Firestone Hot Springs there once was a bittersweet man and they called him Lemon Boy

being very vague abt things. tag for reference! this takes place at night.
@Lumiya

Familiarity was something the boy cherished. It made him calm, kept him happy and hopeful. When he found some familiar thing he'd keep it close, for these things were few and far between. But when he recognized this place—the water, the steam, the foul smell— he frowned.

It was the familarity that upsets him. When he had gone off with @Zephyr, he had expected they'd search for their missing loved ones in new places. He hadn't expected, or hoped, that they'd make a big circle.

But it wasn't his friend's fault, he told himself. He had no way of knowing that Phillip had been here before, that this was the place that Alarian.. left him? No, he whispered as he walked along the edge of the hotsprings, He- he wouldn't do that.

Phillip sat and twisted around to face Twig, who had been perched on his shoulder. Right? He wouldn't just leave me. He chuckled nervously, then dipped his crown.

Assuming this happens before her thread with hua ;p

The faerie nearly glided through the wint'ry landscapes carrying precious cargo 'pon her back. Loneliness had gone, companionship had been found and a sense of urgency - a sense of lust - drove her forward and into the mist. The cold was but unfortunate for her, but for her friend it could mean life or death. Lumi was no medic, had had no proper training in any kind of trade, but never stopped giving her all. Loinnir was someone to hold onto - after the abandonment - the disowning - she'd suffered she did not wish to lose the one who'd offered her friendship in the dark moons that made their diurnal courses so very short. The faerie missed her beacon of glimmering, golden glow.

The pools, swirling like autumn winds - in their depths, secrets? No, but voices aplenty. Peering through the thick cloak of steam, the fae tried to find its source. He wouldn't do that — He wouldn't just leave me. Her heart felt for the soul, near enough to hear yet not enough to see. He sounded forlorn, it reminded her of who she once was.

Is it solitude you fear? She asked the smoke as it curled around her form.

A distant voice sent a shiver down his spine. Phillip jolts up suddenly, frightening the little companion on his back. As she flaps her wings about, he whips his head this way and that. What? N-no, course not, he cried.  The skin beneath his fur begins to burn and suddenly he wishes he never spoke.

Did you hear me? Phillip surveyed the surroundings once again, slowly this time. Behind a wall of smoke he spots a form. Not a beast that's come to hurt him, but no one he knows either. Who are you?

Good. Was her quiet response, turning on dainty paws to try and spot someone. She was closing in on him, she knew, as she followed the voice and it grew louder. Loinnir let out a soft hoot 'pon hearing the soft flutter - one of his kind was near, or so they thought.

She spotted him at last, and approached carefully. She nods at his question as Loinnir stretches his wings behind her. A friend - or at least, I'd like to be. She answered, somewhat ominously, though perhaps that was just the atmosphere of their meeting.

The steam that surrounds him parts and out steps a mysterious girl who asked mysterious questions. He didn't answer at first, her bird had grabbed all his attention. His eyes sparkled and a little smile spreads across his maw. This was the first time he'd ever seen anyone else with a bird like his.

Ok, we could be friends, then he adds a little more softly, as long as you don't kill me or something. Zephyr was always telling him not to die when he was away. Phillip had taken the joke a bit too seriously.

I like your bird. He took a couple steps forward, fanning his tail from side to side. Phillip looked at the pale creature and giggled merrily. Do they have a name? Mines does, it's Twig. He turns his body to put his companion on full display. She had calmed down a bit. Now she was just staring at the duo before them.

The boy was about her height - if she had not known better, she'd assume he'd been a sylph or simply a female, though he lacked feminine grace and curves here and there. His coloration was a deep chocolate accented by tufts of smoke and eyes a cheap imitation of the morning sun at the end of winter. They stared at her, spotting something that seemed to elate him as they lit up and a smile appeared on his face.

She chuckled sweetly at his answer, hiding her muzzle in the nook of her wrist to appear polite. Do I look that awful today? She asked jokingly, smoothing some stray hairs into place. It was easy to see the small fae, even when wanting to kill, could do very little to harm anyone.

Loinnir hooted upon being mentioned, and Lumi looked over to see him just a little too happy with the fact someone liked him. Stroking his ego was the last he needed in her opinion, the owl was already full of himself. Only then did she notice the boy was carrying a companion around too - a little bonbon with big, amber eyes. Thank you - I haven't met anyone with a familiar quite like mine. She said, voice a little higher as she became excited. His name is Loinnir - or, at least, so I've named him.

My own name is Lumiya - a pleasure to meet you.

Of course Phillip takes the question way too seriously. N-no! I didn't mean it like that! He desperately tries to think of different ways to get the point across without offending her. By the time he's done going through everything, he realized she was laughing. He joined her in an attempt to brush off the embarrassment.

Loinnir. he repeated softly. It admittedly was a more extravagant  name than Twig could ever be. It didn't bother him much, both names were good in their own little way.

I'm Phillip, he replied with a smile. It's nice to meet you too.

She shook her head, another fit of chuckles spilling out from between her lips. I'm sorry - it was a bad joke. She admitted with a delicate grin, not bothered by her appearance regardless of the boy's thoughts. Some found her graceful features and mystifying markings a thing of beauty, though others might find she looked weak - which was true, physically.

She nodded solemnly, before sweeping a patch of ground clean with her tail and taking a seat. Well, Phillip - please do tell me what has gotten you so distressed. She half-asked half-demanded. She didn't know what she could do to help the boy, only that she could not bear to go on without asking what was wrong.

 

Well— he paused and looked at the ground. Guilt caught in his throat. He really shouldn't be upset about being here. This could have been avoided. He could've said, 'Hey! I've been here already.' or 'Maybe we should look someplace else.' Anything to keep them from going in circles. But he didn't, and so he shouldn't be distressed. But he was and he didn't want to bottle it up anymore. What's the harm in venting to a stranger? No one would ever know.

I've been looking for someone with my friends for awhile now. We aren't any closer to finding him. And now we're back here, the place he was before he disappeared. My friends want to stay here but I want to keep looking but— He paused again as more guilt churned around in his stomach. —I'm too scared to tell them. I don't want to make them to do anything they don't wanna do and I dunno if they want to look for anyone anymore.