Northstar Vale The silence you left was the strangest sound

It was silly to think about finding @Zulema so that he might thank her for not calling him a great big sissy baby after he found his dead sister. She had been concerned, though. Jack hadn’t forgotten how she had chased after him, trying to see what was wrong. It had been… cool. She was cool. He didn’t really imagine that any of the Arche’s kids would be tight like that.

Zulema you around here? the boy called out to the trees.

A small bundle of birds took flight from the tree overhead. Snow was tossed down and landed with a splat on top of Jack’s head. He puffed through his nose and shook his head. Then, he felt himself grow larger with pride at thinking his voice had caused the snowfall.

She knew Jack's family had returned. Zulema wished to go and greet them she felt that maybe space for the young boy was best, or at least that's what she needed sometimes. It only took her a moment to figure out what direction he had called from, which wasn't very far. She wasn't sure what to think, but Zulema headed towards him with a hurried pace.

❝Hey, Jack!❞ She slipped out of the brush, shaking remnants of snow and dirt off of her.

She'd clean up later she decided. That thought quickly slipped her mind, and now Zulema wasn't quite sure how to fill the moment of silence.

❝How have been?❞ The ruddy girl fought a cringe as she said it, she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say.

Her tone was soft, serious.

Yo, he returned to her greeting.

Zulema had materialized out of the brush, dragging branches and snow along with her. The Redhawk boy didn’t mind it. He imagined she was doing something exciting before he’d interrupted her. There might be a good chance that she’d let him in on the fun-having.

Zulema was quick to ask him how he was doing, though. The boy squinted and toyed with the inside of his cheek, picking at it with his teeth. He hadn’t stopped thinking about his sister. He’d thought about her so much that he was convinced she was still there – a ghost in the vale. Jack had only shared this with his mom, of course.

Just looking for something cool to do. You doing anything cool? he answered and then rebounded a question back to her.

The girl could hardly keep herself entertained. Sometimes she wished a craft would click with her, the way it had for Antigone and Zosime to keep herself busy. 

❝Ugh,❞ She groaned and dropped her head in an exaggerated manner, ❝I was hoping to ask you that.❞

There was no way Zulema was going to admit she walked when she had found herself bored.

Hmm, he mused on all his cool-doings in the last short while.

Went to this forest with my mom and dad. That was pretty cool. I didn’t think I’d miss this place that much but I kinda did, he shared with the girl. Jack wasn’t keen on being mushy and emotional about his home. This was where his sister was buried, though. This was where he remembered the most of his childhood. It felt exactly the way a home should.

Okay you next, Jack urged her with a nudge of his nose. He wanted to hear some dope stories about her life.

Zulema knew she would miss Epoch had she ever left, she smiled at his mention of it. A small pang of anxiety struck at his question, she wanted to seem anything but boring to Jack. She settled as she sorted through what she had done lately. Her tongue clicked as she decided.

❝You know the new guy?❞ Zulema responded to his prod, ❝Ike?❞

❝He went over some battle training with us. It was pretty cool, I went against Phox. Wish you were there though, would've been way more fun.❞

She looked to the ground as she thought over what else to say. What actually fun things had she even done here?

❝Antigone and I would hunt frogs, or, I hunted the frogs when we were tiny.❞ Zulema sat down, tail stirring behind as she recalled the memory. ❝He was the- the support.❞

❝I don't know if they'd still be there though.❞

Yo, that’s cool! You’re gonna be a fighter?

Jack thought it was sick that Zulema had sparred with Phox. Even if he only had three legs, he was pretty capable. The young Redhawk hoped that he might get a chance to spar with the girl. They could make a fun time of it, get a snack after, maybe watch the lake water run off into one of the rivers. That was perfectly normal friend stuff, right?

She mentioned something about chasing frogs with her brother.

He chased FROGS? Jack asked in shock. He’d seen the way her brother was around muck. The boy was weird. I think you and I can get way more ‘cause I’m not afraid to get in there with you. Let’s go see!

No chance for her to decline. Jack nipped playfully at her shoulder and then darted through the brush.

❝Oh, I don't know.❞ Zulema bit back the ramble she was tempted to go on.

❝Maybe?❞ She couldn't forget the way her entire body felt as if it was in tune.

The gnosis then laughed as he continued, tail waving behind her in response to his shock. Antigone always had a clear dislike for the muck, but it never altered his work, and Zulema admired that. Then, Jack jumped on the opportunity to hunt frogs as well.

More laughter escaped the girl as she decided she wasn't about to lose another race, regardless if the boy had determined it would be one. Without missing a beat, she headed after him with long strides.

Why hadn't she befriended the boy earlier?