there are no markings on her country roads
no signs that show the way back home
Although Otem can appear friendly, she is not one for making friends. She believes that no one will ever be able to truly understand her, and if she ever let anyone see the darkness that swam inside of her, surely they would hate her for it. And so she cloaks herself in smiles and polite conversation. Thus, as the boy says they would make quite the pair, Otem feels herself internally bristle at the suggestion, even though she knows it was meant harmlessly. "Yes." She answers with a gentle sweep of her wing over the plants. "What is seen is different for everyone ... one day I hope to be able to control it. Then I can make others see what I want them to."
He mentions fire being a family trait, and her ram-horned head nods in immediate understanding. She is of the earth, as he is of the flame. "Yes. Earth mage is like that for me too." Otem swallows hard, not wanting to dwell on thoughts of how her Grandfather was the one she blamed most for all of this, or to be reminded of the mother she no longer had. He mentions regrowing forests and her bi-coloured gaze lifts and brightens. "If only I was that strong! Maybe one day ... " She muses, thinking of what it might be like to heal the scorched earth after a pyromancer had gone through. "Maybe if I could, fire wouldn't be thought of as so destructive, you know?"
Kyros is as uncertain of what the political landscape will be as she is, and Otem finds this both comforting and disappointing. "I just ... I feel like something needs to happen, y'know? We can't all just keep wandering around. I mean, I was attacked by a herd of ... of..well I'm not even really sure what they were. But I can't really warn anyone to stay away from them, because everyone is just going around!" The filly's wings thumped against her flanks to help emphasize this point, but her shoulders shrugged to further indicate that she didn't have a solution.
"Did ... did the rest of your family make it through?" Otem hesitantly asks. It's quite rare for her to meet someone her own age who she isn't related to. And although family is a bit of a sore topic for just about everyone, she asks nevertheless.
Floating Key
