The Heartwood Feel It All Without You

Just as a note to myself/in general, I'm going to play this as though they're on their return trip from the Caldera. >__>

Truthfully, Mordecai was never really that far off when it came to travelling with others. While certain things were bound to catch his interest, he had been plodding along towards some direction that would take them in towards the Plateau. There was much on his mind that lingered and try as he wanted to, distraction did not come easily to him for a change. He disregarded the scenery, of the bloom of late spring flora as he passed by, and kept in his thoughts. Without Harlyn there for conversation, it was a perfect opportunity to attempt to organize them; just as he thought he was about to make headway, her voice rang up through the timber crisply.

He set off towards her, truly, not at all far away as he had thought. Perhaps she had lost track of him, perhaps she had found something of interest to share. There had been many interesting things to find along their travels, places left to explore for another outing. But beneath all of that he surged forward swiftly, aware that in their journey there were perils as well. Not that he was willing to be a complete knight in shining armor if something was going awry (correction: he would have been one anyway), but he wouldn't leave her hanging high and dry.

So when he found her through the crisp foliage, she was not alone, and his pace slowed to draw in their surroundings with clarity. While he did not recognize the other that she was with, the most he could tell was color and gender; he remained upwind of them to tell anything more than that. Turning his attention off of the unfamiliar Andalusia and to the more familiar Harlyn, he regarded her curiosity with a tilt of his head.