The Sentinels Come together, right now, over me

The sun beamed brightly through the mouth of the cave she shared with Ia as the morning rose, bringing in a warmth that the night had stolen from her and her companion. It was greatly welcomed as she got up and stretched, the heat giving her limbs an awakening breath. The lithe female’s rapidly blinking eyes adjusted to the change as the shadows gave way to light the more she ventured out of the cave to survey their surroundings.

The snow outside sparkled in the morning sun, glittering and windswept. Trees in the area capped in snow, some rained powdered snow as the winds brushed the treetops. Snowbirds circled above, flittering through the skies, riding the frigid currents as they searched for food sources. Fleur took a deep breath of the crisp air as she formed a plan to travel back to Andr in the Sentinels.

She knew it had been impulsive of her to leave him like she did; he told her he would return, after all. The girl mentally berated herself, now she was slightly in a pickle. She couldn’t leave the wildling alone, it wasn’t in her, and even though the girl was of a few words, Fleur enjoyed her quiet company. She had awoken for only a short moment in the night to check on her companion, and Ia had been awake, keeping watch. 

Fleur wasn’t naive to think that it was just to keep watch over them both, but more so for the feral lady to keep an eye on her. It was smart, Fleur had to admit, for Ia to be wary. Fleur didn’t have that feeling about others; no one meant her harm. Her want to belong and make connections overrides instinct. So, she decided to travel with the girl she just met; anything could happen on their trip down to the Sentinels.

She returned back to Ia within the cave, humming a soft happy tune. Eyes once again adjusting to the darkness that shrouded Ia, Fleur had crept in closer, carefully not to startle the girl, but close enough to see if she were awake.

For @Andr and @Iaghe. I placed it in the Sentinels since that’s where they’re heading.

iaghe's eyes opened, two icy slits that watched soundlessly as the ruscoqui darted out into the morning. the shadow's frosted crown lifted a tad, watching fleurette go blamelessly. 

she would not have faulted the woman for not returning. 

already, the wretch could see that she was like a breath of spring air where the islander was pure winter. 

her chin settled back on her paws, thinking. contemplating where she might go from here. 

it was only the control that came with established habit that kept her from startling when the sunbeam flounced back into their temporary domain; long ago having accustomed to holding herself still as if that could stave off the inevitable fracturing.

fleurette would find the winterborne precisely as she left her against the cave wall -- pale gaze watching her guardedly, yet not unkindly. 

the language barrier remained fixed stubbornly between them but when it became clear what fleurette wanted, iaghe would rise and follow after.

the void, what the spirits had done to her, clung to the shadowy recesses of her mind the entire way. 

apprehension filled her, guard hairs pricking to attention along her spine as she continously scanned their surroundings for danger. 

but her companion had remained unharmed thus far. she could only take that as a good omen.

 ---

the omen had lied. and the spirits made mockery of the ghost that had once worshipped them.

as soon as they'd drawn close enough for her to see it, for the land to take on the 'scape of her nightmares -- iaghe stuttered to a halt. 

nausea whirled deep within her and her heart jerked to a stop -- pain spearing her through the chest. 

surely, she was dying. 

that could be the only explanation for the way the fickle organ kick-started back to life -- dizzying waves of adrenaline flashing through her. 

trembling with the sudden fever of her own fear,  she backed a step away from the distant forest as if it might give chase -- or worse, burst into flame.

completely forgetting fleurette's presence, she stumbled further away. she'd have taken flight if she'd been able to run, but could only twist aside as her body wracked with a sudden dry heave.

She had found Ia’s gaze on her and giggled briefly, slightly startled as the shadows had receded to reveal steady waters already watching her approach. Fleur mentioned the sun, and the snow, and the birds, and her plan to return back to the male she mentioned previously, knowing that he would take on another to protect.

What she hadn’t expected was the raw reaction that Ia seemed to be having as they had neared the Sentinals, the treetops coming over the horizon as watchful guardians. The shadow of a girl had stopped suddenly, the tremble that wracked her body visible, seeming to threaten to crumble her to dust, only to blow away in the wind should Fleur look away for even a second. It scared Fleur to witness such a visceral response to the woods before them.

It reminded her of Andr and how he had also had a similar, yet less strong, reaction during their arrival to the Woods. What was it about these woods that those in the area seemed to share? She had noticed the density, or lack thereof, of the Woods as they searched for shelter. Was the lack of shelter, or cover, the reason for them to experience something traumatic? Does something live in these woods that attacked them? Andr had not revealed the reason for his behavior, so her questions were going to remain unanswered….and it bothered her.

But, she needed to be there for Ia before her own feelings. She turned fully to the frightened female, and spoke gently, hoping not to spook her further. “Hey, Ia, it’s okay. My friend is not too far in these woods. Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” She watched as the wildling heaved, her own stomach churning with the fear that radiated from her ghostly companion.

she could not hear the well intentioned words. 

there was only roaring. 

muted. distant.

the deep. the fire.

iaghe sunk.

down. 

down. 

one.

two.

three.

her head drifted back and forth, both a warning to the woman and a reaction. 

a rare keening sound escaped her. 

please. don't.

the petrel had been drug beneath the suffocating waves. a reel played in her mind, hazy flashes of memory she wished had been lost.

the star crashing, the explosion that had left her half deaf for days. the burned woman -- a raw, red husk with melted skin, clinging to life. trying to force her to her knees, her silent begging for the woman to move. trees crashing. andr. the agony of fire burrowing beneath her skin, marking her as its own. 

the islander curled into herself, shuddering as the void sucked her under.

Sunset eyes widened in fear and dread as she gaped at the scarred woman. The way the girl caved into herself and the sounds that came forth from the inner implosion were heartbreaking—scary, even—and she couldn’t bear to watch it. Fleur needed to find Andr, she needed to do it now. 

“I’m going to find my friend, Ia. If you hear me, please don’t leave, we will come back for you. He can help! I know he can…please don’t leave!” She yelled the last few words as she ran, tears in her eyes, the girl’s trauma nipping at her heels. Fleur’s heart begged for her to slow, but she refused. The only thing that mattered was getting Andr to Ia, she would push herself to her limits if that meant she could help the girl.

Her route was not very familiar to her, it was different than the one she used to leave the Sentinels. Her nose desperately searched for his familiar scent, the hint of pine from their cave, and as deeper she went into the woods, the stronger it had become. Her eyes alighted as the scents gripped her and she followed them to their temporary shelter.

She yelled for him…but no answer was returned.

In this moment, she felt beyond small and insignificant. Useless and lost. Tears fell as she sobbed, anger in herself that she might have failed her newfound friend. Collapsing to the ground, mirroring Ia’s pain, she imploded, her anger palpable, cursing the seas.

Why couldn’t they have just taken her under? Why had they spit her out on this cursed land? She was a failure. Held no value to anyone, not even herself. She was, simply, a burden to everyone. 

All she wanted to be…was useful.