Jade Fern Grove I was wild, chasing stones.

She had not spoken in a long time; not since her communion with Okeanos at least, and in fact, she had no idea where her brother had ended up after. So involved in her own sorrows as she was — he could have been lurking somewhere within the grove too, and maybe he was in an attempt to give her space. Perhaps he was with Ereshkigal and the two were becoming fast friends. For now Ibis was alone and the exposed feeling she held while standing there, in the moonlight, felt too heavy. She let out a sigh, unknowingly covering the sound of foot falls behind her; the stranger was not seen, not heard.

The girl let out a small croon in the night, perhaps to warm her throat in preparation for singing, but the feeling that usually accompanied Ibis' urge to express herself did dwindle, and the sound rose and fell swiftly, dismissively. Would it matter if she sang, here? Would her mother hear her, return to her? The moon winked behind a thin cloud then, and Ibis could no longer look at it. Her head drooped to the level of her shoulders as she re-oriented herself with her surroundings. It was at this point that she caught sight of something pale, glimmering, just out of reach behind her.

Oh, she breathed, feeling shock come and go. The stranger looked ghostly in the silverlight and Ibis' first thought was, 'where is Okeanos?' but she was not frightened. They looked as stricken as she did for that instant. She called out to him, Hello, and her ears twisted to the sound of her own voice - she almost didn't recognize it. It was quiet, shy, and sad. In an effort to make a better first impression she cleared her throat and drifted through the clearing towards him, keeping a safe distance just in case he was a danger - or in case she lost her composure. I.. I mean, good evening.