@lullai There was something about her, but Thraece couldn’t put her finger on it. It wasn’t her face, though her steady caramel eyes had kept Thraece’s attention when they’d been introduced. It wasn’t her stature, shorter even than Thraece’s, though her determined steps exemplified an inner strength that Thraece knew only came after hardship. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it had been something just enough to catch her attention and keep her from arguing against the task.
She’d just come through forests and mountains on a six month journey she’d wanted to argue, but she’d seen the slightly older woman, Irinushka, she’d later learned, stand straight and serious, treating the task as if it were as important as any other that a full member might be assigned. It made Thraece quietly pack her oilcloth bag and follow the other woman into the forest.
The familiarity of the forest did not come as a surprise to Thraece, both from the journey, and from home. She was shocked to find that despite the rough months of travel, now that she had a safe warm place to stay, the smell of the forest put her at peace, though the darkness did not.
The goal, she’d been told, was simple. To find their way to a campsite some way into the forest, work together to survive the night, and return. It seemed simple enough.
The darkness grew thicker around them, and Thraece began to understand that it was not as simple as she had perhaps thought.
She grabbed the clear quartz crystal that was a constant presence on her waist tied on with a leather strip.
She gently reached into it and coaxed out a gentle light, not as bright but far more consistent than she’d had coming from her weak lantern.
She looked up to see Irinushka outpacing her and ran to catch up.
“Oh, uh, sorry, I fell behind a bit.” She said as she reached her side.
Irinushka had learned many things under the guidance of Lyudumila and one of them was to accept tasks with gratitude. She hadn’t warmed up to this rule immediately. She had grumbled whenever the Witch tasked her with simple cleanup or gathering but it was through these errands that she had memorized the placements of potions and poisons in the Witch’s house and where one could best acquire foxgloves and frog legs. That was not to say she was always thankful. The first week of her recruitment at Ultima had her seeing more mops and rags and buckets than people or monsters. But this was a new mission, a new opportunity, and she seized it with hunger.
The one she was paired with was similar to her in stature and Irinushka wondered if that was why they had been paired up. Perhaps, their Leader had seen the two recruits and thought it would be amusing to send them out into the forest, out to the monsters, as a petite pair. But that did not make them helpless.
Striding forward, Irinushka regarded the surrounding darkness warily but with some daring confidence. She had battled storms (with her mentor). She had seen the rise and fall of villages, towns, cities (through her goddess). She had lived through many lifetimes (again, through her goddess). And she would not cower. If the darkness descended to smother them, she would fight. It was that simple.
And so, she traveled through the Arkhwood with her shoulders squared and her focus only forward. The lantern in her hand cast its shadows, let its dim light swing to push and pull at the night, making long fingers of low, crooked branches. There was the creaking of the lantern handle, the deadened thumps of their steps, and the hush of their breaths. And not much else, yet, to indicate monster or beast.
Admittedly, the echo had not taken much care to keep track of her partner and when the other dashed to her side she was surprised. She had forgotten, in a way, that someone else was with her. She shook her head. “No, I hadn’t waited for you and set the pace myself.” Blinking, she looked curiously at the crystal. It bathed them in a steady glow. “Is that enchanted or is it magic by nature?” With her inquiry, she began to walk but at a more careful pace.
