There is nothing more stubborn than a determined wizard, except, perhaps, a determined CAT! And when the plants are fully mature, Lilbit manages to get into the catnip, with rather amusing results.
@internutter/challenge-04696-l312-important-gifts -- BKF
Wraithvine knew hir stuff. The wards did little more than add an unpleasant static charge to Lilbit's fur, but they kept her off the plants. The cat mint plants that kept drawing her back to a very unpleasant experience.
In an effort to spare her discomfort, Wraithvine used an additional magical ward to alter the scent of the plants.
It worked, most of the time.
Once a week, Lilbit would come to Wraithvine, uncomfortable and unhappy with her lot in life. Acting as if her world was ending because she was simply unable to enter the contested territory, and clearly suffering from her efforts. And couldn't Wraithvine, ze of opposable thumbs, do something to help her poor, suffering soul?
Wraithvine would soothe the static charge from her fur, and allow her to have a little treat or a distraction to take her mind off her woes.
"Patience, my little lovely," ze cooed, restoring Lilbit's fur to its normal state. "They will be ready when they are ready and not a jot before then."
Finally, after months of this interplay, the first plants were ready for the harvest. Wraithvine had to lock some stems in the drying cupboard for later, but some fresh leaves had to be gifted as tribute to the little fluffy goddess of the hearth.
Lilbit leaped on the first leaf with both paws, scrubbed her cheek against the second, and started rolling in the following five. She was purring up a storm as her paws flexed with or without an object to flex against.
The rest of the harvest would be safe in the drying cupboard. Hells, perhaps the next generation of seeds might be safe whilst growing. A pinch for every incident... or before each incident. The best prevention would be to distract her prior to any attempts on the garden beds.
[Photo by Tony Fitzpatrick on Unsplash]
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