[o] [PQ] [SE] strength looks different on us all

Zavien

Emboldened by the wink, Zavien did his best to actually answer a few right (of the few that he knew). He still grinned and gave a few funny names like 'sun stickers' and 'blue pom poms,' but managed sweetgrass and roses among his right answers, motivated by the promise of prizes. By the time they'd finished, he had a pile of weeds off to the side, dirt smeared across his cheek, and a bright smile on his lips. 

Too interested in playing with the vole rather than eating it, Sol took his new mission very seriously. He did a spinning jump, giving the rodent a small chirp like a captain giving his new cadet a command to fall in line before marching off towards the edge of the garden and the rolling hill beyond. Although originally reluctant, the vole slowly crawled from its hole, creeping behind while keeping alert for any threats. 

Rolling his eyes at the soldierly antics of his companion, Zavien nodded to Lena's declaration, glancing at his pile of weeds. "I'll get these tossed and meet you there."

---

Sol helps the vole find a new home and Zavien disposes of the weeds then meets Lena on the path.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

Theea

i have been trying to wander more

The last dent gives beneath our swings, the metal groaning before settling flatter than I’d dared to hope. Together Sohalia and I muscle the weight of the gate back upright; the new hinges bite cleanly, pins sliding through with a satisfying clink. I test it once—open, shut—smooth enough.

The stallion who made all this mess prowls up again, ears still half‑pinned. I plant myself between him and the freshly hung gate, hands on my hips. “Oh, no you don’t. Look at this masterpiece. You are not wrecking round two.”

I click my tongue and soften, fingers threading through the coarse hair along his jaw to try and calm him before leaving. I give his neck a final pat and step back.

“All yours—gently,” I warn him, then scoop up my pack and fall into step beside Soh. With one last wave to the foals, my boots crunch through starlit gravel toward the paths.

---

Theea says bye to the irate stallion after fixing the gate, and follows Soh to the paths

i have been trying to breathe more, to love my lostness

// where your body hears the words of the sun //

With gates settles, voles placed elsewhere, and the herbs and weeds tackled, the paths were next. Meeting up with Theea and Sohalia again, she granted them a warm smile. “How did things go?” She’d inspect on a later trip around, but for now, they had other things to attend to.

Which they likely noticed, walking through some of the walkways. “The paths have some work to be done, unfortunately,” and she began passing out trash bags, tree clippers, and gloves. “Some have debris left over, branches hanging out, or anything else you might find scattered.” If she found that disappointing and a bit saddening, the Caretaker didn’t show it; knowing that time had been a cruel venture for many of them. And at least these portions could be conquered, driven back. “Why don’t we each take a direction and we’ll meet back in about half an hour?”

--

Pick a path! Lena will take the last.

North: Several downed saplings by the benches, litter strewn about on the walkways

East: Upturned benches, old nests from void birds still around

South: Broken bottles, fallen lights

West: More litter, many branches, and a rogue crow that may bother

Lena

// spoken in the voices of trees //

Sohalia

Don't try to wake me up
Even if the sun really does come out tomorrow

Returning to meet up with the others, Soh returned Lena's smile. "The gate's fixed - for now," she reported. "One of the unicorns keeps banging on it, though, so it might be short-lived." But that was a problem for another time. For now, the unicorns were safely enclosed. Lena could figure out a more permanent solution at a later date.

The Caretaker passed out trash bags and tools for the next portion of their work, which Soh accepted with a word of thanks. "I'll go west," she announced, and then started off to get to work. There was litter everywhere, which saddened the young woman; it would have been one thing if the paths had simply been overtaken by nature, but the presence of litter suggested an intentional lack of care. Unsure what to do with the fallen branches, Soh started a pile of them that could easily be removed.

---

Soh goes west and starts cleaning up.

Don't believe anything you say anymore
In the morn, in the morning

Theea

i have been trying to wander more

The gloves swallow my fingers a little, but I flex until they mostly cooperate and take the clippers, trash bag rustling at my hip. The southern path is quieter—twilight pooled in the flagstones, a soft wash of star‑light reflecting off… glass. Shards glitter everywhere, scattered like someone smashed a constellation and left the pieces behind.

I set the clippers aside and crouch, carefully sweeping each fragment into the bag. Reds, blues, a green wedge that flashes when I tilt it. “You’d make a gorgeous window,” I murmur to a piece before dropping it with the rest. I wish I knew how to set them in lead, melt them into something new instead of just throwing them away.

When the last sliver is gone and only dust glitters on my gloves, I clap my gloves together and opt to keep them on in case I missed more glass, and turn to the sagging lantern line. A few have fallen or twisted. I haul one up, trying to rehang it on its hook, then another, stretching on my toes to nudge them straight.

---

Theea heads down the southern path, throwing away glass and rehanging lights!

i have been trying to breathe more, to love my lostness

Zavien

Once he'd disposed of his own debris, Zavien met with the rest of the group, offering encouraging smiles as he heard of the successful gate repair. He was glad they'd managed it on their own, although he still made a note of the uncertain status, planning to check on it later to possibly reinforce it in any way his amateur carpentry skills could manage. 

Lena's directions had him nodding, readjusting the gloves on his hands as he prepared for the next portion of their tasks. Zavien waited for the others to pick their directions and for Sol to glide down to give a prideful chirping report of his successful mission, then he shot her a bright grin, gesturing with his head as they walked towards one of the two remaining paths. "We'll make our way north. See you in half an hour." With a final wink, they stepped into the mess. 

Sol didn't hesitate to sweep around both sides of the path, snagging litter in his claws to pile them into a nearby trash bag. Meanwhile, Zavien did what he could to right the fallen saplings. He shifted soil and placed stakes in the ground, trying to remember what tips Lena had given to help the baby trees return to their growth process. 

---

Zavien and Sol head north!

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

// where your body hears the words of the sun //

With directions and challenges ahead, everyone took to their designated coordinates. Sohalia ’s western portions went well initially, picking up the litter, and beginning to disassemble the many fallen branches, when it all came to a problematic juncture. A crow, perhaps bothered by her proximity or not having fond memories of the last season or so, screeched from her towering tree nearby, before swooping down towards the Attuned’s head.

Theea ’s southern exploits were incredibly swift and keen; picking apart the glass carefully and efficiently (wise, especially when dealing with sharp portions). The lights, however, perhaps due to their prior state, weren’t as content with their arrangements, and the Accepted would soon find pieces of it tangled upon itself, knotted and gnarled and not the greatest sight for any wandering visitor.

The northern part would find Zavien and Sol’s efforts well placed. The dragon snatched at the debris, piling it along, while the Dragoon shifted soil and placed stakes – except for one seemed defiant to the end, beginning to sag and snag as soon as the Accepted left it alone. Perhaps there was something else he could try?

And Lena, heading east, huffed as soon as she saw the upturned benches again. Had portions of the Family roamed free through here, doing whatever they wanted? Had it been a subject of some storm billowing around? Or just because it had an extreme lack of care since they hadn’t been here? All the inquiries in the world wouldn’t exactly suffice, and with little explanation, she could only forge onward, moving towards the sitting areas and righting them, before moving onto the nests.

--

Sohalia has been attacked by a crow!

Theea has found some of the hanging lights are tangled!

One of Zavien’s saplings are still threatening to fall!

And Lena needs to keep at the nests.

No post order!

Lena

// spoken in the voices of trees //

Theea

i have been trying to wander more

”Well…” I step back and put my hands on my hips with a grin, and… ”Shit.”

The rope-hung lanterns look more like a bird’s nest than a light-line—loops and knots cinched so tight I wonder how they ever carried their own weight. I approach the bench beneath the string, and I unhook one side, fingers probing for the first twist.

I slip off my right glove, wedge it under my belt, and work the tangle by feel. The hemp is rough, pinching skin if I yank too hard, so I loosen each knot the way Mom taught me when our clothesline went rogue: press, wiggle, breathe, repeat. One loop gives; a lantern thunks softly against my shoulder. I cradle it until the next knot slackens, then feed the freed rope back through its guide eye.

---

Theea stands up on a bench to reach and untangle the string lights!

i have been trying to breathe more, to love my lostness

Sohalia

Don't try to wake me up
Even if the sun really does come out tomorrow

Things were going well for Sohalia, though they were perhaps a bit quiet without Tarak's constant supervision. Hers was not a difficult task, and so her mind wandered inevitably back to her lost companion as she worked. If he were here, she thought, he'd be perched on each branch, chattering at her to hurry up and move them off the path. He might deign to pick up a bit of litter here or there, but mostly he'd watch in that regal way he had, squawking instructions in a language both indecipherable and easy to understand...

So wrapped up in her memories was she that Soh didn't notice the crow until it was swooping down upon her head. Letting loose a surprised shriek (which she hoped hadn't carried to the rest of the group), Soh ducked; then, realizing what had transpired, she frowned at the attacking creature. Reaching for the Attuned bond, she compelled the crow to leave her be, sending it off into the trees with a quiet, "Off you go." Then she returned to her task, this time being careful to watch for any other rogue wildlife.

---

Soh compels the crow to go away, then continues working!

Don't believe anything you say anymore
In the morn, in the morning

Zavien

Sol's efforts seemed to be going well, his collection beginning to bulge the edges of the bag. He was a blur of golden scales and determination, his garbage looking suspiciously like a dragon's hoard - if it was made up of broken bottles and wrappers, and stunk weirdly of Void, although he was proud of it all the same.

Unfortunately for Zavien, his gardening lessons hadn't covered 'uncooperative saplings.' Sure, he'd seen Lena help support the weaker trees, but she hadn't made the process look quite so complicated, the plants always having curved and obeyed every brush of her hands. Yet he was left with a sagging sprig of leaves that looked more like he was torturing it than helping. With a small groan, he knelt next to the poor soul, doing his best to be gentle as he secured more ties to keep it upright. 

---

Zavien uses more ties.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

// where your body hears the words of the sun //

The knotted and gnarled portions of the lights came back to fruition, and unfurled, under Theea ’s careful ministrations. Eventually, they’d glint and blink and shine from where they were originally held and intended, a serene fixture and backdrop to the rest of the Celestine. The Accepted should’ve been proud of her efforts; helping to return tranquility to the surroundings.

Sohalia ’s attempts at waylaying the crow were met with disdain – but it still responded and listened, with a clear roll of its eyes and a gaze that might’ve been considered eerie. Maybe it just had a grudge on any human, and it wasn’t really the Luminary’s fault at all. Her work, without the imminent distraction of irritated birds, would be completed without any other faults.

And despite Zavien ’s frustration, he’d discover the other, additional lines to the saplings were efficient and held. They might have to be improved upon at a later date, but for now, it was what the younger trees required. He’d be able to finish up on the plants with a modicum of satisfaction.

The Caretaker wondered if she could repurpose the nests – rather than let them become a permanent fixture of something to be damaged and destroyed. Gathering them in her basket, she pondered over the peculiarities and potentials, before ensuring the benches were settled and completed, dusting them off with her hands, ready for incoming visitors once more.

From there, she checked the time – alarmed to find the sun had maneuvered significantly in their work, and began to head back to her office in the middle of the square to meet with everyone else.

--

Head back to the office and report your progress!

Lena

// spoken in the voices of trees //

Theea

i have been trying to wander more

I step back from the southern path and let myself breathe. Lanterns hang true again, little moons strung along the walk. The flagstones are clean; no more glittering hazards underfoot. For a moment I just…take it in. After everything the Family left behind, it feels good to put something back where it belongs.

I tilt my head, squinting past the Celestine’s soft twilight to where real sunlight slips between rooftops. Later than I thought. Good progress, at least.

Gloves off, I gather what I brought—tuck it in my pack, and lift the heavy sack of swept glass. It clinks like bottled stars as I carry it back toward the office.

At the square, plop the sack of glass into the trash, dust my hands, and step inside. Lena’s there. I offer a quick, steady nod.

“Unicorn gate’s back on its hinges—Soh and I hammered the worst of the bends out and rehung it. A stallion was riled up, but I calmed him and made sure the latch sits clean.” I lift a finger toward the south. “On my path: cleared all the broken glass and untangled the lantern ropes, rehung what I could reach. Lights are straight and secure again.”

I glance to the door, thinking of the foals nosing my sleeves. Then back to Lena. “Anything else you want me on next?”

---

Theea gathers all her things and reports back to Lena with what she accomplished.

i have been trying to breathe more, to love my lostness

Sohalia

Don't try to wake me up
Even if the sun really does come out tomorrow

The crow left upon Soh's gentle coaxing, though it did so with a disdain that had the Luminary snorting derisively in its general direction. She'd tried to be as kind as she could be, but alas, it seemed that she was not about to make a new friend on this particular day. With the crow having disappeared, Soh returned to her task and finished up with the trash and the branches. By the time she'd amassed a full bag, the sun had migrated across the sky, and the young woman made her way back to Lena's office to dispose of the bag and report on her progress.

She slipped inside to find Theea already reporting, and she waited her turn before adding, "My path had a lot of litter and fallen branches. I picked up the trash and moved the branches off the path. You have a rather irate crow down there, though; he might need to be moved somewhere else, in case anyone else walking by provokes him." With that complete, Soh paused. "Anything else you need?" For today, anyway; she was sure she would return in future to assist further, regardless.

---

Soh reports back!

Don't believe anything you say anymore
In the morn, in the morning

Zavien

Done with his own work, Sol came to watch as Zavien struggled to tie the last string around the sapling. He pulled it tight before gently removing his hands pulling away like if he moved too fast he might startle it. Only when it stayed standing did he let out a breath, standing to dust off his gloves and observe their work. They'd done a decent job considering what time they'd had, and he didn't have any reservations in calling it when they needed to meet the others.

He tossed Sol a piece of jerky as they walked down the path, catching the tail end of Soh's report when he stepped into the square. Once she was done, he glanced to Lena. "We'll have to keep an eye on the saplings along the north path. They're still pretty weak, but I was able to prop them up." There was a twinge of pride in his voice, his grin obviously satisfied with the 'gardening' he'd managed to do on his own. The others had already asked Lena about further work, so Zavien slowly pulled his gloves from his hands, raising an eyebrow as he waited to hear what else might be on the agenda for the day. 

---

Zavien gives his report.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.