Snowforest Taiga wind shear

"alya ostrega," he repeated, resisting the urge to roll his eyes that he finally--finally!--had the shadow's name. the surname was new, but her given name was something that could have come from his mother's tongue. it felt oddly familiar in his mouth, and he held it there for a moment, not speaking until she jested.

aditya laughed, shaking his head. "it drove me mad, i'll tell you that," he admitted. "you would have gotten the nickname, anyway, but it was terrible not to have something real behind it." something that was hers. it had felt wrong, to label her otherwise.

but now he just felt foolish. foolish that he now had, once again, let his mouth carry him to a place he hadn't necessarily intended to go. his gaze raked the ground, searching for meaning in the leaves. when there was, of course, none there, he glanced back up, grimacing.

"god, it's been a hell of a summer," he sighed.