gymnopédie no. 1

“Äiti? Isä?” — “Mother? Father?”

The young sprite called out, swinging her head about, as the morning rose on her third day out in the wilds. Or was it the second, or fourth day? Wee as she was, she really had no awareness of the days that passed or what they meant. She was only aware of the churning of her tummy, and how empty it was. She hadn’t needed her mother’s milk for several weeks, but now she thirst for it something fierce. It was a need that water simply couldn't sate.

She wished she could eat, and snuggle against her mother and father, and look into their faces and know that everything would be fine. Sleep had always come easy for her. But the last few nights she had spent a shivering mess, hovering at the base of a tree, pressing herself against it and doing her very best job to appear invisible. It had rained, last night. The thunder had been so incredibly loud. The small spriteling roused only when the sun did, sodden and shivering.

If pressed for how this had happened, the cub couldn’t procure details. She had been out, looking for bugs — overturning rocks and the ilk — and now she was like this, and she didn’t know where she was or what to do. She hadn’t ever been out of her home forest. She didn’t even know what it was called — she hadn’t needed to. All she knew was, if she called loudly enough, maybe mother would hear her and come find her.

“Missä sinä olet?” — “Where are you?”

the staff team luvs u

Boars were roaming, dangerous and hungry ones. Already had they attacked @Olympia-Elune and even attempted at @Ghost as well, but thankfully herself and @Dreadnought to stop even worse movements. Although, they didn't kill the boars, and watched them flee elsewhere. They were around, causing an unknown mayhem but she ventured forth to see of any more traits of their appearance around. The brim seemed relatively alright, though the smell pugnent from them that it made her re-think to simply let them be.

As she crossed to the small voice of another rang out, vaguely reminding her of the child that Serenity had taken, though found upon the brim. She'd not think that the woman would dare abandon such a way, as it seemed she taken another whimsical child under her wing. Yet such a voice drew her near, where a small child ; lonesome, without scents, vaguely blushed in tones of roses came to. She rose a brow, looking around for anything that seemed like a guardian of sorts — but there was no scent.

Vendrussel went forward, there was a first hesitation and then.. Didn't have the heart to simply leave once she heard, "young one, what are you doing out here alone?" at the very least, she was thankful they didn't look to be a milk-babe, but.. Lost. She tried to give a soft smile, one of ease to assure the other she was not an enemy.

the staff team luvs u

The little girl felt a cry rise in her throat, and she tried to stifle it as best she could. No, she had spent all last night and the day before crying, and she was still in the same exact situation as before. No one came. No food appeared. The pup pressed her lips together and crinkled her nose, deeply and truly feeling the urge to wail yet again, endlessly, until something changed — then a horrifying thought crept into her frightened mind.

Is that why they hadn’t come to find her, because she was a crybaby?

Thankfully, such a thought process was interrupted by a stranger. The toddling pup had hoped that an adult would show up, but now that she was in the face of one, she didn’t know what to think. Her heart pounded as much as it could, not having the time or space to come down from her (now forgotten) realization before encountering the first face she had ever seen that she was not blood related to. It was strange, so see another the size of mother and father, but wrapped in a blue-black coat that was the darkest she had ever seen.

“Voitko auttaa minua?” — “Help me?” she asked in a small voice, sitting in the summer grasses and clover that blanketed the earth, looking all but a rosebud herself. “Missä äiti on?” — "Where is Mother?"

the staff team luvs u

It was unfortunate that was one of the languages, that Vendrussel did not know, "I'm sorry young one, I know not of your tongue." She spoke clearly enough at the very least if the dragoness found a translator it would not be an issue ; she could only hope this strange child could understand her words as she smiled warily.

Found within the mountains, unknown to the land, a child of colors she knew not of.. Rosen as she was, blushed and hushed a child that could not be left. She approached closer, her head dangling below to meet the eyes of the other if she did not run away from her approach, "come with me?"

Although Dragonford could not continue be a charity case of children.. Who had the heart to leave one within the cold land by herself?

the staff team luvs u

The masked woman spoke in words that Rosal could not understand no matter how deeply and truly she listened. Frustration rose in the little cub’s throat, and she squirmed in her seat upon the warm, summer earth. Was this a joke on her, to purposefully make her look silly? Her brothers did that at times, and it had been funny — but at this moment, it was the exact opposite of funny. It seemed a terrible terror, like a nightmare, where she yelled into a void that return nothingness back to her.

Her little chest huffed and her heart fluttered with sudden fear, but the little one had no idea what to do besides trust the only thing in front of her: the woman who inspired no small amount of fear, who spoke in unknown tongues, but at least she was real, and she was here. Even if she was bad, Rosal immediately judged the situation to be better than nothing. The dark woman was now in front of her, and the babe could relinquish whatever control she had for the moment.

“Löydätkö äidin?” — “You will find mother?” she nearly wailed, the sapphire blue eyes dropping and ears drooping dramatically at what might have seemed like a good thing (though she had an awful misunderstanding regarding what was about to happen). “Hän tulee olemaan vihainen minulle… ” — “She will be mad at me…" Rosal muttered, pawing anxiously at the dirt.

the staff team luvs u

She approached, the young did not flee or run away. That was when Vendrussel would bend down and pick her up by her nape ; perhaps, in terms of stealing away from this wasteland. Even closer there was very vague scents of what was, but she could not tell. Something about it.. Something was familiar. But maybe someone at the Ford knew of her language, or at the very least, had seen some wayfaring parents around. The dragoness glanced around ; there was still none.

She would take her back to the ford. Although lacked true medics, Valtyr had mentioned of his healing abilities. She'd have him take a look at this rosebud.

the staff team luvs u

What a relief it was, to be picked up by the nape of her neck! It felt exactly as mother would and her little body immediately fell limp, leeching any amount of comfort that she could from the slightest touch — in fact, it was teeth in her delicate scruff, but it was something. It meant things were happening, and her reality was changing, and whatever that might look like in the future... right now, it was the only good thing.
 
Swinging like a pendulum from the sea dragon’s jaws, the girl was carried swiftly in the opposite direction of home.

the staff team luvs u