Lone Star Mountain She says that it's "a rat race, dog eat dog. Everyone's another cog."

A hint of a smile tugged at her lips as he spoke of his gods. His words were warm, familial as if talking about beloved extended relations left in distant lands. There was no sign of the fear that plagued her natal tribe's superstitions. 

The fae's dark gaze followed his own to the stars - the cultural meaning of them forgotten on her as he spoke of what the heavens meant to his people. She felt something unnamed stir in her chest, a hunger to learn and understand. 

Magick. 

The word pricked her ears, drew her gaze to him involuntarily. There was magick in the northlands, Liri had basked in it beneath the dancing lights and cried chants to her ancestors under its influence. There was magick on the Plateau, but of a different kind, amongst those ancient trees that had seen so much. 

She nodded once. The healer knew magick; it was a relief to feel some kind of connection between the two worlds. 

Her optics flickered to his own, not a hostile look but a searching one. That ancient call she felt deep in the pine forests of the Plateau - had that been Odin all along?

She shifted slightly, gaze darting away when he gestured to her leg. "It was no courageous act that made me lose my limb, warrior." Her words were soft, expressionless. She didn't deserve his praise. 

"I would like to be brave and strong, " she murmured, almost to herself. A memory of the vow she had sworn to herself flashed through her head. 

Braver, stronger, better. 

Her gaze shot back to him at the offer, amazed that it would be that simple. The sylph had grown so used to being viewed as a burden, so accustomed to derision, that it seemed almost too good to be true. Hope flared in her chest, at the tempting prospect of immersing herself in his culture and finding the purpose she so sought. 

But reality stamped it out as quickly as it appeared. 

"It's not so simple, " she smiled apologetically as she shrugged slightly, regret flooding over her palate at the words. 

"I..led a pack on the other side of the mountains. It disbanded. I have others with me, we've already settled here in the mountains and we intend to build a home there. I cannot just abandon them, " she explained softly, hoping he would understand. 

A thought occurred to her then and she considered him curiously, introspective dark eyes lingering on him for several heartbeats. 

"Would you and Odi be interested in joining us? I don't know you very well but we haven't exactly a leader picked out..." She trailed off, knowing that the others looked to her for guidance though she had never officially taken up the helm. "Perhaps if everyone got along you might like it there, " the healer smiled shyly.