It's not bad living here. It really isn't. I promise. I love plants.

Rift felt guilt sparking at his chest. What a careless and terrible thing to say! He was becoming less and less like himself, it seemed. Or perhaps he had always been this impulsive? He could probably ask Sebastian if he had once been gentler with what he said. All he could remember was the forest and the life he had lived within it.

He looked back at himself and compared his fur to the many clumps on moss that were, in fact, growing in his skin. Yes, perhaps he did look a little like moss. He could see how it was an easy mistake to make. Not that it was a bad thing. No, in fact, the more Rift looked like his forest, the more he felt connected to it. He could be part of the trees or the undergrowth, hide flawlessly in bushes or even relax, completely invisible, in an open clearing, soaking up sunlight like water.

A Fluttermouse? Rift had never heard of such a thing. Then again, he hadn't been outside in, well, quite some time. There were a lot more caves then Eridanus. There were definitely going to be things that he didn't know about. He passed it off as simply another strange creature created by the caves. "Your name suits you. I'm Rift."

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Rift tried to think of what to say or do that would make up for the stupidity he had said before. The first thing that came to mind was "Do you like flowers?" Without really thinking about it, he reached out a paw and tapped the ground softly and a number of lovely honeysuckle bloomed in front of him. His whiskers twitched with embarrassment. "Uh, well, I just thought that you'd maybe like flowers since you like a bit like a butterfly or a moth. Sorry about what I said, I promise I don't eat mice anymore or any living creature. Not even plants."

Flit's feelers twitched, ears perking in curiosity. He seemed to spend a moment considering Rift's name before offering a nod. "Thank you! I think yours does, too!" the little creature responded to Rift's question almost immediately, flaring his wings in a little burst of excitement. "Yes, yes, I do! I've never been able to get close to them until now, though!"

The little creature gasped in amazement as the cat called flowers into existence at his paws, and without thinking, took to the air, fluttering and finally alighting on the nearest bloom. His feelers flailed wildly, and the little creature couldn't help but feel intoxicated by the scent. It was only then that he realized that he was truly, really hungry. The little one pushed his head into the opening of the flower and searched inside for the source of the scent, certain that something of sustenance was hidden inside.

A few moments later, the mouse's head re-emerged, his whiskers sticky and his feelers almost white with clumps of pollen. He looked up at Rift, bright with excitement, and fluttered onto another bloom. "H-how did you do that?" It was amazing! to bring plant life alive from nothing? to create beautiful flowers where there weren't any before! The little creature was filled with wonder and joy, and excitement. What else could this mysterious power do? He could hardly believe such a thing existed! the limitless possibilities filled him with inspiration! The little fluttermouse began to groom his whiskers and feelers with short, twitching motions of their paws about their head.

It seemed that any misgivings were long gone.

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts look like this."

tags: @Rift
notes: here

Rift watched happily as the mouse reached into the flower, just as a butterfly would do, except, well, a little different. It was pretty cute, actually, the way they had to clean their whiskers, just like he had to do after taking a drink or eating a juicy fruit. He wondered what nectar tasted like. He had never tried it before, since it was easier just to eat the flower and get all the flavors. He'd only really get a single lap before the nectar was gone. But, he guessed, this was a good a time as any to try.

He released a bit of magic into his system to get it ready to digest the plant matter but he felt his system groan against it, as if it had grown too used to absorbing sunlight that it didn't want to eat anything solid. Disappointed, he let it die away and decided that he would try it later. The flowers weren't going anywhere after all.

His ear perked up after a moment, realizing that he had found another kindred spirit. Someone that loved the plants and flowers (or so he assumed) just like him. He gave Flit a warm smile, his tail curling in delight. "It's my magic! I can grow flowers and plants and even trees! It also helps me digest plants and sunlight. It's like speaking to the forest and have it speak back. It's also the reason that I'm covered with plants."

For a moment, a wonderful moment, he wondered if Flit could also use plant magic. It would make sense - they were partially a butterfly or moth and they ate nectar. If so, he wondered if they would learn from him - he had so much to teach them and so much to show them. It excited him so much that he couldn't hold himself back. "What about you? Can you use magic?" He couldn't keep the happiness and anticipation out of his voice.

Flit felt a ripple of excitement that sent his little wings beating, carrying him aloft so that he could flutter around Rift's head and settle down on one of the leaves that Rift had pointed out, the orb on the end of his tail bumping gently against the big cat's hide. He was comfortably full of nectar and the sweetness lingering on his tongue filled him with energy. The excitement lit up in his expression and his feelers and whiskers waved wildly to pick up all the scents and movements of the forest air.

"That's amazing! I've never seen anything like it!" the fluttermouse squeaked, looking down again at the flowers. In all of his first cycle, he'd never seen anyone perform magic before. He hadn't even known it existed! But it opened up so many possibilities, made him think of so many things... The fairy-like creature almost found himself wondering how he'd never felt it before; the thrumming in his antennae that wove through all the plant life here. The energy that flowed in the air. But the fluttermouse had only possessed wings for blessed moments, and feelers for the same amount of time. Perhaps when his body had reached its adult form, his touch with magic had finally bloomed, too.

He turned towards Rift as the cat presented a question, and for a split moment he was filled with nervousness. "I'm... not sure! Let me try," he hoped that something would happen; the little mouse didn't want to disappoint Rift. With a flutter of his wings he flitted down to the forest floor, and swiped his paws over his face in a quick grooming motion. He waved his feelers around, trying to find a thread of magic, and bring it to life.

His feelers stopped suddenly as he found a trace of magic, and the feathered tips began to softly glow. A small pebble at his feet- formerly unnoticed, cracked open, and a tiny green shoot pushed its way into the world. A seedling grew until it was just a little taller than Flit- then the magic faded and the seedling paused in its growth. It was still just a newborn plant- but Flit had done it. His feelers, shedding their glow, felt over the little plant in excitement and bright eyes looked expectantly to Rift.

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts look like this."

tags: @Rift
notes: here

Rift found that he had to keep turning his head to follow the little mouse in his movements, but he didn't really mind. He was very much enjoying this conversation, having spoke to few in the past cycles besides his brother. And so few gembounds seemed to ever give a care about the forest. But Flit was different - being so small, he was part of it, part of everything. All the plants were bigger then him so he had to respect them. Right?

He kept his eyes on the mouse as he fluttered down to the forest, feeling warm from the praise and anxious to see if the mouse had magic. Of course, he had not met a single gembound in the caves that did not have magic and that little thing on his tail seemed to be his gem. But still, he couldn't help being nervous. What if he was wrong and the mouse had the same magic as that horse? Or maybe fire, like Sebastian? That's all he needed, another fire user in the forest.

But no, that wouldn't make sense. He would have scented the smell of smoke or disease on their fur. He smelled nothing but the forest. Perhaps that was a sign.

He watched carefully, having to lean forward a bit to see what was going on and watched with amazement and excitement as a small shoot began to grow. His heart was racing and all he wanted to do was leap to his feet and run around the forest, crying out his happiness that he had found another that spoke to the forest. But he controlled himself, his shining eyes betraying his overjoyed emotions.

"Wow, that's amazing! You have the same kind of magic as me! Oh, this is exciting, oh my gosh, this is wonderful! I only know two others that can use it and one of them disappeared, so I guess that means one other! Oh, wow, this is great!" He was so excited that he couldn't stop the magic from flowing out. All around them, bright yellow flowers sprung up from the ground, as bright as his happiness as his tail thumped against the ground.

Flit grinned, showing tiny white teeth as he raised his head, feelers waving. He let out a tiny squeak as the forest of flowers began to take form around him and fluttered above the rising plants, watching them growing beneath him. He might be able to do that one day! How amazing it was! How inspiring! The thought that the whole of Eridanus might one day respond to his touch- the thought that he might one day be like Rift was almost too much to bear. Though, he knew he'd never be as powerful as the more experienced forest-dweller. His pink eyes beamed, large wings holding him aloft and tail-orb swinging like a pink pendulum as he finally fluttered before finally flitted down to alight on a freshly-opened flower.

The plants and flowers of Eridanus had been his whole world since he was born, and Flit knew that even then, he'd only seen a tiny fragment of that world. But now- it was as though the doors were opening. First flight- now magic that he could use to hold an even more intimate touch with his world.

It was almost daunting- how could such a tiny creature respond to knowing that plants- from the flowers that loomed to him like tree trunks, to the trees which towered like skyscrapers- could be touched and changed? Yet somehow, it felt right. Little flit felt like he should have known all along. And in his mind's eye as he looked at the flowers, he felt the possibilities looming, possibilities that filled him with excitement as much as with apprehension. Rounded ears perking, he beamed proudly at the big cat, words escaping him, but the praise filling him with joy.

"Flit speech."

Rift could see all the happiness clear as day on the little mouse's face. It made him happy knowing that the magic he had could bring such joy to other creatures as well. The jungle was sure full of an awesome magic that transcended comprehension. Those taken by it seemed to become happier, lighter, and in tune with the earth itself. If reminded Rift of his very first visit many cycles ago and the awe he felt as such a green and beautiful place. The forest didn't seem a prison, anymore, but once again a place of mystery and love and magic.

He had, before him, yet more potential. It was Enka again, but this time a tiny mouse, already grown some, but still having much to learn. The possibilities were endless. His whiskers twitched as the question came - the possibility he wanted to happen more than anything else. "Hey, Flit, would you maybe want to learn more about plant magic? I've been practicing it my whole life and I consider myself a master. I like teaching others about all the forest magics."

Flit didn't even need to think about his response to Rift's question. After a stunned but ecstatic look, the fluttermouse nodded vigorously, feathered antennae waving wildly. "Yes, yes! Of course!" he squeaked excitedly. Looking around at the flowers around the one that he was perched on, Flit felt excitement blossoming in his chest. They were all so big...! even the smallest daisy towered over him. He felt his gaze drifting towards the trailing leaves. "I hope I can bloom flowers like that, one day."

The little creature looked back up towards Rift. Being around so many plants was making his paws itch. There were so many, and so big! He felt at home among the flowers, so close to Rift. He longed to do something, to take hold of the leaves and make this place more homely. It was a curious inspiration, inborn when he had awakened with wings for a place to call home; the ferns no longer felt like they would sustain him forever. The urge to But he didn't want to disrespect the flowers or Rift, who'd put so much of himself into summoning them. "Can I stay on these flowers, whilst I'm learning?" he asked nervously, clasping small pink hands together on his chest.

"Flit speech."

Rift was warm and happy as can be at Flit's reply. It wan't often that he took on students, mainly because of lack of volunteers, but he was always delighted to at least teach a spell or two. His tail flicked happily and he thought of Enka, the young deer, hopefully still in the woods, taking after him with her magic. It felt good knowing that he had another student now. And such a cute one too! "Oh, yes, of course! It isn't as hard as it looks, once you get good at casting plant magic. It was one of the first few things that I learned when I was your age. Actually, the first thing I taught myself was this." He tapped his paw on the ground, willing the plants to move, but it seemed that his excitement was distracting him. Nothing happened and his whiskers twitched with amusement and embaressement. "Ah, well, sometimes magic doesn't work. I learned to make plants move at my command. It does take some concentration and is a bit different from growing them."

At Flit's question, he waved his paw dismissively. "Oh, yes, of course! No plant, including those I grow myself, really belong to me, after all. I tend and care to everything that belongs to the earth so as long as you aren't destroying any plants, it'll be fine!" He put his paw back down and stared down at Flit. Teaching magic to him would be different then teaching it to Enka. They were very small and he wondered if their magic would be potent, considering their size. Then again, it sometimes seemed that size didn't determine one's magic prowess. "So, what did you want to learn first?" There was a lot Rift could teach them - controlling their magic, getting better at growing young plants, or learning a new spell, perhaps a more advanced one like the flowers or the moving.

The little mouse's face brightened, whiskers twitching with glee as Rift thought that one day, Flit might be able to create things so beautiful. The little creature waited eagerly for something to happen, flaring his wings again and dancing aloft for a proper view, fluttering above the cat's head for a while. When nothing happened, though, he twisted in the air, looking at Rift curiously. "Oh! I... didn't know that!" He squeaked, hoping that the edge of disappointment in his voice wouldn't offend Rift.

Flit was awfully grateful when Rift offered to let him use the flowers! and all at once, with all his opportunities flowing, the inspiration hit him again! "Amazing! Thank you, Rift!" the little mouse fluttered his wings frantically and did an excited little twirl in the air. Flying made him feel so free! Moments after, though, Flit fluttered back down towards his flower and alighted on the stem, using tiny, dextrous hands to grasp the ridges. He wrapped his tail around it.

With a paw, he grasped onto a trailing leaf, ears twitching back towards Rift at his question. "I... I don't know! I suppose I don't really know what's possible." The little one gave the leaf a tug- but it was heavy, firmly stuck to the stem. "Do you think I could use magic to make these move?" He fluttered up, and alighted on the base of the leaf, which bowed slightly under his weight.

"Flit speech."