Whitefish River Then I said, "I gotta go - I gotta be in Monticello."

For @Hua - I hope this tag works XD Take place a day after her thread with Kalika

The spirit and her albino companion spent the night near the river, the rushing of the water; calming and serene. She had reaped a poor, unsuspecting victim just before the sun went to slumber and the two travelers had feasted 'pon its body. They returned its remains to the earth, thanking it for what it had offered them both. The fae then curled her lithe body 'round her friend in a ditch of grass and they rested till early aurora.

With the gentlest of touches did she wake her feathered marrer, who opened his eyes to look upon her form yet again. She smiled at him. 'Suppose we better get going. She mused, rising delicately 'pon her petite paws. The sunlight streamed 'ver her features, the cold glow creating a halo of light. Loinner hopped 'pon her back, stretching his body. His wings appeared hers, and - in that moment - one might've mistaken her for an angel.

She was not sure what carried her inland at night. It was unlike her in every way- she was a sea siren, a mermaid- a bossa nova girl. This was no place for her. Nevertheless, she'd left their realm once again, this time taking a different path and finding herself following the river. Dainty black paws carried her a distance from home, and as the sun kissed the horizon, she was nearly ready to turn back.

But here a voice touches her ears, a lovely sound like music. Ears tilt towards the gentle chimes, and her feet follow. Glowing there in the breaking sunlight stood a beautiful angel. Pale yet dappled with shadows, wings sprouted from her shoulder blades, and Huā nearly stumbled backward in the presence of such an otherworldly sight. The sunrise blinding her, she was unable to see the little companion hiding there. "Are you a spirit?" She calls out with equal fear and wonder.

But the fae was no spirit, nor an angel in her perception. There existed no gods in her book, just a matter of fate and nature. This early 'pon the morning, she did not expect to be disturbed. Visibly, the sprite's body was held up and she did not even quiver a muscle at the intrusion - however, surprise was painted clearly on her distinctively marked face. From silence, a modest chuckle arose and a silver paw swept at her mouth to conceal what had already been done.

A Faerie perhaps - though I'm afraid I'm no spirit. She lightly joked, voice soft and smile as sweet as honey. She dearly hoped she hadn't struck terror in the poor woman's heart and suppressed the urge to apologize immediately. She moved away from the light to look at the other, revealing Loinnir - the Ever Miffed - in the process. The woman was a lovely muted cotton, painted with strokes of ecru and dipped in liquid charcoal - she stood just somewhat taller than the meek fae, but delicately elegant they both were equally. Their scents clashed, her own timid timber odor no match for the briny one of the sea.

I hope we haven't frightened you.

woah this post came out mega gay how did this happen

Surprise touches the angel's face for an instant, before responding that she was a faerie. Nevermind that Huā did not know this word. The girl's voice was lovely, something like birdsong, her smile lovely. She steps away from the light, and her pale little friend becomes clear. Eyes widen at the sight of the bird perched there- curious why she didn't devour the thing. But the woman's face is more enchanting, pale powdered yet painted with dark india inked makeup like some mysterious geisha. Huā was whipped. 

Stumbling, stuttering, struggling over the words, finding her tongue in a knot within her mouth. N-no... You not f-frighten me... She breathes out. And then, awkwardly, Y-you, you are beautiful... do you know it? Casting her eyes away, shying, blushing a little under dark dark fur.

The woman seemed starstruck, as if indeed she'd seen something as mesmerizing as the spirit she'd referred to moments ago. Lumi's smile wavered before it disappeared, worrying now. Surely she wasn't the cause of such a reaction - the fae had been admired before, but never because of her appearance. She did not live in a world where only some things were beautiful; in her world, all that existed had beauty within, one simply had to look for it. Take for example this woman's eyes; twinkling like stardust, the rarest color of saxe the sprite had ever seen - her gaze wielding immense powers, withholding thoughts she'd never get to hear. Her words, like waves crashing upon once perfectly stable rocks. The rocks caved.

She felt her cheeks thawing snowflakes, a flush of red 'neith her fur. She blinked swiftly, checked if she'd heard correctly - what she'd thought to have been said truly had been, and for a moment the fae was speechless. I did not. She answered softly, the same whimsy in her tone yet it was laced with humility.

Lumiya's smile left her face, stealing the sunlight from her presence and transforming her into a grey cloud. Huā worried she had said something wrong- for being bold was all so new to her. Maybe she shouldn't have said it, she thinks. Maybe the faerie saw her like a creep- the same way she saw the foreign men.

She felt embarrassed at this, but Lumi's words interrupted her process of thought, easing her tense nerves. Her words carried some wonder as if it was truly new to her, and Huā felt in this moment that she was not only being humble, but rather telling the entire truth. She was young, and yet what a surprise Huā found it, to hear that this girl was unaware of her own beauty! What a shame. She should've been told many times over and over- Huā could've let her words leak out, but she would not dare to be so bold. Feeling awkward now, she was unsure of how to continue. Oh Huā, why did you have to make things so uncomfortable! Blushing still, she searches for her words but finds her tongue knotted in the presence of the beautiful girl. You from here? Or far away? Comes her blundering small-talk finally, and mentally she cringes at how unnatural it felt right after being so forward.

The fae was more focused on the beauty around her, than that within - perhaps this was because she had grown up believing she was lesser than those around her. She was the smallest and 'weakest' of her entire bloodline - if she didn't know better, she would believe she was the runt of her generation. Every day spent in the Wilderness gave her more confidence, but the amounts were few and far between and she was unsure still of her abilities. In a few weeks time, these thoughts would change and morph into what she'd call her destiny, but her time was still not ripe for her realizations.

The fae shook her head, and Loinnir copied the simple movement. The answer to the question of the seafaring lady would still, for a while, stay the same. Neither - or perhaps both. We aren't stationed anywhere in particular at the moment, though we are traveling East. She answered more thoroughly. I'm Lumiya - this here is Loinnir. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Huā laughs like music when the little owl imitates Lumiya's head shake. How cute; she thinks she wouldn't mind a companion like that of her own. The lovely faerie tells the mermaid that she's not from nearby, not even stationed anywhere. Homeless. She would've offered her a place at Rusalka but she wasn't sure if she had the right to do such things. 

When she introduces herself as Lumiya neatly, Huā is warmed by her good behavior. Perhaps not every youth in the Wilds was as foolish and misbehaved as the Rusalkan boy. Nice to know you, Lumiya. Oh! And, Loinnir. My name Huā, I come from beach. But now live with weird pack called Rusalka. She grins a little awkwardly, feeling nervous about what the fae might think of her stunted common tongue. And then curiosity takes over, and she wonders, Why you going east?