Barrow Fields Mama said, fulfill the prophecy

Although he did not creep far from the Rusalkian grounds, even a step or two away from the treeline felt peculiar. When had he last ventured out? It had been far too long, he realised, and he wondered exactly how much the world had changed beyond his home. Were those he had left behind still lingering? Did they miss him? He doubted wholeheartedly that any of those from the glacier might yearn for his presence, given just how little of their attention he had received prior to leaving. But should he travel even further and check anyways…? No, of course not. He paused mid-step and gave a rough shake to his head, setting himself straight right then and there; their feelings did not matter now because he was finally happy (for the most part).

Settled, Aningan stood straight up and scanned the area surrounding him, assessing the land as he considered his options. He could return to the shore and deem his short journey out a failure, or he could continue exploring and better familiarising himself with the area—the latter, of course, seemed like the better option and it didn’t take long for him to decide on it.

Unaware that another was watching him, Aningan continued with a bit more confidence to his steps, driven further from the territory in favour of exploring.