Room for More?[Private]

[Devmond Incarnata]

There was the possibility that the Akalak would follow them. This made his insides rearrange themselves at the thought that, with every ticking moment of his pounding heart, his shadow would be trampled by the violent footsteps of the green pursuer. This haphazard path had been chosen by the rising place of the moon, and faith in one another’s whispered words of encouragement. The light of the moon, their only lamp in the dark, was just enough to bat away the low reaching branches within inches. He at least hoped that they were indeed heading towards the north-west.

Those serendipitous minutes of the initial clasp had slowly worn away its charm on a numb mind. Coming to, it was as though he had woken up from a catnap during the height of summer. There were no words spoken for another time, relying on the tender interchanges of the padded fingertips. Looking at her flushed face, he wondered how far this lovely stranger would follow him, they both relying only on some old-fashioned duty from their forefathers as guides for the new world. He laughed a little, with a sweet tone of reflective revery, and kissed her forehead. “Have you ever been to Ravok?” he asked. “It is the loveliest in Mizahar at this time of year.”

[Erato]

Erato’s eyes fluttered, too distracted by his lips to consider his words. She could only smile for a moment, her heart still beating fast. The konti couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit like a delinquent, abandoning sense and responsibility to fly at the whim of her heart. But even as she took each step further away from her known world, she trusted in her inner sense. Her scales continued to tickle even at Devmond’s smallest touch, but she knew there was no great danger awaiting them away from the akalak’s camp so long as they were careful.

In fact, the sensation was almost liberating. With Devmond beside her, Erato felt somehow safer, as if his shadow would conceal her own from danger. Each footstep was light, the weight of her lyre and supplies on her back almost nothing. She would follow until she felt it meet to leave his side, but there remained a lingering hope that such would not be necessary for a very long time.

“I would be happy to accompany you to Ravok.”