Shah/Wrynn

[Wrynn]

Oh look, oh my star is fading

The tree-woman thanks her, and Wrynn smiles, a small, shy smile. But it's only a few moments before the smile turns into an awestruck, serious expression.

Being from the jungle, Wrynn never seen a fawn before. And she's certainly never seen one so close. As it approaches her, her rainbow eyes go impossibly wide. She stays so still, barely daring to breathe, not wanting to frighten it away. It noses at her, tentative, gentle – and then it nestles into her side. Wrynn can't help herself, she squeals in absolute, unabashed glee. It's so unlike her, to make a noise like that, and it only takes a moment for her to realize that she might accidentally frighten it away. Like a child who slaps a hand over their mouth upon realizing they've done something wrong, Wrynn suddenly quiets herself. Instead, she curls back into the fawn, snuggling it right back.

The dead children in her head, still quiet for the most part, can't help cooing a bit.

The tree lady is talking again then, and Wrynn listens closely. She blushes and looks at the ground when the woman calls her pretty. She doesn't think of herself like that, she is simply Wrynn, not pretty, not anything but a conduit for the dead (in the best of ways). She thinks she should answer the woman's question, but she doesn't actually know where Scorch and Hestoni are – but luckily Shahrizai seems to have an answer ready.

When he says they're all related, her little mouth hangs open. She can't imagine being related to a horse like the mare who stands before her. She looks back and forth between Shah and the mare, back and forth, and back and forth and –

"Oh wow!" her voice is high pitched but strangely soft. She's trying to contain her excitement for the sake of the fawn, which she desperately hopes she won't scare away. "I can't believe I'm related to you!" she doesn't know any of the stories, she doesn't know that her mother is persona non grata in Noori's book. She only knows that she thinks this woman is one of the coolest in the world, and she couldn't be happier to call her sister.

"Noori." Rain's voice is more insistent now, and Wrynn looks up at the tree-woman again with new understanding. "Noori." she says, her voice smaller and quieter again. "Your name is Noori." She smiles a little, proud of what she's figured out. "Our other sister, Rain, told me." Surely she'd know Rain. It doesn't even occur to Wrynn that their family might be fractured, that Noori might not have talked to Scorch in years. As far as Wrynn is concerned, Scorch is the best, most loving mother in the world – to all her other children. And Wrynn doesn't blame her for being a little cold toward Wrynn herself. There were reasons, the girl is sure of it.

And besides, it's hard to be anything but optimistic when you're cuddling a fawn.

wrynn

Writing this post actually made me squeal with glee at the adorableness. I just thought you should know.