@Niru - :3

IN THE MEANTIME WE LET IT GO

She was laying on a jagged piece of icy rock near the top of the slit that opened into Orion. From here, she could look at the stars without leaving the comfort of the chilled tunnel. Orion had been the room she was born in, a special place for her and her sister. Why at the shining tower? Beneath the stars? She had been very elusive while living in Tunnel M. She didn't know that the roof wasn't actually stars, but it's what she liked to believe.̟̝̘̼͙̘͛́̈́̐ She also ͆͐̄ͨͦ̚҉͔̻̱b̗̺͎͈̺̯̖͘e̮l͈̟͈͉̻̣͇͋̓̆ï̸̪̰̣͉̲̠̯e̟̘͎̗͊͠v̲͙͠ͅe̼̝͔͂ḑ̥͇̬̮͔̔̑ͯ̾̾̚ something had chosen her birth there, but she didn't know exactly what. A higher being was in play, she guessed; but she didn't know this was not true. Even if she was told differently, she wouldn't listen. For her, she knew something else existed but it had been unfortunately quiet. So, she came to the opening of Orion quite often to look into the stars, though she rarely stepped foot outside of the icy tunnel.

She hadn't been practicing her magic much at all. She tried to use Lightplay once, as she sort of slowly discovered it, but the reflection of the light on the ice was bl̼͋ͩi̠͖ͬ̈́̓n̤͚̣͉̤̘̓͌̚ͅḓ̛͕̣̹͇͉ͥ̈́͆̐̂i̥̓͂̋n̻̲̼̲̟̬̅͞g̮̝̙͈̙̿̒̉ͅ. She was unsure of the other inhabitants, also; but had learned things from watching them. She lived a relatively mundane life hiding away in the ice and snow, waiting for ̥͖͖̄̓̕a͍̜̣͊́͂͊̿ͪ̚ ̧̞̈͒̽s̨̠̺͉̪̯ͯ̚ǐ̶͖̞͈̩͛ͬ͋͑g͓̜̦̞̊̓̀ͬ̈͐͟ͅn̫̜̺̆̊̾̉ͥ͆̄ that would never come. But still, she waited. Slowly, she discovered more words, and naturally a lot of them came to her. Knowledge she didn't even seek came to her, but there was a lot that had been withheld. Determined to learn more, she would practice interacting with other Gembounds other than her sister, but it was hard to do to her reflection. A small sigh escaped her as she rolled onto her back, staring endlessly into the stars.

AT THE ROADSIDE WE USED TO KNOW

### words

outfit

tagged

“

Orion had always been my home, even though I was born in Eridanus. So as I took a stroll though Orion this time, I was delighted with a new sight. The fear and caution that had held me prisoner before dissipated as I felt safer here. I knew a few nooks and crannies I could escape to if need be, and my pickup spell would give me the extra boost for a quick getaway. But the larger cat before me had rolled to her back, looking up at the twinkles in peace. I had a thought to not bother her, as she was rather tranquil in her observations. But my curiosity got the best of me, and quietly I approached the stranger. Once within a few feet, I stopped as to be respectful and alert the distaff to my presence, trying to avoid startling her.

"hello, there. I don't mean to interrupt,"

I left enough room so that she could choose to dismiss me or embrace me - either I'd be content with. If shooed, I'd just retreat back to the tower and rest. But I couldn't resist the possible start of a lovely conversation.

"spoken words"

”

notes

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♥︎

@Andraste -<3

@Niru - sorry for the awful billion year wait! ;_;

AT THE BAY SIDE YOU USED TO SHOW

She was entranced by the glittering roof of Ỏ̡̬̬̯̼͆ͨ͑̎́r̸̸̹͇͕̙̹̥͂̊̂̓͋͑̚ͅi̴̳̦͔̫̿͆̋ͩ͒̾͆̑͞o̼͍͎͉̭̬ͧ̅͂͌̀͝n̖̟̺͚̩͎̱̱ͪ̌̉͌͡͝. Her senses were dulled as she gazed up, lost in thought. She was used to voices in the tunnel but not directed toward her. When she heard it, it was in passing. When there wasn't a reply from any other voice, her curiousness took over. Rolling her head around to face him, Andraste stared in bewilderment at the lion looking toward her. She didn't interact with the others that came through the tunnel, nor was she interacted with. Her sister was the only other living being she knew. She wasn't even sure what to say to him, or where to even start.

There was a long moment of her looking at him, unsure of how to proceed. Finally, she rolled over onto her side to sit up a little, looking at him right-side-up. In her moment of just staring at him, it was clear that he had been talking to her and not somebody else. She considered showing him the light she could make, but wasn't sure if it would be taken as an aggressive gesture or not. So, after some time, she simply said "Hello."

IN THE MOONLIGHT WE LET IT GO

it took her some time to register and reply, and i wondered if maybe she wasn't sure if i was talkking to her or not. i looked around, wondering if maybe she had a companion i didn't see prior to. seeing no one but us, i smiled back at her.
"my name is niru. what's yours?"
i asked politely, temperate tones gushing in a moderate voice. i sat, mimicking her posture as a regal aura overcame me - all thanks to my father.


i waited for her reply, unsure if maybe i was too forward or if she even understood. oh no, was i too rude? did she know her name? now i felt horrible, and i felt the stinging urge to apologize to her.
"oh, i'm so sorry for being too forward,"
my voice trailed off, and my eyes fell from her to the ground beneath my paws, a soft frown spreading across my lips.

@andraste - no worries <3

@Niru

AT THE BAY SIDE YOU USED TO SHOW

An introduction followed her quiet greeting and she watched for a moment more, trying to come up with how to introduce her own self. Before she could give him her name, he apologized and looked away from her. Her ears flicked and she folded a paw over the other as she looked down on him from her perch. Her tail curled over her back as she watched, unable to hide the large grin that worked its way onto her lips.

"You're not forward," she reassured, slowly breaking from her enclosed shell. "I'm Andraste. I don't usually talk to the others that come through the tunnel, so the apology should be from me." She had seen the other lion before, the one that came with the bear, but never one like him with the big fluffy fur around his face. He.. was also a lion, wasn't he? Either way, they were both similar but she only knew what she learned from those she observed within the tunnel. "How far have you been? Outside of the tunnel or Orion," she asked, glancing toward the room she dared not stray too far from. "I've only been here."

IN THE MOONLIGHT WE LET IT GO

i was happy to hear she'd not taken my forwardness as impoliteness, and i heaved a smile of relief. she then asked if i'd been to anywhere else but here, and also said she'd apologize to me, for hardly speaking to anyone. my head cocked, rounded ears erected as i wondered what she meant by that.
"no need to apologize, miss."
i offered reassurance if it was to be accepted.
"i have been to eridanus, monoceros, and canis. i believe,"
i wracked my brain, wondering if there were other places i'd surely been.

"if you don't mind my asking, why haven't you spoken to many others? have they been rude?"
i asked, now afraid someone was mean to the beautiful cat, who's species i wasn't sure of in the least.

@andraste