The Heartwood re-restart

As expected, the second an unplanned assumption goes across their way, she doubled back to test him. A bit soon, but he obliged. If anything, he only hoped her sudden inquisition was of genuine interest rather than a childish ‘well how do you know?’ measure. 

“Because fauna and flora get a healthy spring to usually unreachable nutrients from the ash. The trees grow heartier, stronger, the plants flourish, bloom with miraculous array - everything and everyone benefits from a fresh start, Cyclone,“ he grinned as though he were enjoying the lesson. “It simply takes patience before the butterfly emerges from the cocoon.“ 

Loki chuckled at her questioned accusation, his bright verdes as twinkling with as much gleam as his ivories had. “I don’t have a way, Cy. That’s what led me to you.“ Turning from her to look through what was once a reknown place of beasts and predators alike, the liar tried piecing together his next plan should this one fall through. She was already trying to pull the mask off - and of course he couldn’t let her. But what should happen should he take the mask off on his own? Ohhh, it would be tremendous and terrible. 

Shifting on long and lean limbs, the Eurasian mixed timber felt the ice ground beneath him. This could certainly be a nice place. All they needed was time. Time and a plan. Well, not ‘them’. Only ‘him’. Her plans mattered very little to him.