The starship cut through a soft spring drizzle as it approached Mossy Brook, where the landscape blurred into shades of green—lush trees lining the banks of a wide river, and moss carpeting every stone in sight. Below, the village sat huddled by the water: small wooden cottages with thatched roofs, a weathered dock where a few empty fishing boats bobbed, and a pile of broken fish traps stacked near the shore—their nets torn, their wooden frames splintered.
Lin Che landed the starship in a grassy clearing by the river, and a woman with damp hair and a fishing apron hurried over. Her boots squelched in the mud, and she carried a frayed net slung over her arm. "You're the travelers from Clover Hollow," she said, her voice tired but hopeful. "I'm Elara—Mossy Brook's fisherman. Well, one of 'em. Our fish traps broke two weeks ago—most of 'em washed away in the storm, and the ones left are useless. The river's full of fish, but we can't catch 'em. We eat fish almost every day, and we sell the extra to buy flour. Without the traps… we'll run out of food by midsummer."
Xiao Ya walked to the river's edge, her boots sinking slightly into the moss. She knelt, pressing her hand to the water, and her fingers glowed green. The current slowed for a moment, as if sharing a secret, and she smiled softly when she looked up. "The river's happy—it's full of fish, just like Elara said. But the old traps were weak—made from thin wood and worn nets. The storm broke 'em, but even before that, the river plants said the traps were falling apart. They can help, though—willow branches by the bank are strong, and waterweed can weave into tough nets, better than the old ones."
Mo Ying slung her toolbox over her shoulder, already inspecting the broken traps. "We'll build new ones—sturdier. Use willow for the frames, like Xiao Ya said, and weave waterweed into nets. Lin Che, you can help cut the branches. Elara, do you have extra rope to tie the frames together?"
Elara nodded, pointing to a shed near the dock. "We've got coils of hemp rope—strong enough to hold a boat. My son, Kai, can help carry the branches. He's been begging to fix the traps with us."
True to her word, a boy of 12 with mud on his cheeks appeared moments later, carrying an axe. "I can cut willow branches!" he said, holding the tool up proudly. "Pa taught me before he left to trade in the next village."
The work began quickly. Lin Che and Kai cut willow branches from the riverbank—thick, flexible ones that wouldn't snap in the current—while Xiao Ya knelt by the water, talking to the waterweed. Soon, long strands of the weed floated to the surface, tangled into thick, strong bundles perfect for nets.
Mo Ying built the trap frames, lashing the willow branches together with hemp rope until they formed wide, rectangular shapes. Su Qing sat beside her, carving small runes into the wood—glowing green symbols for "strength" and "stability." "These will keep the frames from rotting in the water," she said, showing Elara a finished frame. "Even if another storm comes, they won't break."
By afternoon, the first new trap was ready. Elara and Kai carried it to the river, lowering it into the water with ropes. Within minutes, a flash of silver darted into the trap— a large fish, struggling gently against the waterweed net.
Kai cheered, jumping up and down in the mud. "It works! We caught a fish!"
The villagers gathered around, grinning as they helped lower more traps into the river. By dusk, they'd set a dozen traps, and every one held at least two fish. Elara cleaned the first catch over a bucket, her hands moving quickly with practice. "Tonight, we'll have fish stew," she said, smiling. "The first real meal we've had in weeks."
That night, the village feasted in Elara's cottage. The table was packed with bowls of fish stew, crusty bread, and a jar of berry jam from Clover Hollow (which Elara had traded for last month). Kai sat beside Xiao Ya, asking her to tell stories of the bees in Clover Hollow, while Elara talked to Lin Che about the river—how it had fed Mossy Brook for generations, and how her family had been fishermen for as long as anyone could remember.
Before they left the next morning, Elara handed Lin Che a small wooden fish—carved from willow, its surface polished smooth. "It's a good luck charm," she said. "Pa carved one for me when I was Kai's age. Take it—remind yourself that the river always gives, if we take care of it. And that your help here… it meant more than you know."
Lin Che took the charm, running his finger over its curved shape. It felt warm, as if it still held the river's heat.
They climbed aboard the starship, waving goodbye. Elara and Kai stood on the dock, holding the wooden fish, while the other villagers waved from the shore. The new traps bobbed in the river, their waterweed nets glinting in the morning sun.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Ya placed the wooden fish on the dashboard—next to the honey jar from Clover Hollow, the woolen scarf from Thistle Vale, and all their other treasures. Su Qing flipped open Li Wei's map, pointing to a village in the west. "Willow Glade," she said. "Li Wei's notes say their fruit trees aren't blooming. It's spring—they should be covered in blossoms, but the branches are bare. Without fruit, they can't make jam or dry slices for winter."
Mo Ying grinned, adjusting the starship's controls. "Fruit trees? We fixed fish traps, bees, sheep—trees are next. Xiao Ya can talk to 'em, find out why they won't bloom. I'll help dig around the roots if they need more water or soil."
Lin Che looked out the window, at the river below. The Star Marrow on his wrist glowed softly, matching the light of the runes on the willow trap frames. This was their journey: not grand battles, but tending to the small, vital things—the river's bounty, a tree's bloom, a village's daily bread.
"Willow Glade," he said. "Let's go help those trees."
The starship turned west, toward the rising sun. The drizzle had stopped, and a rainbow arched over the river, painting the sky in bright colors. Ahead, a new village waited. A new problem. A new chance to bring hope.
And as always—they were ready.