A whisper within a sigh

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

Hidden beneath the cloak, huddling in a hollow between gnarled roots, the veiled figure was struggling to hold her laughter back. Biting down on the butt of her thumb to contain the excitement, she snuck a quick peek at Sohalia. It was hard to see in the dark but the woman's posture spoke of bewilderment, questions practically steaming through the ears. It was incredibly satisfying. Possibly this was the most fun she'd had in years and she had a whole new appreciation for the pranks the wisps pulled on people. Certainly they could be sinister, even dangerous. This time she had led her 'victim' too a place of beauty and intrigue, though the bog certainly held very really danger should either of them go astray. But it had been fun. Thrilling, exciting, and sort of powerful in a surreptitious, understated kind of way. In hindsight she recognized the weight of it. What if she'd chosen a whole other destination once she realized that she'd acquired a tail? In the dark, through the woods, if she'd led the jaunt up along the cliffs or further into the marshes, if she'd left the woman to go astray... the ending could have been far different.

They were underestimated, the woman realized. Seemingly powerless, a nuisance at best and pests at worst, their voices were faint and their lights dim. Yet still people chose to follow them. Lured in by hope, by curiosity and confident that they could turn back anytime, time and time again they kept falling for the spell of the will o wisp, to various ends. She had forgotten, perhaps never even realized it before despite being bonded to one, and now that she understood, a new respect bloomed in her chest for the creatures. More than ever she longed to meet her friend again, to rediscover all over again the strange, mysterious existence that once had decided to follow her - unprompted, all of its own volition.

But first, she would make sure that another friend made it safely home. Waiting for Sohalia to finish exploring the site, Maea kept hidden and watched over her from the shadows until she left. Only then did she raise and push thee hood back from her head,  shaking long hair out of the collar before collecting the lantern. It was a long walk back to the Village, and she had much to think about before the night was through.

It had been very worthwhile, all in all, and she couldn't wait to tell Mort all that she had learned.

[FIN]

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3