» The Tree of Light

GWYN uh-oh, running out of breath, but I oh, I, I got stamina   She was not sure why Roscorro had decided to lead them north (being distracted with whispering trees, herself), but she was glad that she had, as she entered the magical serenity that the giant creatures had created about the solemn figure of the mangled tree.  Her tall, haunting body was obscurred by decorations, however, and despite Gwyn knowing that the tree was still burned beneath, she found it much more enchanting this time around, than the fright Uwaritace had caused her, the first time she was here. The evil voices that taunted and teased her fell away, replaced by the hush of snow, and her large protector's expression of amazement.  The filly is more quiet; her pale eyes search the surrounding, safe haven for a sign of her family, finding room for hope now that she wasn't so distracted by the darkness of the world. They aren't here.   Pain flashes through her eyes, deep and piercing, but she quickly looks down at her hooves, and pushes the feeling back inside.  They are all strangers here, except for Roscorro.  She looks back up in time to watch him place his charm on the tree. What is that about?  She wonders.  Her brows arch inward, confusion and an utter lack of understanding replacing the crushing expression of a lost child in realization of her predicament.  She had never seen the other tree back home, and so has no sort of meaning to place to Roscorro's strange behavior.  She wasn't about to give the tree anything! Others make their way to the tree, however, and do the same; each time they do, the giant animals guarding Uwaritace seem to smile with gratitude.  She watches this for some while, before a thought begins to nag upon her:  she was supposed to do this too, perhaps?  That thought necessitates a second; what would she give it?  All she had was the loop of her parents hair, and she would be damned if she let some long nosed, giant weirdos have it. Maybe that was the real point, though, she thinks.  It certainly is complicated and confusing enough to be sensical to adults.  Looking at the little braided loop of gold and black, she feels her heart pang with loneliness for her parents, but does her best to ignore it as she slips the trinket off her ankle, and slowly makes her way to the laden Uwaritace. “Hi,” she tells both the solemn, burned trunk, but also the matrons, her pale eyes fleetingly looking at both; overwhelmed by a sense of her smallness more fully than she ever had been in her life, Gwyn nervously puts her loop of hair on one of the lower branches, where she can try to snatch it back from the titans, if they plan on keeping it. Backing away from them slowly, the girl nervously positions herself alongside Roscorro, occasionally still looking around for a flash of gold, a lightning laden deer, or a snowy back.   Gwyn's wishes: Enchanted Item :: Diamond snowflake charm :: Generates the smell of fresh snow and pine. Medium Item :: Blue Cashmere Scarf :: Dark blue with gold thread pattern and tassels; very long. Enchanted Item :: Leather Torso Armor ::  Dark leather lined with dark blue fabric, and detailed with gold thread.  It cools or warms as the weather necessitates.

Image by Jody Roberts@Flickr
@Roscorro