(SE, Open) Whispers of Green

Belril

Every day's a challenge
But I always seem to get through

He almost didn't make it back to Halo, one of the last to arrive before the portal found itself completely covered in snow and rendered unusable. When he got back to the Hollowed Grounds, it might be prudent to see if there was a way to make it so the Halo portal wasn't sealed up every Deepfrost, but that was a problem for another time.

Soon after he arrived at a specific building in the Citadel, a sturdy longhouse used for an orphanage, he was almost buried in kids, most of them younger than him, all of them Abandoned. He laughed before peeling himself out of the dogpile before seeing the elderly lady that had taken care of him and all these children giving him a gentle smile from under her thin-framed glasses. He had spent a few days with the people of the orphanage, catching up on what had happened during the year he was gone...when he heard something from the preteens especially about something that was unusual to him.

Something about a tree in Halo? One unlike the others that grew around here? This curious rumor among the children caught his attention, and on one morning, he had gotten up to slip out of the place, leaving behind a note to the elder that he was going hunting for this odd tree and that he'd be back.

Now, he was wandering the town, wearing a fairly-thick jacket over his usual attire, trying to get back to being used to the cold once more. It took him sometime to get used to the heat of the Hollowed Grounds, now he's back to getting used to the cold of Halo.

He wouldn't be surprised if he found himself seriously sick because of the temperature changes in a few years time. "If I were a tree, where would I hide," Belril muttered to himself, hands in his pockets, before beginning the hunt for the strange bit of green...

Each day's a balancing act
Of good and bad events

Noah

if there's a reason I'm still alive
when so many have died

The hunter was making his usual rounds through the town. Deepfrost had begun and it brought with it more snow than Noah could remember in the first few weeks of the season. It worried him a little, but what worried him more was the thought that some might not have made it back through the portal from other lands. He stopped in at the homes of people he knew to be traders. He was filled with relief when each person on his stop was safe, at home, with their families.

He was making his way back towards his office when he noticed the young man. The hunter stopped for a moment, watching him. He looked like he was searching for something, but Noah didn't know what. He did, however, recognize the boy. He didn't know his name, and he couldn't remember ever having a conversation directly with him, but there was a familiarity that was unmistakable. Noah provided meat to the woman who tended to the orphans for years. His father had done it before him, and when he died Noah took up the mantle.

Striding towards the boy, Noah asked boldly, though with kindness: "What are you looking for?"

then I'm willing to
wait for it

Belril

Every day's a challenge
But I always seem to get through

Belril yelped before turning towards the source of the sudden voice, looking around in all directions before a semi-familiar presence became known to him. "Um, hi, Mr. Hunter," Belril said, realizing he didn't actually know this man's name. He's seen him a number of times in past years, especially when the one that hunted before him suddenly vanished, bringing fresh meats and herbs to the orphanage for the kids to eat after they were all prepared and cooked, but this was really the first time Belril himself had come face-to-face with the man for any real amount of time. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

He then registered the question asked of him, then gulped before slightly looking around and away once more. "Some of the other kids were mentioning something about an odd tree in the area that looked different than the other trees here. I wanted to see what they were talking about...but didn't know where this supposed tree was."

Each day's a balancing act
Of good and bad events

Noah

if there's a reason I'm still alive
when so many have died

The hunter lifted a hand, palm-side towards the boy, as he yelped and turned around. He hadn't meant to startle him. "Noah," He corrected the boy, a smile breaking his features some in an attempt to ease the awkwardness of surprising him. The hunter listened as the boy explained, a brow lifting as his curiosity piqued. "A tree? In Halo? Are you sure?" He asked, skepticism dripping thick from each syllable. Noah placed his hands in his pockets and cocked his head slightly, hmming for a moment. "Mind if I join you?" He asked. If there was a tree worth finding in Halo, Noah wanted to be a part of it. He was no longer a man to underestimate the works of the gods. Frey, surely, had something to do with this rumor, should it be true.

"Where did the other kids say it might be?" Noah inquired, turning some and opening the way to Belril's path again. Wherever the boy went, the man would follow.

then I'm willing to
wait for it

Belril

Every day's a challenge
But I always seem to get through

"Alright, Mr. Noah," he ended up saying, still trying to calm down from the surprise. In all honestly, he was on nerves because of other things on his mind, but at least he wasn't face-to-face with someone from the Order...or at least he hoped Noah wasn't. Not with what the Voice had tasked everyone from the Grounds to do, if possible. Gulp.

Belril also didn't blame Noah for the skepticism, he was also skeptical about such a tree being about. It's why he was going out to look for it, that many kids couldn't be fibbing about it. "I...admittedly forgot to ask, but I have an idea of where it could be, thinking about where they're often taken for playing."

Seeing Noah move out of his way, he waved the elder hunter to follow before beginning to dash toward the center of the Citadel, which happened to be the most open area nearby. "I wouldn't be surprised if this tree was in the town center somehow."

Each day's a balancing act
Of good and bad events

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah was walking down the streets of Halo, hands in his pockets, enjoying the deeper snowfall. He was warm enough being as bundled up as everyone else. Granted his good mood might have been part of it. Sah adored snow, the coldest time of the year being his favorite season. Even though the tundra was his home and always had snow. It was the extra snow, the added quiet, the extra bite in the wind that he loved. As Sah turned a corner he saw Noah and a pup. They appeared to be searching for something. Sah paused for a moment. Should he approach? His last meeting with Noah had been a bit awkward. Entirely his own fault given that'd he'd just been thrown  into a new world and body. But hey, who could blame him? Making a decision after a second of deliberation, Sah walked over to the pair. "Hey Noah and pup I don't know. What are you two up to?" sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

Noah

if there's a reason I'm still alive
when so many have died

It was curious to Noah to think that there was a tree growing in Halo that he hadn't heard about until now. Obviously the people of Snowcloak were not too spooked by it, otherwise he was sure Morgan, Deimos, Chulane and himself would have investigated it by now. If it were a child's ploy, however, Noah would still go along with this boy. He seemed to be determined that the other children were telling him the truth. Noah was not a man to squish children's hopes, imaginations, or dreams.

Had it been any other man that approached them, other than Sah, however, Noah may have felt a little silly at the coming answer. He turned to the outlander and offered him a smile and a small shrug, his hands moving to rest inside the pockets of his coat. "We are looking for a tree."

then I'm willing to
wait for it

Belril

Every day's a challenge
But I always seem to get through

"Pup?" While he had grown used to being referred to as young...or being somewhat picked on for being so by various adults here in Halo, being called a 'pup' was completely new to him. He looked at the stranger that came to them, who seemed already familiar with Noah, studying him in confusion and curiosity. He had never seen this stranger before growing up, now that he thought of it. At first, the thought that he could have been from somewhere else in Caido crossed his mind, but nixed the thought almost immediately after having it.

This person seemed more comfortable in the cold than someone native to Halo. How does that even happen?

"...according to some of the kids around here, there's a tree that suddenly appeared in the Citadel, one different from the other trees around here. I wanted to see what they were talking about, and I get the feeling they weren't making things up about it, either."

The thought that neither of these men knew his name crossed his mind, and so... "...by the way, my name is Belril." He then looked towards the stranger, already knowing Noah's name. "What's your name?"

Each day's a balancing act
Of good and bad events

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah nodded at Noah's words, glad that things between them seemed comfortable enough. As the pup spoke though, he tilted his   head slightly in inquiry. Both in how the pup was eyeing him with open curiosity, as well as for the tale he spoke of. "An odd tree? As in a new kind or one that is simply growing beyond its normal range?" Sah asked for clarification. He still knew little about Halo's flora and fauna, even less about Caido's as a whole. Perhaps a seedling had just been misplaced and grew anyway? Regardless, he set those thoughts aside for later and returned the introduction. "Belril, huh? I'm Sah. Nice to meet you. You said this tree was in the Citadel?" sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

Noah

if there's a reason I'm still alive
when so many have died

"Trees don't grow here." Noah said simply in response to Sah's inquiry. Inside his pockets his hands clenched into loose fists, nails pressing into his palm lightly. He wasn't really sure what they were going to find, but he was interested. As they walked towards the center of the Citadel Noah spoke again, "I think this is something that the old gods must have placed...a touch of Frey." He mused about it, his brows furrowed some as he thought about it more. "The Eirachi surely did not place a tree, despite this being her season. She is made of ice and she is winter." He felt his thoughts race a little about it, and silenced himself. He needed to process it all internally before he sounded like an idiot in front of this child and the outlander.

then I'm willing to
wait for it

Belril

Every day's a challenge
But I always seem to get through

"But if the tree is real, someone had to put it there, but who?" the near-adult asked, shaking his surprised at the ease the newcomer was having to Halo's cold as a shiver ran up his spine for a moment from said cold. Belril found himself hoping the other kids hadn't pulled a prank with this one, but after recalling just how excited they were, he somehow doubted it.

After a few minutes of walking, Belril stopped before backing up, almost missing a tiny splash of green dead center of the stone that comprised of the town square, roots breaking through to get to the soil trapped underneath. "...is...is that it?" Belril asked before running up towards it to get a better look, and possibly leaving behind Noah and Sah in the process. "How did it break through so soon?" he added after realizing just how small this budding tree was, almost like the shrunken ones he was growing back in the Hollowed Grounds.

Each day's a balancing act
Of good and bad events

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah's eyes widened slightly as the small tree came into view. It truly looked young but still very much like a small tree, which seemed odd. Given that the storied had only just begun to spread through the city, Sah would have expected it to be smaller, still just a small sapling, or even still stick-like. Perhaps it grew faster than normal? He approached and crouched down, eying the small plant. "It is rather odd. I wonder...?" Acting out of pure curiosity, he gently touched the bark with his fingers, trying to determine if there was anything obviously different about this tree besides it's growth and sudden appearance. Sah flinched and had to restrain himself from jumping or yanking his hand away when the tree responded by giggling. Giggling. A giggling tree. Well, definetly a unique tree alright. "Th..that's not normal. Right? Not even for Caido?" He asked, glancing at his two companions, his tone showing clear bewilderment. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

Noah

if there's a reason I'm still alive
when so many have died

Noah stayed quiet as the other two speculated. He could not think of much else to say after his eyes fell on what he doubted so heavily. There, in the middle of Halo, was a tree. the hunter closed the distance to the tree quickly, but not rushed. His eyebrows knit together in wonder and curiosity as he crouched before the small spectacle. Glacier eyes moved up and down the trunk, surveying all of what it was. Carefully, with gloved hands, Noah reached up. Before he could touch the bark, he pulled his hand back and took the glove off. He wanted to feel it with his own fingers, skin to bark, to be sure that it was real. He finally reached out and touched it.

His heart skipped a beat when the tree giggled under his touch. "A firling." He breathed, barely a whisper, surprised. Sah did the same and the tree reacted the same. Noah smiled, just barely, as he reached out and touched the firling again.

then I'm willing to
wait for it

Belril

Every day's a challenge
But I always seem to get through

"A firling?" Belril looked at the little tree, an eyebrow raised upon hearing the giggling. He felt a little nervous being so near the little tree, but after hearing it giggle upon being touched, a small smile appeared on his own face. "Explains why they children were giggling so much," he remarked regarding so.

The teen moved down onto his knees to be a bit closer, at least close enough to be able to reach out and touch the various needles that made the leaves. "...news of this tree only started last night at the earliest and it's already this big. Wonder if it will be big enough to be decorated in short time?"

Each day's a balancing act
Of good and bad events