{se} persistence is key

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

Second time is the charm apparently. So far at least no strange glitch of magic deems her interesting enough to catapult her through space to an entirely different area. Hotaru had scarcely seen anything of the Oerwoud before she'd ventured across Wessex and they'd been blipped out of the forest. Now, at least, she has made it to a beautiful winding bridge without any sort of incident.

Atlas had reluctantly stayed in Torchline this time. After their forced separation, it made more sense for her unicorn companion to remain where she could easily find him anew if the same mysterious force intervened in her exploration.

"Probably for the best," she muses as she glances down at the wooden boards that make up the bridge. As graceful as her companion may be, he is still quite heavy compared to her own petite form. She can already envision one of them snapping beneath his weight and losing him to the abyss below just because of his fat ass. A huff of laughter escapes her. The imagery doesn't stop her from setting foot onto the bridge either way, arm outstretched over the side to let the vines slide against her palm, fingers tugging idly at stray leaves.

Seren

The world was a beautiful place. So verdant, so full of color and life. Fairly drunk on the heady scent of flowers, Seren wandered aimlessly along the wooden bridge with a soft, dreamy smile splayed across her lips. Warm air caressed pale skin and tugged playfully at the hem of her dress, and with a slight laugh her step turned into an impromptu pirouette. Her feet were bare. The shoes had been discarded some time ago, and the blisters on her heels did not hurt as badly anymore. All good. A break was just what she needed. A moment to herself.

Ah, but the sway of the bridge suggested that her solitude would not be complete. Turning her gaze curiously to the path ahead, Seren waited to see who it might be that approached. Something dangerous? Something beautiful? Turns out, it was a bit of both. A woman with hair like the sun, and odd colored eyes.that must be impossible to forget.  

"Hello!" she called cheerfully, and picked up the pace a bit to meet the woman. "What a surprise, I did not think I would find anyone out here."

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

If this is how radiant the forestry and florals appear in spring, Hotaru can scarcely fathom what they will look like as summer approaches and the sunlight sets their colors continuously ablaze. Only for a short time of course - this type of growth is only possible with the showers and dreary days that do not compliment the environment as well. Though perhaps she’s not the best ruling authority on such things considering her own love for frozen, inhospitable climates. Alas, she is Frey’s disciple at heart, and the sun-warmed bridged beneath her bare feet and the brisk but gentle wind helps soothe the ragged edges of her heart.

However, solitude is too fertile a ground for the thoughts that already plague her. It’s a miasma that lingers in the back of her mind, chased away only by the sway of additional presence on the bridge, the patter of feet that has her eyes lifting to behold the young woman who approaches. “Hello there,” she calls mildly in turn, heterochromic eyes sweeping over the new figure as the girl comes closer.

She is beautiful, a study in contrasts; fair skin and midnight hair, with a shock of saturated color in her irises. Ah, a shame she’s so young then. The girl reminds her of Rexanna as well, which makes her heart twist and ache even as a welcoming smile curls on her lips. “Few seem inclined to brave the Wilds, especially with what has been happening to travelers of late.” It had happened to Wessex more than herself, but just the once was enough to commit itself to her memory. “Just means a more private adventure for the rest of us, huh?” Winking, she grins and plucks the rope of the handrail, body language relaxed and open with a hint of playfulness.

Seren

An amicable stranger, leaving good first impressions. It ought to have been strange to have such an encounter, but for the young demigod this was perfectly normal. A precedent set early, after many similar meetings as a child. Without a trace of wariness or hesitation, her smile was just as open and friendly as she nodded agreement to the woman's comment.

"All the more for us," she nodded with a slight laugh. "What kind of things have been happening? Nothing terrible, I hope?" Leaning over slightly as she gripped the railing, the girl seemed eager for a story. There was a slight temptation to peer over the edge to see what might be at the bottom, but for now Hotaru held her lion's share of Seren's attention.

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

The girl's open warmth exudes like sunshine, and Hotaru's answering smile is softened by old emotions the young woman cannot possibly understand being the cause of. Her age alone is enough to twist the knife still lodged in her stomach, incapable of healing over until the day she is strong enough to remove it. At least she is too good an actress to allow much more than shadows to dwell in the corners of her eyes; worrying the girl any further than she already had would have made something close to guilt form in her, and Hotaru is not a creature that is particularly fond of that emotion. Nasty thing.

Leaning against the rope on the other side from what Seren has chosen, Hotaru hums thoughtfully. "Nothing terrible, don't worry your pretty head. But travelers have been noticing that sometimes when they venture out, they are teleported impossible distances to other sections of the Wilds." Her regal voice curls like smoke, talented and mysterious, spinning a tale that while fantastical is far from false. Grinning, she tilts her head back and enjoys the sun on her face as her eyes fall closed. "It is not merely heresay. It happened to me after all."

Seren

Rather than unsettled, the blue eyed lass looked excited about the tale Hotaru offered. Not only did she get a story, she was treated to a personal fist hand account! What could be better?

"Really? That sounds amazing! You weren't hurt, I hope? What happened, what was it like?" If there was a way to trigger such an effect and control the destination, that might be a very fun way to travel. Of course, it would require a lot of testing... though the shifty, slightly absent look on Seren's face implied that it was effort she was willing to put in. For science.

"I'm Seren, by the way," she added belatedly, recalling her manners.

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

The blatant excitement is endearing, if plainly indicative of the girl's youth and inexperience. Not that those qualities hinder said endearment in any way. There is a bittersweetness all the same; Seren represents so much of what Hotaru has lost, both in years long gone and so recently that the wounds have yet to heal. It makes it hard to blink when she looks at the girl, makes conversing with her a challenge.

"No, I was not hurt. It was disorienting, a little like spinning around too fast for too long, but there was no pain. Simply a blink, and there we were." Her fingertips snap together at the word 'blink', adding that little bit of storytelling to her tale with a smoky curling smile. Committing the girl's name to memory - and belatedly wondering if and when she'd heard the name before - Hotaru sets her hand back upon the rope and lets her smile warm. "I'm Hotaru. A pleasure, Seren. Though what brings you out this way?" She's more than old enough to be without an overseeing guardian, but the curiosity is present all the same. Or perhaps it is an old echo of maternal protectiveness that she is unwilling to recognize.

Seren

"Hmm, I see. It sounds a bit fun," she admitted with a lopsided grin, charmed by the dramatics Hotaru provided. "If it doesn't hurt... Though I suppose it might be dangerous too. If you're dropped off by a cliff." Or over a gorge, roaring river, or right into a nest of creatures. Still, that could potentially be thrilling too. In various ways.

"Nice to meet you too! I, eh... live nearby, but.. Don't tell anyone? I kind of slipped out. I'm supposed to be training, but there's people everywhere I go and my feet were hurting, and I just needed a break. " A short one, just for a day. Seren had every intention of heading straight back, once she was done exploring this place. Still, hearing herself say it out loud, it sounded very much like she was shirking her responsibilities. "A day to myself is not too much to ask for, is it?" she added, with a tentative, searching look at Hotaru. Why a strangers opinion should matter she couldn't say, but it did.

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

A til of her golden head is allowance for the notion of 'fun'. "Fun to see a new place, yes. Disorienting though it is at first. I'm sure others ended up in far worse places than I did." Something had to make people reluctant to explore this place after all. Not that it meant much to Hotaru; persistence was not exactly a vice, but in her it might as well be with how she weaponized it against the world at large.

Amusement is clear and unreserved on Hotaru's pretty face as the young girl rambles slightly in her explanation. There is no need for deception today; Seren does not seem the type to have information the woman would desire even if she were not so predisposed towards children and teenagers. "It will be our little secret," she assures, drawing her fingers across her lips and miming locking them, winking at the girl as the corners turn upward. The searching gaze and need for reassurance makes her heart ache, but she cannot fold the girl into her arms the way habit makes her inclined to try. Instead she relaxes backwards against the rope at her lower spine. "Certainly not. And is this not training of a sort anyway? Learning your surroundings, determining friend from foe, improving your stamina..." Hotaru trails off, hand waving in a graceful rotation as a sort of 'and more' gesture, mischief pooling in the corners of her eyes as they squint with mirth. "Simply use that as your excuse. If you're caught. Don't give such information freely." Tapping a finger against her temple with another wink, happy to divulge such secrets and manipulations to the girl, even if she does not use it for more than fooling her guardian.

Seren

Brightening considerably at the deviousness of the advice, the dark-haired girl grinned back. It was a good point. If Seren had one flaw, it was that she talked too easily and too freely. Just like now, casually divulging her secrets to a random stranger on the road. It felt so safe, so harmless. Yet who knew where Hotaru would go from here, or talk to next. Seren did not doubt that the secret would be kept, and yet perhaps she should be. Just a little.
"I'll remember that," she promised anyway, reassured. "Thank you, that's good advice."

Stepping across the path, she turned mid stride and flopped in beside Hotaru, rather than remain on opposite ends. Her motions set the bridge to swaying, and with a look of mischief Seren tried to help it along by leaning into the motions. "Have you seen anything exciting yet, around here?" she asked, as she leaned precariously back over the rope handle. "I don't know much about this area. What should I keep in mind?"

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

Hotaru waves the girl's gratitude away with a graceful hand, honed by years of seamstress work. Only for her hand to fall to the rope behind her with a startled jerk as Seren abruptly flops down, spurring laughter from her throat at the foxlike mischief that crosses the girl's fair features. It's a good look on her, if far from honed as it could be. Hotaru matches her grin, throwing herself against the rope to make it swing all the more, the rush of danger as they tempt fate together like shocks in her bloodstream. Who knows what lies beneath?

"No, it's been quite beautiful but dreadfully boring." Her tone whines slightly, tossing her head back until she's leaning backwards halfway over the rope. Turning her head to grin and wink at the young woman; "Until you arrived of course." Straightening, she tries to grab for Seren's hand, and begins striding for the opposite side of the bridge the girl had come from, hoping to drag her along at an excited clip. "Why don't we go find something more exciting and find out together?" Tossing her glittering gaze over her shoulder, blonde hair askew and smile enticing.

Seren

The swaying construct of rope and wood creaked and groaned as its sway increased, murmuring threats of broken planks and long falls, but that only made it more challenging. Interestingly, it seemed that staying in motion helped in keeping upright.

"Perfect,", she grinned, "I was hoping for something fun to happen!" Maintaining balance was not easy now that the bridge was set in motion. Seren found support in the hand that clasped around hers, and with a giddy laugh she allowed herself to be dragged along. Did the woman have a plan? A destination in mind? It honestly did not matter, she was in anyway!

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough

maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters

“Are you saying meeting me wasn’t the most fun you’ve ever had? You wound me Seren,” Hotaru croons over her shoulder in dramatic fashion, even as her eyes glint with foxlike amusement before they turn back to the pathway ahead. The wood creaks with the rhythmic thumping of their feet, and the discordant sound disappearing as soon as they touch earth is almost jarring. Not enough to dissuade her of course. Eyes darting about even as her pace never slows, examining this new area she has yet to explore.

Excitement finds them before they find it. “SeREN!” a voice that sounds almost like her own but with the wrong emphasis on the girl’s name resounds from above them. Hotaru slows, hand still clutching Seren’s, and turns curious eyes to a creature in the branches above them. Dark eyes stare back, rainbow plumage bright against the foliage. It cocks it’s head at them and creeps closer. “Seren!” it mimics again, though the closeness to Hotaru’s voice has faded slightly from the first time it heard her. “That’s amazing,” the blonde breathes, eyeing the odd flighted lizard.

Seren

There was a momentary impulse to apologize. Then Seren caught the vixen smile and laughed aloud, as much at the jest as her own excessive seriousness. "Maybe you'll just have to make it more memorable," she teased, poking her tongue out.

Making no effort to withdraw her hand from Hotaru's - it was an unusual feeling, but not unpleasant - Seren let her gaze wander as they walked along the bridge. When her name was called, discordant and eerily close, it took her a moment to spot the source. Sky-colored eyes widened in awe upon seeing the feathered serpent, and recognition flared. "A treeflit!" she noted, excited. "I read about them; they can mimic all kind of sounds. Listen."

Whistling a three toned melody, the creature turned bright eyes towards her and flicked out a pale tongue. Then the simple tune was cast back out, echoed in a higher pitch from the shimmering animal. In the distance, another voice picked up the call, and a third, until the whole of the forest seemed to hum in discordant harmonies.

It left the young woman breathless, and in quiet awe she glanced at Hotaru to catch her reaction.

It's written in the stars above
Exactly who we are is just enough