[PQ] Into the Woods Without Delay

The pleasure is mine, Ianto. What do you mean by it 'wanting' us to go a certain way? Jigano asked, his curiosity perking up in spite of his wariness of the polite newcomer. He could feel Amalia's tension beside him, a quiet hint of thunder on the horizon should any tricks be played upon their trio. Kiada wisely had turned back into her winged form, with her powerful beak for offense and a quick way to get off the ground and out of reach if she needed it, and he took strength and confidence from both women as he faced the debonair fox.

But... "Friends?" the raven croaked, aloud as well as mentally. A lot of friends dropped though, could only mean one thing... You're from Northhaven, then?

I hadn't realized they had already been out into the woods... I suppose we should have known, he thought wryly to his companions. Always, the Northhaveners seemed to thrust themselves to the forefront of anything that was happening, heedless of those they now shared a world with.

I don't suppose you'd be willing to show us these ways? he asked hopefully, trying not to dwell on the sharp stab of envy that even when he acted swiftly, it was never fast enough. Others would always arrive before him, and at best he could but bring up the rear of new discoveries. Or tell us about this forest? He looked to his companions to see if they had any questions for their surprise 'host' - or further ideas for exploring now that they knew the woods were, in a sense, alive.

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Amalia Kiada Ianto
No posting order this round!

PQ will update in 48 hours or when everyone has responded!

YOU SAID THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE MOON IT ROSE TOO SOON AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE SHOULD Amalia continues to sit in tense silence, watching the exchange through attentive black eyes. The forest will continue to spit them out... Of course it will, the girl thinks bitterly, long tail snapping once more at the ground. They we're never meant to be part of this- The wider world, the Old Ones' creation, from which they had been segregated for so long. No doubt the woods we're another protection, another shield placed by Vi to keep the blight of the Ascendeds out. Like Jigano, she bristles slightly at the thought that the Northaveners have already been into the woods. The world continues to love them more than its own children, the woods extending to them an open embrace. When Jigano asks for direction, she is swift to add her voice, motivated in equal parts NY envy and curiosity. What do you want, to tell us the way? Amalia asks, large eyes blinking slowly as she regards the fox. a m a l i a You said it's life that moves too much We're losing touch But I'm not losing you

I can tell you about the forest until the sun goes down and comes back up again. Ianto stretched out languidly, giving a wide, fanged yawn before rising to his feet. He shook out his fur, glancing between the rest of the Attuned and snuffling about at the ground. Show you the way where? he inquired. Every person I have encountered so far wants me to show them the way somewhere. Do any of you know where you want to be?

Seeming somehow amused, he padded a few steps further into the woods, not asking for them to follow - but if they did, that was up to them. Yes, I came from Northaven originally. These woods are endless, and they belong to a race called the Fae. As for what I want, that entirely depends on what you have to give.

KIADA

Kiada says nothing at first, instead, she remains completely silent – a sentinel standing strong beside raven and leopardess alike. But deep down she doesn’t trust the fox and his words, her eyes watching him quite literally like prey as Jigano and Amalia speak to him to see what he has to offer. She tucks her wings in, though not tight. Just enough to be able to spring toward the fox if need be – and her talons clench the earth in their sharp grip as she waits idly for the fox’s response.

Eventually, the man indulges, mentioning he could speak of the forest all day – but he wants them to tell him where they would like to go. Kiada snorts, the best she can in her vulture form, her beak clacking in slight frustration. How could they know where they want to go when they don’t even know what’s out there? And it upset her that he hadn’t let on to any of that in the first place.

But then he mentions he’s from Northaven, a place that Kiada has heard of once or twice, then that the woods belong to a race called the Fae, and what kind of payment they’d be willing to offer. Her head tilts slightly, she has nothing to offer in turn of information aside from the willingness of bloodshed – but she imagines that’s the last thing the fox would want if he were to show them the way to the Fae.

So she sits idly, standing beside Amalia with clenched talons, moving only to grow closer to Amalia for comfort and companionship.

The raven cawed softly, amusement in his mental tone as he watched the fox nose about on the ground. It was you who said you knew the ‘ways’ of the forest, he pointed out. Learning the ‘ways’ of how to travel the forest – learning how to find out ‘where the forest wants us to go’ without being kicked out after a few hundred yards - is what we seek. He glanced to his two friends as Ianto turned away, and began to hop after the fox, an awkward and comical motion as he bounced along in the fox’s wake.

Where we want to go from there, well…  I suppose we’ll know when we get there, won’t we? He desperately wanted to ask about these ‘Fae’ that Ianto mentioned, but he was afraid to get too far off topic and lose the chance to find the secret of how to pass through the forest. For now we want to explore and learn what’s outside the Hollowed Grounds. Just… to have the freedom to see this world, and not be caged any longer. He croaked quietly as he hopped, feeling Amalia and Kiada near at hand and lending their strength to him.

As for what we have to give… I suppose that depends on what you want, he admitted, humor flickering at the edges of his voice again at the sly haggler. What would move the heart of a fox? Food, perhaps? Pastries, pies, breads, or sweets? He glanced back to Amalia and tipped her a wink, fluttering his feathers as he hopped along. Help us out, and you can negotiate with the finest baker in the Hollowed Grounds!

Brush crackled in the woods ahead, a sudden snapping of Deepfrost-fallen twigs as something large pushed through the Flowerbirth-frenzied underbrush and sent a white-feathered head swiveling towards the noise, tense and ready to take flight if a wolf or wolverine should decide to take on their little menagerie.

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Amalia Kiada Ianto Caiside
No posting order this round!


PQ will update in 48 hours or when everyone has responded!

Oh, well that's easy, Ianto told Jigano, glancing over his shoulder to the gathered group of Attuned. Your problem is that you're tryin' entirely too hard. The forest will recognise your intentions, and spit you out. Just try to... enjoy it. You'll end up somewhere outside the Hollowed Grounds, that's for sure. If a fox could somehow look amused, he was managing it. Food will always move the heart of this fox, he intoned, ducking his head politely towards Amalia.

Regretfully, their pleasant conversation did not look as though it would be able to continue for much longer. The noise also had Ianto whipping around, the fox ducking close to the ground, keen eyes sharp for anything further movement in the woods. With so many of them gathered, it was no surprise that they had attracted the attention of something.

Caiside had been wandering the forest for what felt like days, searching for something familiar. After his ordeal with... spirits, or fairies, or whatever it was, he was off kilter. At first, he had thought he was back home, but after the initial shock had worn off, he’d realized that couldn’t be true. There were no forests like this in the Hallowed Grounds, though Caiside was certain someone had mentioned a great forest to him. Jigano perhaps? Though that would have to mean he was outside the barrier, and that couldn’t possibly be right. Something cut through his confusion, a smell, or sound picked up by his elk senses, and he froze, ears swivelling in an attempt to find the disturbance again. The soft croak of a raven caught his attention, gave him a direction to head in. Picking his way carefully through the underbrush, Caiside came upon the strangest assembly he’d ever seen. A fox, a huge cat, a large bird, and a thankfully familiar raven. I... am sorry to intrude. He pushed the thought out towards the group, his silent voice unsteady. Caiside wasn’t sure what else to say, if he was actually intruding or not, but politeness seemed the best approach when he wasn’t sure what he was dealing with. Caiside I have never been allowed to be Holy, I have never been forgiven for Wanting;

YOU SAID THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE MOON IT ROSE TOO SOON AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE SHOULD It is nice to be flanked by friendship, to feel the support of familiar figures coming from either side. Kiada's tension is echoed in the cat, frustration a low rumble in the bottom of her chest. As the raven replies, they do not know where they want to go- just that they need to be somewhere, elsewhere, away from this cage. Will you teach us how to navigate the forest? Relax, speak to it, whatever it is, Amalia is prepared to learn. She had been ready to offer something of value - information for information - but Jigano is quick to present a simpler solution, a treasure she can easily provide. Deal, she agrees with something almost like humor, rising onto padded paws as the fox and raven begin to return to the woods. A shoulder reaches out for Kiada, a reassuring bump and promise of protection: I will not let harm befall you, cub. It is also an invitation of sorts, and the girl looks pointedly at her back, offering a ride to the avian woman who likely feels quite uncomfortable on the ground. Ready to rush headlong back into the wood, Amalia stops suddenly at a suspicious sound, the fur on her tail rising in alarm. Quickly assuming a fighting stance, the leopard spins to face the source... which reveals itself to be a stag, large yet somehow unassuming, picking through the woods. Still, the startled feline remains alert, waiting for some sign of safety before relaxing away from this intruder, ready to fight the antlered beast should it pose a danger to her friends. a m a l i a You said it's life that moves too much We're losing touch But I'm not losing you

KIADA

The Harpy watches the interaction, dutifully silent – a sentinel among her friends and allies as she stares with her blood red gaze toward the fox. Uncertainty laces through her as Jigano speaks exactly what is on her mind, and the offer of reward upon the results. Luckily it’s nothing drastic, and Kiada relaxes slightly as the fox agrees. Amalia’s voice follows suit soon after, a chime of a deal struck between leopardess and fox, and as the woman moves forward and brushes her shoulder as if in invitation, Kiada accepts, finding some form of security within her at the comfort Amalia gives her.

And she begins to imagine Amalia as a mother of sorts – a protector, strong and willing to fight with the fire in her heart, and it warms the Harpy as she imagines it.

Taking up the leopardess on her offer, she expands her wings and lifts from the ground to rest gently as she can on Amalia’s back, careful as she can be to avoid digging her sharp talons into her spine (gods knew she already had the scars on her own back from her previous companion doing the same) and nestled close to Amalia for balance. But then, a sound strange and unwelcoming comes through the brush toward them.

And she notices when everyone begins to grow on edge, but before long a huge elk emerges and Kiada sighs a bit of relief, laughing quietly as if they had been frightened by a mere Elk and not some kind of tiger or terrible foe. It isn’t until the elk speaks that Kiada realizes she’s heard his voice before, and she hops off Amalia’s back and swoops a bit toward the elk with her scarlet gaze wide and surveying. “Caiside? Is that you?” She questions, humor in her mental voice despite not speaking audibly.

You make it sound like the the forest is a living entity, Jigano mused. Alive and intelligent enough to recognize our intentions - and disapprove of them. There was something just a little, well, frustrating at being judged and found wanting by a bunch of trees. Luckily Jigano had hit upon an acceptable trading currency for the information Ianto had to offer, and Amalia backed him up, with an important question of her own.

He felt tentatively optimistic as they headed into the wood behind the fox, their thoughts distracted by their guide until a broken branch brought them all back to awareness of their surroundings. Tense and ready though they all were for trouble, it was instead a familiar dark-furred head and red-tinged rack that poked through the greening underbrush. Kiada recognized the stag immediately as well, a bit to Jigano's surprise, and he croaked an echo of welcome to her thoughts. He tilted his head to Ianto, beak parting in an avian grin.

A friend of ours, he reassured their foxy guide - and Amalia as well, hopping close enough to lean against her leg reassuringly. Though, one I expected to meet us within the old barrier, not outside it? he added, turning to caw questioningly at Caiside. Have you figured out how to move through these woods at will already? An impressive trick, if so! And one Jigano fervently hoped he could teach the rest of them.

Amalia, Ianto, this is Caiside, he added courteously, hopping forward a bit to stand between the stag and the smaller predators. Caiside, the leopard is my friend Amalia, and a fellow Loreseeker, he clarified, for the sake of both his guildmates. We just met Ianto. He's been outside the barrier while we were dropped in it. He says he knows the ways of the forest, though... so far they aren't making much sense to us, the raven admitted with a wry glint of humor in his blue eyes.

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Amalia Kiada Ianto Caiside
No posting order this round!

PQ will update in 48 hours or when everyone has responded!

The sight of an elk in place of anything dangerous, and Ianto relaxed instantly. It helped that it was a fellow Attuned, the fox sitting to wait for a second round of introductions to be over with. He snuffled at the air as Caiside was given a name and they continued to ask about the ways of the forest and whatnot, eventually sneezing as some pollen got up his nose and rising to his feet again.

It is just as I told you, he said, addressing all of them in the hope that he would not have to repeat himself. If you go into this forest attempting to find anything, you will fail. Jigano has the right of it - it is an entity. And it does disprove. Play by its rules or get out.

Padding further into the woods, he pawed at the ground. I'll show you, if you care to follow me. The only rule is that you ought not to talk about where we're going.

Caiside was surprised to learn that apparently more than one person in the circle knew him, Kiada's voice taking a moment to attach itself to someone he knew. He bowed his heavy head in her and Amalia's direction, a silent, but pleased greeting. The same warmth was not extended to Ianto, a cool curiosity in Caiside's eyes instead when he turned to regard the fox. Ianto's explanation of the forest was familiar to Caiside, a fact that was intensely annoying to the stag. I had hoped I'd found my way home. I was praying, and... it seemed like they'd been answered. His explanation was mostly directed at Jigano, feeling bad for his absence at the beginning of the exploration. Especially since he knew he had been the first asked. As the fox turned and began to pad back into the forest, Caiside hesitated a moment, then followed, sure that the group would come after. It's lucky you learned the way of the woods by yourself. He commented, trying to make some kind of conversation. Caiside I have never been allowed to be Holy, I have never been forgiven for Wanting;

YOU SAID THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE MOON IT ROSE TOO SOON AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE SHOULD The stag is known and introduced, and Amalia relaxes visibly, her shoulders smoothing out of their tense knots. Her head falls in acknowledgement of the introduction, a curious eye turned to regard the stag. Another Outlander... More and more she has found herself the only native in a sea of strangers, a ship lost on foreign islands. They are not cruel, not unwelcome, per se, but in the dark nights when she could not sleep and would allow her mind to blaspheme, reflecting on the outside and what discovering it might be like, well... These had not been the companions she'd expected. Amalia shrugs as Jigano professes misunderstanding, her dark gaze glinting to Ianto. It makes sense to her, in a way- or at least, is no more unusual or incomprehensible than anything else. They are outsiders. The forest is wary. She listens intently, a low grumble of discontent agreement pulling from her lungs as he cautions them not to tell. It is strange, but not impossible, a worthwhile cost to pay. Huffing once more in invitation to Kiada, and with a similar nudge offered to Jigano, the leopard rises and sets out in pursuit, following in Ianto's track, a wary nose and notched ear keeping track of any approaching danger. a m a l i a You said it's life that moves too much We're losing touch But I'm not losing you

KIADA

She smiles a cheeky grin as Caiside bobs his head to her — surprised that he is an attuned like they all are, but finding out seems to make a bit of sense. The almost wary gleam in his eye when they had worked together, and her near constant predatory gaze. She assumes it all makes sense now. But introductions and warnings are given, and Kiada hops back toward Amalia again allowing Ianto and Jigano to speak of the forest and the entity it is, acknowledging it in that right. But at Ianto’s warning, she finds it hard to refrain from it.

But the Harpy does, sidling back over toward Amalia and hopping onto her back with careful ease, nestling into her leopardess, fighter, warrior motherly figure as if the vulture were indeed a cub of Amalia’s; and she finds she happy to indulge with it. She doesn’t stop scouting though, occasionally letting her blood red gaze scour the woods around her, but her beak remains closed and her thoughts mostly empty aside from frivolous things. She worries if even thinking of the forest will cause it to know somehow and put them back where they started. Kiada does not want to be the one with fingers pointed at.