We're just another hype But the pressure's getting harder
"You know, if I tell her that, she's going to insist you come over for a hot meal." Hester warns with a bright grin, picking at things without looking and popping them in her mouth. Maybe it's not such a bad idea though. An evening surrounded by warmth, by family might be what he needs. Even if it isn't his, she knows in her heart that Chulane will be accepted easily by her clan, that they'll do what they can to make him feel welcome.
Another bright laugh left her at his echo, Hester's eyes never leaving Chulane, even as he gazed around. Though the wink, the words that followed had her brows raising, her smile tightening just a moment. Sure, he probably had some idea what to expect, but it was only going to get more difficult from here. Instead of shattering his confidence, Hester just nodded. "It will be worth it."
"Are you done eating? We can stop again in a bit." Already she's moving to pack up the food once again, eager to be moving on, and not really giving him the choice because of it. They have a lot of ground to cover still, sights to see. And it's easier to not slip into bad feelings, into guilt and despair and whatever else lingered in the depths, if one was distracted. And there was no better distraction than her babbling while they walked, pointing out places where stubborn plants clung to freezing rock faces, at tracks belying the secret paths walked by the creatures that called the fangs home, instead of simply visiting. She'd never been able to share her home like this before, never had anyone to point all these things out to, and ti made her giddy, excited.
When they stop again, it's at the mouth of a valley, smooth and empty, a scoop taken out from the mountains. There's a strange stone rising out of the snow near the middle, nearly as tall as Hester herself is and surrounded by a ragged wooden fence. Some pieces of the wood are new, but most of them look ancient, as old as the stone itself. Without a word, Hester begins digging through her pockets, searching for something, and giving Chulane the room to ask his own questions, instead of explaining outright.
Another bright laugh left her at his echo, Hester's eyes never leaving Chulane, even as he gazed around. Though the wink, the words that followed had her brows raising, her smile tightening just a moment. Sure, he probably had some idea what to expect, but it was only going to get more difficult from here. Instead of shattering his confidence, Hester just nodded. "It will be worth it."
"Are you done eating? We can stop again in a bit." Already she's moving to pack up the food once again, eager to be moving on, and not really giving him the choice because of it. They have a lot of ground to cover still, sights to see. And it's easier to not slip into bad feelings, into guilt and despair and whatever else lingered in the depths, if one was distracted. And there was no better distraction than her babbling while they walked, pointing out places where stubborn plants clung to freezing rock faces, at tracks belying the secret paths walked by the creatures that called the fangs home, instead of simply visiting. She'd never been able to share her home like this before, never had anyone to point all these things out to, and ti made her giddy, excited.
When they stop again, it's at the mouth of a valley, smooth and empty, a scoop taken out from the mountains. There's a strange stone rising out of the snow near the middle, nearly as tall as Hester herself is and surrounded by a ragged wooden fence. Some pieces of the wood are new, but most of them look ancient, as old as the stone itself. Without a word, Hester begins digging through her pockets, searching for something, and giving Chulane the room to ask his own questions, instead of explaining outright.
Hester
