Arialla accepted the stranger's air of authority easily, following where Mildew bade her, though lagging behind a bit as she moved with caution on unsure footing. She'd wondered what the tar pits would feel like, but now that she was close to them, she very much did not want to fall in. She tried to pay attention to where Mildew had stepped, and to the ground in general, to avoid a spill.
"Thank you," she said as she walked: for the tea, in advance, and for Mildew's time. "I was wondering about this place. I've never seen anything like it -- I never even visited swamps, at home. Were you performing some sort of ritual?"
please don't take my sunshine away
