Flames flickered from her torch and lit the path before her. She could feel the heat right above her hand which threatened to burn her if she dared move her fingers any closer. Realizing she could burn herself easily, Attie moved her hand down the handle a bit. Her eyes returned to the deep green forest surrounding her. Every tree, every rock, every noise reminded her of home. A small smile danced on her lips as she began to use her free hand to feel the trees as she passed. The forest was filled to the brim with secrets, with knowledge never spoken. Attie’s mind sparked with fascination but she couldn’t go on her quest of information today. Today, she had to see a very special creature. She drew closer to a cave in the distance. The cave seemed dark an empty but to Attie, it was home.

“Hi mom!” Attie called out into the cave as she entered.

There was no response however, for her mom, that was normal.

“I have returned with some goodies!” She said in a sing-song manner.

Attie placed the brown bag that she’d been carrying onto the cave floor and opened it. Inside was a dead rabbit.

“I caught it on the way here.” Attie explained, “I figured you’d prefer it raw so I didn’t cook it.”

After hearing little response, she lifted her head towards her mother. There was a bear resting on the ground. The bear’s fur was a mixture of brown and grey. Her mom’s amount of grey fur had been increasing over the last couple of years. Attie stood up and carried the rabbit over to her mother. She kneeled down next to the tired bear and shoved the rabbit into the bear’s face.

“Eat.” Attie commanded.

The bear opened its jaws to tear lazily at the carcass. The creature’s eyes appeared to be dull and unseeing. As though the world had long faded away and the only thing that drew her out of that transe was her ravaging hunger.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier, I…I got distracted.” Attie explained quietly.

The bear lifted its nose to touch the palm of Attie’s hand. At the touch, Attie embraced the bear’s warm fur and stayed there for a long while. When she eventually pulled away, she could no longer feel the steady breathing of the bear. A sigh escaped the girl’s lips as she stood up to check the bear’s pulse. Not a single beat. It would be wrong to bury her mother. Her mother was a part of nature. It was nature’s course to have the body returned back to the animals that it came from. Yet, Attie couldn’t let this bear go. The bear that had raised her, gave her a home, and ensured her survival when nothing else would.

Her eyes drifted to the teeth and claws of her mother. Carefully, so as to not damage the rest of the body, Attie seperated a few of the teeth and claws. She cleaned them then proceeded to use some extra thread lying in her bag to create a necklace. Two claws on the left side, two claws on the right, and her mother’s largest tooth in the middle. Attie walked over to her bag and returned all of her items to it. She stood and took one last look at the cave.

“Goodbye mother. May your heart and mind find a wonderful place of your own.” Attie whispered.

The longer that she stayed, the closer she would come to tears. Tears would serve little purpose now. She bolted from the cave as fast as she could, heading further into the forest. Attie desperately searched for a distraction. Anything would work! A strange plant, some new stone, or even a stranger!

There was too much shade for her liking, but the view was spectacular. Standing in the midst of the trees, she looked up and held out a hand to catch a fallen maple leaf. "Such a beautiful crimson and deep orange, it reminds me of powdered cinnabar and rouge." Seo-hyang was dressed warmly for the weather in dark colors. They allowed the fabric to absorb more heat to raise her body temperature. It had been a long time since she had traveled. She had spent many years in her apothecary shop in Karith, rarely leaving the floating city. Her past days of her dangerous life in Jayou were over and there was no reason for her to keep running her business. Her apprentice now was more than capable of taking over everything. She preferred the solitude in these trees. It was something she had grown accustomed to since birth and it was a constant companion even now. 

Even with her eyes closed she could navigate. Her senses were much different from most, able to see the world through heat and movement. Vibrations and air flow told her where obstructions were and where pitfalls hid. Taking in slow breaths, she could distinguish even the faintest of scents from a mixture. Seo-hyang could feel her skin grow colder as time passed. "I should turn back now, while there is still sunlight." Once she became too cold her movements would grow sluggish and she would fall into a deep sleep until the temperature rose. It was because of this that she often stayed close to civilization. The woman clad in dark garments moved through the forest like a wandering shade. Even her footsteps were soft and made almost no sound. All the while she listened for the birds to know how much time she had left before dusk.

“Turkey and gravy.”

Nelanna glances at her brother with a raised brow, yet the small curve of her lips gave away her amusement. “What we get for lunch is entirely up to Kohaku,” she replied, ignoring him rubbing his stomach dramatically. “We should just be grateful he’s willing to share what little he has left.”

“I am grateful,” said Camthorn. “But I do believe meat would be far easier to obtain than meals that are more-” he motioned towards the dead plants bordering their path, “-green.” Nelanna frowned slightly at the sight. “Perhaps now. But don’t forget that even the creatures we eat must first live a healthy life. Even they are in need of food. Without plants to keep them fed, even they will die.” Camthorn sighed as his strong posture deflated, shoulders slouching forward, “I have not forgotten. I was just trying to look at the bright side before it, too, is gone.” Nelanna furrowed her brow sadly with a pang of guilt. He was right. They should make the best with what they do have while it’s still there. “Well,” she started. “Somehow, someway, I will find out what is killing the plants, hopefully before anything else is affected too greatly.” She wasn’t sure what all she could do as nothing more than a Champion, but she certainly wouldn’t stand by while the earth is dying. She offered him a reassuring smile. His honey brown eyes stared at her for a moment before her, too, gave a small smile of his own.

In their silence she took in his facial features. A strong jaw with a stubble, a straight nose just like their mother’s, short, almost human-like elf ears like their father’s. His blond hair had light curls, also from their mother with her mysterious eyes. It was still difficult to believe that she has a younger brother, yet it made complete sense. With their eldest daughter disowned, and their second born a runaway, naturally they would want a third to carry on their name and business. But after what Camthorn told her, that he, too, had been disowned for standing with the commoners instead of nobles, Nelanna couldn’t help but think that it serves them right. If they keep up with their abusive behavior, they will lose all of their children. Though it did make her wonder how many more younger siblings she may have without knowing it.

She locked her hands together behind her back and looked ahead. “Thank you for coming with me today, even if all you did was watch. I enjoyed your company,” she said. Pride swelled in her chest. Being the Warden of the Wilds was something she was highly proud of, and being able to share with her sibling the temple, introduce him to the Rangers and show him her training routine meant a lot to her. “Of course!” Camthorn chirped while beaming, puffing out his chest as if he were a proud lion. “It was a lot of fun. Now I can brag to everyone that my big sister is the Champion of the Hunt and Wilds! Not everyone can say their sisters are that amazing.” He wrapped his muscular arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him with a playful chuckle. Nelanna giggled as warmth grew in her heart.

Suddenly, a flash of white caught her attention. “Did you see that?” Nelanna asked, her tone turning serious. Camthorn looked up, blinking, “See what?” Nelanna removed herself from her brother’s hold and started chasing after the white…thing. “This way,” was all she said to Camthorn. She could have sworn it was a white fox, a creature she has never seen in this forest through her many years of living there. But she would never know for sure it seems. Whatever it was, it was gone by now. Sighing heavily, she turned around to see her brother panting lightly with a very confused expression. “I thought I saw a white fox,” she explained, earning a nod from her sibling as if he understood, but she suspected he truly didn’t due to that look in his eyes. “Well, fox or not, we aren’t alone,” he pointed at something behind her with an upward nod. Nelanna spun on her heel.

A girl was racing through the trees. The two exchanged curious glances, and without a single word, they ran after her. “Hey!” Nelanna called. All of this running was beginning to make her wish she had brought Jade Vine. Camthorn whistled next to her, and after several lengthy moments a massive dog emerged from the trees and barked so loudly it made her ears throb. She had known Kronos was nearby somewhere keeping watch, but she hadn’t realized he was that close. One thing was for sure, though: if the girl hadn’t heard the first call, she certainly heard that one.

As she bolted down the forest trail, she thought she saw something white in the trees, however that would be unlikely. Suddenly a bark made her turn look behind to see two people chasing after her. Attie wasn't looking where she was going. Attie slammed right into a tree with a loud smack! She fell to the ground but sat up quickly. Her hand reached up to her cheek where a bruise was growing. Instead of being concerned about the pain in her cheek, she stood up to greet the two strangers. 

"Hello!" Attie called cheerfully, "Whatcha doing out here in the woods?" 

Remembering that she had a bag with her, Attie opened it and went through all her stuff to ensure nothing had been broken. All of her stuff had survived. She pulled out her journal and quill. These were two new strangers she could learn all about. She had to learn everything about them. Pressing the quill to the pages of her journal, Attie began sketching a picture of the two and their dog. Her drawings were terrible, barely above a child's level. Yet she was careful to involve little details of the two.

The dog looked more like a squiggly squirrel in her quick drawing. She wrote down that the lady had red hair and was beautiful. That drawing looked like a tree was mashed with a person. For the guy, she wrote down that he looked handsome and had a scar on his lip. His picture looked like a monkey got smashed with a brick.  Attie was an odd sight. She had no shoes, a simple tunic and pants. Yet a pair of glasses rested upon her face. She had a bag with a thin leather strap that appeared to be filled to the brim with a variety of items. 

"Sorry!" She said quickly, "I like to draw people I meet so I don't forget them later. This way, I won't ever forget anybody!" 

Just a little further, she told herself. Subconsciously she rubbed her arms but that was only a momentary relief. She should be back at the forest's edge soon, so she hoped. A commotion caught her attention; there were people within a relatively close distance of Seo-hyang. A group held the possibility of directions out, something she wouldn't let slip away. Her usual reluctance to stay close to others was being pushed back by her need to stay warm. Even if they had only a tinderbox she could last the night… When she could see them clearly, she contemplated the best course of action. The three did not seem hostile, though her concern was more towards the dog. Some animals did not react well to her presence, as their senses were more keen on unraveling her true nature. "Pardon my intrusion," Seo-hyang spoke to them all as she came into view. "Are you travelers familiar with this woodland?" Her first movements should remove any alarm or suspicion and convince that she bore no ill-will.

Her attire was clearly foreign, long robes wrapped close to her body with loose sleeves and a flat hat bearing a wide brim. Gloves covered her hands and a thin gossamer cloth flowed down from the brim's edges like a veil and her dark-colored ensemble resembled funerary garb. "If it pleases you, I would like to travel in your company until I reach the nearest city. I do not travel to this region often." Her dark hair and dark eyes were similar to those from Nisshoki and she appeared to be a woman in her late twenties. Her possessions were a small cloth bag wrapped in a thick smooth cloth slung over her shoulder. Her skin was very fair, like powder. To her everyone here seemed very young. The youngest had short dark hair and glasses, while the pair with the hound had some similarities. Seo-hyang made sure to have her hands visible, to show she was not armed. "I am Seo-hyang, a foreigner as it may be plain to see."

Once the girl heard the bark she stopped. This allowed Nelanna and Camthorn to catch up, halting before the stranger with shallow and quick breaths. They smiled at her greeting. “Hello,” Nelanna said kindly, face beaming. “My brother and I were on our way to visit a friend for lunch.” Camthorn nodded with bright eyes as he put his hands on his hips, “We just got through with some training at-”

“My name is Nelanna Rey Elindi,” she interrupted, flashing her sibling a playful warning glance. She didn’t need everyone she comes across knowing she’s a Champion, no matter how proud her brother is. “And I am her younger brother, Camthorn Rotherham…Lockheart.” Nelanna fought a frown at the mention of his last name. If he had an issue with associating himself with the Lockheart family, then why doesn’t he change his name as she did all those years ago? The sound of scribbling drew her turquoise eyes back on the girl, blinking curiously as something was being put down into a book. Nelanna smiled, “It is quite alright. We all have our own way of keeping track with names and faces.” Luckily she was blessed with good memory so she almost never forgot, or misplaced a name with a face. Camthorn leaned forward to catch a peek from her book. Nelanna swatted his shoulder, earning herself a pursed lip as he feigned pouting.

“How about you?” Asked the red haired sibling as she smiled back at the girl. “You look to be in quite the rush. Do you need help with something?”

“There’s another visitor,” Camthorn interrupted with a tug on her Ranger cloak for her attention.

A woman clad in foreign clothing approached them warily. It reminded her of how some of the people were dressed at the festival when she met Fukugami. “Indeed I am,” she replied, offering a bow of greeting. Kronos suddenly barked at her, ears standing tall and alert. But he quickly quieted down when Camthorn hushed him. He whined and laid down with head on paws. “Of course you may,” Nelanna agreed in a heartbeat. “After we eat lunch my brother and I were going to Mamlak and hopefully meet up with my husband there.”

“You are both welcome to join us for lunch,” said Camthorn suddenly. Nelanna spun to look at him with wide eyes. “Well, I-”

“I’m sure Kohaku wouldn’t mind,” he added to her with a big, confidant smile. Clearly he doesn’t know Kohaku. However, he was right in not leaving them out. It wouldn’t be fair to eat in front of them. They might be just as hungry. Nelanna smiles again, though a tad weaker this time, “Yes, you should join us. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve tried Kohaku’s cooking.”

Attie smiled warmly to the newcomers for they were just the distraction that she needed. Taking a closer look at the two, and listening to their words, she realized that the two were brother and sister. She had never had a sibling of her own which made her wonder if the way that Nelanna and Camthorn were interacting with each other was normal? Or perhaps they were unique in that aspect? Judging by their weapons and outfits, it appeared that they both were fighters or warriors of some sort. Attie held back a laugh when Camthorn got swatted when he was trying to look at her drawing. Maybe she would let him see her terrible drawings later. Suddenly, Nelanna asked about what she was doing. 

"Oh! I was just getting some exercise." Attie said. 

A stranger with long robes and dark hair approached the group and began to ask to travel with them. Attie snatched her journal to open it and sketch down a picture of this newcomer. This terrible drawing looked as though someone took a bare tree and hung their laundry on it along with putting a wig on top of the tree. She determined that she would have to practice later on non humans. Her eyes turned towards the stranger as the lady told her name. 

"It's nice to meet you Seo-hyang!" Attie exclaimed with great excitement, "I'm so glad to be able to meet another person."

If this girl was a foreigner then she must know many things. A thousand questions began building up in her mind but before she could ask any of them, Camthorn invited them for lunch. Attempting to place both her hands on Camthorn's shoulders, Attie had a somewhat serious look on her face. For this was food and food was an incredibly serious thing, or at least it was for her. 

"Lunch means food so yes I would love free food." She said quickly. 

Dropping her hands from his shoulders, she began to walk towards the direction that Camthorn and Nelanna had chased her down from. Her steps were confident and her attitude seemed overwhelmingly enthusiastic about everything. She slowed to a stop and looked back to the rest of them. 

"So where are we going?" Attie questioned. 

Seo-hyang gave a small bow, and returned a smile. "Thank you for your hospitality." Although she wasn't hungry, she more appreciated the help they would give along the way. The interactions between the man and red-haired woman were wonderful to watch. Having spent years in tense and sometimes hostile environments made her miss little things like playful banter and humor. At the mention that the two were siblings, the dark-haired woman had a brief wistful smile. "You two seem quite close, it's rather soothing. We shouldn't keep your friend waiting if we are expecting to stop by after all." She followed after the group, staying near the back as to keep a subtle distance between her and the brother's hound. It would be safer for her to stay at the rear for herself and the others. Seo-hyang didn't speak much along the way, as she preferred to listen to the others chat. While they walked she was working through numbers to gain an approximate of the other three's ages. 

The short-haired girl appeared to be just old enough to be considered a woman. Wide-eyed and curious, she hadn't experienced much as of yet. Her feet were running faster than her eyes and ears could take in, there was so much energy being put into simply moving. The pair of siblings were older and had seen more of the world, but very welcoming to strangers much like the girl and herself. Their attitudes were more settled and reflected their actions. The brother in particular had martial experience. It was clear from his posture, his armor, and other unspoken gestures. The sister had training as well, comfortable traveling within wilderness terrain. There were all things that Seo-hyang noted immediately from her assassin background. There were less obvious details which only she would notice as well: fluctuations in body temperature and voice pitch. Warmth flushing to the face when embarrassed, angry, or excited. The faint hesitation in speech despite a smile on the face. Her former profession aside, there was another reason for her attentiveness to these oft overlooked things. She used these observations to better blend in with those different from her and prevent her nature from being discovered.