all of my heroes die all alone

It's not losing it all, if we have each other
In the end it's all, in the end it's all that matters

Sohalia was in a hurry, and the Greatwood seemed to sense that. She normally had good luck with the trees and the paths, managing to get where she was going fairly quickly. But today, she could swear she'd passed that same tree five times, and Noe, who trailed behind her, was beginning to get frustrated with her. "I'm so sorry," Sohalia called over her shoulder, ducking beneath a branch. "I really thought the village was this way."

Tarak swooped overhead, calling for his bonded as he angled them down a path that Soh could have sworn wasn't there before. Grateful for his assistance, the Luminary stepped onto the worn dirt and began to follow it.

If we take this chance, and it falls to pieces
In the end you're all, in the end you're all that matters

Sohalia

Why you got it in for me?
Is it cause I bring it to your knees?

Noe was not pleased, but for once, she didn't blame Sohalia. Their tentative truce seemed to be working out, at least here, in the Greatwood. The girl didn't see why it wouldn't be okay back in Haulani, too, but then, they didn't have a common goal in Torchline. Out here, at least they were both looking for the same thing - even if it was for Sohalia's friend, and Noe was just a tagalong.

"Yeah, you said that an hour ago," she groused as she followed a screeching Tarak onto a new path. She knew better than to blame Sohalia for this - the forest changed on its own schedule, apparently, and the Luminary had nothing to do with that.

Throw water on electricity just to see
If the spark'll make us feel the way we used to feel

Noe

It's not losing it all, if we have each other
In the end it's all, in the end it's all that matters

Huffing out a breath, Soh clambered over a root. "I know, and I'm sorry." She'd apologized so many times already, she was certain that Noe was going to strangle her soon. "It's just, I usually don't get this lost." Of course, when she was alone, she could also shift and just fly to her destination.

Wait.

She could shift.

"Oh!" Soh exclaimed excitedly. "Wait here!" Then she shifted into a snowy owl and lunged into the sky. From above, she could confirm that Tarak's path did indeed lead to the village - for now - and when she reappeared in front of Noe as a woman, she nodded and smiled. "We're going the right way!"

If we take this chance, and it falls to pieces
In the end you're all, in the end you're all that matters

Sohalia

Why you got it in for me?
Is it cause I bring it to your knees?

Noe waited beneath the trees, watching as a snowy owl that had been Sohalia only a moment before disappeared through the canopy. There was a small part of her that wondered what it must be like, to be able to shift into different animals. What other forms did Sohalia have, she wondered?

When the Luminary reappeared, Noe nodded. "Great. So, how come you didn't do that earlier?" she asked, raising her brows. "And, also, as a matter of curiosity, what all shifts do you have?"

Throw water on electricity just to see
If the spark'll make us feel the way we used to feel

Noe

It's not losing it all, if we have each other
In the end it's all, in the end it's all that matters

"I didn't think about it," Soh answered honestly, leading the way down the path and silently praying that the trees didn't change again. As for her shifts: "I have a snowy owl, a tide jaguar, and a starknight swordfish." She paused. "The owl was my first, and the swordfish is my most recent. And, before you ask, I don't really have a favorite - they all have their uses."

And so the girls debated the pros and cons of each shift as they made their way back to the village. And it only took them a little bit longer to do so.

fin

If we take this chance, and it falls to pieces
In the end you're all, in the end you're all that matters

Sohalia