we owe this to ourselves

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

Sohalia landed on soft sand, nestling her wings snuggly against her sides. She was tired, but elated; after a skyship ride to Torchline, followed by a long flight on tired wings, she'd made it to the Oerwoud. Finally.

It was the one place that Sohalia had wanted to visit more than anywhere else in Caido, and she couldn't believe she was finally here. It was every bit as beautiful as she had imagined - and every bit as hot and humid as Tal had warned her. Still, she couldn't help but grin as she entered the mystical jungle, brushing a hand delicately over the frond of a fern that she passed. It was everything she'd wanted and more. She couldn't wait to explore!

But first: a rest. Finding herself in the shade of the heavy greenery, Sohalia found a comfortable-looking tree and settled herself beneath its branches, tucking her legs gracefully beneath her. She pulled out a sketchbook from the bag she kept on her person at all times and carefully began to capture the beautiful world around her.

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

you promised me sunshine, why's it gloomy? we'll wait 'til the night to catch the moonbeam

The Oerwoud has quickly become one of his favorite places to stop. If, for no other reason, the hidden shrine in the tree branches where he has a chance to visit Frey without any eyes on him. Aside from that, the lush greenery and the tropical trees remind him of Torchline, of a wound that just won’t heal but one he can’t help but to continue to prod at.

And so the Flood is here, flying above the treetops in his dragon form, dropping low enough to shift and free fall in the air in the process, to his hyacinth macaw shift, able to flit through the trees and blend in easier. What he isn’t anticipating, however, is the fact that this particular tree he’s zipping through, harbors a woman lounging on one of the branches.

And Sunjata cuts short, the flash of blonde reminding him of his sister for a moment, enough that it distracts him and sends him into a branch, toppling through them until he lands directly on the branch opposite of her in a cloud of his own navy feathers. How dreadfully embarrassing.

SUNJATA

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

Sohalia was quite content, perched upon her branch, her legs tucked beneath her and her skirts swaying ever-so-slightly in a light breeze. Her hand flew lightly over the page in her journal, capturing this plant and that creature. She sketched as though her life depended on it, as though there wasn't enough time for her to capture everything, and so she would have to do the best she could. But then, suddenly -

THUMP.

A hyacinth macaw has flown into a tree.

"Oh!" exclaimed the young woman, surprised and upset by the bird's carelessness. "That wasn't very bright," she informed it sternly before recognizing the familiar tickle in the back of her mind that indicated that her new companion was, in fact, not just a bird. Sohalia flushed crimson, embarrassed to have berated a perfect stranger for something that they, in all likelihood, did not mean to do. "I'm sorry," she said hurriedly, setting aside her journal. "Are you alright?"

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

SUNJATA

i was never the sharp knife, but i was never the dull mind
i was somewhere in between, a thorn, an acquiescent

There’s a small amount of bristling that, if he’d known she was attuned, he’d hide it better. But it seems they’re both surprised by the realization, the bristling and bitterness shifting immediately into the sensation of holy shit. So the macaw stands, shakes out his feathers, eyes the woman curiously before his thickly accented voice slips across the bone toward her. It’s alright. Sorry to interrupt. He offers quietly, before settling on the branch a moment longer while his head spins.

Somehow, he thinks being in a shift isn’t helping matters much; but there’s also the wariness of showing who he really is — and the demigod is torn between the two for long enough that his head continues to throb and he heaves an internal, mental sigh, shifting on his branch back into himself. His long legs drape over the edges of the branch, a hand lifting to rub at his face, covering the scar that tugs on the side of his cheek, but not hiding the lightning scars that dance along his hand and the scar that bisects his eyebrow.

“Give me a few minutes and I’ll be on my way.”

so you said it was for me, when you tried to break me
well you can save your breath, i know, i'm not the kind you pray for

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

Sohalia glanced away as the other Attuned began to shift. There was something strangely intimate about watching someone go through the change, and she took the moment to close her journal and tuck it safely away in her bag. When she looked up again, a rugged man sat on the branch across from her, his lanky legs draping over the edge of the branch, rubbing a hand over his face. Sohalia realized with a start that the man had strange scars dancing along his hand and another scar across an eyebrow, and she swallowed hard. Perhaps this was not the first time the man had done something as silly as run into a tree.

She returned her gaze to the man's steel blue eyes to avoid the urge to stare at his scars. She'd never met someone that looked or sounded quite like him before. It was intriguing.

Her eyebrows knit together as the man spoke. "There's no need," she said with a bright smile. "Stay as long as you want. I'm Sohalia, by the way," she added belatedly. "Sohalia Lumaris."

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

SUNJATA

i was never the sharp knife, but i was never the dull mind
i was somewhere in between, a thorn, an acquiescent

He wishes he’d attained the scars from something as simple and dumb as running into trees, but that isn’t the case and he certainly doesn’t elaborate on them, wholly expecting the stranger to either know who he is and grow immediately wary, or not know who he is and be equally as unsure given his scars and tattoos. But it’s too much thought for his head with the splitting headache, and as she speaks the hand drops from his face as he takes a deep breath, giving her his full attention, steel gaze set on a face smattered with freckles and scars, two sets of earrings per each ear, flits of grey threading through his dark brown hair, tattoos of black and navy compasses poking up the sides of his neck that disappear beneath his shirt, only found again with the black wave tattooed sleeve that covers his left arm.

“Nice to meet you Sohalia.” He offers after her name’s settled and his head starts to soothe its pain. “Sunjata Wrenzaok.” He introduces himself, watching her to see if the name is familiar, if she’d realize he’s one of Frey’s demigods, if anyone else had uttered his name around from the things he’d done in previous years, if she was more likely to know his moniker the Flood.

And if she doesn’t know, well, that might make this introduction a little bit easier than he’d otherwise imagined.

so you said it was for me, when you tried to break me
well you can save your breath, i know, i'm not the kind you pray for

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

Sunjata was an interesting man. That much was easy for Sohalia to see. Covered in scars and tattoos, he was rather unlike anyone else Sohalia had ever met. She regarded him with scarcely contained curiosity - and perhaps a tinge of wariness. She was never one to judge a book by its cover and, never having heard of Sunjata, she had no reason to be nervous. Still, he was a strange man in a strange land, and she was all alone.

Despite her nerves, a thousand questions about him and his life peppered her mind, and she had to suppress the urge to ask every one all at once. It wasn't any of her business how he got his scars, after all. "It's nice to meet you, Sunjata," she said brightly, determined to see the best in her new companion and completely oblivious to the fact that she was speaking with a demi-god. Sohalia was young and naive, with very little knowledge of the world outside of what she'd read in books in the Greatwood's Undercroft. It was, perhaps, why she was willing to overlook the ruggedness of the man before her and trust that he would do her no harm.

"What brings you to the Oerwoud? Have you ever been before?" she asked.

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

SUNJATA

i was never the sharp knife, but i was never the dull mind
i was somewhere in between, a thorn, an acquiescent

He can immediately tell that she doesn’t recognize him, hasn’t heard of him, knows relatively nothing about him — and somehow it’s a surprising balm to the stress that has overcome the Flood. He starts to relax, his headache with it, as he scans her briefly then to the tree tops.

He has been here before. Numerous times, actually. “I have. There’s a shrine over there for Frey I stop by at. It’s actually where I’ve just come from.” He offers, tilting his head back toward her to offer a small smile, one that’s crooked due to the scarring on half of his cheek and lip. “Have you been here before?” He asks, guessing by her tone and excitement that perhaps she’s new to this tropical paradise.

And even if it wasn’t her first visit, there’s something about the smile on her face and her open attention that makes him think perhaps he should spend more time relishing in the little things of life rather than the constant cloud of sorrow that he often found himself in.

so you said it was for me, when you tried to break me
well you can save your breath, i know, i'm not the kind you pray for

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

It was Sohalia's first time in the Oerwoud, and she could hardly contain her glee as Sunjata admitted to having been here before. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes gleaming with interest. Perhaps he could offer some pointers or some guidance! She was most excited to see the Leap of Faith. She couldn't wait to stand at the edge, to look out over the landscape, to feel the spray from the waterfall. She wanted to see what it would be like to leap from the top - and transform, of course, to soar over the Oerwood from that high above.

But she refrained from peppering Sunjata with questions. He seemed to be settling in for a bit of a chat, so perhaps she could wheedle some information from him without seeming too eager. "Oh, Frey?" she said. "I only know a little about Frey. A friend told me that they have two aspects, and that they send animals that need help to the Celestine in Stormbreak." She thought of sweet Lena. Perhaps after Sohalia had toured the Oerwoud, she would visit her friend in Stormbreak. "I didn't realize they had a shrine so close! What an interesting place. I wonder why they chose the Oerwoud for a shrine?"

Sohalia paused just long enough to take a breath. "Oh! No, this is my first time. I just arrived from the Greatwood, actually. I spent the winter there, and then I took a skyship to Torchline," she added proudly; she'd been afraid of skyships until recently, and her fears had restricted her travel. "I flew over here from Torchline. It was a pretty flight, but it tired me out!" Sohalia laughed, a light, pretty sound. "But enough about me! If you've been here before - what's your favorite place in the Oerwoud?"

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

SUNJATA

i was never the sharp knife, but i was never the dull mind
i was somewhere in between, a thorn, an acquiescent

He listens as she explains that she’s never met Frey, then delves into what she’s been told of them. It keeps that somewhat amused smile on his face, head inclining slightly. “I’d hazard a guess and say that’s likely the nature aspect’s purview.” He pauses, watching her for a moment before his gaze drifts toward the trees and the branches again. “I only ever interact with the sexuality aspect of them.” It’s easier, he finds, to be blunt about it all, and as she asks why they’d picked a shrine up there, it’s honestly a good question. “I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll ask them next time.” Not that he complained about the privacy it brought.

His attention returns to her as she confirms it is her first time here, and all the bluster and excitement that shows in her actions and voice when she talks about it is nearly palpable, filling the air. He wonders if he’s ever felt like that about something or if his stomach had always been full of dread. “Torchline is a great place.” A place with a thousand memories for him, some good and most tenuous.

As for his favorite place? He tilts his head in true avian fashion and rolls a tattooed shoulder in a shrug. “Biased toward the shrine, but aside from that the Mistbanks are lovely.” He admits with a soft chuckle.

so you said it was for me, when you tried to break me
well you can save your breath, i know, i'm not the kind you pray for

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

When Sunjata admitted that he only ever interacted with the sexuality side of Frey, Sohalia looked away with a blush. She wasn't quite sure what she thought of sex and sexuality, truth be told, and she'd never really had the chance to find out. She'd known woefully few people around her age back home, and fewer still that she'd have been interested in being intimate with. She wasn't quite sure who she would feel that way with, but she imagined that it would be thrilling to find out.

Sunjata mused that he might ask Frey about the shrine location, and Sohalia stared at him with surprise. She'd never met anyone on speaking terms with a god before. From her limited knowledge, she supposed that she'd choose Frey, if she were to meet just one. For the nature aspect, anyway. She wasn't too sure about the sexuality side of them.

"I look forward to exploring Torchline, too," Sohalia said, chattering away. "But I've always wanted to see the Oerwoud. Especially the Leap of Faith. I've always wondered what it'd be like to fly down from way up there. The views must be incredible!" she added with a laugh. "I suppose I'd see the Mistbanks on my way down! Or, at least, I think I would. The maps in the books I read were a bit outdated."

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

SUNJATA

i was never the sharp knife, but i was never the dull mind
i was somewhere in between, a thorn, an acquiescent

The blush is amusing, if he’s being completely honest — recalling how he’d once been young and naive, back in Korofi. But that was a long time ago, and Sunjata’s had quite a bit of time to let the notion grow less embarrassing and awkward to talk about.

Her surprise at his announcement has him rolling a shoulder yet again, though, flashing her a roguish smile. “I’m one of their demigods.” He offers the explanation with surprising ease, as if to drown out the questions about how he might be so brazen to ask a demigod why a shrine was placed where it was.

Besides, it isn’t like he was still with Safrin, he could likely get away with asking those questions.

“Oh, it is. I do recommend it.” The jump from the Leap of Faith. He recalls taking it as his dragon shift once, only at that time he hadn’t taken the time to appreciate his surroundings. “And yes, you’d see it at the very bottom.” He offers, flashing her another crooked smile.

so you said it was for me, when you tried to break me
well you can save your breath, i know, i'm not the kind you pray for

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

Sohalia cocked her head to one side, her brow knitting in confusion. She'd heard that there were demigods, but she'd never imagined she'd run into one. And that he'd be running into a tree, no less! Her confusion gave way to amusement. She wondered if she could get away with teasing a demigod - or, for that matter, if she could just get away with teasing Sunjata. He was more than just half a god, or whatever he was - he was a person, too.

She decided to risk it. "I must say," she said, "I would have expected a more graceful entrance from a demigod. Or shouldn't I say that?" She smiled, though, almost apologetically, clearly teasing the man across from her.

She perked up as talk turned to the Leap of Faith. "You've done it?" she asked eagerly. "Oh, I can't wait!" She leaned against the tree trunk, pulling one leg from beneath her to dangle from the branch. "I'm a bit of a wanderer, I'm afraid. Where else have you been? Have you been to the Feverlands? I hear they're horrid." Not that she sounded like she believed that. She sounded positively gleeful at the thought. It was a new place to explore, and that was all she really wanted to do.

Well, she wanted to settle down eventually. But not yet. Not when there was still so much to see.

and when it's dark out, no one's around; it keeps glowing

SohaLia

SUNJATA

i was never the sharp knife, but i was never the dull mind
i was somewhere in between, a thorn, an acquiescent

She can get away with it. He’s not a monster, after all, and even manages a huff of laughter as she teases him. He shakes his head now that the ache in it is mostly gone. “I thought for a second you were my sister, so I tried to look again and hit the branch.” And then spiraled out of control, which she’d certainly seen.

But that’s neither here nor there. Especially as he informs her that he’d done the drop she wishes to do — a thrilling jump from the highest part of the oerwoud, until the ground starts to catch up, only to shift and fly out of there.

The Feverlands, on the other hand, create a bittersweet memory for him — one of relic hunting and losing his companion, a pain to his soul that still sharpened his senses if he thought too long on it. “The Feverlands are quite possibly my least favorite place here.” He admits, wrinkling his freckled nose. “I’m a fan of King’s End, though. It’s where I live currently.” In either the brothel that was the House of Midnight, or the refuge he’d made before the war.

All of them not too far from the house he’d shared with his late husband.

so you said it was for me, when you tried to break me
well you can save your breath, i know, i'm not the kind you pray for