alice: ❛ forests have secrets. it’s practically what they’re for. ❜
❛ oh , yes ! ❜ hands clapped together with DELIGHT as luna smiled , radiant in her happiness - how wonderful it was , to find someone in the same mind as her ! yet the second part of the blonde’s statement was DISAGREEABLE to the young woman , & the smile ‘pon her face faded , just slightly , as she considered how to respond. could she be blamed for being ( dare she say it ? ) STAR - STRUCK ? she had spent so long in the great blackness of the sky , accompanied only by the stars , dark eyes turned down to watch the mortals , yet only ever from afar. to be stood on solid ground , speaking to one , & speaking well ; did she dare believe it was TRULY happening ? perhaps it was only a dream , caused by the fall ‘neath the water. perhaps even that hadn’t happened , & instead she found herself still in the sky , casting light for the sake of all below.
❛ but - ❜ & no , of COURSE this was real ! if nothing else , the tiredness which dogged her every step & clung to the very bones of her , the ache in her eyes from being so unaccustomed to the BRIGHTNESS of day , the rapid thumping of a heart which had never before been hers , in a body which a celestial being had never before needed to possess - if nothing else , these things assured her that none of this was happening behind closed eyes. ❛ don’t you find they’re terrible at it ? ❜
luna’s voice had dropped to a WHISPER , & she couldn’t help but throw a furtive glance over her shoulder , towards the edge of the town where the woods lay. there was power in nature , & the wind could carry her words to them , & she might find herself ATTACKED once more if they overheard what was said to her companion , & how could she bear it ? how could she help anyone within them if those MONSTROUS things which lay beneath the surface rose up once more in this new world ? no ; she would speak softly & slowly , & will the wind away.
❛ keeping the secrets , i mean , ❜ she elaborated a moment later , turning to speak earnestly to the young girl before her. ❛ they all escape so easily , especially in the dark - have you ever SEEN any of them , the ones that live ‘neath the trees ? ❜ about her , still , was the night , pulled about her shoulders & over her head as a cloak on the night she stepped down from the sky. from beneath its folds , she held out her hands, palms upturned, & there , they could be seen ; great , jagged , criss - crossing SCARS , not quite healed from her encounter with the snag , white strips tinged red. if one were to glance at the moon’s face as she presented them , one might say that luna was PROUD of the markings. ❛ they’re certainly happy to make their presence known , i think you’ll find. do you know if they’re here ? ❜ another glance over her shoulder , as if they might hear , & find her once more. ❛ they call them the nasties , the ones i look over , & they would scare you half to DEATH if you let them. they certainly aren’t fond of keeping things secret , i can assure you ! ❜
