flora
Flora laughs softly at that, breath fogging in front of her scarf as she nods along in easy agreement. "That tracks," she says, warmth in her voice despite the cold biting at her cheeks. "Torchline is basically as warm as Halo is cold." The smile that follows is quick and bright, her eyes crinkling as she tucks Nina’s name away with care before falling into step beside her, boots crunching over packed snow.
Spice does not take her eyes off Ember for even a second, chin lifted in frosty suspicion as they walk, the little dragon’s tail flicking sharply with every erratic movement of flame. When the fire sprite streaks off after the ningos, Spice gives a startled chirr and launches herself into the air after it, wings beating once in indignant pursuit. Flora watches them go with a sidelong smirk, shaking her head as if this is simply the price of walking through the world with small, opinionated creatures attached to one’s life.
Her attention shifts back easily, the question settling comfortably rather than intrusively. "I’m helping a friend build a shrine," she answers, tone light as she shrugs one shoulder beneath layers of borrowed warmth. "LongHeat is really the only time of year I can stand to be here for more than a day without dramatically reconsidering my life choices, so it's good timing he wanted to do it now." There is a self-deprecating laugh threaded through her words, easy and unembarrassed, as if she has long since accepted this particular limitation. "I was born in the Greatwood," Flora adds, glancing briefly at the frost-laced streets around them before smiling again. "But I’ve lived in Torchline most of my life, so I think my body just...never really got used to having to deal with the cold." She lifts her shoulders in an exaggerated little hunch, amusement softening the admission.
Spice does not take her eyes off Ember for even a second, chin lifted in frosty suspicion as they walk, the little dragon’s tail flicking sharply with every erratic movement of flame. When the fire sprite streaks off after the ningos, Spice gives a startled chirr and launches herself into the air after it, wings beating once in indignant pursuit. Flora watches them go with a sidelong smirk, shaking her head as if this is simply the price of walking through the world with small, opinionated creatures attached to one’s life.
Her attention shifts back easily, the question settling comfortably rather than intrusively. "I’m helping a friend build a shrine," she answers, tone light as she shrugs one shoulder beneath layers of borrowed warmth. "LongHeat is really the only time of year I can stand to be here for more than a day without dramatically reconsidering my life choices, so it's good timing he wanted to do it now." There is a self-deprecating laugh threaded through her words, easy and unembarrassed, as if she has long since accepted this particular limitation. "I was born in the Greatwood," Flora adds, glancing briefly at the frost-laced streets around them before smiling again. "But I’ve lived in Torchline most of my life, so I think my body just...never really got used to having to deal with the cold." She lifts her shoulders in an exaggerated little hunch, amusement softening the admission.
and if you'd never come for me, I might've drowned in the melancholy
I swore my loyalty to me, myself, and I, Right before you lit my sky up
I swore my loyalty to me, myself, and I, Right before you lit my sky up
