It had been a hard slog to get to the top of the pass. Empusa explained that they were heading over to the windward side of the range and then down toward her oceanside estate. Unfortunately, the weather would likely be a little cooler and a little wetter. So far, though, the weather had been perfect.
Faith had taken her bow and was out hunting and Empusa had just finished feeding Charity and the ponygirls a snack. "Do you want to try one of these special treats that I give the ponygirls on special occasions, Charity? It is very much an acquired taste. I'll give you a tiny piece to see if you like it."
In the distance, Faith let out a "Woohoo!" She apparently shot some poor small animal. Empusa smiled and jogged off to see what Faith was up to.
Charity looked at the small brown nugget in her bowl. She picked up the bowl and held it under her nose, sniffing. Chocolate! No way! How could chocolate be an acquired taste? She looked at the ponygirls, who had gobbled their treats immediately and were now jockeying for position in the off chance that Charity turned her piece down.
"Maybe there is no sugar in the chocolate," Charity thought. She had once bitten a piece of baker's chocolate. It was very bitter. Still... It was chocolate and her mouth was already watering. She picked up the piece and popped it in her mouth.
Her plan was to suck on it, savoring its flavor for as long as possible. She let the chocolate settle on her tongue and gently pressed it against the top of her mouth. She felt it pop and suddenly vaporize into dust in her mouth, spreading the most vile taste imaginable throughout her mouth.
"Ugh!" She started spitting, but that was not helping at all. She looked around to figure out where Empusa's stash of fruit was. Unfortunately, she had used a padlock to secure her stores. Charity's eyes were watering and she was starting to retch. She recognized a small green plant growing nearby. A single stalk with zigzag-y leaves. It was the plant she had used before that refreshed her mouth.
The taste in Charity's mouth was so heinous that before she knew it, she was pulling off the leaves and stuffing them in her mouth. Just as before, as soon as she started chewing on the leaves, the vile taste evaporated and a cool tingling feeling settled on her tongue and down her throat. She sighed with relief.
"Charity!" Empusa said as she climbed up over a rise with Faith in tow. "You didn't eat that plant, did you?"
Charity nodded her head.
"Oh, fuck!" Empusa said.
Charity spit what was left out of her mouth. "Isn't this that plant that refreshes your mouth? Is it something else? Is it pois... poi... bad for you to eat?"
Empusa was shaking her head, but she started laughing. "Oh, Goddess! This is a variant of the plant that you are thinking of, but it doesn't grow as well due to the altitude. Since it is more sparse it has developed a particularly odd defense mechanism to keep animals from eating it."
"Should I force myself to vomit?" Charity asked.
"No! No! If you have swallowed, then it's too late and the damage is done," Empusa started laughing again and turned to Faith, who had a particularly concerned look on her face.
"Tell me what to do, Empusa," Charity screamed.
"Well, we will need to quickly find a good place to camp that is sheltered and easily defensible," Empusa said. "Don't worry, though the effects are generally temporary."
"Effects? What effects?" Charity said. "Why are you laughing?"
"Sorry. Everything will be fine," Empusa said. She walked over to Charity and stroked her hair. "You'll be fine. This variant of the species affects your nervous system, but it naturally resolves itself."
"What is it going to do?" Charity asked, nervously.
"Are you familiar with a condition that I think is referred to as Tourette syndrome in your universe?"
"Yes. I'm a psychia... a psych... Oh! Fuck no!" Charity cleared her throat. "I'm a psychiatrist! I am a highly educated woman. I've studied for years and years to obtain my position. I was number two in my graduating - AAIIP!" The ponygirls shuffled their feet nervously. Charity held her hand over her mouth.
"And, here we go," Empusa said quietly to Faith, who was still standing with a rat-like rodent skewered on an arrow.
After about twenty seconds, Charity relaxed a little. "I think that it was just a hiccup..."
Empusa grabbed the arrow from Faith's hand and tossed it off into the woods. She started pulling the ponygirls to hitch them back to the cart.
"AAIIP!" Charity screamed again.
"So, the leaves of the plant, when chewed," Empusa started to explain, "cause the animal to compulsively make..."
"AAIIP!"
"... to make a sound that attracts a certain predator that lives in the higher altitudes of the mountains around here."
"AAIIP!"
"The predator is a very social animal, like wolves in your universe," Empusa continued. "So, we'll want to move as quickly as possible to get to a lower elevation..."
"AAIIP!"
"...before nightfall. Hopefully we will be out of their territory. But if not..."
"AAIIP!"
<>--+-
Twenty minutes later, they were walking at a particularly fast pace along the road. Every thirty seconds or so, Charity convulsed with another loud shrieking scream.
"This is so embarrassing," Charity said to Faith who was walking alongside her.
"Don't worry, Baby," Faith said. "I think that Empusa will..."
"AAIIP!"
