Snowforest Taiga éphémère.

And so, they set off, Aure wholly none the wiser of the base, masochistic thoughts that coursed through the male’s fevered head. At least, for now, she was unaware of just how unhinged the overcast loner was. Regardless, she decided on a name—neither her true birth name, but neither a complete falsehood—as she fell into step alongside him, ”My name is Aure.”

Recalling his earlier assessment of the terrain towards the ocean, she condescended to dip her head to him with a modest, ”I appreciate your guiding me. You could have simply gone on your way; were you heading anywhere particular, yourself?” Hesitantly, she tried a smile; nothing more of a soft curling of her lips—not something she would come to regret doing in the months to come.