While mages study some of the more mundane or personal aspects of their craft, their familiars go to classes of their own. We learn about ourselves, about the wide world, about our role as companions.

Today we have Advanced Forage with Master Eldo. The wise old dragon is one of my favourite masters; the perfect mix of stern and kind, patient and persistent, gentle and firm. From his steady guidance we learn of the things to be gathered in the wild, and how to gather them and, sometimes, when to leave them alone.

Perhaps I am a little biased to my own kin, but the others do well in his classes too, even shy little hedgehog, Pokey.

I leave Eldo’s great lecture hall feeling encouraged, knowing that I can learn all he knows, and that it has value beyond rote. I struggle with recognising the full chart of mushrooms, but rather than feel disappointed or stuck, there is a sense of challenge in finding my own solution.

Master Eldo was very happy with my recall of medicinal herbs, though. As am I. I spent a good while learning those, although… I may have sampled a little too much mint, given my incredibly bright green fire breath…