Ravensblood Forest The best traveler is one without a camera

The fact that the sense of smell is inextricably linked to memory was no news to Dwin. She also had learned to count the passage of time with it too. On a daily basis, when her mind was occupied by planning on, where to go next or where to find anything to eat, she did not dwell much on the life she had left behind. But once evening set and she curled up to have a rest, longing for home washed over her like a wave. At first she had found some consolation in the fact that her coat still carried the scent molecules of her family members. Mixed together with her own olfactory signature, it felt as if she carried some part of them with her. Like a photograph to look through and recall the best times spent together. 

However, unlike colours in the photos, the scents waned and disappeared faster. The longer Dwin spent time on her own, the harder it was to find comfort in the world of scents. They were dwindling and disappearing one by one, until in that figurative photo of hers was left no one else but her against the backdrop of, wherever she happened to be at that given time. The sulphuric odour of the hot springs still clung in her hair and messed with her nose, when she crossed the edge of a sequoia forest. There pungent aroma of conifers took over. All of a sudden this reminded her of home so sharply, that the girl stood still and fought back an urge to cry. 

No, not because her choice to leave had not played out exactly as she had planned. Rather - growing up and breaking that bond with your parents is so damn hard. On all of us. 

so long had it been since he'd last heard their songs, their beautiful voices raised to the skies! it made the heart ache, to think of how the wanderer had come and gone, and his dark artemis's pack was no more.

but, a walker needs a stocked belly to do what he's made for. mother sea, so unkind, left him with little choice. slavuj entered the forest, tassels tugging on braches.

it was a fruitless escapade. he persisted, pushing on in search of buried scraps or some small gift from father land, but the edge approached and his insides protested.

he was to turn back - what laid on that side of the treeline wasn't for a dog like him - when the smallest sound, crunch of snow or snap of twig, made a weighed down ear wish to perk up!

his own approach towards the noise would be loud and obvious.

Thank you for joining!

The best remedy for homesickness and sudden onset of unhappiness is some shock, stress and fear. If Dwin had thought that after running into Skeletor, Fluff-beast and a wolf, who claimed their leader to be an incarnation of Dark Overlord, Teekon's share of supernatural beings had been emptied, she had been wrong. Sound of footfalls and a thick scent of something very much alive, but very unfamiliar with the concept of bath, made her wary. She looked around, attempting to locate the source and finally her eyes set upon what appeared to be a pile of moving, dirty snow.

Unsure of what to do, she took some steps back and half-hid herself behind a nearby tree, peering around the trunk at the odd creature, while at the same time trying to make as less of presence as possible.

he was quite sure he'd heard it from here! were his ears truly so terribly muffled? slavuj stood in what was not clearing as much as spot too thick with roots for another tree to grow. he turned every which way, and the blur of his swaying tassels hid the stranger from view.

"yoo-hoo?" he sing-sung, back unknowingly turned to the one he sought. "hell-ouuu~ are yeau dere, mai huntress? ai apolo-jaiz, if ai aem inchrudering!"

"please, dou nout sick yeaur man aet mi!" slavuj laughed, cheerful from tail to grin.

Another alien. Dwinn did not know, whether she should feel luck for such a development or concerned, because she was gaining proof that the world was inhabited by weirder creatures than the ones she had learned about at home. The Uncle IT lookalike spoke in a melodic, kind voice and his speech had very thick accent. The young Blackthorn did not trust this, thinking about all the sweet-talking/-singing/-seducing supernaturals that appeared harmless until they ended you. And with her journey of a lifetime just in the beginning stages, she was not going to exit the race early. 

"Who are you?" she asked from the safety of her hide-out, eyes fixed on every movement of the creature. It would have been wise to not engage at all and run for the hills, but it would be a shame for all the Blackthorns before her, if she missed an opportunity to talk to an actual alien. While Dwinn as all young people had some difficulties in taking responsibility for a lot of things, family honor was something she would never betray. Even if there were only the ghosts of her proud ancestors watching her now.