itch-be-gone

Although she knew she should be travelling this land, travelling and searching for her friends, Alysanne could not yet bear to remove herself from the forest of her childhood. It was overwhelming being among these trees again, feeling the soft fronds of the giant ferns brush against her now-green coat as she moved beneath them. At any given point she felt as though she was in danger of bursting into tears - always this strange mixture of joy and distress. The joy was winning, of course, and helped always by the presence of Mika and of her family. They had lost so much leaving Helovia, so much that she didn’t even know about yet (so distracted had she been by Miykael, she didn’t yet know the other losses), but here, in this forest, Alysanne felt hopeful and alive once more. If only she could stop itching. Hemlock helped her when he could, itching at the spots on her neck and necks that she couldn’t reach. He found downy feathers nestled at the base of her mane earlier that day, but didn’t comment on it just yet. Or maybe he was trying to - their bond had been quiet since they arrived in this place, and Alysanne knew they were both grieving for the loss of Cypress. The young owl had flown off as soon as he was able and now his name was another on the ever-growing list of those that Alysanne wished to find. They were wandering, using just a slow easy gait, among the forest early in the morning - Alysanne’s mind buzzing with so many stories she wanted to share that she barely even knew where to begin. Every dozen or so steps she needed to stop and lip at the itching at the back of her leg, however, and it was a good thing they had no real destination because they would not be getting there in any good time. Alysanne I lit a flame in my heart to guide you home.

image credits

@Nathanael and @Mika if you want to come along but open to any! :D
one day Aly will leave this forest :|