she killed it with kisses and from it she fled
#1
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Thread Information
Date: March 3, 2011. Or whenever you'd like.

Setting: Shattered Coast, northern border.

Time: Morning

Character Form:Optime, avec un cheval
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Sage is kinda SAAADDDD. WC: 425


She was away from home again. Rather far away, too. But this time, there was a reason. Sage needed to be away; if she stayed there, she would think too much of Daddy. Surely he was dead, or simply just gone... she didn't even know which one was worse. If he were just gone, that meant that he'd knowingly left with his daughters still in Inferni. After all, Clover had seen him since she'd been there, even if it was brief. It just wasn't fair, how could he not even want to see them?


All she knew was the the Father she'd loved was gone, and there was no trace of his imminent return. It didn't matter that he hadn't been the one to raise her, that he'd left quite early in her life. It didn't matter, because she'd come here for him. For a chance to change her atmosphere. But now she'd done it, and where was he? Nowhere.


The Lykoi girl supposed she'd adjusted alright without him, having been able to find solace in these lands still. China's company had become an even more integral, imperative part to the hippie child's life, and despite their recent, occasional time apart, she could not help but be thankful that she at least had her gentle sister to come back to. Clover was there, too; although her presence had been more scarce lately.


She craved the change in scenery; the smell of the salty spray of the ocean, feeling the moist air fill her lungs. The girl took a deep, appreciative breath, happy to have this sort of distraction available to her. If she could just immerse herself here, for a few hours, she would survive.


Sage had ridden in on Lennon, but as they neared the rocky ledges, she'd chosen to dismount, preferring to lead the horse closer on foot. The girl found a perfect location to sit and watch the waves, hear them crashing, able to feel the power of the earth right there for herself. Then again, she'd felt it all too recently, during the snowstorm. The Imaginifer pushed these reminders away, instead sitting down cross-legged, back against a leafless tree, taking grateful puffs of a joint she'd lit. This was where she'd met that curious little puppy, Arnette. This was a perfect, peaceful place.


Yellow, glazed eyes wandered occasionally from the water, keeping track of her lovely painted companion who grazed idly nearby.


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#00+
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#2
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Word Count → 5+ :: table © sie


The rhythmic pace of the mare beneath her had settled Alaine in a half-awoken daze. The colliewoman had been increasingly fatigued of late, but that was expected - Now that she was the primary caretaker of three quickly growing pups, the freedom of her life had plummeted sharply. The Apothecary's entire existence now seemed to revolve around the three life forms, currently in the care of a capable packmember back at the Chien Hotel.


This was not to say that Alaine took the birth of her children as the beginning of a burden on her fragile life. Rather, even in her current state of mental and physical exhaustion, the woman was simultaneously steeped in a deliriously happy phase. The survival of her children was an intoxicant; every time she laid eyes on their soft, downy forms, the healer was overcome with fresh waves of disbelief and maternal awe.


However, the pups were demanding. They sapped her dry of energy, and although her physical health was stable, the woman had desperately needed time away from the whelps to organise and gather her own frayed thoughts. It was important to keep as clear a head as possible, as her discussion with the king had assured the Apothecary of her rank and her duty to the pack. She would be no good to them, starry-eyed and vague.


Perhaps she had finally fallen asleep on the swaying back of Nana, or perhaps her eyelids had only drifted closed for a couple of seconds, but when Alaine next opened her eyes it was to a change of scenery. The rushing sound of the ocean filled floppy ears, and pink nose twitched to the crisp scent of salt in the air. Sitting straighter on the mare's bare back (her belly was so wide that a saddle seemed unnecessary for them both, and now that she was more confidant Alaine much preferred riding without it), the cream and ivory nymph swept the fingers of one hand through her tousled auburn ringlets, the other remaining a light grip on the horse's loose leather reins.


Nana had been dawdling, but it seemed she had caught a scent on the wild ocean breeze, for suddenly her dinner-plate hooves were lifting more eagerly into the air, and Alaine was clutching at her short black mane as the large mare burst into an ungainly trot. Not used to riding at anything faster than Nana's normal plodding walk, Alaine found herself wide awake as she fought to keep her seating. Light frame bopped comically up and down on the fat broodmare's sloping back, as the bay determinedly made her way towards the scent of the creature she wished to find.


There he was - a big, handsome fella of a horse. Nana neighed in a soft welcome, her jolty gait slowing immediately to a walk, while Alaine continued to clutch like a living bur to the gentle giant's neck. Her fingers were clenched so tightly that it took her a moment to release them, and settle gingerly back onto her horse. Emerald eyes blinked in surprise at the other tacked equine, not yet noticing the tan girl sitting invisible on the other side of her steed.


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#3
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Weird post! (and I hope this table is readable for you. totally didn't consider different layouts when making it... OOPS) WC: 415


She'd been lost in her own thoughts again. This time, they were more somber ones. Would she ever see Daddy again? Did he care to see her? Maybe he really didn't want to, and in that case, how should she feel? The earth child knew she had plenty of family here to lean on, but she did often miss Mother, and had so hopefully wished that she would see Father again, here. Wrought with a melancholy not befitting her, the tanned girl let out a discontent sigh, heavily releasing her head to rest upon the tree's trunk, closing sunshine-colored eyes.


Maybe she had fallen asleep, or maybe she'd been daydreaming, but the next time those eyes moved to open, her ears were greeting with the familiar clomp of hooves on cold, hard ground. Blinking at the sudden brightness of the world, the girl sat forward, turning her head to the right, searching for the source. But she saw nothing. Quickly, she glanced around for Lennon, and found his form grazing a few feet away, content and unfazed. With a sigh she relaxed, taking a breath and closing her eyes again. The sound got closer, though, and Sage turned now to look behind her, peering out from the trunk of the tree.


The girl gasped, seeing the two figures that had gathered behind her; one equine, and one canine. Had they not seen her? It seemed not, for they were facing Lennon. The other horse was also hefty like he was, but a gorgeous roan color, dipped in white. Sage sat in awe for a moment before slowly standing, hoping not to frighten the pair. The woman on horseback came into view as she stood, and again the hippie Lykoi was amazed at her beauty. Had the earth finally claimed her and taken her to the place beyond, where everything was beautiful and serene? But the woman was scarred, and this made Sage's brows furrow. Such a pretty lady shouldn't be tainted by painful memories.


Hesitantly, she called out gently, voice hardly louder than a whisper, feeling that if she spoke any louder, she might ruin the lovely vision. "Hello..." she muttered softly into the cool air.


Sage's amber gaze found Lennon once again, silently beckoning him over with her hand. The horse raised his eyes and took slow, careful steps towards the small group, inclining his head towards the chocolate lady-horse in a gentle equine greeting.


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#4
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Word Count → 3+ :: table © sie


Alaine certainly didn't feel beautiful. Flustered, and somewhat aggrieved at the realisation of how little control she had over the rotund, placid mare, the colliewoman's auburn curls were in disarray about her slightly flushed face. Childbearing had put curves back on to her pixie frame, filled out hollows and smoothed angular lines, and in this perhaps she had reached a higher quality of visual appearance. But to the colliewoman, it was the creature that emerged from behind the tree that was the true epitome of beauty.


She looked so exotic, so perfectly delicate in features, with large elegant ears and a cascading flow of dark caramel that spilled over soft shoulders. She looked, of all things, born from the forest around her - While Alaine was a foreign creature to this land, the girl facing her now appeared to be pulled right from its midst.


It was for this, that Alaine instantly recognised her to be a coyote. The females of that race were said to be of wondrous beauty, but also they were known as a dangerous, unpredictable lot. Prejudice was hard to ignore after the war. Emerald gaze studied the female in shock and the customary wariness that lurked in the shadows of its depths. When the girl spoke, her voice was soft as the wind through the pines, and the Apothecary's eyes blinked in bewilderment and surprise. "... Hello," She echoed the greeting in her own accented tone, posture relaxing slightly as the coyote's spun-gold eyes moved away from her own frame and to that of the handsome stallion.


She made no noise, instead using a slight gesture, and Alaine could only watch in wonderment as the huge horse obeyed the dainty maiden's command with willingness. A wave of a hand, to move such a creature? It often took all of her might and willpower to get Nana to move a single inch! The fat bay was just as lazy as she was docile. "How did you-" Uncomfortable, because her voice had broken the silence, she swallowed before continuing, "How did you get him to come to you, just then?" Perhaps she was a forest witch of some sort, able to communicate with the horse via her mind. Emerald eyes widened further - The last run-in she had had with a shaman had not gone well.


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#5
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They should ride somewhere, or something. xD WC: 370


"... Hello," the woman replied, voice attractively accented.


In silence, Sage reached out a gentle hand towards Lennon, whose head bumped up against it in affection. With a smile, the girl placed both hands on either side of the horse's face, leaning in to press her own face into his in a loving nuzzle. The pair hadn't been together for long, but they spent enough time together to make up for that. She had learned him quickly, as he had her. The relationship between girl and horse was strong; it was nice to have the gentle stallion along with her on her journeys. He never judged her, and was always ready to be beside her at any moment.


Eyes then fluttered to the pale golden woman, who bore an expression of awe at the minor feat the Lykoi girl had performed. A gentle smile rose on her lips as the lady spoke in wonderment.


"How did you-" she started, "How did you get him to come to you, just then?"


Sage wasn't a magical creature by any means; only one who knew the spirits of animals. It was helpful, too, that she understood and could speak in the equine's own language(though she hadn't needed it for that simple request).


"Lennon and I have bonded; we spend much time together, and have a sort of... understanding, I suppose," she said, a smile peeking out as she spoke, turning back to the horse and giving him a solid pat before taking a stride towards the lovely stranger. "What's her name?" she asked, holding out a hand so that the chocolate mare might learn that she was not to be feared. Raising sun-colored eyes to the woman's own emerald ones, she added, with a smile: "And yours, too, lovely...?"


Sage wondered quietly if this woman belonged to this land, but her nose quickly told her that she did. The smell of the area was strong on her, and as the Lykoi girl felt herself looking up at the auburn-haired lady, she felt the urge to mount Lennon as well, so that they might be at the same height. She didn't, though, and instead reached out a kind, gentle hand to stroke the dark mane of the stagnant mare.


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#6
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Word Count → 3+ :: table © sie


Wary emerald eyes lingered on the ethereal form of the coyote girl, as she drifted from her own horse with a graceful step toward Alaine's own. She spoke in such a misty tone that the colliewoman found it difficult to concentrate on her words, more so wanting to hear the soft rush of her voice, as though it were music. Was this what others thought of her own accent? Would that they found it so lovely!


Nana clearly thought as much, also, for when the tawny forest-child held out one delicate hand, the rotund mare made much a show of snuffling and whuffling and making all sorts of definitively equine sounds, before bumping the soft velvet of her white-snipped muzzle against the girl's walm palm. Thus far, the horse had proved to be quite a good judge of character, although Alaine was beginning to wonder if she was just easily bribed by a good pat.


"H-her name is Nana," She felt slightly foolish by placing such importance in the name of a creature lesser than herself - Nana was supposed to be a mode of transport, nothing more. But truth be told, the Apothecary was really rather attached to the maternal equine, with her lovely brown doe-eyes and her guardian-like stockiness. It seemed the mare had been the only creature yet to accept her odd son, Elijah, and the Winters woman prayed this to mean that in spite of his intense weirdness, that he was in possession of a kind soul.


Clearing her throat slightly, she continued, "And I am Alaine Winters, Apothecary of the Cour des Miracles pack." Her accented tone was stronger now, and she sat straighter in the saddle. Something about the coyote woman had lowered her defenses, but perhaps that was merely a part of her dangerous allure. She had so much to live for, now - She could not afford to let her guard down. "And who might you be, Miss? What is your purpose, out here alone?" Although the probing questions were supposed to be offered in an authoritative tone, Alaine softened her voice, unable to refrain from feeling that this pretty Fae meant her no harm.


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#7
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Word Count → 381

<3 <3


The mare was happily receptive to the young girl's touch, even leaning her nose into Sage's warm, tanned palm. A smile spread across the hippie girl's face at that; it was good to know that animals still felt the same about her, even here. She cooed a soft introduction to the equine in low-speech, before turning her sun-colored eyes to the lovely vision atop the horse.


"H-her name is Nana," the pretty woman said in her attractively accented tone.

"Oh, hello, Nana..." Sage muttered softly, petting the mare gently and saying the same in low speech. "And this," she said, motioning for the handsome boy to come closer once more, "is Lennon." He was in reach of her as well, and so she leaned over to give him a healthy pat as well.


"And I am Alaine Winters, Apothecary of the Cour des Miracles pack."


"Alaine?" she asked, considering the name as well as being sure she'd heard it properly. "That's a very pretty name." Sage was a person who felt that names held the very essence of someone's spirit, their personality, their being. They told a story, at least.


"And who might you be, Miss? What is your purpose, out here alone?" asked Alaine.


Sage could not blame the woman for wondering; after all, these were pack lands, and being so close to them without coming in was strange for an outsider. But what was she doing there, after all, really? Sitting and thinking about Juniper Peace, about Daddy... dreaming of other places. She did get that longing, sometimes, to be back in Juniper Peace, traveling. To be near such close family. Of course, here she had China, Clover, Kaena, and even a few others, but it just wasn't the same.


The tanned Lykoi girl cleared her throat, realizing she'd taken longer than she should have to respond. "My name is Sage. Sage River Lykoi, I live in Inferni;" she introduced with a smile and a happy tone, "though I'm not quite sure why I was out here." Her gaze ran away to the sea. "I suppose I was in need of a nice, calming place to think. I love the sea, I really do..." she said, her voice trailing off with a slightly sad twang, for now she was practically forced to remember those things she'd managed to put out of her mind for a moment.


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#8
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Word Count → 3+ :: table © sie


If there was one thing Alaine could recognize within another, it was pain. That was the foundation of her duty as an Apothecary, her skills as a healer. Within this girl - This Sage River Lykoi - There was a deep well of the infection known as sadness, and although the hands of fate had fashioned her into a far colder woman than she had once been, Alaine still felt empathy for the wraith-like beauty before her.


Regardless, the mention of Inferni was enough to pull any thoughts of relaxing her guard away from the woman's mind. She stiffened in the saddle, emerald eyes sharp and wary. It was not so much a personal endeavour that caused her to react in such a way, nor was it Inferni's infamous reputation for the breeding of bloodthirsty bandits and the like. No, it was the fact that her offspring was spawn of the mighty warrior-king of Inferni himself, and she feared constantly that the land of Sage's bloodsoaked home would one day seek to reclaim the heirs she had taken in her womb from it.


For a moment, the colliewoman was still and silent. Sage's final words hung in the air between them, and it seemed that Alaine was battling within herself, the two conflicting aims of trust and mistrust. Finally, she relented. "The sea is a sacred place, Miss Sage," Her accented tone was a vague whisper, but the hints of a smile curved up on the woman's pixie maw. "Come now, get on your Lennon. I would show you something." She spoke brusquely in a motherly tone that would breach no rejection, before clucking her tongue to the fat mare and wheeling her nose around. Casting a look over her shoulder to the coyote damsel, the mysterious colliewoman flashed her a subtle smile before pushing Nana to a trot. The fat mare's rump was quick to melt into the trees.


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#9
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Word Count → 333

Whee~


"The sea is a sacred place, Miss Sage," Alaine spoke softly, her accent well fitting for her words.


The tanned girl's eyes wandered back from their vacation to the sea; Sage felt wonderfully comfortable in the presence of the doggish woman. Maybe it was this land that blessed it's inhabitants, but the Lady Alaine was stunning in Sage's eyes. The Lykoi girl gave a simple nod in response. She already knew it to be sacred, and she had treated it as such. This had been a place she'd come before, to think; she loved it's calming, metronomic song and the salty air. This place called to her nearly as often as Inferni did, and it was nigh irresistible to the Earth child.


"Come now, get on your Lennon. I would like to show you something." Alaine said now, her accented voice taking on a sharper, more assertive tone.


Sage was quick to follow the collie-woman's lead, grasping gently onto Lennon's mane before climbing atop his tall back. The Stallion's fur and skin was warm from the Sun's rays, and she couldn't help but sink into it for a moment before taking off in pursuit of the Cours Lady Alaine, and the chestnut Nana.


Of course she knew not where the Lady led her, but followed nonetheless, relying only on the woman's good will, and her own trust of her fellows on this Earth. She would not have followed so readily had she felt anything less than good in the golden-furred woman.


The hippie girl coaxed Lennon into an easy trot behind Nana, finding him to be more focused in the presence of a partner. With a smile, a small hand fell to his mane, her sun-colored eyes focused ahead. Where would they go, she wondered, what would they see? Whatever it was, the woman had managed to capture the distracted girl's interest, and she happily followed.


The forest reminded her of Inferni, but the scent and the sensation of the place was completely different. It was marvelous, and Sage bathed in the land's aura as they rode together through the trees.



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#10
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Word Count → 3+ :: table © sie


It pleased her to hear, after only a moment of hesitation, the sound of heavy hooves crashing through undergrowth behind Nana's own. Unseen, a small but lovely smile curved about the woman's pixie maw, and she clucked softly to the fat mare who responded by lifting her head and her feet a little more.


Glancing back over her shoulder quickly, Alaine was rewarded by a view of the young woman, her melancholia lost in a desire to soak up all of the land they travelled through. Those who respected the world as much as they ought to were few and far between these days, and it was refreshing to the embittered Apothecary to find such a lovely and wayward soul who showed the same awe as she had, before such emotions had been stolen from her. The forests here were lovely, and with the passing of winter they grew lovelier by the day. Soon, the birds would return, and the gentle silence would be filled with uplifting trills of song.


After deviating slightly from the ocean, the invisible path she swallowed swung back towards it, and although they would not be able to see the swell of aquamarine, the gentle crashing sounds of it filtered through the foliage. That, and the refreshing salty scent borne to sharp noses by a meandering ocean breeze. The soft thudding of hoof connecting with soil soon became a sharper sound, as the earth beneath them grew rockier, and the tundra thinned.


In a small clearing, Alaine pulled Nana to a halt and dismounted, looping the mare's reigns over her pommel so they wouldn't snag on anything. She gestured for Sage to do likewise. "We will go by foot from here. The horses are best left behind." Her thin smile bloomed again, but emerald eyes were mystical and deep, watching the girl curiously to see if she would so willingly trust in one she did not know. As an afterthought, she added, "They will be safe here. Your stallion will not roam?"


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#11
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Word Count → 356

Sage is riding without tack, btw. ;o


Where would they go? Sage didn't know, but the prospect excited her no less than it would've had she known. She knew nothing of this land, and it's land made her feel welcome at every turn. It's energy was different from Inferni's; she liked it, and she took deep, longing breaths of it's salty air. The closer they got to the sea, the stronger the scent became. As their small caravan came to a halt, the intensity of the smell peaked.


The terrain had become harder, more sparse, but no less beautiful to the tanned Lykoi girl. Her smile broadened once they stopped. She watched as the Lady Alaine dismounted from Nana with grace, doing the same herself an equally soft step.


"We will go by foot from here. The horses are best left behind." the woman stated, a small curve on her lips. "They will be safe here. Your stallion will not roam?"


Clearly, she knew just where they were. Sage replied with her own blossoming grin and a shake of her head. "He surely will not, with such a lovely companion as Nana beside him," Sage offered; if Lennon was anything like her, which he was, he would not turn down pleasant company in favor of wandering alone. Lennon had taken to the mare quickly, and stood contentedly by her side, nose to the ground as always, hoping to find any edible plant matter bursting through the rocky ground.


Easily she would follow Alaine, but only her. Sage may have been trusting with this woman, but did have some standards for whom she would trust. Generally, the girl's first impressions were correct, although it was true that her judgments had been wrong before, and may be wrong again in the future. For now, though, she kept close to the collie-woman, and remained mostly silent as she was lead through the attractive terrain towards an unknown destination that was captivating even yet.


"This place is beautiful," she breathed softly, "If I weren't tied to Inferni, this may have been my home," she admitted as golden eyes roamed in awe, staring about as they walked.



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#12
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Word Count → 3+ :: why am i so slowwwww


The girl seemed eager enough, and this pleased the collie woman. It gave her hope to know that there were still pure souls out in the world, untarnished by suspicion as she herself had been. Sage was beautiful, but emerald eyes appraised only the inner beauty she saw. When the coyote dismounted neatly from her bare-backed companion, she answered the healer's brisk question politely. Nana, as though aware she were being praised by the sweet, Fae-like girl, stretched out her long neck and exhaled a short gust of warm breath at her. Placid brown doe-eyes blinked lazily, before the mare lowered her head to browse for edible foliage. Her rounded rump bumped amiably against Lennon's, having accepted his presence with the easy nature the broodmare was so prized for.


Sage followed her willfully. Alaine took to the new path, smaller and less visible than the last, with an air of growing excitement. She knew where she was headed, and it was a very private, albeit wonderful place. For some reason, she longed to share it with this strange girl. Perhaps it would mean something to her, as it did to the colliewoman. They were within Cour des Miracles territory now, but the land was empty of other Luperci. Rarely did any of the pack seek to come so high and near to the ocean, and the secret-place to which Alaine led Sage was known by very few.


The tawny Fae's words brought back a smile, and a slight look of surprise. "Well, I welcome you here, although it is not my place," Only the King could truly welcome outsiders. But this little trip was secret and away from prying eyes, and Alaine was sure that the generous Vigilante would not have disapproved.


Finally, the pair emerged on a small rocky ledge. The cliffside dropped below them, plunging into the frothing and foaming sea below. Brilliant sunlight sparkled on the surface, forming sapphires of all description as far as the eye could see. The wild sea-breeze that had toyed with them before ruled this place, and it bellowed mightily. In spite of all this power and action, the scene had an air of mysterious calm; It was easy to forget her troubles in the face of such a magnificent view.


Alaine paused a moment to catch her breath and allow Sage to see the world from the spectacular lookout. They were not at her final destination yet - That would involve a short trek along the rocky plateau, to the cave she knew lingered somewhere aft, hidden from sigh and preserved by the giant boulders that guarded it. "We are almost there," She let the wind tease cool fingers through auburn ringlets, emerald eyes lifting to see the girl's reaction. "It is beautiful, no?"


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#13
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Word Count → 318

It's fiiiine! <3


Sage was happy to not feel the urge to worry about her handsome stallion. Alaine's mare was receptive enough to his company, and Lennon was more than pleased to have it. Turning away from the pair, her attention focused on the Lady Alaine and the path that she followed.


Sun-colored eyes wandered the landscape, eagerly taking in the wonderfully intense colors of the foliage in spring. This place was so lush and marvelous, she wondered how it could get much better; and then it did.


They emerged onto a rocky ledge, similar to the ones she loved so much that lay farther north. With an open-mouthed, audible gasp she drifted towards the cliff, eyes shooting down in wonder as she marveled at the sparkling water below. It was noisier here; the wind blew her hair wildly, but she didn't care. She stood there for a while, staring intently at the rushing canyon below, in awe of it's natural beauty. How peaceful it was, looking down from there; how wonderfully small she felt. Sage let the wind embrace her and she closed her eyes, taking deep, serene breaths of the salty air.


"We are almost there," Alaine said, her voice hardly heard over the rushing wind and water. "It is beautiful, no?"


Sage felt invigorated and charged with a wonderful earthly energy; she was immobilized for several moments, able only to breathe a soft "Yes," in awed response.


They hadn't even arrived at their destination, and Sage was already enamored with the place. It was a shame that Inferni did not claim the more luscious grounds. The Forest of Nod was beautiful, no doubt, but the energy it carried felt dull compared to this place. The earth child was energized by the ocean and the trees; they beckoned her, welcomed her. Here, she felt so perfectly at home.


Eager and awestruck, Sage would follow Alaine without complaint.



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