Northstar Vale Give them nothing, take from them everything.

The move happened. It was all a rush, and there was no time to explain to anyone within Leona's tiny circle of friends that it was happening at all; it had left her speechless and dizzy, only once the little family had settled in their new home did Leona have a chance to catch her breath and begin to process everything.

She knew that her mother had gone on ahead — no mention to the girl as to why, only the increased frenzy of gather this and pack that and carry this and follow me, from her father. It was hard enough trying to keep up with Jack on a routine day, and now Leona struggled to keep track of her brother, or her father, or anyone.

The girl lingered within the greenspace that was the new den. It was so completely different from what she expected of her home; this was nothing like the housing in the canyon, it looked different, smelled different, even felt different! The ground was spongy with moss rather than hard and dry. There were scents of other children here but Leona had not summoned the courage yet to seek them out.

It was all so different, so fast.

if @Tamar had explained things, they likely flew over the girl's head until she realized there were suddenly more bodies in epoch. not to mention that miss @Meadow suddenly seemed busy and she needed to know what was soooo important.

only she found a girl! older and so by default larger. but so pretty! so strong!! zosime had not realized that they had met before. such a memory was far gone from the girl who learned new things every day.

hi. she meeped, suddenly feeling intensely shy.

If they had met before, Leona had also forgotten.

Her mind was busy with other things. Her heart ached in a way she could not put words to, for places that were still close-by and yet, seemed so very far and obscured from her now.

The girl who visited, she was little. She was maybe half the size of Leona, and fine-boned, not like the heavy-set children of Mereo; this one would not do well in the training ring, Leona thought. Her green-eyed stare was lackluster as she turned it upon them.

Hi. She went on to answer. Her own voice was sharper, edged with something cold, as she tried hard to stow her feelings. Leona was a soldier — in training yes, and far from her tutors — but she saw now the value of performative indifference, the likes of which had been commonplace among the adults of Mereo.

Zulema's fascination with the bees her mother had taught her of began to fade, things could only keep her attention for so long. Pulling her eyes away from the flower the creature had been tending to her azure gaze went back to her sister, who was now beside someone she was not familiar with. Like her sister, whatever their mother explained to them had not registered in her head.

Her small tail waved behind her with a ridiculous speed as she bounded over, bumping into her sister as she looked up at the girl she did not know. She was not the size of her mother or father, but was still larger than both her and her sister.

❝You stay here now?❞ Zulema's head cocked to the side dramatically.

They had been here long enough for Zulema to notice. Her initial shyness at their first arrival had faded, now that their was only one who did not dramatically tower over her and she was next to her Zosime.

thankfully, someone more competent (see; her sister) arrived with more to say than meeped greetings. zosime had never felt so shy! so embarrassed!

and so she quickly tucked herself alongside her sister. allowing her to discuss with the girl. prepared to simply watch and listen.