Felltree Marsh The journey begins

An agreement had been made, yet still there were questions. When did children not voice the thoughts of their curious minds, though? Sen waved her annoyance off, deciding that she could use the query to further strengthen her hold upon the girl. "Monsters like the taste of children that don't listen," the mother revealed. "The worse the kid acts, the tastier they are." She did not mind frightening the girl, having told herself right from the start that it was for her own good. As long as Chusi was afraid, she would not wander, and she would not lose yet another child. She would be able to witness the growth of her daughter, all the while grooming her to be something that the Gorgon could use. "Monsters don't like making friends, Chusi. They'll pretend to be your friend, lure you over to them, but that's when their jaws will clamp down around your throat." Just as if they were on a hunt.

When the male had arrived, the girl's attention was stolen away. And though the questions had not been meant for her, Sen had answered anyways. "Zephyr isn't a monster, he exists to serve you and me," was her reply, eyes never leaving the smaller shadow. Only when the other had started to speak did she look back towards him, her expression unchanging. "We aren't friends," was her correction, having been swiftly delivered with a hardened stare. But that was where she'd left it, having nothing to say about his choice to accompany them. Sure, it might be nice to have another set of eyes upon her daughter but, even after so long, she still didn't trust him—not fully, anyways.