Whatever It Takes

Strange, unfamiliar shapes loom out of the twilight. Trees and plants she had never seen before.  Neon lights flickered eerily, sending colored shadows dancing across the blankness, confusing the eye. There wass a sense of being watched, and unfamiliar cries hung in the air. If ever Amarantha doubted how far she was from home, every careful step brought  fresh proof.

As they left the area of the portal, with it's sudden and inexplicable storm behind, Amarantha felt a sense of relief. When, an indeterminable later, Eira announced that they had arrived at the rainforest, she seemed relieved too. Amaratha nodded acknowledgement and then, because the younger females gaze seemed epectant, she said, "I'm glad to be away from there. My home was a forest like this one," she added a little wistfully, mostly to herself. Light rippled briefly across her skin.

As they traveled, Amarantha noted her guide's growing need for rest, a that she hadn't eaten. Given the state of her legs, she knew it must be hard for the young filly to keep up this pace. More than once, she considered telling her to stop, rest, and eat. But she wasn't sure how this skittish young waif would take orders from a total stranger. Besides, for all Amarantha knew, their destination might have been just around the corner, and the dim twilight of the day was turning into true night. She knew, instinctively, that they didn't want to be caught here after dark.

When Eira admitted that she was lost, Amarantha's heart sank. Not that she regretted following Eira - even a guide who was lost was better than none at all in a strange place. But she worried that she might not be able to protect the both of them if they were attacked. She could see the unhappiness in her young friend's expression though, and mustered all her calmness and poise to avoid alarming her further.

"We'll need to find a place to shelter until light," she said in neutral tones. "Maybe a tree with overhanging branches we can shelter under, and a sturdy trunk to put our backs to"

And please Goddess don't let there be anything up in the canopy to drop down on us, she prayed silently.

"Come," she gestured with her head, "let's see what we can find." As they walked to find shelter, Amarantha hoped that they found it before something found them.

 "Talk"

Amarantha

You were named for the Amaranth
Whose bloom means life unending
And whose name means "Love Lies Bleeding"

@Eira @Rixen