Rift Rainforest

[Tifa Lockhart]

Evie returned Sero's smile warmly and from the depth of her heart. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so well rested, so safe and... so free.
"L-look!" She exclaimed, extending her hands out in front of her so that the dappled rays of light danced off of her pale flesh. She gave a soft giggle, obviously greatly enjoying the presence of light after spending so long in the dark. Then she noticed Sero wince, and her smile fell.
"Still... uh.." She seemed to struggle for the word, so instead she touched his neck again with a tiny hand, sending only a few little flashes of images of pain, just to help him guess what word she meant. She made sure no emotion carried with the images that might make his discomfort worse.

[Yuna Braska]

Sero laughed lightly at Evie's enjoyment of the light. It was a nice morning. "Beautiful"
He flinched again when Evie filled his head with images, he was still getting use to the strange behaviour. He looked to his almost purple shoulder with a alook of concern, it did look rather bad, though he doesn't think he broke it. Perhaps just displaced it.
"A little" he lied " Nevermind that, lets find some food"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Evie pouted when he claimed it only hurt a little, her eyes filled with concern as she sniffed a little. She didn't like the idea of him hurting anymore. In her mind they were free now, and so that meant it was finally time for the pain to stop. Her stomach rumbled as if in reply to the word 'food', and it made her giggle lightly.
"Where?" She queried, the way her voice slurred made it obvious that her tongue was not conditioned to English.

[Yuna Braska]

Sero picked himself up from the ground, with his bound arm, the leather still rubbing against his skin.. he would have to rip them off soon. Though perhaps after his other arm was better.
He didn't answer Evie to where he was gonna get the food. He had no idea of what in this place was eatable or not, but he had to stay positive. " Come one, we will search for some together" He eventually said as he began to walk.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Evie slowly got to her feet, her bruised legs shaking a little beneath her as she struggled to become stable. Finally though she was secure and without further hesitation she stumbled after Sero, her little hand reaching out to seize hold of the fabric at the base of his shirt, not wanting him to leave her behind.

[Elario Luminus]

Acheron sighed as he finished cleaning his weapons and armour of any gunk or grime that was on there. Misuse brang wear, tear, and rust, and that just wouldn't do for someone of Acheron's fibre. He got up and brushed the dirt and grass from his backside and legs, and stretched fully. Groaning a little, he relaxed and looked around his little clearing. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of nature. Then he heard what sounded like people walking, not far from his home. Acheron dropped to the ground instantly and felt the earth beneath him.
...two people...a child and an adult...
Wondering what would bring two travellers all the way out of Lunorgo, where he assumed they were from, to Solaris, Acheron stood up, strapped his weapons on, and swung his coat over his shoulders. With a determined step, he headed towards the source of the sound.

[Yuna Braska]

Sero walked a little slower so Evie could keep up with him as he scanned over a few bushes looking for fruit, but so far the only food he could find were a small bundle of berries that did not seem edible. He frowned slightly before putting on a brave face for Evie when he spoke to her. " This might be a little harder than i thought" He said with a small laugh. Sero had been far away from this world for 10 years, finding food in a forest was a skill that had diminished. He tried to remember what his mother told him about the forest and their abundance of food, it was hard to remember.

[aevea]

Aevea was a few short steps from the threshold into the foreboding forest, he prefered to be out in the open where he could easily see what he was after.
"Go in already and get it over with" echoed annoyinly in his mind, the voice of his sword and armor
"Hmph" Aevea retorted and stepped into the dense forest.
"see, its not that bad" came the teasing echoes.
Aevea replied "Oh do be quiet, youll distract me and everyone already thinks im insane, i don't need to be seen talking to a voice in my head".
Without another word said he continued down an animal trail, towards where he felt the pull.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Evie stuck close by Sero, but she was beginning to whimper. The trees here spoke to her, and they spoke now of many things. One thing in particular filled her with fear.
"S-Sero..." She whimpered, tugging on his leg, "S-Someone... watches." She pointed to her eyes and then out into the darkness of the forest around them.

As Stephan lead Leilani and Whisper along he kept an eye out. They were at the outer edge of the Rift now, the trees slowly beginning to thicken.
"Are you alright up there?" He asked his companion.

[The Painted Lady]

"Just fine," Leilani smiled.
"It should be me asking you really. Did you want to take a break?"

[aevea]

Aevea stood silently in the darkness watching the pair.
"get them now, come on, do it" Echoed the voices.
He remained silent, studying the one he had come for, and the companion that followed.
In the darkness...

[Elario Luminus]

Acheron walked through the trees towards the two, armed, but fairly relaxed. What could a child do, really? He found them quickly enough, and he kept behind the trees as he watched them. Figuring that they were more or less safe to confront, Acheron stepped out onto the path.
'Not much in here to watch you, little girl. Only deer, and the occasional savage beast. Now, you...' he turned his attention to the adult. 'What are you doing here, of all places? Why bring a little girl into the Rift? Are you tapped?'

[aevea]

Eyes flickering in mild recognition as the third person walked into view. Shaking his head he understood his mistake. There was an incredible pull to this person he viewed, but he would have to investigate later. Focusing himself, he searched for the feeling he followed before he entered the treacherous. Finding the lead, a pale thing compared to the being far infront of him, he began to retreat far away from the trio, he didn't fight if he didn't need to and most people attacked him on sight. Fear can be a terrible thing.

[Yuna Braska]

Sero turned his eyes from a bush to Evie a little confused by her comment, he briefly looked around the forest but saw nothing. " It's ok Evie" Sero spoke too soon when he heard a bush russel behind him. Sero quickly stepped in front of Evie, pushing her back with his gloved hand.
It was a man, a man who weilded weapons. Sero was not comfortable with him being there, or talking to Evie. Sero stood defensively, protecting Evie who was behind him as the male talked.
"The Rift?" He repeated the males words thinking for a moment. Sero remembered his father teaching him geography, getting out a map of the lands and pointing to important places on it. He remembered The Rift Rainforest that bordered Solaris and Lunorgo. He looked up to the man from thought.
"We were just passing through, this was the only way we could go"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Evie gave a frightened squeak as the man emerged from the bushes and was more than happy to cling tightly to Sero's legs as he placed himself between her and the stranger. She peaked out around them, not entirely understanding everything the other man said. She conveyed her fear and confusion to Sero in her usual way, using images and feelings. She was just watching the stranger carefully when she could have sworn she heard a metallic clank, but as soon as she heard it, it was gone. She then turned her attention back to Sero and the stranger, quivering nervously as she hid. She reached up briefly to brush a stray lock of her grubby blonde hair, one pointed ear twitching.

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Stephan smiled warmly and shook his head. He'd removed his hood since entering the forest, finding the light was too dim to see with it on.
"I am fine. We should press on. I'd rather find somewhere safe to camp here before it gets dark. All manner of creatures lurk this woods."