Sun Mote Copse I could lie and say it isn't personal

The boisterous laugh took Ete by surprise, but not in a negative way. It was pleasantly surprising, her ashen tail thumping absent mindedly against the forest floor. It was surprising to see someone happy because of her, everything felt a bit overwhelming but whether Ete knew it or not, change was taking hold. As Wren began to explain, Etephyr settled down and listened not only with her ears but her eyes. Brows furrowing with concern and confusion, head tilting, unable to comprehend the idea of two-leggeds. Then brown mountains, a little more believable but the image wasn't all there. Etephyr gazed at what distant mountains she could see and compared them to the bark of a tree. Her eyes squinted to try and blur the colors together but it hardly worked.

"Brown mountains and two leggeds?" She repeated quizzically. Her head tilted once more, eyes squinting with suspicion this time. "I've never seen any creature walk on two legs and call land a state. It sounds outlandish, preposterous." She challenged. Etephyrs mother used to warn her with stories of such things but it was merely an attempt at scaring her child self into behaving better. At the time, it rarely worked. Now with a complete strangers testimony of those stories holding truth, it brought unsettling questions to her mothers tales.

As silence began blossoming between them, Ete could feel the build up to something of great importance. Wrens aimless shuffling cued her in easily. The older woman was keen on listening, her heart even seemed to slow, desiring to hear but anxious its beating may impede. It's also got my family in it, and there it was. A scornful past. Ete softened, though she did not understand what transgression could have transpired between her and kin, family was important enough to elicit sympathy. 

"I'm sorry." She spoke quietly, a somber tone encompassing her voice as she speaks. "I know not what your family has done but I hope it was not enough to permanently ruin any relationship you have with them." Etephyr paused for a moment, thinking somberly. "Although, you have come this far to separate yourself from them." She left it open, not really needing to finish her sentence to convey what she meant. Ete breathed deeply, occasionally seeking Wrens gaze as she waited for a response.