needed a great deal of time to recover before he used it again but it was important to note that it would recover.

He carried her to where her clothes had been though he had no intention of dressing her just yet. “Do you need anything? Food? Water?”

¨b-both. i never tried magic like that on the island.¨lilys pants hard having a minor nose bleed.

“Your leaking sap. I will return shortly.” He transported through a nearby tree going to his garden where he had many things. Returning about five minutes later he had a pitcher of water and a bowl of fruits, nuts and berries as well as a cloth so she could tend to her face.

“Plants I can bring with me to no effect,” he corrected his earlier statement. Organics that weren't plants tended to be a bane to the trees though he was surmising that the additional burden sapped that much more water from the tree causing it to die. He laid out the bowl and water then sat himself close by.